Mary Rose Myer, 90, a lifetime resident of Onalaska, Washington, went to be with the Lord on Sept. 20, 2022. She passed away at Centralia Providence Hospital surrounded by family, including her children and many of her grandchildren.
Mary was born Jan. 1, 1932, in Onalaska to Frank and Margaret Extine. She was nicknamed by her father “Little Mary New Year” because she was the first child born in Lewis County that year.
Mary was from a pioneer family that traces its roots to French Canadians who homesteaded in Lewis County in the 1840s. She was an elder in the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, descended from Lucy Squalt Skloutwout. She felt particularly blessed that she lived most of her life with her siblings and much of her family as neighbors.
As a child, she won a local award for her singing talent that led to a performance on KELA Radio in Centralia. She was an excellent speller. She was a cheerleader at Onalaska High School.
She married John Myer of Alpha, Washington in 1952. They settled in Onalaska and were happily married for 59 years until John Myer’s death in 2011.
Mary was devoted to providing a home and love to her husband and children. After graduating from high school in 1948, she worked for a time at Lewis County Public Utility District. In the late 1970s, she was a teacher’s assistant at Onalaska School District.
She was a lifelong learner, with a voracious appetite for reading, history, geography, art, travel, and an appreciation of a wide range of movies, Broadway, popular and Christian music. She wrote several children’s books and enjoyed making homemade greeting cards for family and friends.
Mary’s many pleasures included tending to a large garden, canning, cooking, sewing, quilting, knitting, crafts and embroidery. Holidays and family gatherings were never complete unless Mary’s special “Nana’s Rolls” were served.
She worshiped at Onalaska Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church in Chehalis, and Onalaska Church of God. Throughout her life she hosted Bible studies, taught Sunday and Bible school, volunteered for numerous church committees, worked at the Greater Chehalis Food Bank, and served on mission trips.
Mary assisted her husband, John, and his students with Future Farmer of America activities including chaperoning a People-to- People tour of Europe in 1969. The trip included travel to communist countries which were at that time behind the Iron Curtain. Mary and John regularly enjoyed traveling in their retirement years. Their trips included tours of Europe, Hawaii, and the East Coast of the United States.
Mary Myer was preceded in death by her husband John Myer, brother Lawrence Extine, sister Lois Littleton, parents Frank and Margaret Extine, and grandson Joe Myer.
Mary is survived by her son, Eric Myer, of Onalaska; daughter Janet (Don) Myer, of Marysville; Joel (Bonnie) Myer, of Tumwater; daughter Margaret (Ronel) Beckett, of Chehalis; son Adam Myer, of Onalaska; sister Cora Smith, of Onalaska; grandchildren Aaron Myer, Elaine Myer, Sarah Myer, Edmund Myer, John Clift, Jessica Clift, Joseph Clift, Dana Ecklund, Alexander Myer and Olivia Myer; and great-grandchildren Naomi Hipol, Dallas Youkton, Sophia Ruelas, Benz Whitlock, Daniella Clift, Alan Venegas, Ryker Ecklund and Emily Ecklund.
A celebration of Mary Myer’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2022, at the Onalaska Presbyterian Church, 288 Carlisle Ave., Onalaska. The family service is under the care of Sticklin Funeral Chapel of Centralia.
To sign the online guestbook, visit www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/centralia-wa/ mary-myer-10954879.
