Marjorie I Bean

Marjorie Irene Ross was born on October 21, 1922 to Aubrey and Benjamin Ross. Although born in Spokane, Washington, their home was in Sandpoint, Idaho, in the beautiful wooded lake and river panhandle of northern Idaho. She was an only child but grew up with several cousins, always having fun as somewhat of a tomboy — climbing frees, roller skating to school and playing all the games kids played in those days. She took piano lessons, loved to sing and was an avid reader, reading all the children's books in the local library. When she was nine they moved to another beautiful neighboring town, Priest River, where her dad opened a 5 and 10 cent store. She made a life-long friendship, continued with music and having fun. It was a challenge roller skating and bicycling on those hills. She liked school very much and always did well. She was valedictorian of her eighth grade graduating class in Priest River and had the highest test scores in the county. Unfortunately, this was the time of the Great Depression which created difficult economic times. There were several CCC camps in the Idaho forests, so when these young men came to town on Saturday night there were always dances, so she learned to dance at an early age Her dad lost the store, so they moved to Parkrose in 1937 to live with his father because his mother had just passed away. Marjorie attended Parkrose High School, where she graduated as valedictorian in 1940. Although Oregon scholarships were available, she chose to go to the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years. In order to do that it was necessary for her to work. She lived in a co-op, where she waited tables, and also worked at the University Library. She still had time for studies and lots of dancing. She could jitterbug with the best of them. She was majoring in Education, doing her Practice Teaching in a second grade class. In her second year she met her future husband, Donald W. Bean from Weiser, Idaho, became engaged, was offered a teaching position in southern Idaho, but did not accept because Don had enlisted in the Army Air Corps. The hope was that she could follow him while he was in training. They were married in Moscow on November 25,1942. Back in Portland, she went to work doing secretarial work for Commercial Iron Works, a war industry making mine-sweepers, sub-chasers, and ice-breakers for the Navy. They were also outfitting a British Aircraft carrier. She started work in the Statistical Department, but soon moved to the Purchasing Department. When Don was called to active duty in March, she followed him where she could, including, Caldwell, Idaho, Tucson, Arizona and Clovis, New Mexico, where he graduated as a Second Lieutenant at Marana Air Base. She was able to pin on his silver wings. When he was a cadet in training, she couldn't travel with him, nor could he live off-base. So she traveled alone and lived alone, except for weekends. She had many interesting and challenging travel experiences. After graduation, they traveled to Reno, Nevada, and Dearborne, Michigan before he was sent overseas to the China; Burma, India Theatre of War, based in India, where he was flying a transport plane, a C-46 over the Himalayan Mountains, known as "The Hump". She wrote him a letter every single day and looked forward so much to his letters. She worried about him because she knew the Himalayans were the highest mountains in the world, but she didn't know how extreme the weather conditions were, and that their cargo was usually drums of gasoline being flown to our military in Kunming, China. He needed 650 hours of flight time before he could come home. Because he literally just ate, slept, and flew, he was able to come home in February 1945. Because she was an excellent worker, Commercial Iron Works took her back every time she returned from one of her travels. They put her into whatever department that had a vacancy, so she received a great deal of experience. She was back in the Purchasing Department again, secretary to two different Traffic Managers, and finally secretary to the Auditor, where she typed all the bills payable checks. It was a very nice place to work, although it took her an hour to get there by buses. Again, she made several friends. One time she got to go down the ways on a ship being launched. She always lived with her folks in Parkrose when Don was away. Upon returning home Don was granted a short leave, and then assigned to Great Falls, Montana where she moved with him. Their next move was to Long Beach, California, where they were living when VJ Day occurred in August 1945. Don then chose to stay in the Reserve. Plans were being made for them both to return to college. The only one that hadn't already begun its fall term was the University of Washington, where they both enrolled. They lived in the University District in Seattle and graduated in June 1947, with BA degrees in Economics and Business. They moved back to Portland, Don went to work, they bought their first house and their first son, Gary, was born in 1948. Don was recalled during the Korean Conflict, but was stationed in Portland the first year, when their second son, Robert, was born in 1951. Then Don was sent to Smyrna, Tennessee, so they rented their house, packed up the boys and all their furniture and drove to Murfreesboro, where they rented a duplex, and endured an extremely hot summer. They enjoyed meeting friendly southern folks for the first time. They drove back home in the fall. She was a stay-at-home-mom until there was a shortage of teachers, and she began substitute teaching. She was then offered a third grade teaching position at West Powellhurst, which soon became incorporated into the David Douglas School District. She then transferred to a fourth grade at Gilbert Primary, but the major part of her twenty-four years of teaching was in fourth grade at Ventura Park. Because her degree was in Economics and Business, she had to go back to college to get an Equivalency Degree in Education, which she did by taking, evening classes at Portland State. She was able to transfer her Education credits from the University of Idaho so it didn't take very long to get the new degree. It was difficult to teach days, go to evening classes and take care of the household and Gary and Bob, because Don traveled a lot in his job, but she managed. She continued to take graduate classes and had many graduate hours. She was very active in the David Douglas Education Assn., helping to write its first constitution, being elected Treasurer, Membership Chairperson, and often a building rep. In 1981 she was awarded their Outstanding Service Award. She enjoyed teaching very much, and was considered a master teacher, having helped train several student teachers. She had many teacher-friends. She retired in 1983. When their boys were home they enjoyed the usual family things, camping, Disneyland, Yellowstone National Park, music lessons, and best of all, vacations at beautiful Priest Lake, Idaho in her cousin's lovely cabin, right on the shore of the lake It was like "heaven on earth" to them. They often asked Don's folks and his sister's family, as well as close friends to go with them. They later had a boat which they trailed up there and also used on the Columbia River at home. She had many interests including family, children, traveling, crossword puzzles, Jeopardy, dancing, music, flowers, church, animals, reading, current events and many friends. She loved all kinds of animals and always had dogs and cats. As a member of Savage Memorial Presbyterian Church for over forty years., she served as elder for several terms, volunteered in the office, and taught Sunday School, as well as other volunteer work. She was honored by being placed on The Living Honor Roll. She did volunteer work for Snow Cap, both in the food room and the office. She also volunteered with Don to deliver Meals on Wheels. Another volunteer job was with Human Solutions, from whom she received the Human Solutions Community Solutions Award in 1996 She was a member of Oregon Retired Educators Association, Unit 29, was elected treasurer, and awarded their Citizen of Dedication Award She is a past-member of AAUW and current member of PEO Chapter AH, where she served as treasurer. Traveling was a high priority in her life, and she managed to cover a great deal of the globe. Her greatest trip was to Egypt, where she explored the pyramids, cruised up the Nile to the wonderful temples, Valley of the Kings, and visited King Tutankhamun's tomb. Of course she had to ride a camel. She was always fascinated with Egyptian history. Another of her great trips was a photographic safari to Kenya and Tanzania, where she encountered many beautiful wild animals and was able to get some good photos. She took a hot-air balloon ride over the area. Hong Kong and ten cities in mainland China was one of her trips, where she climbed the Great Wall of China and saw the terra cotta soldiers in Xian, China. She also went to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. She has been to all the European countries several times, including a tour of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and another to the Scandinavian countries and St. Petersburg. Hawaii was her destination several times, as well as Alaska, Canada and Mexico. Cruises were favorites of hers also, going to all locations in the Caribbean, as well as the Panama Canal, Columbia, Hawaii, Alaska, Israel, Greece and Turkey. Don had always wanted a motorcycle, so after the boys left home, she talked him into getting one. She decided to travel with him, especially as his bikes got better and more comfortable. Her one condition was that they stay overnight in a motel, as camping was not one of her favorite things. They covered many parks in the southwest, including Grand Canyon, where she took a helicopter ride. They also went to Glacier Park and Mt Rushmore on the bike. Finally her arthritis put an end to her riding with Don, but when she was teaching, some of the boys thought it was pretty cool that their teacher rode on a motorcycle. Her son, Bob, was very much into genealogy and wanted to go to Nova Scotia for a McCabe clan reunion. Her grandfather Ross had been born in Picto, Nova Scotia so away she went with Bob and his daughter, Erica. They also got to visit a Ross clan gathering, as well as a McBean clan gathering. They visited many cemeteries, finding tombstones of long lost relatives. Then they went down to Massachusetts, where they visited many cemeteries and found some more relatives' tombstones. She was Mother to the late Gary A. Bean and Robert W. Bean; Grandmother to Scott, Erica, Benjamin, and Isabella Bean, as well as step-grandmother to Michael Mclrvin and Jenny Weisberg; Great Grandmother to Jaylen Roges, Zachary, Abigail, Annie and Zoe Bean. Her Celebration of Life will be held at Savage Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1740 S.E. 139th, Portland, at a later time. Internment will be in Willamette National Cemetery, on Monday, May 11th at 12:30pm.