MCCLELLAN, Alice Ilene

Alice Ilene McClellan, 86. formerly of Sumpter, Oregon died July 19, 2014 while living at Five Rivers Assisted Living Facility in Tillamook, Oregon. A visitation for Mrs. McClellan is scheduled for Friday, July 25, 2014 from 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM at Gray's West & Company Pioneer Chapel. A graveside service for Mrs. McClellan is scheduled the same day at 11:00 AM at the Sumpter Cemetery with Pastor Jesse Whitford of the Baker City Christian Church officiating. The family has invited attendees to a reception at the Sumpter Masonic Hall following the service . Alice was born July 30, 1927 on a farm in Sabetha, Kansas to Charles and Florence Reasy. She spent her childhood in Kansas with a brief period of time in Oregon . She often told the story of the family move to Oregon and getting stuck in a blizzard in Wyoming. The sheriff took the entire family, including the chickens, to a safe place in town for the night which was the jail. They were fed and had a warm place to stay. After high school she became a telephone operator and it was there she met the love of her life, William R. "Mac" McClellan. They were married August 10, 1951. Mac was a navy Seabee and was soon stationed at Adak, Alaska Naval Base. Their daughter Jennie was born while they were there. Military travels took them to Saipan, Midway Island and Coronado, California. The last duty station was Port Hueneme, California where their daughter Georgia was born. In June of 1970 the family moved to Sumpter, Oregon after Mac retired from the Navy. Alice spent the next 23 years being a housewife, participating in Eastern Star, The Sumpter Women's Club and was a member of the voting precinct team that tallied votes on election days. In 1993, she moved back to the Midwest for seven years, returning to the Pacific Northwest in the fall of 2000. She lived in Payette, Idaho until 2004 when health issues took her back over the Snake River to Ontario, Oregon. During the past year, she was on the move with her daughter Georgia and family, going to Oklahoma, Texas, and finally back home to Oregon where she spent her last days. She was a loving wife, mother, grandma, aunt and friend. She loved to cook and made the very best homemade meals. She was always busy in her sewing room, making clothes for herself, her children and many other sewing projects. She loved the mountains and taking drives in the woods. Family meant a great deal to her and she loved spending time with them, including her many "Casino" trips with her sisters. She loved the slot machines and was always wondering when and where the next pull of the handle would be. She enjoyed playing solitaire, working crossword and number fill-in books. She never met a stranger and loved visiting with people. Everywhere she went, she would brighten a room. Alice is survived by her daughters, Jennie Vallance and her husband Jimmy of Ft. Worth, Texas, Georgia Johnson and her husband Dale of Tillamook, Oregon, stepsons Jim McClellan and his wife Peggy of Pen Valley, California and Bill McClellan and his wife Carolyn of Gulfport, Mississippi, Sisters Mary Arden of Polson, Montana, Phyllis Reynolds of Illinois City, Illinois, brother Robert Reasy and his wife Anna Mae, grandchildren, David, Patti, Kelli, Linda, Rita, Bill, Audra, Raymond, Tonya, Ann Marie, Donnie, Nathan, Benjamin and Maya. As well as numerous nieces, nephews and other family members. She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Florence Reasy, brother Charles Reasy, sisters Lucille Benedict and Dorothy Lyon. Her husband Mac McClellan, life long special friend Chuck Garber, step-children Mackie, Schulte, Donald McClellan and Judy Waggoner. Memorial Contributions may be made to Gray's West & Company in memory of Alice or to the Disabled American Veterans through Gray's West & Company, 1500 Dewey Ave. Baker City, Oregon, 97814. The family wishes to thank Dr. Morris Smith, the staff at the St. Alphonsus emergency room and the second floor staff in Ontario, Oregon for the absolute extraordinary care of mom. Also the staff at Forest Grove Rehab and the Five Rivers Assisted Living for the tender loving care she received during her last few months. therconline.com 31 July 2014