Linfield grad Margaret
Lever Dement, age 105, died Jan. 10, 2017, in Madras, Oregon
Daughter of Henry Lever, longtime Linfield coach/athletic director
As a student she played on Linfield tennis team coached by Harry Dillin, when he was a prof, before he became the college's president.
Margaret Lever Dement's obituary appeared in Madras Pioneer Wed., Jan.
25, 2017.
Here below is same obituary with slight editing by Wildcatville
Aug. 12, 1911 – Jan.
10, 2017
Margaret Dacotah
Lever Dement, longtime Madras resident, passed away Jan. 10, 2017, at the age
of 105.
Born Aug. 12, 1911,
in Dixon, Missouri, she grew up as the eldest daughter in a family of nine
children. During Margaret's youth, the family lived in Louisiana and then in
Alberta, Canada, before moving to Oregon, where they lived in Wedderburn,
Broadbent, and Myrtle Point, Oregon.
She taught in several
Oregon high schools before her marriage to Karl Dement in 1938. After Pearl
Harbor, Karl enlisted in the Navy. Three years later, when he returned home,
they moved to Myrtle Point to make their home on the family ranch.
Throughout her life,
Margaret's love of music was a constant theme. At various times she acted as
organist, choir director, and pianist at the United Methodist Church in Myrtle
Point. In addition, she volunteered as organist at St. Mark's Episcopal
Church/Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Madras for over 30 years. She
taught piano lessons over a span of approximately 80 years, with her 1980s
students, including her two granddaughters from down the street. She also played
honky-tonk piano for community theater productions and took the stage as an
actress at times as well. In addition to music, Margaret pursued a wide variety
of vocations and avocations.
After moving to
Madras in 1964, Margaret worked as a reporter for the Oregon Journal, the
Oregonian, and the Salem Capital Press.
She was a tireless
worker for the Republican Party, starting with Mark Hatfield's campaign for
governor. In later years, Margaret managed the Jefferson County Museum, and was
very active at the local senior center. She was thrilled to have been named
Senior of the Year in 2003. In addition, she educated and entertained many
Central Oregonians with her numerous letters to the editor in local newspapers.
Throughout her life,
Margaret was a dedicated traveler; her adventures included many trips around
the U.S. and several trips to Europe. She always combined her love of travel
with her own belief in the value of lifelong learning and especially enjoyed
participating in Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) educational travel
opportunities for adults.
Margaret is survived
by her son, Thomas, of Spokane; daughter, and son-in-law, Marian and Jon
Granby, of Madras; grandchildren, Kristina, of Hillsboro, Margaret, of Madras,
and Christopher, of Tucson; two great-grandchildren, Tierson, of Madras, and
Ford, of Tucson. Her surviving siblings are Barbara McLarty, of Ft. Collins,
Colo., and Clarence Lever, of Newberg.
Her husband, Karl,
and their son, Erik, preceded her in death.
A private burial will
held in the Dement plot at the Norway Cemetery, near Myrtle Point.
Margaret's family
members would like to invite the community to join them at a memorial service
to celebrate her life. The memorial will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal
Church/Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 395 S.E. "C" Street,
Madras, at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11.
Memorials in memory
of Margaret may be sent to St. Mark's Episcopal Church/Lutheran Church of the
Good Shepherd.
(Family photos show Margaret at age 100
and young Margaret.)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
See these stories posted
at Wildcatville
=Margaret Lever Dement reflects on more than a century (posted Aug. 12,
2015)
http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2015/08/margaret-lever-dement-reflects-on-more.html
….
=History Corner
featuring Margaret Lever Dement (posted March 20, 2013)http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2013/03/history-corner-featuring-margaret-lever.html
….
=100th birthday party awaits Linfield grad Margaret Lever Dement of
Madras, Ore. (posted July 28, 2011) http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2011/07/100th-birthday-party-awaits-linfield.html
……….
=Biography of Henry
Lever, longtime Linfield coach (posted June 22, 2018)
http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2008/06/biography-of-henry-w.htmlAs a student, Margaret Lever (Dement) played on Linfield tennis team coached by Harry Dillin, when he was a professor, before he became the college's president. Photo from a Linfield Oak Leaves yearbook shows the 1934 Linfield tennis team with arrow pointing to Coach Dillin (fourth from the left) and arrow pointing to player Margaret (M. Lever, third from the right). Harry Dillin served as a Linfield economics prof (1931-1943) and as Linfield president (1943-1968).
