November 4, 1913, Grand Rapids, Nebraska ~
October 28th, 2011 Portland, Oregon
Marie Frances Householder was born to parents Benjamin and Ann (Hutcheson) Householder on November 4, 1913, in Grand Rapids, Nebraska. Along with her brother Burton, she was raised in Nebraska and graduated from High School there. She married Max Erwin Hanewinckel and they had three children; Neil, Gayl, and Elaine. Max and Marie later separated. The family moved to California and there Marie met Richard William Reiser. On January 9, 1947, Marie and Richard (Dick) exchanged wedding vows in Phoenix, Arizona. While living in California, the couple tried various employment adventures with limited success. Soon they relocated to Oregon. Their first stop was Myrtle Creek where, with little money, they worked very hard to make a go of it in their newly adopted state. Dick was getting his wood products career started, and Marie worked were she could find it, and tried to make the best home scant resources would allow. Their first son, Richard, was born during that time. Soon after, Dick and Marie would move the family to Roseburg. Marie got a job at the JC Penney department store where she would work during all their years in Roseburg. Their second son, David, was born and the family would stay in Roseburg for the next twelve years. During that time Dick's wood products career grew and he would take a new position with the Pope and Talbot Lumber Co. that would bring the Reiser family to Portland, Oregon. Marie had many fond memories of that period in her life in Roseburg. With three children, Elaine, Richard, and David, she was an active, working mom, including a few years as a Cub Scout Den Mother. Moving to Portland, the family started a new chapter of their lives and bought a new home in the Washington County area. In 1969, Dick accepted a new job with Pope and Talbot, and the couple relocated to Grand Forks, British Columbia, becoming landed immigrants of Canada. The two lived in Grand Forks nearly 20 years. During that time, Marie was very active in her small Grand Forks community. She wanted to help preserve and enrich the cultural aspects of Grand Forks and she acted on that desire at every opportunity, including organizing regular 'Coffee Klatches' on various subjects of interest with neighbors, and bringing speaking engagements of important people to Grand Forks. She was determined to 'Help put Grand Forks on the map.', as she would say. An avid reader, Marie had a passion for books and learning. She was active and instrumental in the lobbying for, and eventual construction of the Grand Forks Library. The building and dedication of that Library was one of her proudest achievements. Afterward, she happily served as a volunteer librarian during her many years in Grand Forks. In 1987, Marie and Dick returned to Oregon following Dick's retirement. They purchased a home in Damascus with a few acres and tried their hand at gentleman farming. After about eight years in Damascus, the two returned to the Washington County area where they bought a home in Rock Creek. Marie and Dick also had a home in Rockaway Beach and spent quality time there together during their retirement years. During their senior years, Marie and Dick had two very special dogs in their lives. Their first dog was named Freeway who came with them from Grand Forks. Their second special companion was named Buddy, and he was just that to Marie and Dick. Both dogs were loved and pampered to a fault, and rode untold miles in the car. Dick passed away in 2006. After his passing, Marie lived on at their Rock Creek home. She enjoyed a few more good years there with family and neighbors near by. With her health getting weaker, Marie reluctantly went to live at an assisted care home. But not uncharacteristic of Marie, she soon became a favorite of others who lived there and made several new friends. Friends to visit with, her sons dropping by to check on her, lots of big print mystery books to read, except for the food, everything that a person could want.
Marie will be remembered as a person who was easy to become friends with. She was engaging and kind, and was a keen listener. She was the person in her family that everyone would go to and talk things over. Extremely fond of children, she cherished the times she spent with her grandchildren. Marie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She had a great love of reading, especially murder mysteries, but would gladly read anything that came her way. As she would say, 'Anything you read puts new wrinkles in your brain.' Marie was a proud homemaker who loved to cook, and was an avid knitter. She enjoyed flowers and gardening as well as sightseeing on a drive in the country. Although her life had been a challenging adventure that would take her from Nebraska to California, Oregon, and British Columbia, Marie's true love was always for the simple pleasures in life; the comfort of family and friends, and the ducks landing in the swimming pool each spring with Buddy going wild over the new arrivals. Two last things that must be mentioned as far as Marie's favorite likes and dislikes are concerned; a lifelong passion for coffee and dessert, and, perhaps the secret to her longevity, she never ate butter.
Marie is predeceased by her parents; husband Richard; children Gayl and Neil; and her brother Burton. Survivors include her Sons Richard and David Reiser and Daughter Elaine Little; sixteen grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Marie’s life will take place at Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011, at 2pm.
Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611
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