Longtime Sandy resident, Marian James, died in a Portland hospital on October 23, 2009. She was 88.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Thursday, October 29, at Sandy Funeral Home. Private interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham.
She was born Marian Henrietta Lawson in Midco, Missouri to Steward and Edna (Stevens) Lawson on May 10, 1921. Her family lived in Idaho, California and Oklahoma where she received her education. While in Oklahoma she met her future husband. In 1941, her family moved to Oregon to live at Aims.
On September 19, 1941, she was married to Jessie Lee James in Yakima, Washington. They lived in Portland where Marian worked as a welder in the shipyards during WWII. After the war they moved to Sandy to make their permanent home. Marian worked at the Sandy Market and later at Pullen’s Market.
Besides devoting her time to her family, Marian served on the City of Sandy Planning Commission for 25 years, worked with the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the Sandy Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Sandy Book Club and served on the election board. She also volunteered at the Sandy Historical Society. In 2006, was honored as Queen of the Sandy Mountain Festival.
Her husband preceded her in death in 1993. Surviving is her daughter, Teresa Schamberger of Sandy; son, Don James of Gresham; sister, Evelyn Coburn of Sandy; brothers, Bill Lawson of Gresham, Jerry and Mickey Lawson, both of Sandy; 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Bert Lawson.
Memorial contributions to Devers’ Eye Institute.