Welcome Lahey

March 20, 1923 - November 3, 2016

March 20, 1923 – November 3, 2016 Welcome Dorothy Allen Lahey, 93, of Corvallis, OR passed into the Lord’s hands on November 3, 2016. She was born March 20, 1923 to Edwin and Anna (Carlson) Allen in Marshfield, WI. As an only child, she was very much welcome in her Swedish-American family. Welcome grew up on a large dairy farm near Neillsville, WI during the Depression - walking to school through snowdrifts, driving a tractor and fishing in nearby lakes and rivers. She attended the Pine Valley one-room school and graduated from Neillsville HS (1939). These early years nurtured her deep love of people, animals, and nature. At 17 Welcome entered Mission House College (now Lakeland) in Plymouth, WI where she met her future husband, James (Jim) Lahey. They transferred to the University of Wisconsin where she earned a degree in Geography. On November 12, 1943 they married in Sauk City, WI. Welcome, an excellent cartographer, was recruited to work for the US government in Washington DC during WWII. Instead, she joined her husband at Camp Ellis, IL. After the war they lived in Chicago, IL before returning to Madison where in September 1949 they welcomed their daughter, Lynn. In 1950 the family moved to Athens, Georgia where Welcome was the President of the University Newcomer’s Club. They returned to Madison in 1954, built a house together, and helped start the Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ (UCC). In April 1956 they were pleased to welcome their son, Allen. James finished his PhD in 1959 and over the next 12 years taught at various universities, moving the family to Athens, OH (1959), DeKalb, IL (1961), Sacramento, CA (1966), Berkeley, CA (1965 & 67), Urbana, IL (1967) and Arcata, CA (summers 69 & 70). In Athens, the family explored the Appalachian foothills. While in DeKalb, Welcome worked at the Northern Illinois University Library, completed her teaching certificate and was a Cub and Girl Scout leader. In Urbana, she organized a national conference as part of her work at American Water Resources Association. During these years the family took yearly extended camping trips, exploring the US. Welcome was fond of learning local histories and geology and collecting unique rocks, driftwood and shells. In 1971 the family moved to Corvallis, Oregon. Welcome supported Jim’s climate research at Cape Mendocino, CA and Crater Lake, OR, even spending a winter in a snow-covered cabin as she assisted him. For years Welcome enjoyed helping students while working at the OSU Bookstore. She was a FISH (Vina Moses) volunteer, assisting those in need, and was honored as the Dedicated Volunteer of the Year in 2002. Welcome, a long-time member of the First Congregational Church - UCC, was active in Sunday school, Bible study and social justice work. She was a leader in the resettlement of refugee families from Laos and Cambodia (to whom she became “Grandma”) and a founder of Corvallis’ Gifts for a Better World. Welcome loved her family deeply, supporting them in their endeavors, caring for her parents as they aged, and taking an active role in raising her one grandchild, Mary Welcome. She took great pleasure in life – especially being with family and friends, gardening, reading, baking, and cloud and bird watching, She enjoyed her dogs, Beaver basketball, concerts/plays, and travel in the US, Alaska, Canada, and Europe. In 2008 Welcome moved to Park Place Assisted Living where she made many friends and lived the rest of her years. Thank you to the Park Place staff, Congregational Church members, and Benton Hospice for all their loving care. Welcome experienced joy in life every day and found the positive, even in life’s challenges. Caring, patient, compassionate and gracious, she shared her unconditional love with those around her. She lived her faith without fanfare. Welcome was preceded in death by her parents and husband (1981). She is survived by daughter Lynn Lahey, son Allen Lahey (Elaine), granddaughter Mary MacLean, grandchildren Isaac, Kellyn and Leah MacLean, and nephews, John and James Klecker. She was buried next to her husband at the Corvallis IOOF Cemetery on November 9. A service celebrating her life will be held Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 2pm at the First Congregational Church, 4515 SW West Hills Road, Corvallis. Memorial contributions may be made to Vina Moses (FISH), at www.vinamoses.org/fish; or First Congregational Church, or Heifer Project International, www.heifer.org. Condolences/memories may be sent to the family at demossdurdan.com.