Renetta Sue Winters

Renetta “Sue” Winters passed away at the age of 82 on Monday, December 15,, 2014, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, OR. She is survived by her four children: Lynn Godfrey (Charlie), Keizer, OR; Leslie Christensen (Steve), Redmond, OR; Brian Winters (Rose), Newberg, OR; and Anita Herold (Stu), Beaverton, OR. Seven grandchildren: Jason Lander, Allyson Howarth, Makindra Fitton, Heather Conklin, Mandy Thoreson, Cameron Herold and Corey Herold. Eight Great-Grandchildren: Jonathon and Ellyanna Howarth; Ben Harrell, Liam and Percy Lander; Emma and Caela Fitton; Christie Conklin and one baby Christensen-Thoreson on the way. Sisters: Norma Burt, Joy Nowlin Many nieces, nephews, cousins Her Life: Sue was born on 9/3/1932 to Louie and Gertrude Scrivner in Fanshawe, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of three children – and was always adored and loved as the baby of the family. Her youngest years were spent on Cold Creek near Fanshawe with her parents and two older sisters: Norma Lou and Joy Ann. Some of her favorite memories as a child were swimming at the “Blue Hole” on a tire swing and scavenging for hours for arrowheads found all around their small farm. Around 1942 during WWII, the family moved into town to run the only grocery store – L. C. Scrivner Grocery. Times were lean for the nation and they dealt with ration stamps and traded items for groceries. As a family, they didn’t refuse food to anyone in need– even if they couldn’t pay. They lived in an apartment in the back of the store. With wooden floors and shelves and barrels of food dotting the walls, the store was a treasure hunt for Sue and her sisters. Many of Sue’s fondest memories included working and playing in the store as well as the post office next door where their Mom was also the town’s ‘post-mistress’. She often remembered, in spite of the lean times, her favorite thing to do growing up in the 40’s was taking the bus to Wister to go to the movie theatre. No TV, Netflix or DVR in those days so going to the theatre was a thrill. Sue graduated from Fanshawe High School in 1950 as Valedictorian of her graduating class. She actively played basketball and lettered on the women’s basketball team in high school. She also loved singing and play-acting in their high school drama club. Sue married her high school sweetheart, Ralph Winters, on December 22, 1950 in Arkansas. Between 1952 and 1961 they had four children together: Lynn, Leslie, Brian and Anita, moving from San Francisco to Lebanon, OR to raise the family. Moving to Redmond, OR in 1970, Sue began to work outside the home part time at a fabric store. They divorced in 1981 never to remarry. Sue moved to Portland and worked until she retired for Fred Meyer as a department head for health and beauty aids. After retirement, nothing gave her greater pleasure than to have her family around her. She loved seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Due to declining health issues the last 18 months, she lived at Farmington Square in Beaverton until the end of her life. She made many friends there and adored her caregivers. We would like to give our heartfelt appreciation to Farmington’s Activities Director – Corbin; caregivers - Nadia, Hilda and the many others who devoted their time to listen to her, be patient with her and to love and care for her over the last l8 months. What we remember as her children: Mom created a home of love and always required that we show respect to each other. She helped our father build the family home in the early 60’s while raising 4 kids. She loved starting a garden every spring and raising food for her family. She canned in the summer so we had plenty in the winter. We all participated in the process and at the end of the summer she was always so very proud of the pantry room filled with gleaming, colorful jars of pears, apples, apple sauce, corn, tomatoes, green beans and more. Living through lean times during the war taught her to be frugal; she was a saver and saved E V E R Y T H I N G (and we do mean everything – we just threw out paid bill statements from 1953!) – it was most important to her that we were secure and didn’t have to go without. Mom was well known in the family for her southern fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits – rolled in bacon fat and often paired with her family recipe of chocolate gravy – yes, this was a breakfast treat! We had the only Mom in town that made such a delicacy and we were the envy of our cousins and our friends - who always requested this at sleepovers. Mom also was an accomplished seamstress. Her Singer sewing machine could often be heard whirring into the night. With three daughters in the family, we often needed a new dress for a program or special occasion. We would think nothing of casually mentioning to Mom after school that we needed a new dress by the next night. We would take off to the fabric store with Mom to pick out fabric, zipper, thread, buttons and a Butterick or Simplicity pattern. From there the magic occurred – the next day we would find a dress magically hanging in the doorway of our bedroom – all ready to be tried on for hemming. And, off we’d go without thought to how much work and love went in to that dress. Years later, we now know the huge sacrifice of time Mom made for each of us in the everyday chores of living. Our mother was a quiet, simple woman who didn’t always convey her feelings; yet, her love came through loud and clear in these simple things she did for us – and we will never forget. Mom and Dad loved camping – we did lots of tent camping in Eastern Oregon where great campfire bonding, campstove food, games, skipping rocks, and swimming is what bonded us together. We took vacations almost every summer by traveling back to see the grandparents in Oklahoma. Nothing like an experience to bond you together like riding in the back of a camper 2,000 miles with NO air conditioning with your car sick siblings – I think Mom knew that’s how we would learn the fine art of negotiation and compromise – either that or we’d kill each other in the process. We would stop at drive-ins and eat along the way but I remember we also stopped at rest stops and Mom would pull out the campstove and food box and cook meals for us on the way. She cooked, washed, did laundry across the plains 2000 miles to and from Oregon – I’m sure she considered that a vacation in paradise…. We never made it to Disneyland growing up, no cell phones, no microwaves, and the small black/white TV only came on for a few hours in the evenings without cable. Yet, we were rich in those days. Rich with love and time spent together as family that can never be taken from us. The greatest legacy Mom left us started with our Great Grandmother and our Mamaw. These were Godly women who loved the Lord with all of their hearts and prayed fervently for their children and their grandchildren. They even told us in saved letters that were written before we were born that they prayed for our children’s children. What a spiritual heritage and blessing that we have felt over our lives because of these women of faith! Mom, being a woman of very quiet faith loved us enough to make sure we went to Sunday School and church and know that she prayed for us over the years. These women are gone now and so is Mom – which means their legacy has been passed down to us and it is our opportunity to pass this beautiful legacy on to future generations. You will live on forever in our hearts Mom – and in the generations to come. We love you and know we will see you again! Lynn, Leslie, Brian and Anita