Mary B. Smith

Published 12:26 am Saturday, June 21, 2014

Nov. 15, 1916 – Jun. 4, 2014

Longtime Sisters resident, Mary B. Smith died Wed., June 4 at the age of 97. Born in Portland, Oregon on Nov. 15, 1916 to John H. and Martha Chapin Beckwith, she attended schools in Portland and Annie Wright Seminary in Tacoma. After graduating from Mills College, she returned to Tacoma to teach at Annie Wright Seminary. It is there that she met and married Wilton Gordon Smith, a most wonderful man, and they had three children, Marna, Stuart and Gordon Smith. After living in numerous cities around the country, they settled in Lake Oswego in 1957 where they lived until moving to Bend in 1975, and soon after to Sisters.

In 1939 Mary’s parents built a cabin on the Metolius River. The endless summers spent in that cabin strongly influenced the wonderful person that Mary became, the love of nature, hiking the many trails, climbing the mountains, watching birds and the love of family. Nothing was more cherished by Mary than family.

Mary was passionate about the Sisters Library. In 2013 she was given an award for being the longest serving volunteer – 30 years. She volunteered for years at the High Desert Museum. She was an avid horsewoman, riding every trail in central Oregon many times. She played tennis into her 80’s, travelled the world with Wilton and later with her sister, Isabel.

Mary loved her friends – the “out to lunch bunch”, her neighbors and her many bridge groups. The joy of her life was her vegetable garden. Every morning would find her tending those vegetables, picking and bagging and sharing with friends.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Marna Griffin and son-in-law, Jeff of Reno and Sisters; daughters-in-law, Sally Smith of Port Orchard, WA and Donna Smith of St. Louis, MO; grandchildren, Sarah Griffin of Reno, Josh Griffin (Darla) of Henderson, NV, Molly Smith of Yakima, Betsy Ambler (Steve) of Port Orchard, Mike Smith (Jill) of Everett, WA and Andee Jessee (Calen) of Bend; great- grandchildren, Jordan and Jackson Griffin, Graham, Harrison, Monet and Bennet Griffin, Rayne Hayes and Paige McBride, Isabel Smith, Riley, Brynnen and Elli Ambler, Porter Smith and Wilton Jessee; and many nieces and nephews, especially Marti Dale and husband Chip of Camp Sherman who checked on Mary every day.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilton; sons, Stuart and Gordon; sisters, Isabel Goode, Fran Hogan; brother, Jack Beckwith; and long-time companion, Walt Berger.

Contributions in Mary’s name to her favorite organizations would be very appreciated: Friends of the Sisters Library, PO Box 1209, Sisters 97759; The Deschutes Basin Land Trust, 210 NW Irving Ave., Bend, OR 97701; or The Frank Dale Scholarship Fund, PO Box 150, Camp Sherman, OR 97730.

There will be a “Going Away Celebration” for Mary 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. June 19 at her home in Sisters, 69991 Meadow View Rd.

A special thanks to Dr. Joe Bachtold and his wife, Gwen, Mary’s next door neighbors. They provided such tender care during the many house calls they made in the week following her stroke.