Carolyn Laizure

Carolyn Laizure, 95, Lake Oswego resident, died March 30, 2011 of age related causes in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She was born July 15, 1915 in Humboldt, Tennessee to Betty (Almond) and DeWitt Clinton Senter.

Carolyn married Aubrey Smith II in 1933 in Nashville,TN (later divorced), and later moved to Alameda, CA, where she met and married Elgin "Red" Laizure in 1952, who served in World War II. They eventually move to Oregon, where they enjoyed a variety of outdoor activities. Red Laizure died in 2004 at age 94. Carolyn was also predeceased by her brother DeWitt Senter and her twin sister Virginia Davis.

Carolyn was raised in Tennessee, spent time in Florida and later Nashville, TN, where she had her first child, Aubrey, and several years later a daughter, Carolyn. After marrying "Red" Laizure, they moved to Oregon, where they had Elgin Jr "Chip". Her Grandfather (Senter) was a nurseryman in Tennessee and a member of the State Guard or Militia. He owned an orange grove and truck farm in Florida where Carolyn Laizure and her twin sister Virginia spent most of their early years before returning to Nashville, TN.

Carolyn Laizure was an inspiring person, positive, and always looking for the best in people. She loved to cook, was an accomplished gardener, and life-long athlete enjoying swimming, skiing and sailing. In the mid 1970's Carolyn and Red Laizure built a 42 ft sloop sailboat, which they named the "Three Sisters" and spent many memorable years sailing the San Juan Islands. She was an avid reader, loved newspapers, crossword puzzles and Bridge. She was a member of PEO in Portland and attended Reformation Fellowship while in Eugene.

Carolyn was much loved by her family and is survived by daughter Carolyn Ballin from Eugene; and sons Aubrey Smith, Portland, and Elgin "Chip" Laizure Jr, Lake Oswego; 7 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A private family service will be held this weekend at Skyline Memorial Gardens, then she will be laid to rest alongside her husband Elgin outside Mount Vernon, WA at Hawthorne Funeral Home and Memorial Park.

Carolyn Laizure was a lively and resilient individual, after getting divorced in TN, and as a testament to her fortitude, in March of 1946, she drove a’42 Ford 4-door, stick shift from Charlotte, NC across country to Bakersfield, CA by herself, with Aubrey (4 years of age) and Carolyn (9 years old), and all their belongings, along with Carolyn's mother and father, who didn't want to make the trip. From Bakersfield, they meandered North along old Hwy 99 to Alameda where Carolyn Laizure’s aunts (grandmother’s sisters) lived and where she eventually was introduced to Elgin Laizure and married in 1952. Elgin worked for General Electric at the time and had previously served in World War II, on a merchant marine vessel for the Navy.

Carolyn and Elgin eventually moved to NE Portland, OR, where Elgin ("Red") took a position with X-Ray Incorporated of Oregon and in 1956 Carolyn gave birth to Elgin Jr ("Chip"). In 1964 they moved to Uplands Drive in Lake Oswego, where they lived for approximately 10 years. During this time, Carolyn and Red enjoyed a passion for the outdoors, hunting (Carolyn was quite the marksman), fishing and skiing (which they continued to do into their 80's). As a result, they purchased a lot at Indian Ford Ranch (outside Sisters, OR), where Red built a vacation home, and they eventually moved to in 1974. Many memorable moments were spent here, teaching their son Chip how to hunt, fish, and ski, who later became a ski instructor. Elgin, at age 65, built a second home (by himself) at Indian Ford, leaving most of the second floor out, so he could build a 42 ft sailboat inside the structure, which he finished in under 2 years, then completed the house.

They sold their home in Sisters around 1980 to spend more time on their sailboat (called the "Three Sisters"), and moved to a piece of property owned by their son, in Shelter Bay, WA. This property came with a boat slip and allowed for an ideal place to dock their 42 ft Cascade sloop sailboat. Here, Carolyn and Red built another home, which Red constructed by himself, and where they both lived for approximately 20 years. This period in Carolyn's life, was one of her most favorites, since they were able to enjoy sailing, gardening, fishing, and being a dosen/member of the Museum in La Conner, WA. Even at this stage in life, Carolyn was full of energy and became a member of the local tap dance/cabaret club.

A couple years later, due to health concerns, they sold the Shelter Bay house and moved back to Portland, where Red develop complications from cancer and passed in 2004. Carolyn Laizure moved in with her son Chip, daughter-in-law (Jennifer) and two grand children (Natalie and Cade) at their Lake Oswego home, where she remained until 2009, during which time she frequently visited her daughter Carolyn Ballin, husband Robert, along with their three grand children (Sarah, Jane and Libby), when her health dictated a move to the Oswego Care home, where she lived until her passing last week.

We'll miss her beautiful smile and positive influence, God bless.