Former Gresham resident, Arlene Tomsha Kuykendall died peacefully at Marquis Care at Centennial in Gresham on Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012. She was 93.
A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, May 21, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel of Sandy Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham.
She was born, Arlene Wentworth Douglas on February 25, 1919 in Kansas to Ray and Leola (Brooks) Douglas. Arlene was raised and received her schooling in Kansas.
On September 11, 1938, she was united in marriage to Leslie J. Tomsha in Colorado. In 1943, they moved to Oregon with their two infant children and made their home in the Parkrose area and had two more children.
Besides fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother she worked part time at J C Penney. In 1958, the family moved to Gresham where they made their permanent home and had another child. In 1964, her husband preceded her in death. She remained in Gresham and was employed at Hick’s Department Store in downtown Gresham and later a cook for the Gresham School District.
In the late 1960’s, Arlene was married to Roy Kuykendall. Arlene and Roy owned and operated a heavy equipment construction company until his death in 1986. Arlene remained in Gresham, living on the family farm until 1998 when she moved to a mobile home park where she lived on her own until she was 92 and her health began to decline.
Arlene was an avid gardener and was an excellent cook. She square danced for 75 years of her life and was a charter member of the B & B’s Square Dance of Portland. She also danced with the Country Cut Ups and the Sandy Swingers. She was a longtime member of the Sandy V.F. W. Ladies Auxiliary Post #4273.
Arlene was an amazing seamstress, making wedding dresses, all of her square dance dresses, quilts, comforters, afghan’s, doing fabric painting and making rice bags. In her younger years, she enjoyed playing the piano. Arlene had a love and passion for cats, not just her own but strays. She also loved dogs and had a Lab which lived to the age of 23. She even hand- made quilts for her animals and fed them home made food. She was a proud mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother.
Arlene is survived by her daughter’s, Jo An Gunderson of Sandy and Sherri Becker of La Grande, Oregon; her sons, Bob Tomsha of Gresham and Dennis Tomsha also of Gresham; her sister Normadine Dixon of Boise, Idaho; 18 grandchildren, over 25 great grandchildren and over 20 great great grandchildren. She also has a few nieces and nephews. Arlene is preceded in death by her son, Francis Tomsha, her grandson, Joe Tomsha and her brother, Jerry Douglas.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Oregon Humane Society.