Doris June Sneddon

Doris June (Barton) Sneddon joined her beloved husband Ray, who proceeded her in death three and a half years ago. She passed away peacefully on the morning of January 31st, 2021 with loving family by her side.

Born on June 7, 1926 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Tom and Gertrude Barton, she had a happy childhood shared with her brother Norman.

Doris was not a scholar. Her teachers often remarked how she often spent her days in school just daydreaming out the window. However, as a “tomboy” Doris excelled. She loved sports and games of any sort, from ice hockey to cribbage; bowling to paddle ball. She was very competitive and loved to engage in any challenge where she could test herself and take her opponent’s measure.

While growing up Doris and Norm spent summer months at Regina Beach with their Grandparents. It was there that, as a young girl, she became friends with Ray Sneddon.

It’s John Raymond Sneddon, of Regina, from whom she took her most important measure when she challenged him to swim with her the one and a half miles across the lake at Regina Beach. He accepted her challenge, and perhaps it was when they reached the opposite shore together that in their hearts they became a couple.

No two people were more at ease in each other’s company or more in love. So, in 1948 Doris and Ray were married. With that the Sneddon and Barton families became as one. In 1958 Ray and Doris made the decision to move from Regina, Saskatchewan to Portland, Oregon to accept a business opportunity. There, in Portland they put down roots and in 1962 they became US citizens. Ray owned and operated Portland Linotyping Company and, as a family, they were active in the Clan Macleay Bagpipe Band. However, Doris always considered herself, first and foremost, a proud Canadian.

Doris’s family and friends were very important to her and she remained in close contact with all of them, including those from early childhood, throughout her long life. She was a party-girl at heart and, more than anything loved having a get-to-gather with loved-ones. Her many close female friends were her source of female strength. Routinely the gals would play bunco, go bowling, or take quick trips together to Reno.

Over the course of her life Doris had two homes that she really loved. The first was their first house in Regina; a four-room lean-to shack with an oil cookstove that she loved to boast was so efficient it would heat the house, cook their meals, provide hot running water, and turn chicken bones to dust. The other was their last house; a large ranch-style on five acres in Hillsboro where they always had a dog, a cat, a couple of pet horses, a garden, and room to host frequent extended visits with family from Canada and Australia. After Ray retired they enjoyed traveling, RVing with friends, and taking frequent trips to Canada to visit loved-ones.

On road trips Doris could leave no silence unfilled; some with silly songs, some with banter, and some with general observations. And she was known by all to have had some very particular likes; like insisting that her toast needed buttering while still warm, and her bedroom window must be cracked open no matter the temperature outside. She had a million little sayings that she liked to live by; “Cold hands, warm heart”, or, “Waste not, want not”. But her favorite likes were dogs, chocolate, and an evening “lifter” shared with loved-ones (usually Scotch whiskey). She loved music; particularly the bagpipes. But to her the best music of all was when her Ray played his pipes.

Doris was unpretentious and kind. She was easy to smile, quick to laugh, genuine in character, generous in nature, and above all, FUN. Small children and dogs, recognizing a kindred spirit, were naturally drawn to her with their favorite toys, certain she’d be up for a game. However, it was always clear; she wouldn’t tolerate foolishness, poor sportsmanship, or bad behavior. To her kids and grandkids, she was easy to be with and usually the instigator of all forms of fun and games. She held impromptu slug races that went on for hours. She delighted her grandkids by keeping a giant bug as a pet (though the bug was actually a dead beetle she had found on the driveway). She once sent away for her very own mail-order toy fireman’s hat just so she could casually wear it and talk (straight face, serious voice) to her kids through the mouth piece.

Doris was very observant. Her memories were clear, her stories were detailed, and her language in the telling was rich. She filled her family’s life with her tales of growing up on the Canadian prairie during the 30’s and 40’s. She shared quips, truisms, and antidotes - many passed down through the generations. Her stories were always entertaining. They taught us lessons, gave us perspective, taught us our family history, and our connection to each other through the generations.

Doris LOVED being a housewife and mother. And, she was good at it. Her goal in life was to create a happy home for Ray and the happy childhood she had experienced for her two daughters and her four grandkids. While Ray was the breadwinner and head of household, she was proud to be a wife, mother and homemaker. Then, late in life when Ray developed Alzheimer’s disease, she unburdened him by taking on the additional role as head of family. She cared for Ray until, as dementia slowly developed in her too, she was no longer able. Even then she spent all day, every day until he passed, visiting Ray in Memory Care. For a period after he passed away her own wonderful memories gave her happiness until, day by day, her own dementia took those away as well. With each cherished visit by her family members, her wealth of stories was lovingly returned to her one by one. We hope and believe they sustained her.

In Doris we lost a wife, Mom, Nana, Great Nana, Aunty and friend. Her role in our family was immense. More than the matriarch, Doris was the “nucleus” of our family. Her strong character and wisdom raised her daughters well and had a strong influence on two generations beyond. In her loss we lost the last immediate family member of her generation. She personally knew and held the memory of those who passed before her.

Ta ta fur noo, Mom. TA TA FUR NOO.

Doris is survived by her two daughters, Lorraine Weyrauch, and Barbara Fitzgerald, her four grandkids, Megan, Keith, Eric, and Grant, and five great grandkids, along with extended family.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Oregon Humane Society.