Beatrice M. Lane

Beatrice M. Lane, age 91, died at a local care center on January 21, 2003.

A Memorial Service will be held at the La Grande First Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 25, 2003 at 3:00 p.m.

Beatrice was born on 22 July 1911 to Oscar Edgar and Dorothy Jane Sprowls Olsen on their family farm 3 miles north of Davenport, Washington. She was christened Beatrice Mathilda Olsen and was the eldest of 5 children. A highlight of her earliest memories was a journey with her parents and brother by train to southern California to visit her paternal grandparents on their orange tree orchard and play in the ocean. She attended Davenport, Washington schools and encountered her future husband for the first time when she was enroute to school, driving her horse and wagon and younger
siblings into the ditch to avoid his motorized roadster. They officially met at a neighborhood barn dance when she was 16, and for 4 years Howard drank a lot of sodas at the Mitten Cafe where she worked after school. She graduated from Davenport High School in l929.
On July 4, 1931 Howard and Beatrice Lane were married in her parents' garden. They began their married life working summers at an apple orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. They reported earning 2 cents for each apple box they made, and the following summer, with a worsening Depression, receiving a penny a box for their
labors. They made their home in Davenport, Washington where Howard was employed by Washington State Highway Dept. In Sept 1936 their only child, Audrey Ann was born.

The couple began wheat farming in 1941 on a ranch near Mondovi, Washington. Beatrice raised chickens, sold eggs, milk and garden produce. In 1946 they moved to the Lane family farm north of Davenport from which they retired in 1959.

Beatrice was an active officer in the Rebecca Lodge and Mondovi Grange, and became Worthy Matron of the Davenport Chapter Order of Eastern Star. She enjoyed square dancing, handiwork, flower gardening, fishing, travel and entertaining. She taught Sunday School and was president of the Women's Association of the Davenport First Presbyterian Church. Beatrice worked as a nurse's aide in the Davenport Community Hospital.

In 1969 they moved to La Grande, Oregon to be near their family, Willard and Audrey Carey and children. Beatrice was a member of La Grande Chapter OES, Chapter DK PEO, and was a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church. On her 80th birthday she was feted with a Victorian Garden Party and many local ladies arrived in period costumes to share with her in the displays around the garden of her handiwork and family treasures. Her travels included trips to Mexico, Nova Scotia, Hawaii and much of the United States. When she was 83 she traveled to Norway and Czech Republic to visit the homes of her paternal grandparents.

Her husband died in 1992 and her son-in-law in 2001. She is survived by her brother, Harold F. Olsen of Seattle, and daughter Audrey Lane Carey of La Grande and three grandchildren, Natalie Carey of La Grande, Robert and Willard Carey of Portland and 5 great grandsons.

Memorials may be made to Chapter DK P.E.O. Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850. Private Internment will be at Grandview Cemetery.