LELA HUDSON
Lela L. Hudson, 81, of White Salmon died at her home on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005. She was born Oct. 2, 1923, in Parkdale, Ore., to Tressa (Gibbs) and Roy Edwards. The family moved to the Camas/Vancouver area then to Seattle where she graduated from Franklin High School in 1941.
Mrs. Hudson developed her strong work ethic cooking and cleaning for well-to-do families while in high school. She married H. Fred Vogt in 1941 and fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a pastor's wife. They served in many churches in the Northwest.
She moved to Hood River in 1958 and joined the family business, Anderson Funeral Home. She obtained her Funeral Director's license shortly thereafter and was instrumental in the building of a new funeral facility on the heights in Hood River.
In 1976, she sold her share of the business to her sister and moved to White Salmon, becoming partners with her daughter and son-in-law at Gardner Funeral Home. Mrs. Hudson retired from the business in 1982 and moved to Hood River in 1996. She returned to White Salmon in May of this year to be closer to her family.
Mrs. Hudson was a longtime member of Hood River Church of the Nazarene, serving in many leadership capacities. She was a member of Soroptimist International of Hood River and a founding member and president of Soroptimist International of Mt. Adams. She held many offices in both clubs. She volunteered with the Red Cross and the Skyline Hospital Guild. She loved to travel and never missed a Blazer or Mariner game on TV. She kept her mind active by reading and doing crossword puzzles.
She was the person you could depend on to pick up a shut-in or deliver food to someone in need. But her greatest joy in life was her role as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She is survived by daughters Heather Weisfield and Keren Dierickx, both of White Salmon, and Barb Vogt, Fairview; nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and a sister, Doris Cotner of McMinnville, Ore.
Services were held Monday, Aug. 15, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Nazarene in Hood River.
Memorials may be given to Skyline Hospital Foundation X-Ray Equipment Fund or Hood River Church of the Nazarene, care of Gardner Funeral Home, PO Box 390, White Salmon, Wash. 98672.
Send a message or special memory of Mrs. Hudson to the family by visiting www.gardnerfh.com
WOODY SIEMENS
Husum resident Woodrow "Woody" Siemens died at his home on Aug. 10, 2005. He was 92 years old. Born in Dysart, Iowa, on Feb. 21, 1913, Mr. Siemens was the son of Rudolph and Celia (Krutzfeldt) Siemens.
He married Juanita Ann Bryan on July 30, 1939, and in 1946, they moved to the Gorge area. Mr. Siemens worked in local timber mills, retiring in the late 1970s. He enjoyed tending to his vegetable garden and farming, fishing, polka music and traveling with his family.
Survivors include his daughters Connie Markel, Cougar, Jill Warren, Hood River, Ore., Pam Burchell, Portland, Ore.; son Loni Siemens, Husum; sister Pauline Wendt, Dysart, Iowa; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and sister Alta Minkel.
Mr. Siemens' grandson-in-law Bill Haldeman presided over the memorial graveside service held on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, at the Mt. Adams Cemetery in Glenwood.
Gardner Funeral Home's Columbia River Crematory handled cremation arrangements.
Commented