Obituaries for Nov. 11, 2009

By Calvin Hall

The Sandy Post, Nov 10, 2009

Ruth Marie Robertson

Dec. 23, 1929-Nov. 8, 2009

Ruth Marie Robertson, a resident of Boring, died Sunday, Nov. 8, at a Clackamas hospital. She was 79.

A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at Sandy Funeral Home, 39551 Pleasant St. A funeral service will be held in Spanish Fork, Utah. Burial will be at Payson City Cemetery in Payson, Utah.

Ruth was born Dec. 23, 1929, in Payson, Utah, to Duncan and Ruth (Kerr) Fraser. After Ruth’s parents’ deaths, her Aunt Margaret and Uncle Joe Perry raised her with their three sons. Ruth graduated from Payson High School.

Ruth married Benjamin B. Riches, and they had three children. After they divorced, Ruth married Eldon Christensen, and they had a daughter. After their divorce, Ruth went to Utah Technical College and received a degree in nursing. She married Ronald Spencer. Following their divorce, Ruth moved to Provo, Utah.

Ruth worked at hospitals in Payson and Utah Valley. She moved to Salem in 1974 and worked for Salem Hospital. She moved to Boring in 1975 and worked for Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center until her retirement in 1992.

On April 23, 1981, she married Daniel Robertson in Cannon Beach, and they made their home in Boring.

Ruth was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She enjoyed weaving rugs and had her own business called Spinning Web Weavery. She enjoyed all kinds of arts and crafts.

Her husband, Daniel, preceded her in death in 2007.

Survivors include her sons, Gary Riches of Spanish Fork and Dennis Riches of Ridgefield, Wash.; daughters, Linda Greiner of Salem and Carolyn Hunter of Milwaukie; stepsons, James Robertson and Daniel Robertson, both of Gresham; 16 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Sandy Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Terry Simpson

Aug. 3, 1946-Nov. 8, 2009

Sandy resident Terry Simpson, 63, died Sunday, Nov. 8, at his home.

Services are pending. A full obituary will appear in The Post at a later date.

Sandy Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Josie Grace Splawn

April 13, 1934-Oct. 31, 2009

Sandy resident Josie Grace Splawn, 75, died Saturday, Oct. 31, at her home.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at Sandy Funeral Home, 39551 Pleasant St.

Josie was born April 13, 1934, in Mitchell to Willet and Margaret (Stewart) Osborne, the youngest of 10 children. She was raised and educated in Mitchell.

In 1951, she married Donald Frazier. They lived in Central Oregon until 1957, when they moved to Gresham. They divorced in 1965.

Josie worked in the restaurant industry and was employed at Ruby’s Tavern and The Gresham Inn, where she met Floyd Splawn. They were married on Jan. 4, 1980. They moved to Sandy a year later and operated Floyd’s Fine Foods until selling the business.

Josie was working as a private in-home cook. She was known for making huge dinners for holidays, birthdays and special occasions, and for her fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. She enjoyed gardening, going to garage sales and spending time with her family. She would also spend many hours on the phone every night with her sister and many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandson, Nicholas; and by eight brothers, Elmer, Delbert, Virgil, Raymond, Walt, Robert, Marion and Ersel.

Survivors include her husband; son, Gary Frazier of Sandy; stepsons, Wayne Splawn of Camas, Wash., and Noel Splawn of Vancouver, Wash.; sister, Jessie Harris of Terrebonne; two grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one step great-grandson.

Sandy Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Dorene M. Waltman-Dempster

April 6, 1924-Oct. 30, 2009

Former Sandy resident Dorene M. Waltman-Dempster, 85, died Friday, Oct. 30, of lung cancer at her home in Vermillion, S.D.

A funeral service was held Tuesday, Nov. 3, at First Baptist Church in Vermillion. Inurnment was at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, S.D.

Dorene was born April 6, 1924, in Faulkton, S.D., to John and Ethel (Lewis) Weiland. She attended schools in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming.

On Aug. 4, 1942, she married Carl W. Waltman. They lived in Denver, where Carl was stationed at Fort Logan. They later lived in Wyoming and then in the Piedmont/Rapid City, S.D., area.

Dorene loved to sew, and she designed and sewed clothing for her daughters. She was an avid reader and loved classical music, but also enjoyed square dancing and the polka. She was well known for her pies, homemade bread and jellies. In 1963, Dorene and Carl moved to Pierre, S.D., and Dorene learned how to wood-finish the furniture and cabinets that Carl built. She learned how to use a Danish oil finish. Dorene was a member of First Baptist Church in Pierre.

Carl preceded Dorene in death. Dorene married Darrell C. Dempster on June 26, 1999. They made their home in Sandy and managed a bed and breakfast. In retirement, Dorene and Darrell spent many years traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia, as well as visiting their family. After Darrell’s death, Dorene moved back to South Dakota and lived in Pierre and Vermillion.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Suzanne Klasi; brothers, Earl Weiland and Leonard Weiland; and sister, Eleanor Land.

Survivors include her daughters, Linda Tibbs of Pierre and Cheryl Hill of Vermillion; stepchildren, Kathy Fujikawa of Escondido, Calif., Judy Stepp of Salem, Diane Dempster of Seattle and Mike Dempster of Wilsonville; 11 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Visit www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com to send an online sympathy card.

Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Yankton, S.D., is handling arrangements.

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