Mrs Luella Eva Gumescheimer Wolfe

Obituary

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, at Rose City Park United Methodist Church for Luella Eva "Lu" Wolfe, who died Oct. 25, 2007 of a stroke at age 80.

Luella Eva Gumescheimer was born April 12, 1927, in Ness City, Kansas. She moved from Kansas to Portland in 1961 and was a lead associate for Meier & Frank. In 1947, she married Walter A.

Survivors include her husband; daughter, Cyndee Wolfe Taylor; son, Jon; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Remembrances:

Rose City Park United Methodist

5830 NE Alameda

Portland, OR 97213

503-281-1229

www.rcpumc.org

Arrangements by Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes.

Memorial Address for Lu Wolfe presented on October 30, 2007 by J. Blake Taylor (Cyndee's Husband)

In commemoration of the life and passing of Lu Wolfe I was invited to say a few words in celebration of this great lady, for which I am honored to do so.

There are many quips and jokes that are often bantered about when it comes to the often precarious relationship between a son in law and his mother in law. Our relationship would dispel such a typical stereotype as I believe we shared a mutual respect and a relationship of love. It is difficult under the circumstances that bring us here today yet I will attempt to briefly acquaint you with the Lu Wolfe that I know.

Lu was born in 1927 on April 12th into a large family living in Ness City, Kansas. She being the youngest of nine siblings and in addition her sister Eva who was stillborn at birth. At the time she was born her parents were quite aged and she therefore was basically raised by her two next in line sisters. They all lived and worked on a farm and during her childhood the family endured The Great Depression.

She had two fears growing up. She feared deep water as she was never taught to swim and she feared horses. During those days the children rode horses to school. She was so frightened of horses in fact that she used to tell us that she would bribe her brother Ben by promising to do his chores if after they rode over the hill and out of sight of her parents he would allow her to dismount and walk the rest of the way to school. For this, she agreed and did Ben's chores for him as she truly scared of horses!

When Lu was 19 she met and fell in love with Walter A. Wolfe then 25 years old and recently returned from the War where he had been stationed in the South Pacific Theater.

Lu had a wonderful sense of humor and mischief. One story that was often told within the family was a time when shortly after the happy couple was married they were living on the base and Walt came home one night in the dark. Lu thought she would play a trick on him. (Knowing Walt we all know that he gets pretty excited when he gets surprised.) So it was dark and Lu hid underneath the bed in the barracks and when he walked up near the bed she reached out and grabbed his ankles!!! Walt nearly hit the ceiling! He got so excited that he quickly pulled her out from under the bed threw her on it and gave her a good swift spanking as he would a child because he thought she was acting very immature – just like a little kid. Later they would laugh hysterically as they recalled the memory yet at the time it was evidently no laughing matter, at least for Walt! (and evidently after the spanking neither for Lu!)

In 1952 when Lu was twenty five she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia Dee in Fowler, Kansas and three years later in 1955 a son Jon Eric was born to the couple in St. John, Kansas. This was to comprise the Wolfe family.

The family was a close knit unit, holding to strong ethical and moral Midwestern values. In 1961 they moved to Portland, Oregon and have called this area home ever since.

It was in the summer of 1981 that I met Cyndee and we were married in Provo, Utah that same year. It was then that I went from being single and carefree to instant husband and father and sole provider, as two of my children Amy and Brooke, came with my marriage. We would later legally adopt these two girls as well as have two other daughters, Laura and later Lisa, together.

My very first introduction to Lu came when I visited Portland to see Cyndee. Living in Utah this was a time when my long distance phone bill eclipsed the price of an airline ticket and it seemed logical that it might be best to get reacquainted having met only briefly months prior at a summer conference.

Cyndee introduced me to her parents and the very first thing that struck me about Lu was her exceptional culinary talents. I recall that the very first night I arrived Lu invited me to have dinner. That night we were treated to fresh Salmon for dinner and I continue to be impressed these twenty-six years later – it really was that good!

Lu and Walt were easy to talk to and I instantly was made to feel at home. Cyndee's Brother Jon enjoyed similar tastes in music and played guitar as I had in college so it felt like I fit in well. It was a comfortable feeling all around that I experienced right from the beginning – that is until Thursday evening of that week when I asked for Cyndee's hand in marriage. I had wanted to announce our planned engagement at dinner that evening yet Jon had come along and at every moment when I would gather my courage, Jon would be back to our table and I would lose my nerve. Well, everything up to that point had gone so well that I just supposed things would continue to be so (albeit I was quite nervous.) After waiting till we arrived home and having Cyndee invite her parents to the living room I announced in a rather matter of fact sort of way and trying not to show how nervous I really was that I thought it rather obvious that I was in love with their daughter and wished to ask for her hand in marriage. Walt in particular seemed to become quite stern and Lu looked all of a sudden quite doubting. Now I was terrified! After what seemed forever, Walt asked me when I had in mind for a wedding to take place and after explaining that it was my intention to wait when my brother might be present and able to participate suggested a probable date 5 – 6 months in advance. This time frame pleased both parents as they had suspected a quick engagement and a wedding to take place perhaps while I was there visiting. The tension eased and looks of concern and anguish changed to smiles and congratulatory hugs and kisses were in order.

From that moment on I became a welcomed part of the family. Due to the distance living in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Wolfe's living in Portland our visits were somewhat sporadic.

Our first visit together ensued right after our honeymoon. We actually drove to Boise, Idaho to meet Lu and Walt half way. They had been kind enough to watch our two children for several days while Cyndee and I enjoyed time in St. George and Las Vegas. We arrived and enjoyed a night at the Holiday Inn, played with the kids and enjoyed time with Lu and Walt.

There was a subsequent time when Cyndee and I vacationed in Hawaii and on the way spent time at Lu and Walt's home. Then there was a time during Christmas when we loaded three of our small children up on an Amtrak train with every intention that they would sleep through the night until we arrived in the morning over the rivers and through the snow to grandmother's house we would go, (or so we thought). The train was delayed and after a few false starts and train whistles and shuffling between cars in search of a suitable seat with the lights of the train turned on our kids were now wide awake and excited by all the commotion. What was to be a romantic excursion during the evening turned out to be a 23 hour nightmare when the train had to stop to repair track along the way and these early disruptions had both of our children up all night as we attempted to calm them best as we could. Our youngest ended up sick near pneumonia and we spent much of the first day securing medicine upon our arrival. Needless to say this is the only and last time we ventured on the train.

Walt and Lu came to Salt Lake at one time and stayed with us. I recall that on this occasion I suggested a fairly basic hike up to Mt. Timpanogas Cave. As it turned out the trail was paved yet quite a bit steeper than I had remembered. Of course looking at a hike in your teen years or even your mid-twenties vs. in your say mid-fifties makes a big difference as now that I am in my fifties I can attest. Lu was a trooper and didn't complain yet there were several rest stops along the way. It was only later that I learned that Walt had been pretty incensed by the whole episode and kindly let me know that this had been much too strenuous. I think Lu enjoyed the cave once we made it to the entrance yet looking back now I probably did push beyond her boundaries of comfort.

Another time during this same episode we decided to take Walt and Lu to see the Bingham Open Pit Copper Mine. Lu and Walt were in the back seat and there was one rock about five inches in diameter on the entire road. How many of you would like to guess whether we hit that rock? Well yes, sad to say, I ran right over it and it made for quite a jolt in the back seat where Lu and Walt were seated. Embarrassed and after a word or two everyone settled down and we continued on to our view of the Open Pit Copper Mine.

Lu & Walt came out to our present home in Sandy Utah at the base of The Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was the coldest year in memory and we had a lot of snow that year. We joked with Walt about sending him out to chop wood and stoke the fire as this was the year that we had actually installed some gas fireplaces which if it weren't for the extra warmth I believe Lu and Walt might have froze to death. They never accepted our repeated invitations after that and so I have to believe that the cold was just a bit too much. Nonetheless, we enjoyed having them with us to celebrate Christmas that year as it made for a very special time to enjoy all of the family together for the holidays.

As I mentioned earlier, Lu had a great sense of humor and after dinners she could keep us rolling with laughter. She also was an extremely competitive scrabble player. Come to think of it she was extremely competitive with any game we chose to play. Cyndee and Lu would play scrabble till the wee hours of the morning until usually one was upset which often would carry on throughout the next day with the winner gloating as if they had just won the world series of scrabble and the other feeling slighted and certain that the other had somehow maneuvered in some way creating an unfair advantage.

Lu was a diplomat exercising exceptional customer care in a most professional way – (sometimes even when it was most obvious that Meier and Frank was being taken advantage for this was the store policy and of course the customer always came first).

One day I was in the store and witnessed a return of a pair of men's socks that looked to have been worn . . . or best said, WORN OUT! The customer demanded a return. Without the slightest argument I watched as Lu won him over and he left with new socks and a smile. I am certain he returned and continued to shop there. Lu really did know how to be a charmer and she had many repeat customers that she befriended. She was also friends with many that worked with her at the store.

Lu was a candid, truthful, bottom-line kind of gal at home. She told it like it was, said it like she meant it, with no holds barred. I liked this because you never had to guess as to where you stood with Lu. Generally I stood on her endearing side yet if there was an issue she didn't care for she was quick to voice her opinion. With me however she would often express some displeasure toward Cyndee and rarely if ever I recall mention anything to me for which she thought I might be offended. Rather if there was something directly displeasing about me or a particular incident she might relay it to Cyndee. This truly was rare and If she did, Cyndee harbored these alone and never passed it along.

Being in the retail business, Lu was a champion shopper. He could find sales and bargains better than anyone I ever knew. My wife learned this art form well. Sometimes I would silently wish that Lu would have had a passion for stocks for if she had we might have been independently wealthy long ago.

Lu loved a good story and had several that she delighted in telling to entertain us. I love to laugh and enjoy these moments with her as she kept us entertained for hours.

Lu was in love with Walt and was always by his side. Always supportive they worked well as a team and served as a good example to Cyndee and I. They constantly nurtured one another and were there for each other always.

She loved to bowl earlier in her life and she loved to watch the NBA particularly when the Portland Trailblazers were contenders. She was a great fan and enthusiastically coached every play from her armchair.

Lu was principled and had a strong moral compass. She was tolerant of others and their views for the most part. As I mentioned earlier she was a great cook and a wonderful seamstress.

It is hard for us to grasp that her spirit has now separated from her body. Things progressed so quickly and yet upon reflection those who knew her well will unanimously conclude that is as she would have wanted it. She could not stand to feel that she was a burden on anyone. To not be in control of her faculties, physically and especially mentally would have been for her far worse than death. She was able to pass gracefully with her dignity in tact and the love and respect of her family and friends surrounding her.

Through the infinite atonement of our eldest brother Jesus Christ her spirit now separate from her body and very much alive has gone on to the world of the spirits or the spirit world. This is just part of our Heavenly Father's grand plan of Salvation.

Just as birth is a necessary agent for our entry into mortality so death becomes the portal to eternity. There in the spirit world Lu's spirit will rest from her earthly cares, free of pain and stress. She will continue to learn, to grow, and to progress until such time as she (and all of us alike) attain to a resurrected being. At this time our spirits once again will be joined together with a perfected body never to be separated again to live eternally after a final judgment eternally in one of many mansions prepared for such a grand day.

As is recorded in the Bible, John 14: 2 Christ states, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

We should take comfort in the very real concept of death as a change of live, and not the end of life. Seneca said: "The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity."

On the topic one of my most cherished remembrances is a story told about a sailing ship, and I see it in my mind like this:

In a beautiful blue lagoon on a clear day, a fine sailing-ship spreads its brilliant white canvas in a fresh morning breeze and sails out to the open sea. We watch her glide away magnificently through the deep blue and gradually see her grow smaller and smaller as she nears the horizon. Finally, where the sea and sky meet, she slips silently from sight; and someone near me says, "There, she is gone!" Gone where? I ask. Gone from sight – that is all. She is still as large in mast and hull and sail, still just as able to bear her load. And we can be sure that, just as we say, "There, she is gone!" another says, "There, she comes!"

My great, great, great grandfather John Taylor said: "While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet her behind the veil."

Death is a promotion rather than a retirement.

It was Job who posed the question of the ages: (Job 14:14) "If a man die, shall he live again?"

And it was Christ who answered it in the affirmative: "Because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19)

And finally Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned it this way:

"Life is real! Life is Earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust thou returnist,

Was not spoken of the soul."