Clariss Marie Rogers (Tremblay) was born to John and Eva Rogers on August 8, 1933, in Oregon City, Oregon. She went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
She spent her childhood years growing up during the Depression in Zig Zag, Oregon, in a family cabin that her father built and is still in the family. The cabin was without electricity until she turned eight years old. The cabin also did not have plumbing, and Clariss helped with hauling water daily, splitting wood to heat their cabin, and doing many of the chores required. Clariss learned to use her hands and abilities at a young age. When she was five years old, she began helping her father strip the logs for their cabin by using a draw knife.
Her mother taught her to sew when she was very young; she was a gifted seamstress throughout her life. One of her greatest gifts was the ability to take broken things and restore them to usefulness. Growing up during the Depression years, she learned at an early age how to repurpose and reuse items.
She loved Jesus from an early age and loved singing in the church choir; she sang hymns to her family her whole life. When any of her family celebrated a birthday, it would begin with Clariss calling and singing her special birthday song to them.
Clariss has two older siblings: Pearl and Roland, and three younger siblings: Lucille, Sue, and Dan. Their childhoods were adventurous, full of chores and playing in the woods of Mount Hood National Forest. She attended school in Sandy, Oregon, and worked at Shriners Hospital after graduation. She also worked at Jantzen Woolen Mills and for a time at Waverly Children’s Home in Portland, Oregon.
Clariss met Howard Tremblay in 1953, and they were married on June 25, 1954. Joe was born in July of 1955 and joined by Tim (1956), Kate (1957), and Victor (1959). She loved her role as a mother and homemaker. Howard and Clariss owned and ran a successful tree service in Portland, Oregon, for many years. She was very creative and taught her children how to build, create, and think creatively.
They always had a lot of pets (inside and out) and a big garden every year. Clariss was a meticulous housekeeper and spent many hours cleaning their house and patching their clothes.
She struggled with illness most of her life but was always comforted by God’s Word being spoken aloud and listening to hymns that reminded her of His promise to be with her always.
Clariss is preceded in death by her parents, John and Eva Rogers; husband, Howard Tremblay; brothers, Roland Rogers (Patricia) and Dan Rogers (Judy); and son, Tim Tremblay. She is survived by her sisters, Pearl Schmidt (Les), Lucille Prevost (Jim), and Sue Harris (Dave); son, Joe (Judy); daughter, Kate Denkers; son, Victor Tremblay (Heather); five grandchildren, Brea, Britta, Rachel, Mark, and Lauren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
She was loved and will be missed by many.