Wasco-Umatilla County OR Archives Obituaries.....Thouvenel, Elizabeth "Betty" Ann October 31, 2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 16, 2006, 10:16 pm The Dalles Chronicle, November 2, 2005 Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Thouvenel, 90, died at the home she has shared with her son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Mary Beth on Monday, Oct. 31, 2005. She was born in The Dalles Dec. 26, 1914 to Elizabeth Margaret Fitzgerald and Andrew Heinz. She was the eldest of three daughters. Her father died of influenza shortly before the birth of her third sister. She was just five years old. Nine years later, her mother died of complications from diabetes, leaving her and her two younger siblings orphans. The girls were raised by their bachelor uncle, George Fitzgerald, with the help of the Sisters of the Holy Names at St. Mary’s Academy. Fitzgerald owned The Royal Café on Second Street in The Dalles. She became an excellent cook and always enjoyed an opportunity to entertain. After graduating from St. Mary’s Academy, she worked at Stadelman’s Fruit to save money for school. In 1935 she attended Northwestern Business School in Portland to learn shorthand, typing and bookkeeping. After completing her course work, she began work at Kargl & Hurley and worked there about seven years before marrying Leslie L. Thouvenel and moving to Pendleton. They were married on Nov. 14, 1943. Les was a state policeman and their engagement was announced with the distribution of traffic citations in which Betty was cited for capturing his heart. She and her husband had two sons, Robert D. and David L. Thouvenel. She was a stay-at-home mom, but she did work part-time in the summer, helping to write grain insurance. After Les died in 1973, she went back to work full time for what had become Kargl, Elwood and Geiger. She never learned to drive, but enjoyed walking. For years she walked to work and to daily mass. She enjoyed traveling, was an avid bridge player and was very active in Chapter BF, PEO and the Community Concerts’ Board. She was committed to her faith and attended mass daily as long as she was physically able. She was an active member of St. Peter’s Altar Society. When a grandson’s class needed volunteers she once again began attending St. Mary’s, listening to young readers. She faithfully stayed in third grade long after this grandson’s graduation from high school. She is survived by her sister Lilian Blissenbach, her sister-in-law and husband Lucille and Vernon Kelly, her brother-in-law Bill Bothwell, her sons and daughters-in-law Robert, David, Mary Beth and Judy Thouvenel. She leaves behind six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. They are Sarah and Jamie Hashemi, Christina and Shay Goodell, Ann and Rob Coates, Joseph and Stephanie Thouvenel, Mary Thouvenel and Chris Thouvenel. Great-grandchildren are Cameron, Connor and Caden Hashemi, Spencer and Sophia Goodell and Donald Coates. She also has numerous nephews and a niece, as well as many close friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Les, her brother-in- law Floyd Thouvenel, her sister-in-law Eleanor Thouvenel and her sister Dorothy Bothwell. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3 at Spencer, Libby and Powell. Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church with Rev. Todd Unger officiating and burial to follow. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made in her honor to Hospice of the Gorge, Sisters of the Holy Names, or St. Vincent de Paul. Additional Comments: Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon, Dan Spatz, Editor (e-mail dated 3/7/2006). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/wasco/obits/t/thouvene1216gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb