Mrs. Jessie Stradley Hampson

Jessie was born on January 27, 1906, at Mosier, Oregon, to Jess Stradley and Hattie Greenfield Stradley. She was the fifth child born to a family of six girls and five boys. At a young age, Jessie moved with her family to the Nampa/Caldwell, Idaho, area where they lived for several years. The family then moved by horse and wagon to the Yakima Valley in Washington, for the promise of a homestead, which turned out to be a hoax. After growing up and being schooled in the Yakima Valley, Jessie returned to Idaho where she met Orrie Hampson. Jessie and Orrie were married on May 16, 1923, and they shared 58 years of marriage together.

Orrie and Jessie spent their early years in the Nampa/Caldwell area where their five daughters were born - Betty, twins Pauline and Maxine (Maxine passed away in her infancy), Jeane and Dorothy. After several years were spent in Weiser, Idaho, Winnemucca, Nevada, and John Day, Oregon, the family returned to the Nampa/Caldwell area where they settled. During the Depression years, Jessie made all her daughter's clothes from patterns she designed and cut from newspaper. She also loved to garden, putting up and preserving all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Jessie also loved to sing around the house, but often forgetting the words, she would just make up her own.

In the 1950's, Orrie and Jessie owned and operated the Kenwood Market in Nampa, until a supermarket named Albertson's was built nearby, taking their trade. For a number of years, Jessie worked for Montgomery Ward, and later at the Idaho Department Store, as a sales clerk and bookkeeper. She absolutely loved her clothes and her appearance was always impeccable.

On January 31, 1982, Orrie passed away. Jessie lived in their home independently for quite a number of years until age and health required her to be with her daughters more. Besides Orrie, Jessie was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Maxine, by her parents, by a beloved grandson, Steve McCallister, and by five brothers and four sisters.

"Mom" is survived by her daughters, Betty Chandler, of Nampa, Idaho, Pauline Hudson, of Caldwell, Idaho, Jeane McCallister and husband, Larry, of Caldwell, Idaho, and Dorothy Salove and husband John, of Marsing, Idaho. "Grammy" is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren and 66 great great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Orabelle Evans, of Butte, Montana, and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was lovingly remembered at a celebration of her life on December 30, 2000, in Caldwell, Idaho, after which she was laid to rest in Canyon Hill Cemetery next to her husband, Orrie.

"Mom, Grammy, you told us many times over those last few months that you 'could never go up there to be with Granddad because your heart would never make it.'" (the altitude!) Well, you've made it now, and we all look forward to seeing you and you seeing us, again. Rest in Peace, Gram. We love and miss you.