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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2015)
APRIL 24, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3 obituaries Ann (Vejlupek) Lossner Submit an obituary through our website at keizertimes.com or send an email to: editor@keizertimes.com March 9, 1914 – April 18, 2015 Dean Nelson McLoud October 27, 1953 – March 15, 2015 In the presence of his family and under the care of the VA medical team in Portland, Dean Nelson McLoud peacefully passed away on March 15, 2015. Dean’s years were cut short, but the impact of his big heart lives on. For those who knew him, Dean was larger than life. Born on Oct. 27, 1953 into an Air Force family, Dean moved around before settling in Salem with his family in 1969. He attended McNary High School and earned an advanced degree from Chemeketa Community College. Following in the tradition of his father, Dean served in the Air Force. He was a committed mem- ber of the Keizer Community Church and was instrumental in many philanthropic efforts of the church – as an anony- mous “fi nan- cial angel,” prayer chain facilitator and corn run or- ganizer. Outside of God, coun- try and fam- McLoud ily, Dean was an avid baseball fan. He was a walking ency- clopedia of stats and was a for- midable force on many fantasy leagues. While keeping score in these games, in the game of life Dean did not. He was the fi rst to forgive, never holding a grudge; the fi rst to offer as- sistance, preferring to remain anonymous; the fi rst to offer kindness, even when unex- pected or undeserved; the fi rst to think of others, before him- self. He will be remembered for his big heart and the lives he touched in his subtle, but profound way. Dean was preceded in death by his mother, Ellen S. McLoud. Survivors include his father, Nelson McLoud of Keizer; brothers Don McLoud of Eugene and Doug McLoud (Erick Walker) of Long Beach, Calif.; sister Denise Lilley (Charles) of Reno, Nev. and nieces Kate French (Chad), Clara, Caroline and Melissa Lilley. A celebration of Dean’s life was held on April 19 at the Keizer Community Church, with a private interment at Willamette National Cemetery. Ann (Vejlupek) Lossner, noted writer, historian, paint- er, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away April 18, 2015 in Wil- sonville at age 101. Ann leaves a legacy that includes two books on the history of Keizer, numerous oil paintings and a pioneer- ing spirit that lives on in the memories of her children and grandchildren. Ann Josephine Vejlupek was born March 9, 1914, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Joseph and Josephine Vejlupek who met and married in their na- tive Czechoslovakia and emi- grated to the United States in 1913. Ann had a happy childhood and especially enjoyed the company of her sister, Rose. Ann worked as a clerk in a bakery during high school. She graduated in 1932 and at- tended Cleveland College. Ann worked for National Carbon Company, then as a secretary for the Erie Railroad. It was during her employment with Vlchek Tool Company that Ann met her future hus- band, Chester “Chet” Lossner. Because both husband and wife were not allowed to work during the Great De- pression due to the shortage of jobs, Ann and Chet were mar- ried secretly on Oct. 23, 1937 in the Old Stone Church in Cleveland. On April 7, 1938, Ann and Chet went on their “honeymoon” to Oregon. They chose Oregon because it was one of only two states that did not have ragweed. After a few months in Or- egon, they moved to Califor- nia where they picked cotton. After about a year in Califor- nia, the couple moved back to Cleveland in early 1939 but soon determined they were not suited for urban Ohio life. In 1940, they returned to the Salem area where Chet worked for the Railway Ex- press Agency and Ann did of- fi ce work for Montgomery Ward. Son Peter Alan Lossner arrived on June 16, 1941. A second son, Michael David Lossner, was born on May 12, 1943. Daughter Susan Kath- leen Lossner was born on Aug. 22, 1950. The family lived on a farm until 1963. Peter and Michael were students at Oregon State University when the fam- ily moved to Keizer. Chet worked as a superintendent for Monarch Foods while Ann worked as a secretary for the superintendent of the state of Oregon Land Board, helping develop parks along highways. She also attended Chemeketa Community College and at- tained a “professional secre- tary” designation. While doing research for the Land Board, Ann noted little had been written about the history of Keizer. She de- cided that when she retired, she would research Keizer his- tory and write about it. Chet retired in 1976 at age 62 and Ann did the same within a year. She then began researching Keizer history, in- terviewing the descendants of some of Keizer’s founding families, including the Keizur family. Over a 13-year period, Ann wrote articles on Keizer history which were published in both the Keizertimes and the Keizer News. In 1990 when Ann was 77 years of age, 70 articles were compiled into a book called Looking Back. She wasn’t done. Ann con- tinued writing about Keizer history and, in 1995, another 43 stories were published in a second book called More Looking Back. Ann became the authoritative historian of the Keizer area and was relied on as an accurate source of his- torical information. The Mar- ion County Historical Society referred questions to her. Ann spearheaded the res- toration of the 1916 Keizer School, which was to be de- molished to make way for de- velopment. After Ann worked on the project for 10 years, the building was restored and became home to the Keizer Heritage Foundation. Ann donated the rights to her fi rst book to the Heritage Founda- tion, which continues to sell copies. For her efforts to document Keizer history and restore the old school, Ann received the Historic Preservation Award and Medal from the Oregon State Society of the Daugh- ters of the American Revo- lution. That 2005 honor was endorsed by several historical organizations, including the Marion County Historical Society which described her as a “vital historian” and her work as scholarly, skillful, well- crafted and enlightening. Ann was also an artist, painting seascapes, landscapes and other scenes from photos taken while traveling. In retirement, Ann and Chet traveled to 26 countries including European countries, Russia and Australia. The cou- ple also traveled around the United States, mostly by car. In 1996, Ann and Chet, both age 82, moved into the Willamette Lutheran Re- tirement Community. Chet passed away on Sept. 15, 2002. They had been married 64 years. Ann later moved to an assisted living facility and fi nally to Spring Ridge at Charbonneau in Wilsonville in November 2009. Ann was preceded in death by her husband in 2002, daughter Susan Bizeau in 1999, sister Rosalie Michalek in 2005 and brother Joseph Vejlupek in 2000. Survivors include sons Peter Lossner of Lake Oswego and Michael Lossner of Peachtree City, Georgia; grandchildren Chris- ti Lossner, Zephyr Bizeau, Luke Bizeau, Gabriel Bizeau, Stephen Lossner, Michele Lossner and David Lossner; 13 great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Friday, April 24 at 11 a.m. in the Willamette Lutheran Retirement Community in Keizer. Arrangements are by Keiz- er Funeral Chapel.