Laura Mae Feldhacker

Mom, along with John, her older brother and Jason, her younger brother, were born in Baker, Oregon. She was born on April 4, 1931 to Alvin Otis Finley and Hannah Mae Conner. They settled in LaGrande, OR when Laura was 6 years old.

She gret up in LaGrande, Oregon , attending Greenwood Grade School and graduated from LaGrande High School in 1949. The next day, she married her high school sweetheart, Virgil Elvin Bownman, who was running the family ranch outside of Elgin, OR. They had 4 children while working at the ranch, David Cecil Bowman in 1950, Edwin Alvin Bowman, Dianna and Virgil Jr.

In 1960 they bought a small farm in Union, OR.

Dad felt a calling to go to Bible College and the family moved to Portland, OR., where they finished raising their family.

Mom loved the Lord as much as Dad did, and they both attended Powellhrst Bible College for a couple of years.

Mom had many interests, which she shared with her kids, She played guitar and sang folk songs and country gospel. She knitted and crocheted, hunted morrell mushrooms, was an avid rock hound and had an uncanny ability to find Thunder Eggs wherever she started looking for them! While still in high school she won a blue ribbon in the Oregon State Fair for a stone carving of her step-dad’s hunting dog. Mom loved camping and fishing with Virgil and her family.

Virgil passed away in 1993, after a marriage of 44 years, leaving her heartbroken. She took up bowling at Eastmont Lanes and found a whole lot of fun and friends.

She married a really great guy, Bill Feldhacker, who was on that team. They had a loving and adventurous life together from June 25, 1988 until when Bill passed in September of 2004.

Our families grieved his passing as he had truly become one of us. Laura truly loved his children, Sharon Burbach, Nancy Calwell and Chuck Feldhacker.

Laura bought a mobile home and carved out a new life, which greatly revolved around her church, First Baptist Church of Gresham. She loved her church family there and they loved her. She felt that Love!

She continued bowling at Eastmont Lanes and her daughter, Dianna, bowled with her team.

Tuesday morning Bible Study was a highlight for her, as was worshipping there on Sundays.

Laura lived with her daughter and family for a couple of years before moving to Brookdale of Troutdale. She made many friens there and shared her sense of humor and spunk with them.

She passed away quietly and peacefully in the early morning of Nov. 16th. No words can describe how much she will be missed. But she would tell you “It will be worth it all.”

Visitation will be on Friday, November 26th from 2