Eileen Adele Grigsby

Eileen Grigsby past away peacefully in her home in Portland, Oregon. She was born in Yoncolla, Oregon, to William & Corabelle. He owned a feed store in Yoncolla. When the railroad changed direction & went to Drain instead, the family moved to Portland, Oregon. She was 5. He had started the Parkrose Hardware store when he passed away in 1940. Corabelle sold the hardware store, and bought a 4 plex & started the Union Avenue Variety store. Corabelle passed away in 1969. Eileen worked as a bookkeeper during high school, at the variety store.

Eileen had an older brother Stanley (1911-1974) & an older sister Marcille Gatzke (1920-2008).  She graduated from Jefferson High School, where she met Walter D. Grigsby. (1921-2009) While Walt was in the Navy, Eileen worked at the shipyards After the war they were married in Portland, Oregon June 9, 1946. They had four children, Terrance, (1947) Rebecca, (1948) Todd (1952) & Bennet (1958-1991). Eileen was a loving mother & homemaker. She would plan all the family vacations that took them too many NW National Parks in a trailer.  She was active in PTA, a Cub Scott Leader, active in her church as a Sunday school teacher. After 25 years of marriage, they separated. Only to come back together during the last 10 years of Walt’s life.

Eileen was a world traveler; she had traveled to Brazil, China, Greece, the Amazon, Holly land, Germany, France, Egypt, Italy, Spain. She loved to dance, square dance, belly dance, line dancing. She loved to garden and swim in her pool & had parties.  She loved to sew, where she made most of her clothes, costumes, & evening dresses. She also loved to hike the trails of the Pacific Northwest to the many lakes they would swim in, with her and her sister, Marcille & Ed Mohney (1939-May19, 2018) Ed was her soulmate & loving friend who she missed dearly upon his death.

She is survived by her oldest son Terrance, daughter Rebecca, (husband Edward) & son Todd, & 1 grandchild Amy. A nephew, Bill & a niece Corky.

She was loved by many, and will be missed greatly.