Death Notices — Spencer Libby & Powell Funeral Home (2024)

Our family mourns the loss of Lawrence Black, Jr., 72, of The Dalles, who passed away on July 26th.

Larry Black, Jr. was born to Lawrence Sr and Barbara Black, July 23rd, 1952, in Renton, WA, joining big sister Meredith. When his dad left Boeing for civil service, the family moved to Alaska, where Bonnie was born. Next, they were called to Guam, a young boy’s paradise, where he played “Mowgli” in the jungle! Meredith remembers being proud as Larry bravely went forward to receive Jesus as his Savior and asked for baptism at eight years old. He never wavered in his faith in God. Littlest sister Lori Ann remembers him always giving her a ride whether it be by piggyback, horseback, or on a bicycle. He taught her to ride bikes and ponies with the best of ‘em!

Moving to The Dalles, OR, after his Dad went into real estate, Larry became a “jack of all trades,” as he helped his folks with the rentals.

Larry’s love of animals led him to raise and show German Shepherds and sheep in 4H. A great passion of his was riding spirited horses and motorcycles. Naturally mechanical, he tinkered on bikes, vehicles and tractors his whole life.

Larry, Jr. graduated from Wahtonka High School in 1971, going on to Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. He became a welder and skilled heavy equipment operator, excelling in the field. At one point while working as a foreman in Madras, Oregon he was offered an great opportunity but it meant moving the family to Montana. He chose to stay close to family and continued life in Oregon where he had met his sweetheart Sharon Brace. They met in 1972 and it wasn’t long after they were married at a little church in Cannon Beach, Oregon in 1975. They were blessed with six children, Charissa, Larry III, Andrew, Davin, Sharyl and Alvin. Son Davin was tragically lost in 2007.

Larry was always very proud of his children and their accomplishments.

His grandchildren, Rylee, Taevin, Koby, Serenity, Casey, Alexia, Lilyana, Ariana, Samantha, Alejandra, Briana, Sterling and Alvin, Jr. were a great source of pride and joy. Larry enjoyed a big family BBQ, horseplay with the grandkids, and would most times end up with one of the littles falling asleep on his lap.

Larry loved to read, researching many topics such as natural health, which he shared in hopes of helping others. He was helping Bonnie on a project when the Lord called him home. Larry will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Go rest high on that mountain, Larry.

Larry is survived by his spouse Sharon, children Charissa & Terry, Larry III & Tiffany, Andrew & Carolyn, Sharyl & Oscar, and Alvin & Seth, grandchildren Rylee, Taevin, Koby, Serenity, Casey, Alexia, Lilyana, Ariana, Samantha, Alejandra, Briana, Sterling, and Alvin, Jr.; siblings Meredith, Bonnie, and Lori Ann; and other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence Sr & Barbara Black, brother-in-law Alan Hare, and beloved son Davin Black

A visitation will be August 17th from 1-3pm at Spencer Libby & Powell Funeral Home, followed by a memorial gathering at Bargeway Pub from 4-6pm. Burial will be at Odd Fellows Cemetery at a later date.

Mary Ann Meyer (Schlichting), aged 94 years, peacefully passed away in her home, July 20, 2024. She was born in Minot, North Dakota, September 29, 1929, to Adolph and Bessie Schlichting (Carlson), which was the first year of the twelve-year-long Great Depression. Her family moved several times for her father’s job opportunities, which varied from businessman to teacher and education administrator. The family moved to The Dalles just before Mary Ann’s senior year of high school.

Mary Ann came from a musical family and was blessed with a beautiful singing voice. She was untrained until a junior high music teacher recognized her talent. After school, they worked together on improving Mary Ann's breathing techniques. This teacher was a gift to her future. After graduating from The Dalles High School, she entered St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she earned her degree in Home Economics. She was the only freshman invited to sing in the renowned 75-voice St. Olaf Choir, the premier traveling a cappella choral ensemble at St. Olaf and was a member of the choir all four years of college. This was truly an honor!

She taught home economics formally for one year in Minnesota after graduating, but then in 1952, returned to The Dalles to marry the love of her life, Wilson J. Meyer-- an orchardist who had many visions and was a Jack-of-all-trades. They had three children together: Pam, Caryl, and David. All married, all had children, and over the years they enlarged Mary Ann's role from mother to grandmother to great grandmother. Wilson predeceased her in 1994, at the age of 81.

Mary Ann was a full-time farmer’s wife and mother taking on all the duties thereof with energy and joy. She had a work ethic and a knack for organization that was second to none. She was interested in community and was an active member for many years of the local chapter of the AAUW (American Association of University Women), serving as President for two of the years.

She was also, throughout her life, an active member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and took pride in she and Wilson being the first couple to be married in the newly constructed building at 10th and Union. In the early years, she directed the children’s “Carol Choir.” Along with her husband, Wilson, they initiated and piloted the teen church youth group in Bible studies with various projects and activities in the new church. She led the church in putting on glorious “Mother/Daughter Teas” for several years with inventive and complex programs to entertain the attendants from the church and community. Later, she presided through the church over the local organization of WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) and was accepted as a lifelong board member. She also presided over the Women’s Mt. Hood Cluster of the ELCA Oregon Synod. She sang with her beautiful voice everywhere and all the time, including in the church choir, continuing to sing throughout the rest of her life up to and including the choir’s monthly performance this past March.

She was an excellent cook and having a Scandinavian background, lefse, flatbrod, Swedish pancakes, and Krumkake were “tradition” and treats all the family enjoyed. Mary Ann had many other interests, hobbies, and talents as well, including swimming, exquisite sewing and quilting, gardening, the interior design for the two homes she lived in, both constructed by Wilson, and lastly, a new hobby of drying flowers and using them for cards to send for special communications. Everyone loved receiving those beautiful cards and the wonderful handwritten letters they always contained. Mary Ann was a gifted and treasured correspondent to many. She wrote as she spoke – her warmth, wit, and love of life and others rang through in every phrase.

Above all else, her faith and trust in the Lord filled her every day. She relished Bible study, church services, daily devotions, and believed in the power of “LOVE.” From a brief memoir she wrote of her life for Zion’s newsletter, The Voice, in 2020, she stated: “Love has no bounds. I pray for Christ's continued guidance through challenges that we, all of us, face today. And I pray for LOVE of, and peace for our families, friends, and -- all humanity.”

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Fred and Jim, and her beloved husband, Wilson. She is survived by her children Pam (Mike) Riise, Caryl Brewbaker, and Dave (Dana) Meyer; her grandchildren Tanya, Matt, Kelsey (Jake), Erin (Aaron), Dayna (Tom), Brita, Brenna (Bryan), and Luisa (Jaydn); great-grandchildren Kaley, Donovan, Thea, Roslyn, Lara, Liam, Emery, and Rowan; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary Ann, you have lived life fully and have been faithful to Christ to the end. You will be forever loved and admired for what you have given us. Thank you. Rest in Peace.

A memorial service for Mary Ann will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 2:00 pm at Zion Lutheran Church, 101 W. 10th Street, The Dalles, Oregon. Memorials in Mary Ann’s honor may be made to Zion and designated towards the music program or quilting group.

Frank "Gabby" S. Nelson Jr, 77, died May 20, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born January 2, 1947, in Rockford Illinois to Frank and Greta Nelson. He was the middle brother between Nancy and Beth.

After high school, Frank joined the US Air Force, where he earned the name "Gabby" for his quiet nature.

Always fascinated with rocks, after the Air Force, he enrolled at Northern Arizona University, where he studied geology. He could tell you the name of any rock or mineral you could ever come across. He was an engineer for the US Forest Service in Arizona, but in his soul, he was a hard rock miner.

While at NAU, he married Becky Cooper. They had 2 children, Ron and Gillian. They divorced in 1979.

In the early 1980s, Gabby moved to the PNW to study natural healing. He became a Licensed Massage Therapist in 1984 and moved to Olympia, Washington. After practicing massage therapy for many years, he became interested in the practice of Jin Shin Jyutsu, the ancient art of energy healing. He owned a Jin Shin Jyutsu practice until his retirement.

He was an avid outdoorsman, preferring to be outside in the garden, hiking to find cool rocks, cross country skiing, kayaking, or traveling. Many a winter vacation was spent along the Washington coast or playing in the snow.

He is survived by his children, Ron and Janie Nelson of The Dalles and Gillian Nelson of Dufur; ex-wife and longtime friend, Becky Nelson of The Dalles; grandchildren Caleb and Megan Nelson of The Dalles and Alex and Hannah Labenske of Dufur; younger sister and brother-in-law Beth and John Watson of Lacey, WA, and several nieces, nephews, and great-neices and nephews. He is also survived by his life-long Air Force buddies, Mike (Star) de Leon and Bill George, his second ex-wife, Ilene, and many other friends. He is predeceased by his parents, older sister Nancy Malm and her husband Dave, and granddaughter Abby Grace Labenske.

A family celebration will take place at a later time.

What a life! Helen Mary Rose Zwick was born at home in the Bronx, in New York City, on March 25, 1922 to Anna Silinski Zwick and Nicholas Zwick, both immigrants to this country, Helen passed peacefully in her sleep on July 10, 2024, at the age of 102. Helen and her younger sister Millie were avid skaters, and one day in 1941, Helen met a young man in uniform at the skating rink; Hobart Lynch. Shortly before Hobart shipped out to fight in WWII, Helen and Hobie became engaged. He made arrangements with a local florist to deliver one dozen roses to Helen every month while he was overseas. By the time Hobart returned home from Europe in July, after the war ended, Helen had received 39 dozen roses. Hobart and Helen married on August 26, 1945, and began their life together in New York. Their first child Patricia, arrived in July 1946. Michael was born in July the following year. From then on, another child arrived about every year and a half or so, until by 1964 there were ten! For several years the growing Lynch family traversed from New York to Oregon, then back again to Massachusetts, New York and Florida, until finally they returned to the best place: Oregon. Hobart was a carpenter and The Dalles was a bustling place in the 1950s and 60s with the building of The Dalles dam, new housing and a big aluminum plant. They put down roots. While Hobart worked as a skilled carpenter, Helen worked at jobs with hours that allowed her to be home when the kids got home from school. She may have worked a graveyard shift at a nursing home, but when the kids got off the bus, there would often be warm cake or cookies waiting for them as an after school snack. By the 1980s her kids were mostly grown and Helen was able to give more time to the community doing what she did best; helping others. She worked with the Community Action Project, helping people find jobs, housing, home weatherization, and other basic human needs. In 1983 The Dalles was one of many communities suffering through a recession and some people had difficulty getting food. Her experience with her children and the example of Jesus gave Helen the simple insight that when people are hungry, you feed them! Helen and several other people organized a community meal, provided, cooked and served by local groups that welcomed everyone who needed a good hot meal. It became a regular feature. Helen volunteered to help cook and serve at the meals until she was well into her 90s. She was able to join in as the Community Meal celebrated its 40th Anniversary in October 2023. Helen was a dedicated member of St Peter’s Catholic Church in The Dalles, beginning when it was in the original landmark church in town. She volunteered for years with several community based groups including St Vincent de Paul. Helen practiced her faith daily with love, patience, kindness and nonjudgmental acceptance of people as they are. When Helen was mostly retired, she spent lots of time with her grandkids, especially in the summers. Highlights included swimming at Horsethief Lake, picking huckleberries on the slopes of Mt Adams, canning cherries, making fruit dumplings, enjoying leisurely pancake breakfasts, even wading up Oneonta Creek to the waterfall! Helen and Hobie raised ten pretty decent human beings, and they all, with their amazing partners, survive her: Patricia, Michael (Fran), Maureen, Gail (Steve), Carol (Paul), Richard, Timothy (Lisa), Christine (Kevin), Nicholas (Tara) and Millie. They live mostly in the Pacific NW in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Helen embraced an ever changing number of biological, borrowed, adopted and step grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great-great grandchildren! Helen survived the loss of her parents, sister Millie, husband Hobie and grandsons Philip and Eric. Hobie passed away in 1994, not quite 50 years after they married. Helen faced this major change in her life by volunteering even more hours to community and charity work. Helen could be counted on to be calm in the midst of chaos. She was kind and loving, even when people disappointed her. Her outlook was positive and upbeat when others found reason to be discouraged. When asked if she wanted to try something new, her response was “Why Not?” (except for jalapeños) Helen’s daughter Christine and her son in law Kevin in Vancouver WA provided loving and devoted care for Helen as she required more assistance and care. They opened their hearts and opened their doors to Helen and her entourage of visitors. Kevin crafted a connection between Helen and a large following on Facebook and Instagram by posting Helen’s latest adventures and advice under the hashtag #belikeHelen. Her trusty four legged sidekick Tor was with her every step of the way. Helen’s many family, friends, and fans will miss her. And perhaps Tor will miss her most of all. Helen donated countless hours to organizations that provide support and dignity to people. Volunteers are the heart and soul of these organizations, and they are also grateful for donation of items and monetary contributions. Helen’s favorites include The Dalles Community Meal, St Vincent de Paul, and Meals on Wheels in The Dalles; and A Caring Closet, Clark County Food Bank, and Meals on Wheels People in Vancouver WA.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church August 6, 2024, at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at the IOOF Cemetery 2565 Three Mile Rd, The Dalles, OR. A reception at St. Peter’s Catholic Church will follow the burial.

Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.