Clara M. Stanenko Workman

Clara Workman was born Clara Margaret Stanenko on October 11, 1926 in Portland, Oregon. She attended school in Portland and worked at the Avalon Theater where she met her husband Robert “Pat” Workman. The story goes that he almost ran her over with his car trying to impress her. They were married on November 11, 1949.

In 1950 they had their first daughter, Barbara. In 1952 they had their second daughter, Jackie. They did a lot of camping when the girls were young and camped with lots of friends they had made. Their closest friends were Tom and Charlene Reeves. Clara really enjoyed the frequent visits from Charlene and especially the cookies.

Clara and Pat were members of many fraternal organizations. Clara was a member of the Rose Croix as well as the American Legion, Elks and Moose. Over the years they had many friends from those organizations and were involved in many activities.

Clara had two sisters and one brother. Her sister Shirley and brother Jimmy survive her. She was very close to her sister Shirley and appreciated her and her daughter, Charmaine’s visits.

Her two daughters and their husbands, Curt and Keith, survive Clara. She is also survived by four grandchildren; Eric Hagan and his wife Marci, Brian Upton and his wife Elizabeth, Brenda Hagan Selby and her husband Jeff and Gary Upton and his wife Liz. She is also survived by her seven (7) great-grandchildren; Krysta Hagan age 8, Cassie Upton age 7, Shelby Hagan age 5, Bailey Upton age 4, Mason Selby age 3, Olivia Upton age 2 and Addison Selby age 11 months. Clara was at her happiest when her grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited her. She was always looking at their pictures on her wall.

Clara had lived at Cherry Blossom Cottage for the past 3 years. She was cared for there very well. In the most recent days she struggled with Arthritis “she called it Arthur”. She enjoyed people visiting her and always maintained a great sense of humor. She especially enjoyed being teased by her sons-in-law Curt and Keith.

On June 26th, 2012 her congestive heart failure finally was too much for her. She had had a couple of episodes with that and aspiration pneumonia. Fortunately this last episode took her fairly quickly and without any pain. Her two daughters and their husbands and her grand children were at her bedside when she quietly and peacefully went to sleep.

Clara had missed her husband, Pat since he died in 1988. She moved on after his passing but always had an empty spot in her heart. Clara will be buried with her husband at Willamette National Cemetery at a private service.