Marian WALTHER ²

  General Notes:

SSDI: Marian W. Dinsmoor; b. 10 Oct 1916; d. 5 Apr 2007; issued CA; last residence: Hood River, Hood River Co, OR.

OBIT: Hood River News, Apr 1, 2007: Marian Dinsmoor -
Marian Walther Dinsmoor, known to many as "Old Blue", died peacefully in her home of 62 years on April 5, 2007.
Marian, the fourth of six children, was born to George and Margaret Dermidy Walther in Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 10, 1916.
A celebration of life will be held at Anderson?s Tribute Center on Wednesday, April 11, at 1 p.m.
When she was three, Marian's family left Chicago and moved to Southern California. The San Fernando Valley is where they settled into their new greenhouse business and the new family home. Marian attended UCLA and during her younger years she often went to Catalina Island and out dancing to the big bands with friends.
It was in 1936 that she met the man of her dreams and on Feb. 18, 1938, she married her soul mate, Harold Dinsmoor. The two were then blessed with sons Larry and David. In 1943 the Dinsmoor family packed up and left California to return to Harold's home town and work the family farm in Oak Grove. In 1945 the four moved into their Kenwood Drive home and the following year her family was complete with the birth of her daughter, Leslie.
It was the Oak Grove Packing House where Marian learned to pack fruit and soon became one of their fastest packers. In the early sixties, Marian began working at Safeway on Second Street, and moved with the store in 1966 to its State Street address. She quickly became one of Safeway's fastest checkers and was known to many for her countless zany costumes worn during Crazy Days. Some of you may remember her as the "lady with blue hair", as her hair color was never the same until her retirement from Safeway in 1979.
To keep her young and out of trouble, Marian worked the summers up at the Country Faire Fruit Stand until two years ago. She loved selling fruit and spending many hours visiting with the customers from around the world.
Upon her retirement from Safeway, she and Harold spent many days traveling in their motor home and were active Good Sam members. She also took many bus tours around the United States. Her goal was to visit every state in the union before she could no longer travel, and she accomplished that by taking a cruise to Alaska in 2005 with her granddaughter, Danell
She also enjoyed traveling overseas, and made trips to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Ireland, Scotland and England. In Ireland and Scotland she was able to meet many of her first cousins. When Harold made her stay around the house for awhile, she was busy hosting students and adults from other countries through the Lions and E.F. Homestay Program. Her last student, Mario, from Germany, became a member of the Dinsmoor/Melby family.
She also belonged to many clubs and organizations throughout the years such as PTO, Wy'east Booster Club, Lioness Club, Emblem Club, Home Extension and Pinnacle Card Group. She also assisted the Blue Birds and Camp Fire Girls. In the 1950s, she and Harold helped get Camp Yallani (at Green Point) ready for the summer activities and assisted in the winterizing.
She was very proud of being a part of the Hood River Tsuruta Sister City and was still an active member of her beloved Hazel Rebekah Lodge at the time of her death.
Marian is survived by her daughter, Leslie, and Reed Melby of Hood River; sons Larry Dinsmoor of Lake Forest, Calif., and David and Babs Dinsmoor of Newport, Ore.; and grandchildren Danelle Frank of Sioux City, Iowa, Mike Anderson and Brian Rockett, of Hood River, Stephanie Rodeen and Ron Dinsmoor of Pullman, Wash., and Scott Dinsmoor of West Virginia. She is also survived by seven great-granddaughters, four great-grandsons, her beloved cat, Jasmine, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, three brothers, two sisters, a niece, nephew, and her son-in-law, Jan Anderson.
Memorials may be given to the Hood River Valley High School Wrestling Scholarship, Relay for Life or Hospice of the Gorge in her name. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson?s Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000

Marian married Harold Lester DINSMOOR, son of Fay DINSMOOR and Mary Lsabelle WICKHAM, on 18 Feb 1938 in San Fernando, Los Angeles Co, CA.¹ (Harold Lester DINSMOOR was born on 17 Jun 1910 in Oak Grove, Tulane Co, OR,² died on 8 Sep 2004 in Oak Grove, Tulare Co, CA ² and was buried in Idlewilde Cem, Hood River, OR ².)