Reta Marie Alford of Hermiston passed away in Richland, Wash. on Dec. 24, 2025 at the age of 77.
She was born on Dec. 1, 1948 in The Dalles to Bill and Marcella Dupuis Cox.
Reta lived in Wamic throughout her childhood and graduated from high school in Maupin. She married Kenneth L. Alford in Maupin in 1979. The couple moved to Hermiston in 1982, where she resided for the last 43 years.
Reta worked for Lamb Weston for a short time soon after moving to Hermiston. She then worked in several Hermiston area banks, where she was a teller until retiring in 2010.
Reta enjoyed knitting, planting flowers and traveling with the Hermiston Travel Club, and she loved her cats.
She is survived by her two sons, Stacey Hammer of Pendleton and Joseph (Charla) Hammer of Hermiston; brothers, Rick (Susan) Cox of Keizer, Billy (Collette) Cox of Wamic and Ben (Delta) Cox of Tygh Valley; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews and extended family members.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth L. Alford on Oct. 22, 2017.
A private family service will be scheduled at a later time.
Family suggests memorial contributions in Reta’s memory be made to Shriners Hospital for Children.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
