Dorothy Ethel Stein

A native Oregonian, Dorothy was born in Gresham at the farm home of her parents, Albert Fredrick Palmblad and Hilma Elsie Steffenson Palmblad. She was the third child and only daughter with two older brothers, Kenneth and LaVern, and two younger, Dale and Ivan. During her youth, Dorothy served as her mother's primary helper which included preparing large meals for farm hands, gardening, picking berries and canning lots of fruits and vegetables. Her role in the family dairy included daily washing of milk bottles, a task made lighter with impromptu singing with her mother, and helping her brothers deliver milk. With a large extended family nearby, work was often shared and included many social contacts. Dorothy's family was very involved in several community activities. Her father served for 29 years on the Gresham Grade School Board. Both her father and mother were long-time dedicated leaders in 4-H. Naturally, all children participated; her brothers dealt with livestock, Dorothy concentrated on canning and sewing. She won many ribbons, topped by winning the State Canning Competition in 1944 which included a limited scholarship to Oregon State College and a 10-day trip by train to the 4-H Convention in Chicago, a highlight experience. During both grade and high school, Dorothy was a mid-termer - - she was in a class that started school in January all 12 years. The early years were difficult, but she enjoyed high school and made many friends. At Oregon State she enrolled in a 2-year curriculum centered on home economics. Her life at a co-op house, The Pines, was eventful, particularly sleeping on a screened porch with 30 girls. While participating in an in-house dance in October 1946, she met her future husband, William Stein. They married in June 1948 and moved to Seneca, Oregon, her husband's first assignment in a lengthy career with the U.S. Forest Service. The ensuing years were very busy and action packed-an expanding family, household moves to Carson, WA and Roseburg, Tigard and Corvallis, OR, interspersed with two cross-continent trips for William's graduate studies at Yale. The first trip included 2 young children, the second, with 6. Naturally, Dorothy used her extensive home-making skills, trained the children to help, and superbly coordinated complex scheduling for school, sports, and family activities. As her children participated in Scouting, 4-H and Band, Dorothy provided active support and leadership. Cub Scouting drew her most extensive efforts, first as a Den Mother for several years, then as Den Mother Coach and finally as a team member training cub scout leaders in North Portland. She was awarded the Silver Fawn in 1971, one of the first 6 women receiving this award in the Portland area. For Girl Scouts and Campfire, she taught skills, assisted at campouts, and for years directed District cookie sales. At St. Anthony's Grade School, she organized bands for several years and recruited their leaders. In addition to these numerous activities, she provided sustained and necessary support during the many years her husband served as Scoutmaster. After her children left home, Dorothy's energies shifted. She continued managing Girl Scout cookie sales and for 18 years helped weekly at FISH. She delighted tending flower beds at home and at St. Mary's in Corvallis. With editing assistance from her husband Bill, she wrote her autobiography “My Life's Path" in 1991 and "Stein Family Travels 1948 Thru 2002" in 2007, drawing on daily notes she made for 50 years. In recent years, successive stages of impaired vision from macular degeneration curtailed her active collection of short humorous jokes. She is survived by her husband William of Corvallis; brothers LaVern in Wilsonville, OR, Dale in Gresham, OR and Ivan in Providence, UT; her daughters Kathleen Beachy, Margaret Reed, Patricia Gerig, and Charlene Stein; sons Clifford, Roderick, Bradford, Benjamin, Lawrence, Randolph, Nicholas, and Clarence; 28 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. A Vigil will be held at 7:00 PM Thursday, January 26th at McHenry Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 PM Friday, January 27th at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Corvallis.

Tributes

Dorothy Ethel Stein

November 6, 1926 - January 23, 2017