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Darlene Root (Gengelbach)
 
April 14, 1941
dgengel1@rochester.rr.com
Conservator, National Museum of Play
strongnationalmuseumofplay.org
Married
2
2012-07-11 22:27:37
Hi All,
I have been meaning to write this note for longer than I would like to admit. I am now sitting on the deck of our summer home in Spirit Lake Idaho. Yes, all the way from New York. Every year my husband Bob and I along with our Norwegian Forest cat Harry (who thinks he is a dog) make the trip from NY to Idaho by car.
We live on the lake in July and August in a 1900 observation railroad car that once ran on the Yellowstone Line. It was made as a special car to show the parks many sights, serve a snack or even to get a haircut or take a bath, or for the men play cards in the smoking rooms while the ladies viewed the birds and fauna from the observation room.
The car has been in my husbands family for over 50 years and has a very colorful history. I have become very fond of it. Every year our son and daughter and their families come from Michigan and Ohio to spend a few weeks on the lake. We have five grandchildren with ages from 8 to 14.
The other ten months of the year we live and work in Rochester NY. My husband who worked for Eastman Kodak until he retired started his own business working with illumination in 1993 and is still at it.
I was a stay at home mom for my son and daughter until the youngest was in middle school. I then decided to go back work and found a seasonal part time job with the Monroe County Recreation Department teaching needle arts to senior citizens (only worked 2 days and had the summers and all holidays off.) During this time I also went back to school at night.
I started a week-end antique business and started to collect Victorian furniture and accessories and antique dolls for myself. As I added to my doll collection ( with money from my antique business) I found I needed to repair some of the dolls I acquired. As there were no books or schools to teach this at the time I just started figuring it out myself. I finally offered my service to a local antique doll shop, she excepted and provided me with a lot of work both repair and costume making.
About ten years later a new museum "Strong Museum" was being built in Rochester and featured Victorian artifacts and the worlds largest antique doll collection. (Everything I loved). I hounded them for about four months until they finally hired me to repair and clothe the dolls.
I worked only one day a week at the museum to start. I was still working for the county only now the department was changed to the Office for the Aging and I was working three days a week including summers. I loved the job and stayed with it 27 years until the program was cut during budget cuts in the late 90's.
The museum was growing and expanding and I was studying under a painting and object conservator Richard Sherin. When I lost the county job the museum offered me more time if I wanted it so I accepted another day. Since I was the only known museum trained doll conservator in the United States I started to get calls from other museums that had dolls and wanted lectures, appraisals, consultation, or repairs done. This led to many four day trips to museums in Vermont, Michigan, Illinois, South Carolina, etc. This lasted until the recent museum budget cuts.
The Strong Museum has expanded again and two years ago was awarded the title of "Strong National Museum of Play" and is nationally known as the second largest children's museum in the United States and the home of the "Toy Hall of Fame".
I now work two days a week (my choice of days) with three months off in the summer to go to Idaho. Now you know why I am still working. I think I have the greatest boss ever.
Because of my interest in dolls and sewing I also just wrote a book published by Schroeder Publishing Co. titled The "Encyclopedia of Children's Sewing Collectibles", so lately I have been busy promoting and selling the book.
I have fond memories of my years at Wa-Hi and some I will never forget, but I have been truly blessed with my adult life. I could never have imagined what life had in store for me when I met my husband and left Walla Walla. Without his support I could have never accomplished my dreams. Life is sooo good!
Darlene
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Barbara Jean Roth
 
2013-03-12 03:31:17
Barbara Jean Roth, daughter of Leonard and Hilda Roth, passed away in guadalajara, Mexico, on Sept. 15, 2012. She spent her school years at Green Park and graduated from Wa-Hi. She attended college in Cheney, Wash., and graduated from Portland State College. |
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Carol Elizabeth Royse (Linke)
 
clinke@webtv.net
Homemaker
2
2012-07-11 22:27:38
Children: 1 Son & 1 DaughterGrandchildren: 4 Granddaughters Activities/Hobbies: Gardening, vintage post cards I married Gene Linke (Wa-Hi Class of ’58) on August 28, 1960. I worked for the W W Corps of Engineers while Gene went to Jr. College, Tri Cities and Walla Walla College and worked part time.
In 1962 we moved to Seattle, the year of the Seattle World’s Fair. It was fun and we had lots of company. I worked at Ft. Lawton and then for the Fed. Government while Gene worked at Boeing and attended the U of Washington. We moved to Beaverton, OR in 1968 and Gene worked for FHA Portland as an appraiser and our son Brian was born that year.
We moved to Spokane in 1971 – the year of Spokane’s Expo and again had fun and lots of company. We bought a large house built in 1908 on Manito Blvd and enjoyed many years of restoring the house and grounds. Our daughter, Beth, was born that year. We rented the house for a short time while we moved to Anchorage in 1983 during a slump in real estate-related jobs in Spokane. It was a great experience and we have fond memories of Alaska.
Shortly after our return Gene had emergency quadruple by-pass surgery. It was an anxious and stressful time. In later years we separated and later yet, divorced. Gene and our son lived together, both appraising in the Tri Cities. Gene later became too ill to work so kept house while Brian appraised – by then in Pendleton, OR. He passed away of a heart attack in 1996. A sad time for the whole family. I lived in a small home, still in the Manito Park area, as did our daughter, Beth, until she went to college.
Several weeks ago after living in the same neighborhood for 40 years, my family moved me to Springfield, OR. My son lives in McMinnville, OR and is a county appraiser. His 11 year old twins, Brooke and Bailey, live in Salem with their Mother. My daughter Beth and family live in Eugene just five minutes away from me. She received her Masters in Micro-Biology and is currently a stay-at-home Mom. My son-in-law is an emergency doctor at Sacred Heart Hospital in Springfield. They have two little girls – Abby 5 and Brinna 2. My foster son Sam lives and works in Portland.
Send Carol Elizabeth a Message
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Kenneth Ruff
2012-07-11 22:27:40
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Bill Rukavina
2012-07-11 22:49:54
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Diane Ruley (Gerking)
 
idahorose54@hotmail.com
Retired - Office Mg. Chamber of Commerce
Married
2
2012-07-11 22:27:40
Spouse: MarvinChildren: 1 Son and 1 Daughter Grandchildren: 2 Grandsons Activities/Hobbies: Order of the Eastern Star, camping, cake decorating, gardening I can hardly believe it has been 50 years since we all walked down the aisle ending our life as high school students and into the world as adults.
Following graduation I attended EWC for a year followed by working two years at Saxon’s Sewing Center. There is such a thing called money that colleges require, and since I was paying my own way, I had to work between my years in college. Following my years at Saxon’s I went to CBC, then to WSU. Money ran out again and it was back to work, this time for American Oil Company, then for the City of Walla Walla as Secretary for Director of Finance/City Clerk.
At a Grange Christmas Party in 1964 I met someone I had probably passed many times in the halls at Wa-Hi but had no idea who he was – Marvin Gerking. We were married in 1966. In 1968 our son, Allan, was born and I was fortunate enough to be a “stay-at-home” mom.
Marvin worked for the Forest Service so promotions required moving. In 1969 we moved to Heppner, Oregon, and were there for four years. During that time our daughter, Julie, was born. In 1973 we moved to Sitka, Alaska and I worked in the school district as a paraprofessional. In 1977 we moved to our present home in Blanchard, ID. That was a “temporary” move but we are still here.
Shortly after moving here I went to work as the Secretary of our church. I was there 14 years when Marv’s job was phased out and we were notified we would be moving again – this time to southern California. That was not an option for us as we did not want to leave the northwest. There was an opening at a place called Amboy, WA, (at the base of Mt. St. Helens). We moved there for a year, then it was retirement time for Marv and we moved back home. When we returned home I went to work as Office Manager of the Newport-Oldtown Chamber of Commerce for ten years. In 2006 I retired and have been so busy I don’t know when I ever had time to work.
We have two grandsons, Cory, age 11 and Trevor, age 7 who live only eight miles from us. We are fortunate that they live close enough for us to see them frequently.
Hobbies and Activities: While in Heppner I began decorating cakes. Through the years that became almost a full time job but have since given it up. I specialized in wedding cakes. I also served as Wedding Coordinator of our church. We square danced for many years before the knees said that was enough. We are both very active in The Order of the Eastern Star. A Masonic related organization. We have a 5th-wheel travel trailer and enjoy camping with our NCT (National Camping Travelers) group. We own three acres on the Pend Oreille River and like to take the 5th wheel there just to relax, watch the grass grow and the water flow by. I collect angels and at times feel the house might take wing and fly for all the angels I have.
An evening with a glass of wine and playing cards with good friends - what more can a person ask for? Life is Good.
Send Diane a Message
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John Russell
2012-07-11 22:27:39
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Delbert Sams
 
2012-07-12 01:24:31
DeceasedThe "Now" picture was actually taken in the 70's. Union-Bulletin, 28 January, 2001 Delbert Sams MILTON-FREEWATER -- Delbert E. Sams, 62, died Jan. 26, 2001 at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla. Private service will be held at the Evergreen Rehabilitation and Retirement Center in Milton-Freewater. Delbert was born July 12, 1938, in Walla Walla to LeRoy and Rhoda Long Sams. He grew up in Walla Walla and married Mary Baker on Nov. 12, 1956; they later divorced. He was a truck driver and worked for local trucking firms for many years until ill health forced his retirement. He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed horses, camping and fishing. Survivors include two daughters, Debbie Barnes of Walla Walla, and Dee Hall of Enumclaw, Wash; a son, Dale Sams of Milton-Freewater; two sisters, Mary French of Umatilla, and Dorothy Craner of Spokane; two brothers, Elmer Sams of Walla Walla, and Carroll Sams of Berryville, Ark; his companion, Ellen Bradley of Milton-Freewater, 11 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Darren Sams. |
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Stephen Santler
2012-07-11 22:27:39
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Nancy Saunders (Wood)
2012-07-11 22:28:33
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