Search Archived Marriage Records
Win Sewell
Hood River resident Win “Winnie” Sewell died Sept. 23, 2002, at the Hood River Care Center. She was 74 years of age.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Win was born February 22, 1928, to Harry and Bessie (Whitaker) Walther in The Dalles, Ore. She spent her childhood in The Dalles and later graduated from The Dalles High School. Once out of High School Win worked for Hudson Insurance in The Dalles.
On Jan. 16, 1964, Win married
Bud Sewell in The Dalles. Together they moved to La Grande, Ore., for work with the railroad. After living there for about 19 years, Mr. Sewell retired and they moved to Hood River, Ore., where they have lived ever since.
Mrs. Sewell enjoyed recreational bowling and loved to go to lunch and socialize with her teammates. She also was a talented seamstress and made clothes for all of her family members. Win also enjoyed square dancing.
Mrs. Sewell is survived by her husband Bud Sewell of Hood River, and daughter Linda Sewell of Husum, Wash.
She was preceded in death by her husband David Espey, son Daniel and brother Harry Walther II.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Gorge c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont, Hood River, OR 97031.
David Tiffany
David Ross Tiffany, 81, a resident of The Dalles, Ore., died Monday, Sept. 23, 2002, at a local care facility.
He was born Dec. 26, 1920, at his family home on the Laurel Road in Bellingham, Wash., the second of seven children to Ross David and Emma Ilene (Hardy) Tiffany.
He spent the first half of his life in the Bellingham area. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a cook, and later cooked at a restaurant in Bellingham. Following the death of his father he moved to The Dalles and worked at the aluminum plant from which he later retired.
He is survived by his brother John of Mosier, Ore., and sisters Marie Henderson of Hood River, Ore., Thelma Rood of Vancouver, Wash., and Ruth Lynn of Fairview, Ore., and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and by a brother Robert and a sister Elizabeth Wedrick.
In accordance with his wishes no public services will be held. The family will observe private ceremonies of remembrance. Arrangements were by Columbia Cremation & Burial in The Dalles.
Gregory Mendick
Gregory Mendick, 42, of Hood River, died Sept. 17, 2002, as the result of a traffic accident on Sept. 16, in Sacramento, Calif.
He worked at Hood River Ford as a sales representative, and he was also working in Sacramento in car financing. He moved to Hood River in 2001.
He attended Asbury Methodist Church in Hood River.
He is survived by his wife, Debra Mendick, of Hood River, and by his daughter, Rachel Bohnen of Atlanta, Ga., his mother, Doris Nelson of Seaside, Ore., and stepfather Mario Padilla of Placentia, Calif.
Also surviving are his brother Rodney and his wife, Lizzie, of Texas, nephew Waldo Mendick of Texas and sisters Lisa Mendick of Portland, Ore., Debbie Mendick of Seaside, Ore., Michelle Krynski of California, and Melody Lansky of Rogue River. Nieces Amanda of California, Nadia of Portland, Ore., nephews Jevon and Rodney of Seaside also survive.
He is also survived by his great-aunt Charlotte Wertgen of Hood River, cousins Matt and Mary Thomas of Parkdale, Ore., and their sons Derek and Billy, cousin Guy Wertgen of Parkdale, cousins Lori and Tony Martinez of Portland, and his second-cousins Andy and Annika of Portland.
He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Betty Breidel of Washington and his brother-in-law, Jeff Paxton and his wife, Penny, of Washington, nieces Ricki Jean and Jessica, of Washington and his dogs, Boo and Hannah. A service is planned in California.
Leona Ritchey
Leona Marie (Herbst) Ritchey, 81, a resident of Parkdale, Ore., died Sept. 26, 2002, at her home.
She was born April 2, 1921, in Lenox, Iowa, to Carl and Cora (Preston) Herbst and grew up there. She taught school for seven years before going to work in the underwriting department of several insurance companies in the Midwest. She married
Leslie Ritchey on Dec. 29, 1951, in Harlan, Iowa. She enjoyed traveling, reading, making pressed flower creations and doing genealogical research which she shared with her family. She was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, Parkdale Grange No. 500, as well as the Parkdale Garden Club, Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society, and the Hood River Historical Society.
Survivors include her husband Leslie of Parkdale; two daughters, Jean Stark and her husband, Paul, of Sisters, Ore., and Connie Ritchey of Hawaii; son Jim Ritchey also in Hawaii, stepson Brian Ritchey of Des Moines, Iowa and five grandsons; Justin Swope, Jonathan, Jim, Ian and Jaxon Stark of Sisters. A memorial service will be held at the Parkdale Grange on Monday, Oct. 21, 2002, at 6:30 p.m. in conjuction with the evening’s potluck supper.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Gorge, 751 Myrtle Street, The Dalles, OR 97058. Arrangements were by Columbia Cremation & Burial.
Audrey Tolleson
Audrey P. Tolleson, a Mosier, Ore., resident, died Friday, Sept. 27, 2002, at Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, Ore. She was 84 years of age.
Services will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002, at 11 a.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the tribute center.
Audrey was born May 19, 1918, in Anniston, Alabama to Lawrence and Leila (Woods) Parker. In 1937, she and George William (Bill) Tolleson were married
and moved to Oregon in 1957 where the family resided in Pilot Rock, Dale, and Salem until moving to Mosier in 1981.
Audrey enjoyed painting, sewing, bridge and golf among many other interests. She loved entertaining friends and family.
Survivors include two daughters, Charlotte Symons of Pendleton, Ore., and Sandra Rose of Redmond, Ore., and seven grandchildren, Charles, Dean and Mindy Barnes, Eric and LeChell Carlos, Kurt Symons and Les Kannier. Eight great grandchildren also survive. Her husband, Bill, preceded her in death on March 11, 2001.
Vault interment will be at Mosier cemetery. A reception will follow at the Mosier Grange.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Celilo Cancer Center or the Arts Council of Pendleton, c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont, Hood River, OR 97031.
Betty Mainwaring
Hood River, Ore., resident Betty Ann Mainwaring died Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital. She was 79 years of age. Arrangements are pending at Anderson’s Tribute Center.
Ralph Ratliff
Ralph Junior Ratliff died at his daughter’s home in Hood River on Nov. 18, 2002, surrounded by his children. He was 74 years of age.
Ralph was born Jan. 25, 1928, in San Mateo, Calif., the youngest child of Ralph and Irene Ratliff. After graduating from Sequoia High School in Redwood City, Calif., Ralph served with the Merchant Marines and was a veteran of World War II.
Ralph married
Beatrice Meyers in the Bay Area in 1946, where he helped to run the family’s ambulance service, the first of its kind in the area. They moved with their five children from the Bay Area to Parkdale in 1967. Ralph bartended for many years at several establishments, including Eddie Mays Inn, the Elks and the American Legion; as much for pleasure as for work. He was also owner and operator of the Enco gas station on the Heights in Hood River in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s Ralph operated Ralph’s Floor Covering in Hood River. In the last few years “Rotten Ralphie” was a familiar face at the Hood River Toll Bridge.
Ralph was an avid outdoorsman, whether it was hunting for game with friends and family or hunting for mushrooms with Richard Shirrod. He also enjoyed fishing at the local lakes with his grandchildren and ocean fishing with his buddies. Gambling was a favorite hobby, often down in Laughlin, Nev, . with his sister and her family.
Ralph was a lifelong member of the Elks, for 36 years, and also a member of the American Legion.
Ralph was preceded in death by his mother, father, sister and brothers. He is survived by four daughters, Joanne Ratliff of San Jose, Calif., Lenore Martinez, Sherry Ervin and Mitch Travelstead, and Terry Parks and her husband Ron, all of Hood River; a son, Chris Ratliff and his wife Susan; sister-in-law Carol Ratliff of Hood River and her children, including her son Bob Ratliff of Odell; cousins Gary Haseltine of Hood River and Chloe Ann Jones of Hermiston, Ore.; lifelong friend and godfather to his children, George Mohun of Hood River; niece Debi Sahli and nephew Tom Collinsboth of Laughlin, Nev., and nephew Rick Collins of San Diego, Calif.; step-daughter Nicki Porter of Portland, Ore.; 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of The Gorge.
A celebration of life will be on Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Hood River Elks Lodge.
Thelma Kile
Thelma Vesta “Sally” Kile, a former Hood River resident, died Nov. 18, 2002, in Oregon City, Ore. She was 101 years of age.
Thelma Vesta Cameron was born July 30, 1901, in Hood River, Ore. She was raised in the Hood River Valley and graduated from Odell High School. During WWII she moved to the Portland area. She married
Hiram Felix Kile, who preceded her in death in 1964.
She worked as a physical therapist at Johnny Johnson’s Salon, and retired in the early 1970s.
Thelma was preceded in death by her three children and seven brothers and sisters, four of whom also lived in the Hood River Valley.
She is survived by 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held Nov. 23 at 11 a.m., at Idlewild cemetery.
Arrangements are being handled by Hillside Chapel of Oregon City. Those who wish may make remembrances to OHSU Aging and Alzheimers Research.
Willis Miller
Willis Henry Miller, of Escondido, Calif., died Nov. 10, 2002, in a convalescent home there. He was 96 years of age.
Willis was born May 20, 1906, in Hood River. He attended Odell High School and was a self-employed farmer for 52 years. He had been living in San Diego County for the last 27 years.
Willis was preceded in death by his wife, Eva, in October 2002. He is survived by daughter Norma Jean Willis of Hood River; grandsons Richard Willis, Gary Willis and Mike Willis, all of Hood River; granddaughter Pam Naylor of Portland, Ore.; eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Inurnment is in Crystal Cathedral Memorial Gardens, Garden Grove, Calif.
Verna Howell
Verna Howell, a Hood River, Ore., resident died Nov. 21, 2002, at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.
Arrangements are pending at Anderson’s Tribute Center, 541-386-1000.
Harriett Renfroe
Harriett A. Renfroe, a Wilsonville, Ore., resident, died Nov. 19, 2002, in Hood River, Ore. She was 88 years of age. Services will be held in Gig Harbor, Wash., at a later date. Arrangements by Anderson’s Tribute Center, 541-386-1000.
Erna Maude Elliott
Odell resident Erna Maude Elliott, 91, died Sunday, March 23, 2003 at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Ore.
A memorial service will be held March 28 at 10 a.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center with private graveside services to follow later at the Parkdale cemetery.
Erna was born April 25, 1911, in Coleda, Mo., to John and Mary Victoria (Wallace) Clinton. She was raised and educated in Pettis County, Mo.
On Sept. 15, 1928, Erna married
Norvel Anton Embree in Sedalia, Mo. Together they moved their family to the Mt. Hood-Parkdale area in 1953 to be closer to family.
Erna worked for Paris Fair, a fine clothing store, and for the Diamond fruit company.
Following the death of her husband, Norvel, she remarried
on Aug. 10, 1972, to Elijah Elliott.
Mrs. Elliott enjoyed gardening and quilting, but most of all loved spending time with her family. Erna was a longtime member of the Odell Baptist Church. Her family remembers her for being a very creative person who was always up for a challenge.
Mrs. Elliott is survived by her daughters Elvera Embree of Odell, and Mary Jo Reynolds of Clinton, Mo., sons Ronald Embree of Odell, and Donald and his wife, Marsha Embree, of Vancouver, Wash., grandchildren Jackie and Vance Reynolds of Clinton, Mo., and Alan and Kathrena Embree of Vancouver, three great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews and several step children, grandchildren and great grandchildren also survive.
She was preceded in death by her husbands Norvel Anton Embree and Elijah Elliott.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Odell Baptist Church c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont, Hood River, OR 97031.
