OBITUARY - MARY ELLEN (OYSTER) ERLANDSON

Submitted by: Carl N. Erlandson, CErland593 -at- aol.com

Source: "The World News."  Coos Bay, Coos Co., Oregon.  11 Nov 2009.

Erlandson, Mary Ellen (Oyster) 86, passed away November 4, 2009, at her
Reedsport, Oregon residence.  Mary was born May 28, 1923 in Kelso, Washington to
Byron Means Oyster, Sr. and Ethyle Taylor. She attended R. A. Long High School
of Longview, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington with a
BS in Nursing. Her long nursing career included working assignments on multiple
hospital wards, as a public health and school nurse in Lane County, Oregon, then
finishing up at the University of Oregon Medical School where she retired in
1985. Mary spent her early years in the Kelso/Longview, Washington region which
was home to her large Oyster, Taylor, Eaton and Robinson extended families. Her
Eaton ancestors had traveled the Oregon Trail to reach Clark and Cowlitz
Counties of Washington Territory in 1853. She was married on November 17, 1946
in Melrose, Massachusetts. After her marriage she spent many years living on
Mercer Lake near Florence, Oregon. In the late 1960's, she relocated to
Beaverton, Oregon and post retirement, she moved to Woodland, Washington.  Mary
came to Reedsport, Oregon in 1999 where she enjoyed living in close proximity to
her immediate family. Mary is survived by her son, Carl Erlandson (Maria) of
Arizona, daughters Gretchen McNeff (Nick) and Karen Moon (Patrick) of Oregon,
foster-son Del Williamson, 6 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and her first
cousin, Helen Mar Kenney of California. She was predeceased by her parents, her
brother Byron Means Oyster, Jr. and her former husband, Olof S. Erlandson.
Cremation was arranged.