Martha Hyde

Martha Hyde was born in Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada on November 8, 1926. She immigrated to the U.S. when she was three years old, along with her parents, brothers, sisters – Phillip, Lillian, Nelson, Elizabeth, and Viola. Siblings, Anna and George, and Nancy were born after the family came to the U.S. All have preceded her in death, expect for her brother, George.

Martha was married to Hyde for eighteen years. They had two children, Jeannette and Orville. Her husband, Rondey, passed away in 1964 at the age of thirty-eight due to cancer of the lung and brain. He was a crane operator for McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Co. in N. Portland for many years. After the death of her husband, Martha went to work for Bales Thriftway grocery store in Cedar Mill.

After retiring she worked in her home for the Old Spaghetti Factory, making Victorian lampshades for their many restaurants. She even made them for customers who admired them while dining at the Old Spaghetti Factory.

Martha had a passion for dancing and took many dance lessons, in a private setting as well as group lessons. She especially enjoyed the Latin dances and the American and English waltzes. She was later asked to participate in the M.M. Dance Olympics in British Columbia, Canada in 1971. She won the first place trophy in Latin Tango and went on to win the first place overall trophy for the event.

Martha grew up in N.E. Portland and attended Buckman Grade School, she graduated in 1940. She moved to Parkrose that same summer and attended Parkrose High School.

Her father worked for Doernbecher Manufacturing Co. as a furniture finisher and took a lot of pride in his work. He never shied away from hard labor. He bought a three acre farm for the family and everyone loved their new home. Martha knew it was the one when she saw the glass doorknobs and told her father, “Look, Dad! Glass doorknobs, let’s buy it!” Martha’s father even had a second job with a real estate company, cleaning rental properties and mowing lawns. Martha went with her dad many times to help with the inside cleaning. On one occasion she found a flower pot that had been left behind and asked her father if she could keep it, he told her yes and all these years later she still has that same pot and many fond memories of her father.

Martha’s mother worked equally as hard, baking and washing constantly and all without complaint. She baked bread, cakes, donuts, and many other delicious treats for the family. She was a wonderful cook.

In the summer all of the kids would go out to work in the fields to make money for new school clothes in the fall. They picked beans, peas, strawberries, raspberries, and hops. Their mother went out to the fields with them every day and on weekend their father would join to help. There were times when their brother, George, would disappear down the row of raspberry bushes and they would find him taking a nap.

In 1950 Martha, Rondey, and their children moved from Saint Helens to Portland where the kids attended Skyline Grade School and then Sunset High School. Both of Martha’s children married and had kids of their own. Orville had two children, Heidi and Rondey and Jeannette had two children, Jeff and Jennifer.

On Sunday afternoons Martha and her family would play baseball in the cow pasture with their neighbors and friends. You can guess what they used for bases!

Martha’s three brother were called to active duty during WWII, the family was fortunate that all three boys returned home. Her brother Phillip was a custodian and cabinet builder for a school district in California. Her brother Nelson was a jeweler in downtown Portland for forty-five years and George was a school teacher at David-Douglas High School.

Martha would like thank all of her neighbors for being there when she needed a helping hand. Many thanks to all of you.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.skylinememorialgardens.com for the Hyde family.