Marie Cripps

Following a long illness, Marie Frances Cripps died May 7. She was 93 years old. The longtime Oregon resident had with her at bedside family, caregivers, and close friends. She resided at the time of death at the West Hills Assisted Living Community in Corvallis. Born April 28, 1915, in Memphis, Tenn., Marie Frances Kempel migrated to Southern California in 1921 with her father, brother and sister. She was in the graduating class of 1933 from Los Angeles based George Washington High School. Always intrigued by science and medicine she took naturally to nursing and finished her Registered Nurse training in 1936 at St. Vincent Hospital, also in Los Angeles. While still in training she met and married her husband, a Cal-Tech graduate in Electrical Engineering, Ray Hayward Cripps. They settled in their first home in South Gate, Calif. in 1941 with their only son Dale Edward Cripps, who had been born to them in the spring 1939. The family moved to Fullerton, Calif., in 1951 where “Ray and Fran” enjoyed a brisk social and professional life. Tragedy struck in 1956 when Ray was diagnosed with brain cancer. Treatment and surgery failed and he died in 1957. To console the family, Frances took son Dale on a 7 month trip around the world. This was the first of many excursions that led her to every continent, including Antarctica. Oregon had always beckoned the most and in 1963 she acquired property in the Alsea Valley. She built her home there and left California for good to become active in the Garden Club and other social activities in her adopted Oregon. Portland became her next stop in 1987, but to be closer to family and friends she moved once again to Corvallis in 1999 and made her home in Stoneybrook Lodge Retirement Community. With health becoming an increasing issue she made her last move to West Hills Assisted Living Community in July of this year. When not traveling, she cultivated for over 50 years an ever- burgeoning financial portfolio and immersed her self in numerous hobbies, including ceramics, water color painting, sculpturing, tailoring and weaving. Meals on Wheels held a special place in her life and while in Portland she happily volunteered considerable time to that organization. Her political awareness was raised during the Reagan years and her subsequent activities in the Republican Party led her all the way to the White House and to the second Reagan inauguration. In recent years she turned to philanthropy and made substantial gifts and grants to the City of Hope and to Oregon State University. At OSU she established the Ray, Frances, and Dale Cripps Student Support Endowment. The University said in a recent letter that her generous endowment “has already enhanced the education of many gifted students.” Frances leaves her son, Dale; adopted son Larry; nephew Russell; and nieces Gretchen and Freddy Jo and their families. At the request of Frances, no services are currently planned. Discussions are underway at OSU for a dedication of the Biochemistry and BioPhysics Reading Room that was recently named in her honor. Plans will be announced when finalized. Memorial contributions can be made to the Ray, Frances, and Dale Cripps Student Support Endowment at Oregon State University, 2011 ALSB Corvallis, OR 97331-7305.

Marie Cripps

April 28, 1915 - May 7, 2008