Beulah Olga Roberts Hurd

From Darlene (Oldest Daughter)

As a child on the farm I remember riding horses with mom.  After a ride going to Fighting Creek Store to purchase licorice, ice cream and pop to go home and make ice cream floats.

In high school attending Junior League baseball games even when we had to travel and get home the same night.  Mom was a great sports fans and was very knowledgeable about the athletes on her favorite teams.

Trip to Vancouver with Mom and Janis to visit the Buchart Gardens and other tourists attractions.  Mom was having trouble with her balance because of wax in her ears but was a real trooper and never complained.

Visiting Mom and dad in Desert Center in California each winter when they wintered down there and exploring a different area each time we visited

Played golf since high school sometimes coming in by the lights of the baseball game being played on the nearby baseball field.

Playing bridge in the evenings several nights a week.  She was a very good bridge player.

As an adult mom never gave unsolicited advice.  If you asked she would tell you all her knowledge on the subject.  The best advice I ever received her was and I quote “if something is worth doing it is worth doing right.”  I have lived by that advice my whole adult life.

She taught me never to cheat at solitaire but later in life caught her cheating at solitaire.  I still cannot cheat at solitaire.

The trip Mom took us on to Norway after my dad passed on.  It included me, my husband Rich, Janis and her daughter Vanessa.  She had severe arthritis by then but was a real trooper and never missed out on any opportunity to go on side trips

I loved my mom unconditionally and she always loved me the same way.  I will always miss her but know she is in a better place lecturing my dad about smoking those dam cigarettes that led to his death from lung cancer 15 years ago.

BEST MOM EVER!!!!!

From Son-in-law Rich:

On one visit to their winter home in California, she challenged me to hit a golf ball over the lake.  The cherry pie that was our bet tasted wonderful!!

Beulah treasured their lifestyle in southern California and freely encouraged us to do the same in retirement even though she knew she would not see us as often.  This is a blessing that we have enjoyed.

Beulah loved to travel.  We enjoyed Tahiti, Norway, Idaho Falls (she was a Portland State Vikings fan), and many trips around Southern California with her.  She often loved to drive through the countryside and look at the farms and scenery.  We spent many breakfasts, lunches and dinners in between these drives in the Willamette valley.

Beulah liked to have things neat and tidy.  I spent many hours working on her flower gardens, lawn, and maintenance chores.

Beulah expressed her love unconditionally with her smiles, her hugs, and words of encouragement.

I have never known a lady more well versed in sports.  Every morning she would get the newspaper and devour the sports page.

She was also free with her opinion when she did not agree with something.

Beulah was a free spirit and did not want to be confined to a life outside her own home and especially as a person completely in the care of others.  However the Lord had work for her to do even in that state of life and she positively influenced many of her care givers.

Beulah always had her Bible close by her.  She knows the Lord as her Savior and is even now encouraging all of us to join her in a better life.

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My memories of my mother,

My mom Beulah was my best friend. Her greatest gift to me was accepting me as I am and not expectations of who I should be.  She taught me to work hard and to be proud of who I am. She also taught me how important family is and that one needs to make your family a priority.  To fight the dark side of life and the chaos in the world, her goal was to make our corner of the world full of light, comfort, joy, and love.

We enjoyed just being together. Some of my fondest memories are of the activities she and I took my children, Derek and Vanessa, on during the summer months. We rode the train from Hood River to Parkdale, took several trips on the sternwheeler on the Columbia River, trips to Mt. Hood, Multnomah Falls, and of course, the pumpkin patch just before Halloween.

Once mom and dad gave up their winter home in California and took up permanent residence in the Woodburn Senior Estates, we would visit almost every Sunday to share a meal with them. On good weather days, Dad and my husband, Jim, would golf and Mom and I would take Derek and Vanessa on an adventure which probably way too often ended with a new small toy for each of them.

More than once she and my dad moved into our home and took care of our children, so we could take a childless week long vacation. My children adored her as she was a major source of love in their lives.

After Dad passed away, she and I would spend Saturdays going out to lunch followed by a drive through the countryside. She loved looking at the farms in the area between Woodburn and Salem. We discovered lots of little towns, more like cross roads, with names we knew but not in Oregon, like St. Louis.

Mom loved dogs. Her last dog was named Shadow. Because she could no longer really walk him, she would take him for a drive in the country every day.  She also cooked for him. No dog food for Shadow.

My mom was loved by everyone who met her. I have been told over and over about what a lovely person she is/was. Even her care givers at Regency Park fell in love with her. She was good hearted, kind, and much stronger than anyone ever gave her credit for. When Dad passed away, everyone was nervous for her as Dad ruled the roost. I was amazed at how well she managed after his passing, especially when you consider that she went from her father’s house directly to her husband’s and had never lived alone before and for nine years she did just that. It was hard on her because she was such a care giver and living alone the only person who needed care was her dog. Her greatest fear was to be a burden, she never was because the people around her enjoyed being around her.

She has always been my guardian angel and her passing has not changed that.  She will always be in my heart and my head with her love and encouragement.

Her youngest daughter, Janis

Memories of Beulah from Jim:

Mom was a very special and an uncommon woman. In some ways she was old-fashioned but was also very up-to-date. She was the kindest, gentlest person I’ve ever known. Everyone liked and loved her.  I doubt that she had an enemy in the world.

After Wes died, she lived on her own in their house in Woodburn and continued to drive her car until the age of ninety! She moved to assisted living and would get a few chuckles from visitors by describing herself as “a pretty tough old bird”. She soldiered on during the past several years during some pretty tough struggles.

Mom had a lifelong love of animals, but especially horses and dogs. For a woman of her time, she had real interest in sports including golf, football, and particularly baseball.  She was a great cook and baker who could turn out the finest pie crust you ever ate. Nobody ever went away from her table hungry.

To quote an old King of Morocco:  “We come into this world bare, and when we go we know not where, but if you are a thoroughbred here, you will be a thoroughbred there.”  Among people, Mom was indeed a thoroughbred.

Dear Mom,

Please rest in great peace. By living your life both well and correctly, you have earned it and have been an inspiration to us all.

Love, Jim