Henriette Elodie Lohr

FEBRUARY 9, 1922 – DECEMBER 26, 2023

Henriette Elodie Beausir Lohr, age 101, of Spokane, Washington passed away on Tuesday, December 26, 2023.

A long-time resident of Moreno Valley, California, Henriette was born on February 9, 1922 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was raised in Yale, Michigan.

Henriette met her future husband, Arland Wayne Lohr, a farm boy from nearby Fargo, Michigan, in high school. They were married 66 years until Arland's passing in 2007. They had five children together.

Henriette's life was one of service to her family and community. She was immersed in motherhood, caring for and raising five children. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Colton. She worked for the Department of Probation for the County of San Bernardino, California. Her concluding career was spent in partnership with husband, daughter, and son-in-law in an ACE hardware business.

Henriette is a first-generation American. Her parents emigrated separately from France and Belgium at the close of WWI. Henri Beausir and Sylvia Mestdagh met in an expatriate community in Philadelphia in 1919 and married soon after. When Henriette was an infant, the family relocated to Yale, Michigan, and it was there her younger brother, Eugene, was born.

In 1941, newly married Henriette and Arland moved from Yale to Detroit, where Arland secured employment with Briggs Manufacturing. When Arland was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1944, serving in the Pacific until the war's conclusion, Henriette returned to Yale with two young daughters.

On the home front, Henriette, ever careful and frugal, worked in the nursery in the local hospital and cared for her young girls. Upon Arland's return, carefully managed savings enabled Arland to build a small home for his family in Yale. However, within a year or so, the family moved to Traverse City, Michigan, where the remaining three Lohr children were born.

Outside of Traverse City, the Lohrs lived on a country road on a fifty-acre farm. They didn't farm; Arland took his Navy-acquired skillset and worked in refrigeration service throughout the area. Henriette managed the home front, gardened, canned, saw to the dogs, two goats, and a pony named Queenie, and raised chickens and even rabbits for awhile, and perfected many cooking skills. It was a very busy time for the young and growing family.

In 1955 the Lohrs moved again, this time to Southern California, settling in Colton for the next 14 years. Henriette was ever active in managing a household of energetic children. When the younger children were older she took employment with the County of San Bernardino Department of Probation, rising to a supervisory position. It was work she enjoyed immensely. The Colton years set roots deep with the making of many very best friends for life.

In 1969 the Lohrs moved to Whittier California to be nearer to Arland's now-HVAC work. By way of Henriette's ever friendly outreach, Arland and Henriette were soon introduced to the Half-a-cienda trailer club, a group of families who had camped together for years. This was the beginning of several decades of frequent outings and great camaraderie. Later road trips included trekking to New York City to witness first-hand the festivities of the bicentennial of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. In retirement, Arland and Henriette extensively trailer-traveled the width and breadth of the United States and parts of western Canada.

In 1978, Arland and Henriette and son-in-law and daughter, Thomas and Janice Gardner, launched a new venture and purchased the store that would become Sunnymead ACE Hardware in what is now Moreno Valley, California. Enjoying very fulfilling years in the hardware business, Arland and Henriette remained partners with the Gardners until retirement in 1987.

Throughout the years there were uncountable numbers of meals and gatherings and many new grandbabies to help with during those first in-home days. Henriette was a wonderful writer and dedicated correspondent. She was a sharp and skilled life partner and business partner. She was a great friend to many.

One hundred one years, 319 days.

A long and active life touches so many people. Henriette survived nearly everyone of her generation. She will be long remembered by those who knew her as mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and aunt and great aunt, by extended family members, and by descendants of best friends with whom her children remain close.

Henriette is survived by her children. Judith Clark of Elk Grove CA, Janice Gardner and spouse Thomas of Moreno Valley CA, Grant Lohr and spouse Brenda of Carlsbad, CA, Arlene Conley and Douglas Lohr of Spokane, WA.

She is survived by grandchildren: Gregg Hester and Gregg Clark (Stacey); Dale (Michelle) Gardner and Dirk (Jill) Gardner; Eric (Laura) Lohr and Allen (Julia) Lohr; Corey Lohr and Dustin (Shelly) Lohr; Rob Sherrard, Sean Sherrard, and Denise (Scott) McNeill, Colleen (Carl) Parker, Chris Conley, and Cassie (Josh) White. And by 28 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren.

Henriette was preceded in death by her husband Arland, brother Eugene Beausir and sister-in-law Bertha Brennan Beausir, and sons-in-law Ronald Clark and Kenneth Conley.

Graveside service will be held 11:00 am, Wednesday, February 21 at Hermosa Gardens Cemetery, 900 Meridian Street Colton, California 92324.

A luncheon will follow at 12:00 pm at DoubleTree by Hilton, San Bernardino – 285 East Hospitality Lane San Bernardino, California 92408

The family would like to thank VITAS Healthcare of Moreno Valley, Horizon Hospice of Spokane, and the staff of #1 Empowering Adult Family Home of Spokane for their excellent and caring service to our mother.

For memorial contributions, the family has designated the USO (USO.org) serving America's military and their families, and in recognition of Henriette's many family members who served in the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines.

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