Meredith Pearl DeHaven passed on Oct. 2, 2018 in Hermiston at the age of 82.
She was born on Nov. 17, 1935 in Portland to Fred (Ted) Hoover and Eunice Bolin.
When she was a child, her family moved around quite a lot picking fruit and nuts along the Interstate 5 corridor. She remembered her first job at around four years old picking hazelnuts. Her senior year, she moved to Irrigon to live with her uncle and aunt, Porter and Lela Ross. After starting school in Irrigon, she met and began dating Harry “Jack” Smith. They got married when Meredith was 18, in 1954. They had five children, Jack, Harry, Mary, Meredith and Jennifer. After living in Portland, Irrigon, Bend, Klamath Falls and Portland again, they all moved back to Irrigon in 1976, where Meredith and Jack divorced in 1978.
Up until this time Meredith was a stay-at-home mom. After the divorce she worked as a waitress and bartender in several different establishments. She also worked at U and I Potato (Lamb Weston in Boardman) in several different job titles throughout her time there.
In the mid-1980s she met Bruce DeHaven, and they were married on April 25, 1987. In this marriage Meredith gained three stepchildren, Tina, Tami and Mike. Throughout the beginning of their marriage they moved around to different jobs all over Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. They began building a house in Irrigon in 1996, where she renewed her love for gardening by planting beautiful intricate gardens, growing bountiful vegetable gardens and spending the majority of her time outside. They raised chickens and had cows, donkeys, a llama, dogs and cats. She also watched her grandchildren. One of her favorite things to do was take pictures, mostly of Bruce, the critters, flowers and her grandchildren.
After the grandchildren were a little older, Meredith began getting involved in the city council in Irrigon and then the school board for Morrow County. Meredith began petitioning to get Irrigon its high school back, as it had closed and moved to Boardman in the late 1950s. She was in one of the last graduating classes from the original high school and wanted her grandchildren to be able to go to school in their own town and have the same pride she did. It took seven and a half years, but the goal was achieved and Irrigon had its first year of high school students in 2004.
She took up other causes as well, cultivating and selling flowers to fundraise for any cause that was in need. She helped to found the Irrigon Multicultural Arts Center, among other smaller projects.
She is survived by her children, Jack (Tina) Smith, Tillamook, Harry Smith, Gresham, Mary (David) Lorence, Umatilla, Meredith (Danny) Young, Irrigon and Jennifer Smith, Irrigon; her stepchildren, Tina (Roger) Shaw, Veneta, Tami DeHaven Stebbeds, Eugene and Mike (Karen) DeHaven, Eugene; and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, AnnaLee, Fred Jr. and Rex; and her husbands, Bruce and Jack.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Vange John Memorial Hospice Education Fund, 645 W. Orchard Ave., Suite 300, Hermiston, Ore., 97838, or the Knights Pride Booster Club at Irrigon Junior/Senior High School, 315 S.E. Wyoming Ave., Irrigon, Ore., 97844.
A private family gathering will be held.
Please sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
