Mary Jane (Hall) Robb - 1924-2011
Mary Jane (Hall) Robb, 87, of
Logsden, Ore., died Oct. 3, 2011, at
Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital
in Newport, Ore.
She was bom near Northville, S.D.,
on Feb. 21, 1924, to Hattie (Levig) Hall
and Ernest “Harley” Hall. Around 1930,
they moved to the Strand farm near For
tuna, N.D., where they resided until the
drought, the dust bowl and the Depression
caused them to move west.
Leaving everything but their clothing
behind, they set out in an old Model T
with another family to cross the Rocky
Mountains, ending their journey at
Toledo, Ore., where they resided briefly.
They moved on to Bay View just
north of Waldport, Ore., leaving there
when it became evident (in the absence
of the yet-to-be-constructed bridge cross
ing the Alsea Bay) that Mary Jane would
have to walk the train trestle that crossed
the bay to attend high school in Waldport.
They finally settled on a ranch near
Logsden, Ore., in 1937, where they kept
a herd of dairy cattle and sold milk to the
local creamery.
Mary Jane was valedictorian of her
graduating class at Siletz High School
in 1941. After graduation, she attended
Linfield College in McMinnville and
left there to return home in the summer
of 1942.
For a brief time, she resided in Los
Angeles with her aunt and uncle. After
returning to Oregon, she saw a newspaper
clipping from a neighbor about a training
program for Boeing Aircraft being taught
at Oregon State University. In one term,
she completed a three-year course in
aeronautical engineering that allowed her
to work for Boeing in Seattle. Her mother
joined her in Seattle to work as a riveter,
leaving her father at home on the ranch.
In 1944, she met a sailor who had
been badly wounded in the war and was
being treated at one of the hospitals in
Seattle. She and Sam Robb were married
Dec. 14,1944. They moved to Cloverdale,
Wash., and then to Glenwood, where Sam
worked in a fish hatchery, eventually mov
ing to live on the ranch close to Logsden
in a home near Mary Jane’s parents.
Sam became a logger and sometimes
fished for tuna. Together they had a son,
Harley Robb, and a daughter, Teresa Robb
(Simmons).
Sam and Mary Jane divorced in
1961. After being a homemaker for 17
years, Mary Jane went to work for the
Lincoln County engineer and surveyor in
Newport. She also was the secretary for
the Lincoln County Planning Commis
sion until she retired in the late 1970s,
moving back to the ranch to live next to
her mother and son. After the passing of
Mary Jane’s heartfelt comforting writings will be
very missed by many of us ... thank you
By Arliss Chatterson
Read by Levi Simmons at Mary Jane's memorial on Oct. 9, 2011
It’s like a sentinel that’s missing - just over the hill
A voice beside me whispers, I’m still here!
Let’s run up aside that rainbow and slide down the other side!
Think that cloud will hold us? We’ll never know until we’ve tried!
Oh! There’s Harley! Let’s go catch him! Look there’s mama, Holly too!
So! Back to earth my little friend, it’s just not time for you.
Silly mortal!
Hey, Elvis! Wait a minute! Special message coming thru!
Someone I love back on earth plans to lead God’s choir with you!
I shall balance on a moon beam - and swing upon a star
I shall rustle tree leaves in the wind; I am anywhere you are!
I’ll share the secrets of God’s realm; just feel me in your heart;
Listen close, my earthly friend - ’cause we are not apart!
I’ll sit in council with our Lord; I’ll say good things of you!
When it’s your turn, I will hold the gate so you can come on thru.
I’ll pave the way in heaven; I’ll be your mentor once again,
Remember, this is just so long, it’s not goodbye, my friend.
Pizza
Price
Pizza, Pasta & More
541-557-2000
DiNE-IN
OR DELIVERY
Out tytMt
ôccz .¿M*
2156 NE Highway 101/Lincoln City • Owned by Larry and Tina Little
Tribal ID card gets you 10% off meal (excludes alcohol drinks and delivery fee)
10
*
Siletz News
•
November 2011
her mother and later her son, Mary Jane
continued to live on the same property that
her family had loved since moving from
North Dakota and she lived there with her
cousin, Mary Ann Shipley, nearby keep
ing a watchful eye on her until she died.
Mary Jane, also known as “Mary”
to some and “Janie” to others, was an
accomplished writer. Her poetry was
published many times and she wrote for
her friends and loved ones.
She also was a talented craftsperson
with a vision and imagination to create
beautiful things. She worked in lapidary,
resin, copper, with wood lathes and fabric.
She created amazing works of art on large
wooden trunks. She could take ordinary
things and make them beautiful.
Her greatest joy was people. She loved
people. She loved their sorrows and their
joys. She loved the stories of their lives
and she loved being part of their lives.
She was preceded in death by her son,
Harley Robb; son-in-law Frank Simmons;
and her granddaughter, Holli Miller.
She is survived by her daughter,
Teresa (Robb) Simmons of Lincoln City,
Ore.; cousin Mary Ann Shipley of Logs
den; granddaughter Alissa (Miller) Curry
and husband Brandon of Lebanon, Ore.;
great-granddaughters Ary anna and Alexys
and great-grandson Zachariah Nelson of
Albany, Ore.; great-granddaughters Madi
son and Sydney Curry of Lebanon, Ore.;
nieces Barbara Jacobs of Sequim, Wash.,
and Bette Elliot of Rose Valley, Wash.;
and nephews Bill Robb of Las Vegas and
Bob Robb of Beaverton, Ore.
A memorial service was held Oct. 9
at the Tribal Community Center in Siletz.
Memorial donations can be made to
Alissa Curry, c/o Teresa Simmons, 800
SE Jetty Ave., Lincoln City, OR 97367 to
be placed in an account for the family’s
2012 Relay For Life team contribution.
Thank You-------------------------
from Teresa Simmons
Thank you to everyone who attended
Mom’s memorial service (Mary Jane
Robb) - to those of you who sent good
wishes, prayers and positive energy, for
the cards and the phone calls and the
messages.
Thank you for the flowers and the
contributions. Thank you to Bear Spirit
for drumming and to the Siletz Royalty
for The Lord's Prayer in Indian Sign.
Thanks to Bud and Buddy Lane for the
PowerPoint presentation. Thanks to those
who brought the food, to Dan Lundy for
officiating and singing and to those who
went to the microphone and spoke.
Thank you for being there either
physically or in spirit. Thank you for
standing with me and beside me. I know
I must have the best support network in
the world.
Bless you all.