Lois Myre Wheeler

Mrs. Wheeler was born Lois Evelyn Dryden on April 7, 1929 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the youngest of Ralph and Maude Dryden’s six children. She grew up on the 165 acre farm her grandfather had homesteaded upon returning from the Civil War.

Her family, however, lost the farm in the Great Depression, and in 1940 Lois moved with her parents to Tacoma, Washington where she attended Lincoln High School and College of Puget Sound. She was the first in her family to attend college. Later, she transferred to Central Washington College of Education, where she earned a teaching certificate and began teaching first grade in Bellevue, WA.

A fellow teacher introduced her to his younger brother Don Myre and the two immediately hit it off. After they were married and Don finished his military service, Lois and Don moved to Portland where Don managed a printing ink business and they began a family. Four children followed: Scott, Ron (Ginny), Craig (Dawn), and Kate (Tom).

Don died of cancer in 1976, and Lois remarried seven years later to Allen Wheeler, bringing her two step-daughters: Juli (Terry) and Debbie. Her family remained her joy for the rest of her life, and she loved spending time with her six children and eleven grandchildren. She often said she loved the happy noise and laughter of family gatherings, even when her hearing had faded and she had difficulty making out what everyone was saying.

Lois and Allen loved antiques and history, and they operated Rosemont Antiques out of their home in West Linn for a number of years. They also traveled extensively. In 2010, they moved to a retirement community in Portland, where they made new friends and continued to welcome family and other visitors. Allen passed away in 2017.

Faith was a very important part of their lives, and they met through their membership at Mountain Park Church in Lake Oswego. Lois continued to attend church services streamed virtually to the end.

Lois had a deep love for knowledge and passed that on to her children. She was a voracious reader: even after she lost her sight, she was often listening to 2 or 3 recorded books concurrently. She loved crossword puzzles, Jeopardy, and Trivial Pursuit. She memorized numerous poems, the state capitals, the books of the Bible, and others.

Lois died at her home on April 6 after a short illness. In her final days, she was continuously surrounded by those she had touched with her love and grace.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.finleysunsethills.com for the Wheeler family.