Christine Marie Willis

Christine Marie Willis celebrated her 101 birthday on New Year’s Eve with friends and family at Hearthstone at Murrayhill in Beaverton, where she was a longtime resident. Upon declining health she passed away on Jan. 30, 2015. Her career at Meier & Frank spanned 38 years. She enjoyed life to the fullest with many travels throughout the world with her husband Jack Willis. She is survived by her stepson Robert Willis, granddaughter, Tracey Willis; niece Alice Hansen, and nephew William Schuppel.A Memorial Service will be held on Tues. Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:00pm at Hearthstone at Murrayhill, Beaverton. It would be Marie’s wishes that in lieu of flowers donations in her name be made to an Alzheimer’s or Diabetes Foundation.

Marie Willis' Autobiography:

I was born on December 31, 1913 in Sacramento, California. My mother didn't want children and on February 14, 1913, I was brought to Portland, Oregon. So I consider myself an Oregonian. I lived at the Waverly Children’s Home until I was three. A woman named Alice came and got me, but my biological mother would not allow her to adopt me. I was raised by Alice and I considered her to be my mother from day one. She had two sons and another daughter. Her husband had died 3 months before she picked me up. Her other daughter’s daughter is my niece, Alice Marie, who visits me.

At age three, I had my first streetcar ride. I stood up on the seat, looked out the window and was “happy as a lark” watching the traffic go by. I think my mother had a stiff neck from turning to see all the things I was seeing.

My mother never left me with a neighbor while she went out, but one day she had an urgent call and I was left with a French lady for a short while. I was sitting in a small chair and I was crying. She wanted to know why. “I want my mamma”. She gave me a handkerchief and picked me up on her lap. My mother soon came and I was okay then.

When I was fourteen, I was considered an adult and chose to take out my own adoption papers naming Alice as my legal mother. She said it was the best day of her life.

Mother had friends, the Woodward family, where I would go over on the weekend. They had two granddaughters; one six months older than I, one 6 months younger than I. We had a grand time together. At Christmas time I would be with them on Christmas Eve and what an array of gifts. The three of us received the same gifts. This went on through high school. They went to college. I would still go over there for a while and then there were deaths in the family. We all drifted apart, but still were friends.

I worked at McKesson for a while and then a candy company where I put up samples for the salesmen. After a couple years I went to Meier & Frank Company where I continued to work for 38 and ½ years.

I was introduced to a young man, Jack Willis, on February 13th by his aunt and uncle and we seemed to hit it off. His uncle was a supervisor at Meier and Frank. In July, I was in Hawaii with his aunt and uncle. He also was on the trip. I was on the deck looking at the ocean when Jack came out and asked me to marry him. He said we could get married right there. I said no, we would have to wait a while. He kept after me and we finally set the date of August 28, 1965 for our wedding, six months after we met.

I worked in a flower nursery for several years. It was owned by Jack’s ex-father-in-law for 50 years. I loved it! Though I did it free – “gratis”, he paid me in lots of ways. He was like a grandfather to me.

After my husband retired, we traveled most of the World. We loved to places. We especially loved Ireland. It was so green, and the rolling hills where the shepherds would be moving the sheep were a beautiful sight. Next, I think we liked New Zealand.

On our trip to Spain for ten days we had a fun time going here and there. We went over to Morocco one day. Jack and I both rode a camel. What a bumpitty ride! Getting off was something! We had to slide down over its face and landed on our feet. Our boat ride back to Spain was also bumpy. Most of the people were sick. You never saw so many people white as sheets.

Another time we traveled the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. I have been to Hawaii twenty-three times and would love to go back. We would take tours in the U.S. and in Canada. They were three to five days, even up to 43 days. We traveled by bus in the States.

We took a trip to Australia and loved it. We landed in Cairns, at the tip of Australia. From there we traveled all the way down the coast to Sydney and Melbourne, seeing much of the country. We liked New Zealand the best. It is so much like Oregon with the rolling green hills, but thousands of sheep. We also took a boat on the Great Barrier Reef and saw so many colorful fish.

We stayed several days in Sydney. There is so much to see! One day we went to the opera house right on the sea. They were practicing an opera to be performed the following weekend. Unfortunately, we had to leave for home. It was a very long trip!

In 2002, we moved to Hearthstone at Murrayhill because of Jack’s health. Jack had diabetes and was on dialysis. In 2003, on February 13th, he passed away. I was 93 ½ at the time. I have been very happy at Heathstone. I feel secure and have the help if I need it.