Mary Elizabeth (Paine) LODGE

LODGE, PAINE, KENNEDY, TIDBALL, GARDNER, DELA CRUZ, VRACIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/29/2008 at 22:53:05

Mary Elizabeth (Paine) Lodge, 89, a longtime Wenatchee resident, went home to be with her Lord Jesus on Thursday, April 24, 2008. She was born on January 6, 1919, to Morris and Henrietta (Kennedy) Paine on the family farm at Eagle Grove, IA, the fourth of nine children. While still a very young girl, she moved with her family to Ree Heights, SD, where she eventually was baptized and became a member of the Ree Heights Congregational Church in 1931, at age 12. She graduated from Ree Heights High School in 1936, Valedictorian of her class. Shortly after graduation, her family moved to Wenatchee, WA, where her father worked as an auto mechanic. Mary began attending Calvary Bible Church, where she sang in the choir, participated in Christian Endeavor, gave her life to Jesus Christ, joined the church in 1937, and eventually met the love of her life, Archie Lodge, who had come out west from New York City. Archie and Mary were married on November 4, 1939, at her family's home on Delaware Street, with the Rev. Dr. Frank E. Beatty officiating. A devoted mother of six children, Mary was mostly a stay-at-home mom, but did help out in the family business, Wenatchee Cycle & Toy, during Christmas and other busy times. Upon the death of her husband, she became the sole owner of the business and continued to operate it with the help of children, Andrea and Ron. In January 1978, the business was divided and sold as Wenatchee Cycle & Fitness and Keyhole Security, respectively, and Mary continued as bookkeeper of Wenatchee Cycle until her retirement in 1990. She enjoyed traveling, having been to 38 of our United States and 31 foreign countries, on four continents, during several overseas journeys. Special highlights from these journeys included the Holy Land and visiting her sister, Helen, in Japan. Mary also traveled to many family reunions in the United States, visiting with her numerous double cousins and extended family. An active member of the Heritage Society of the Mid-Columbia, Mary was recently featured in a Wenatchee World article about the organization on April 16, 2008. She had joined in 1973, and enjoyed the programs, trips and social interactions with other members. After leaving Calvary Bible Church in 1984, Mary joined the First Presbyterian Church in 1985, and was very active in Bible Study groups. In late 2007, she completed reading through the entire Bible for the 11TH time! This was the culmination of 72 years of dedicated Bible study. She was also known as a great prayer warrior and a supporter of Christian missions, both local and worldwide. She still enjoyed playing hymns on her beloved piano, which had been a wedding gift to her parents in 1911.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Henrietta, in 1956; sister, Elsie Tidball, 1972; husband, Archie, 1972; father, Morris, 1974; brother, Kermit, 1978; brother, Marion "Svens", 1983; brother, Bob, 1987; sister, Helen Gardner, 2004; and brother, Harry, 2007. Survivors include her children, Robert Lodge of Wenatchee; Nancy Dela Cruz of Honolulu, HI; Virginia (Wylie) Vracin of Coupeville, WA; Andrea Lodge of Wenatchee; Diane Lodge of Seattle; and Ronald (Jeanne) Lodge of Wenatchee; two brothers, Jamie Paine of Salem, OR and Paul Paine of Honolulu, HI; ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2008, and Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee, and a Celebration of Mary's Life and her commitment to Jesus Christ, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 2, 2008, at First Presbyterian Church in Wenatchee. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 1400 S. Miller, Wenatchee, WA 98801. Proceeds will be dispersed to Child Evangelism Fellowship of North Central Washington and Russian Musical Mission.

Wenatchee World, Washington
4/29/2008