Verla R. Dawson Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Verla R. Dawson (a.k.a Skipper or Skip), 75, passed away from multiple myeloma cancer April 12, 2010, with her family by her side at her son's residence in Salem, Oregon. A memorial service will not be held per her wishes. She wished for people to remember the good times and not her untimely passing. She was born January 12, 1935, in Tacoma Wa. to William and Lillian Hinderlong. They moved to Portland, Oregon in 1943 and they eventually moved to the small town of Delake on the Oregon coast in 1947. This is where she developed her love of the ocean beaches and especially during storms! She graduated from Taft High School in 1953. She spent her younger year's waitressing and making many friends along the way who helped shape her personality and commitment to friends and family. She gave birth to her son Shawn in December of 1963 in Salem Oregon. She raised her son alone as a mother working many jobs and in some cases holding down three at one time so she could provide the best life she could for her son. Her commitment to her family was second to none. She eventually retired after 33 years of working for the State of Oregon as an administrative specialist and she made the most of it, she was very busy just being retired unlike some of the others who had trouble keeping up with her, and she refused to slow down. To her retirement was a time to live it up, nothing else. She was very close to her mother and father and she frequently drove the 70+ miles every few weeks to visit and help her parents anywhere from gardening to painting the chicken coop or barn. If it was a weekend she usually looked for a reason to visit her parents or go to the Oregon coast to visit friends. There was nothing she would not do for her family or friends and was loved by many people and this showed greatly through her life as she was always entertaining or going on road trips with her friends. She loved to travel and visit places. Some of her earned titles were hiker, climber, traveler/tourist, white-water rafter, square dancer, volunteer, pinochle player extraordinaire, artist and most of all a loving and nurturing mother. She also loved to spoil her one and only granddaughter whenever she could. She was an active member of several organizations such as the Capitol-8's Square Dance Club, the Red Hat's Society, Salem Senior Center, her Bunco group and Pinochle group. She loved to be active in life and wanted to see and do it all. Her only limits were "who was a-going with her" and could they keep up! Verla is survived by her sister Maidie, her son Shawn, her granddaughter Nicholle, her nephew Rick and her Niece Raina. In lieu of services for Verla, the family suggests a donation to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (http://www.themmrf.org) in her name to help others. We love you Mom (and Grandma) and miss you greatly already!

Tributes

Verla R. Dawson

January 12, 1935 - April 12, 2010