Lois Strain

Lois Emma Strain was  Born February 26, 1916, in Page, North Dakota, as Lois Senn, the daughter of Albert and Fannie Senn.  She attended public school in Page, and after graduation, she attended Agricultural College in Fargo, North Dakota aspiring to be a teacher.  She is survived by her sisters, Iva Forte and Ruth Dicks, daughters Evelyn Olson, Joyce Barber, Linda Carlisle, Carol Wright, and a son Steven Strain. She has 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

 Lois raised her daughters on a small farm near Page, and eventually moved them to town to attend school.  She was active in the Methodist Church, the North Dakota Homemakers organization and as leader for her girls’ Happy Larks 4-H group while also operating the town’s Creamery.

In  1953 she moved her daughters to Seattle and worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Company.  In 1954 Lois married Frank Strain, and they became proud parents of son Steven.   When Steve started school, Lois worked as a receptionist and office manager for a group of doctors for over ten years.  After Frank’s early retirement from Boeing in the early seventies, they moved the family to the Eugene area.  Frank and Lois owned and operated Springfield Appliance sales & repair shop in Springfield until Frank’s health forced him to sell the store.

            Lois  worked with seniors for the next 12 years at Green Valley Care Center where she loved the residents and was loved by them in return.  She finally retired in 1987 at the age of 71; but she didn’t really retire!  After Frank died in 1989, Lois staffed a crisis line for Women Space for several years.  She was active in her church, staffing the front office during the week and working with FISH (a program to feed the less fortunate).  She was always ready to help wherever there was a need.  Her love of gardening which began in her early days on the farm, was always a great source of pride and her garden was always filled with flowers, fruit, and birds and squirrels that she kept well supplied.

She died July 14, of age-related causes at the age of 94.  Lois loved her family, her church, her friends, and she will be deeply missed by all.  

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at Wesley United Methodist Church on the corner of Cal Young & Oakway Rd. for Lois.   Donations can be made in Lois’s name to Womenspace of Eugene, P.O. Box 50127, Eugene, OR 97405.

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