Anna May (Clark) Hender

Anna returned home to her Lord on March 9th. Born in Dundee, Scotland to Sarah and David Clark, Anna's singing talent became evident at an early age. She was awarded the Leng Silver Medal for Scottish Folk Songs when she was just 11 years old. The following year, in a competition of 60 other Leng Silver Medal winners, she won the Leng Gold Medal while at the Lawside Academy- one of the few 12-year-olds to do so. While still in her teens, Anna was enrolled in the Dundee School of Music, where she continued to develop her singing and stagecraft skills. Her high soprano voice, known as a "coloratura," was in demand for both Scottish folk songs and other songs of the time. In 1954, at 24 years of age, Anna emigrated to Toronto, Canada. In 1957, she first met her husband, Tom, at Vocal Studio where their vocal coach thought their voices would blend nicely. Married in 1958, Anna and Tom moved soon after to Pasadena, CA, where daughter Valerie was born in 1960. In 1963, the Hender family moved to San Jose and in the next several years welcomed the arrival of daughters Kirsteen, then Heather. Throughout this time Anna was an active member of the choir and church community at St Timothy's Lutheran Church, where Tom was choir director. A proud day for Anna, she achieved U.S. Citizenship in 1975. In 1976, Tom's employment with Hewlett-Packard saw the family move to Corvallis, Oregon. Throughout the decades, Anna continued to be the soprano half of the preeminent duo formed by herself and tenor Tom. In one of their final stage performances, she and Tom sang Songs of Ireland at the Majestic Theatre in a benefit for Heartland Humane Society. They continued the harmony of their duets in smaller venues thereafter, culminating in a performance at StoneyBrook Lodge in 2007, just weeks before Tom's death. She retained a keen sense of humor throughout her life, and had quite a way with words. In 2013 she wrote a memoir of her early years and the move to Canada: "Memories O' Mine: Growing Up in Scotland 1930 - 1954" . Anna continued to be active and independent through almost all of her remaining days, a tireless supporter of her family and grand-pets. Anna is survived by daughter Heather and son-in-law Ian of Portland, Oregon; sister Bette, niece Marylyn, and nephew Ian of Dundee, Scotland; and extended family & friends in Scotland, England, Ireland, and the U.S. She was preceded in death by daughters Kirsteen in 1989, and Valerie in 2012, both from Cystic Fibrosis. The love of her life, husband Tom passed in 2007. They are all now reunited in God's loving embrace. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, April 6th at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis. Please make memorial donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (cff.org) or Heartland Humane Society (heartlandhumane.org).

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Anna May (Clark) Hender

May 3, 1930 - March 9, 2018