Lois Jane McCally

Lois Jane McCally was a resident at Wynwood of Forest Grove in Oregon. She died Tuesday, January 31, 2013 at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland, Oregon after a courageous battle against cancer. She was 81.

She was born on March 24, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan to George Dewey and Elizabeth Florence (Lucas) Mitten. She lived with her parents and older brother Hugh in Ferndale, Michigan. Later the family moved to Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, where they added her older cousin, Herman Mitten, to the household.

She graduated from high school in 1950. After that she began her studies at Michigan State University. She joined a sorority and made many friends. She met her future husband, Dick McCally, in an economics class and they were married for 42 years until his death in 1998. They were married in Ferndale, Michigan on May 6, 1956.

Lois worked at various jobs from her college days until the mid-1980s. Some of them were photographer’s assistant, newspaper typesetter, and newspaper delivery person.

After she married her husband, Richard P. “Dick” McCally in 1956, they spent the next four years traveling around the United States as Dick fulfilled his commission in the Air Force Reserve. They even got to witness the celebration of Alaska becoming the 49th state while stationed there.

While living in Winslow, Arizona, a Hopi Indian called at her door offering a bible study. This was her first taste of the truth, as he was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She became a dedicated bible student symbolizing her dedication to her god Jehovah by water baptism in Detroit, Michigan in the summer of 1960.

She, her husband Dick and, by this time, two little ones, Barbara and Patty, settled in the Detroit area for about four years, close to relatives, before a job transfer found them relocated to Beaverton, Oregon.

They moved into the family home in January 1965, where Lois remained until October 2012, when she moved into Wynwood of Forest Grove, Oregon.

While living in Beaverton Lois enjoyed gardening, picking strawberries with her girls, family camping trips, Sunday drives with the family, and many other fun activities. After Dick retired they enjoyed taking cruises together.

She also traveled to Africa, Hawaii, and The Watchtower headquarters in New York, enjoying her family of fellow witnesses.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dick McCally and her grandson Patrick “P.J.” Monteith.

She is survived by her brother Hugh Mitten,daughters; Barbara Myers(John) and Patty McCally; Her grandchildren Richard Hackett(Farin), Marie Loeb(Jonah), Katie Planque(Bill),Rebekah Monteith, Galen Mosher, Jeremy Mosher(Veronica), and 3 great-grandchildren; Daniel Loeb, Zuzu Loeb, and Marie-Jean Hackett; and many other relatives. Also, many dear friends who served shoulder to shoulder with her in the christian ministry service.

Even though there is much pain and tears as we miss our Mom and Grandma we are looking forward to the day when she is resurrected and we will see her again in Paradise.

A memorial of her life will be held on January 18, 2014 at 6:00 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 7650 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton, OR 97008.

Pegg, Paxson and Springer Funeral Chapel are in charge of the arrangements.

Private burial is at Crescent Grove Cemetery in Tigard, Oregon.