Marlene June Cowlishaw died Sept. 27 in Mount Angel. She was born July 27, 1935, to Arno E. and Ruth Henderson Panttaja in Sanger, Calif. She lost her mother shortly after she was born.
Marlene graduated high school in San Jose, Calif., and graduated nursing school, receiving her RN cap in Boise, Idaho.
Norris Edward Cowlishaw and Marlene Pannttja were wed Nov. 29, 1952, in Randolph, Utah. The union produced four sons – David, Jim, Phillip and Bill. Norris died in 1990.
Marlene and her family lived throughout the inland Northwest prior to settling in Oregon, first in Oregon City, in 1969.
For many years she worked as an RN and dental assistant before settling into the real estate business after moving to Silverton in 1980. She was a broker for Silverton Realty for many years. As a sideline, Marlene loved to dabble in antiquing. She sold antiques as well as opening an estate liquidation operation. She moved to a small farm in Monitor in 2003.
Never one to sit idle, Marlene loved to cook and can. Many of her friends at the Silverton Elks Lodge will miss her delicious turkey dinners as well as her generous endowments of sweet home-canned goods. She was instrumental in organizing the Elk’s Toys for Tots program which provides Christmas gifts for children who would otherwise do without.
Survivors include sons David and Jim; grandchildren John, Aaron, Madelyn and Nicholas; as well as one great-grandson, John. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sons Phillip and Bill.
Services will be 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, at Silverton Elks Lodge #2210, 300 High St.
Arrangements were facilitated by Unger Funeral Chapel of Silverton
