Naomi (Noni) Garnet Hash Hicks Moennich was the first child born to Willard and Mary Hash (Weiss) on April 20th, 1925. Naomi was born at her grandparents home in Billings, Mt. and weighed just a wee bit more than 5 pounds. Later, she was given the nickname "Noni" by her little sister Evelyn (who was 13 years younger) who couldn't pronounce "Naomi."
She was a happy child growing up with her best friends Florence (Honey) Hall and later Amada Day. Naomi and Honey decided to help Honey's mother Mae Hall when they were in their early teens by cutting up the ducks she had set out for a special dinner. Mae was so angry, she chased them around the kitchen table with a broom. In case you don't know, you do not cut up ducks , you roast them like a turkey...dinner was ruined. In their later teens, they had the distinction of climbing out the window of a ladies restroom at a dance hall to avoid some dubious men.
She was always proud of the fact that she was the only sophomore in the senior choir and graduated in three years. She loved to sing and performed the song "You'll Never Know" on stage at a local club. She traveled to Portland where her mother and sister Evelyn were living, but returned to finish her last year of high school in 1944.
She went to work at Pierce's Meat Packing Company where after several days of working; when asked how she liked her job, she proceeded to complain about the company's machinery. "They expect you to do a good job and be productive, then they give you an inferior machine!" Later, she was told she just complained to "Old man Pierce, the owner." Frightened for her job, she returned the next morning to find a brand new machine and learned that her honesty and integrity had meant more than her complaint.
She returned to Portland and became a welder at the Oregon Shipyards alongside her mother and best friend Honey Hall. Their supervisor was Naomi's Uncle, Vernon Hash. One day Naomi's mother introduced her to their co-worker, Clovis (Curly) Hicks and sparks flew! So much so, that within two weeks they were married.
Naomi and Curly traveled to several states; including California, Kentucky, Florida and Illinois with their two sons Clovis Jr. (Butch) and Marvin.
Naomi enrolled in nursing school in Chicago, Illinois while working as a nurse's aid at Cook County Hospital. She met her 2nd husband Russell Moennich at the hospital where he also worked as a security guard. They married and the windy city eventually blew them to the Pacific Northwest where they settled in Portland with Butch, Marvin and their daughter Naomi Kimberly.
Honey Hall also relocated to Portland along with her husband Charles (Buzz) Bromley and the four of them remained lifelong friends.
Naomi worked a short time at the Multnomah County hospital then took a job alongside her mother at Porky's Restaurant & Lounge at N.E. 3rd and Broadway in Portland. After working as a waitress for a few weeks, she was made manager and continued to work for more than 20 years.
Among her co-workers at Porky's were her mother Mary, best friend Honey and daughter Kimberly. She also worked for Fryers Quality Pie and was the food and beverage manager at Oregon Episcopal School. She then decided to become a Certified Nurse's Aid and Certified Med Aid and worked, for several years at Oddfellows Retirement Home. She opened her own Adult Foster Home (Evergreen House) which she operated for several years until her husband Russ' illness. She eventually retired in her 70's after working for Providence Portland Health Center for several years.
She loved her family and friends, genealogy, jewelry, chocolate and travel. She was passionate about holidays and birthdays and once told her daughter Kimberly that her father had told her, birthdays were important. They were your day to celebrate you! Birthdays were always BIG in Naomi's home. She was a loyal friend and her name which is Hebrew means "Pleasant" or "nice". She complained once to her Pastor about another parishioner and Pastor asked her if she thought gossip was a Christian way of life. She learned her lesson. She rarely, if ever gossiped again.
Naomi Moennich amassed a great fortune. It was not a fortune of dollars and cents, but rather a wealth of love and friendship for and from her family and friends. She will be greatly missed and always loved.
She was preceded in death by her parents Willard and Mary Hash, her husband Russell Moennich and her brother Willard (Bill) Hash.
She is survived by her sons Clovis (Butch) Hicks of Portland. Marvin (Lynette) Hicks of Scappoose and daughter Kimberly of Portland. 7 siblings; Evelyn (Bill) Campbell of Vancouver, Wa., Tom (Berniece) Hash of Billings. Dorothy Hash of Bolivar, Mo. Toni (Bill) Turner of Roundup, Mt. Carol Hash of Billings. Cindy Hash of Bolivar, Mo., and Eileen Litton of Billings, Mt. 3 grandchildren; Carol Pearson of St. Helen's, Or., Joshua (Lea) Hicks of Sherwood and Andrew Hicks of Portland. 7 Great grandchildren; Alex Aulenbacher, Katie (Jared) Wheat, Lynsie Aulenbacher, Makayla Emerson-Hicks, Nicki Pearson and Olivia and Abby Hicks. 1 Great great grandson; Aiden Wheat.
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