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Mary Thompson
1924-2009
Mary Lucile Corbett Thompson, 84, a
former Odell, Ore., resident, died April 30, 2009, in Beaverton,
Ore.
A Morristown, Tenn., native, Mary
graduated from high school in her hometown, attended Tusculum
College, Greeneville, where she met her future husband, then
transferred to University of Tennessee, Knoxville, completing
her bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) in teacher education.
A devoted wife and right-hand lady to
her pastor husband, the late Rev Roger Thompson, she dedicated
endless years in service to others through her work at the
church, at home and in the communities in which she lived. Mary
joyfully shared with others her love of music, playing the piano
and participating in choirs throughout her life.
When her husband retired from his career
as a pastor in the United Methodist Church, Mary and he moved to
Odell, the little town they loved and in which they resided for
20 years.
Mary is survived by many friends and her
five children, their spouses and her nine grandchildren and nine
great-grandchildren:
Daughter Melinda White, of Olympia,
Wash., and her two sons, Jay McKee and wife Diya, of Kenai,
Alaska, and their children Chelsea, Joshua, Austin and Riley;
son Matthew McKee, of Kenai, Alaska; son Bill Thompson and his
wife, Cheryl, of Kenai, Alaska, and their two children;
Son Jim Thompson and his wife, Patricia
(Griebel) Thompson, and their three daughters, Kaitlin, Sidney
and Regan; and his daughter, Heather (Thompson) Barndt, and her
husband, Matt Barndt, and their daughter, Reese, and son,
Matthew;
Daughter Mary Ann Bertelson and her
husband, Dale Bertelson, of Hillsboro, Ore., and their three
daughters: Sarah (Sadie), of Portland, Allison, of Tacoma, and
Natalie, of Hillsboro; son Jim Thompson, of Newberg, Ore., and
his daughters, Amy and Megan, and their mother, Lynn (Maynard)
Thompson; son Mark Thompson, of Sherwood, Ore.
A Celebration of Life service will be
held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Odell United Methodist
Church in Odell, Ore. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a
contribution in memory of Mary C. Thompson to the Alzheimer’s
Association, Oregon Chapter, P.O. Box 4168, Portland, OR 97208.
Chris Tinker
Chris Tinker, a beloved wife, sister,
aunt, friend and loved one, passed away unexpectedly June 12,
2009, at Providence Medical Center in Portland, Ore., with her
family at her side. She was 57 years young.
Christine Carol Tinker was a lifelong
resident of Hood River, Ore. She was born Feb. 29, 1952, at the
Hood River Hospital to Everett and Genny (Reinoehl) Lowe.
Because she was born on a leap year, she celebrated only 14
birthdays in her lifetime.
In her youth she was very adventurous
and liked being outdoors. She spent lots of time playing with
her older sister at their grandparents’ house and in her teens,
she often cared for and watched her two younger brothers. She
was very active in 4-H and spent hours knitting and sewing
clothes for the annual county fair.
Chris attended schools in Hood River and
was a member of the last class to graduate from Wy’east High
School in 1970. Shortly after high school she began working as a
waitress at the Hood River Restaurant. While working there she
was also attending school to become a medical assistant.
Upon graduation, Chris found it
difficult to find a job in the medical field unless she moved
away from Hood River, something she was unwilling to do. So
leaving medical assisting behind, she began working for Jantzen
in 1974, pressing clothing.
Chris liked working at Jantzen and made
many friends in her 12 years there. In 1986, she left Jantzen
and began working in the packing house at Stadelmans. She packed
fruit at Stadelmans for 12 years before she decided to move on.
For the next 11 years and up until her
death, she worked for Safeway in the deli department. It was
there where she greeted and served many customers with her
cheerful voice and great smile. She was a familiar and friendly
face and will be missed by all who knew her.
Chris met the love of her life, Merle
Tinker, in the fall of 1970 through a mutual friend. They
married Jan. 5, 1974, in Hood River. She and Merle enjoyed 35
years together and were inseparable.
For a number of years they square-danced
with the Wy’east Whirlers and more recently they took pleasure
in going to rodeos, classic car shows and traveling together.
Chris had many hobbies and interests.
She was an avid collector of teacups and cow trinkets, and an
excellent cook, known for her fabulous desserts, “gourmet”
popcorn and special bean dip. She was extremely creative and
enjoyed sewing, knitting and doing arts and crafts.
Every year, her family, friends and
co-workers looked forward to her handmade ornaments and holiday
baskets. She also loved the outdoors and liked to go camping and
cruising around in her beautiful, blue ’57 Chevy.
Her most treasured moments were the
times she spent with her family and friends. She loved to play
games like Bunco and Pinochle. She was particularly fond of
Pinochle, which she learned to play from her parents. Almost any
day of the week you could find Chris and members of her family
gathered around her dining room table playing Pinochle for hours
on end.
Much of the rest of her free time was
filled with attending any and every event in her family’s lives.
She never missed a special occasion and was always available to
lend an ear or hand when anyone needed her to.
Although she and Merle never had any
children of their own, Chris poured all her love and attention
onto her nieces and nephews, and could not have been a better
second “mother” to any one of them. Her family and friends meant
everything to her.
Chris is survived and will be dearly
missed by her husband, Merle; her sister, Diane Kawachi and
brother-in-law, Steve; her brothers, Kenny Lowe and his wife,
Lela, and Gary Lowe; and nieces and nephews Brandon, LisaAnn and
Michelle Kawachi, Alia and Ashley Lowe and Ryan and Mathew Lowe,
all of Hood River.
She is also survived by several cousins,
aunts and uncles; her brothers-in-law, Earl and his wife, Avis,
and Lavon and Larry Tinker; nephews Robbie, Deanie and Ryan
Tinker; and niece Lisa Tinker, all of Omak, Wash.
She was preceded in death by her parents
and Merle’s parents, Joe and Audrey Tinker.
A service to mourn her passing and
celebrate her life is planned for 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 22, at
Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations),
1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000. Vault
interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery in Hood River.
Friends are invited to greet with family
and watch a special video tribute Sunday evening from 5-7 p.m.
at Anderson’s.
Please visit
www.andersonstributecenter.com to sign the family
guest book.
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