Josephine Marion Stoker

Josephine (Sittser, Ditchen) Stoker

September 20, 1920-February 12, 2015

Josephine Stoker was born in Astoria, Oregon to parents Edward and Doris Haines and lived in Warrenton, Oregon for the first six years of her life. Her brother Dorrance was born when she was four years old. The family moved to the tiny lumbering community of Olney, Oregon when she was in the third grade.  She lived with relatives for portions of two years while her mother was treated at a TB sanitarium for complications of  a burst appendix.  After grade school, “Jo” and several other kids from Olney drove to Astoria to attend high school where she graduated in 1937. During high school she worked at the Olney store for one dollar a day and spent many happy Saturday nights at the Olney Grange dances. She had dreams of going to college but her parents felt that was an extravagance for girls so she attended Astoria Business College instead.

Jo got her first job at an insurance agency but quickly moved to the First National Bank of Astoria.

She started as a receptionist but soon became the bank's first woman teller. Later, she worked for naval intelligence at Tonque Point Naval Air Station as a confidential secretary.

In 1941 she met Ted Sittser, then a navy pharmacist mate 1 st class stationed at Astoria Naval Air Station.  They married in 1942 and after a short honeymoon, were separated for most of the rest of  World War Two.

Ted returned to Astoria in 1945 where their daughter Carol was born.  Ted and Jo subsequently moved to D Lake, Oregon and finally settled in Salem, Oregon where they raised their kids-Carol, Ted and Paul.

Ted spent the majority of his career as a printer with the Statesman-Journal while Jo worked as a secretary for Bob Parks Insurance, the Statesman-Journal Federal Credit Union and as an administrative assistant for Marion County.

Jo was always involved in community and church affairs teaching-Sunday school, acting as president of the PTA and was active in the siting of Keizer Station. She loved to garden and fostered a love of the outdoors and music in her children. Her family, her church and her Christian faith were always at the center of her life. She was an intelligent and outgoing woman who was loved and admired by all who knew her.

Her first husband Ted died suddenly in 1976.  Some years later Jo became active in a Christian singles group where she met Frank Ditchen whom she married in 1981.  She was pleased to welcome four additional kids, Donna, Caroline, Ruth and Diane and their families to her life. Twenty years of a happy life on Frank's farm in North Howell ended with Frank's passing in 2001.

Jo eventually moved to Portland and lived at the Springs at Clackamas Woods where she participated in many activities and served on the residents council.  An errant email introduced her to Wendell Stoker and after a year of online romance they married.  Wendell moved to Portland where they were happy as clams and Jo added three more kids, Wendy, David and Brad and their families to her family.  Wendell passed away on the last day of 2014 and Jo never quite recovered.  She passed away on February 12, 2015 at the age of 94 after a short illness . She is survived by her children Carol (Dick), Ted (Gail), Paul (Karla) and many grand children and great grand children.

There will be a memorial service at the Springs at Clackamas Woods, 14314 SE Webster Rd. Milwaukie, OR on Sunday, February 22 nd at 1:30 PM.