Karen Backlund
Karen Backlund, loving wife and devoted mother, passed away Monday, Nov. 25, at the age of 86, in Salem, Oregon. Karen is survived by her husband of 65 years, Vic, her children Valerie (Todd) Ellis and Brett (Kimberly) Backlund, and five grandchildren, Preston Ellis, Cade Ellis, Bryce Backlund, Kaleigh Backlund, and Maleya Ellis.
Karen grew up as a farm girl in Nampa, Idaho, the third child of Ted and Mary Dell Enberg, and younger sister of Mary Ann and Gerry. She moved to Portland during her high school years, and graduated from Jefferson High School, where she met lifelong friend and fellow mischief-maker, Barbara Barrie.
Karen attended Willamette University, where she met Vic, graduated in 1959, and married soon after. She was a goer and a doer, not one to sit around and twiddle her thumbs. Prior to having children, she and Vic lived and worked in Hawaii for a summer, and took a six-week tour of the United States in their little indigo-colored Volkswagen Bug. She worked through high school for Far West Federal Bank, and became a physical education teacher at Dallas High School for seven years and North Salem High School for one year before her children arrived. Later, she parlayed her considerable and diverse experience at Far West into a career with the State of Oregon leasing commercial property space, until retiring in 1996.
Caring is one of the first words that comes to mind in describing Karen. She fiercely loved her family, and had a way of making others feel important. She was always fully present, interested, and engaged, asking multiple questions in every conversation she had. Karen has been called a great coach’s wife; she was knowledgeable, supportive, and fully vested in the success of both Vic’s and Brett’s athletics through the years. She faithfully attended more grandchildren’s games, matches, concerts, and marching band shows than we can count. Karen thrived on serving her husband and family, dedicating herself to helping them succeed any way she could.
In her free time, she belonged to a cooking group, book study group, and to Bible Study Fellowship. She and Vic split their time between Oregon and Arizona for more than 20 years to stay close to family. While in Arizona, she enjoyed participating in Village College, a type of continuing education for seniors. These activities nurtured her lifelong love for learning and fostered her inquisitive, curious nature. She was an active Bearcat alum, and looked forward to and helped plan many reunions. She served the community through her volunteer work at The Assistance League and the Interfaith Hospitality Network, and charitable giving to Family Building Blocks, Liberty House, and other non-profit organizations. Her early years on the farm cultivated a love for animals, especially dogs, and she cherished her little Schnauzers, Chester, Dane, and Shelby, who were always by her side.
Karen was a planner, extremely organized and prepared. She was proud of designing and overseeing the building of the family home in the late 1970s. Vacations were special, as she was known for thoroughly planning family trips, such as a one-month tour of the East Coast pre-internet, with every day planned, researched, and customized to the family’s interests.
She was always looking for ways to develop character and life skills in her kids, encouraging entrepreneurship in such ways as repairing baseball uniforms (Valerie) and the creation of a Pop Shoppe Pop and lawn maintenance business (Brett).
Karen never met a set of instructions she couldn’t conquer, with an uncanny knack for figuring out how things work and how to “jerry-rig” just about anything.
A strong woman of faith, Karen loved the Lord. We are better people for having known and loved her. In her honor, Salem First Presbyterian, her church home for more than 50 years, will host a memorial service on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry, a charitable organization close to her heart.
Harry Edward Pease
Harry Edward Pease, a life-long resident of Oregon, passed away on Nov .8, 2024. He was born in Tillamook, Oregon on May 18, 1933, to Walter and Marcia Pease.
He and his family, including four younger sisters, moved to the valley near the beginning of his high school years. He graduated from Cascade in 1951. Before graduating, he was honored with a PTA scholarship and began his college career at Oregon College of Education in the fall of that year. While attending OCE, he became the sports editor of the school paper. It is also there that he met Nancy. They were engaged in May of 1955 and married later that year. Daughter Charyn came along in 1956 and daughter Trina in 1965.
After graduating from OCE, Harry began teaching in the Salem-Keizer School District, starting at Cummings Elementary for his first seven years and then moving to Whiteaker Middle School when it opened in 1966. He taught Physical Education and is widely known to have taught most of the student population of Keizer how to dance during his tenure there. In a recent conversation, he remembered at one time being called the “Fred Astaire of Keizer.”
Once becoming Keizerites, Harry and Nancy became charter members of John Knox Presbyterian Church and was still one of oldest active members until his passing.
Harry and Nancy were also active in the Keizer Heritage Foundation and played active roles in the efforts to move and restore the original Keizer Elementary to its current location.
Harry retired from Salem-Keizer School District in 1989 and continued his love of sports which was apparent in everything he did. He began coaching Little League softball in 1976 which led to many years of umpiring at several levels of softball. He often reflected on what a great experience it was to have been the home plate umpire during the championship game of the Little League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1988. He remained actively involved with Little League for over 37 years and had a passion for pin trading, a collection that spans pins from all over the US and many individual sets of pins that he created and traded as well.
Harry filled much of his years of retirement umpiring high school softball. In 1990, he was elected Softball Commissioner and went on to hold that position for over 20 years. During this time, he was also heavily active in refereeing volleyball and basketball. If all that were not enough to quench his thirst for sports, Harry (and Nancy) were also present in the stands for any activity that their granddaughter Randi was doing as well as his grandsons, Jeremy, and Jonathan until Nancy’s passing in February of 2004.
Harry spent his later years still attending sporting events and an occasional Saturday morning trip to the Salem/Keizer Area Senior Center where he would enjoy a meal and an afternoon of dancing to the local band. It was here that Harry met Val Jean Beugli. They married in April of 2010 and continued to enjoy their Saturday mornings and, of course, dancing at the Center. They also enjoyed travelling and family time including an occasional competitive card game or two.
In early 2024, Harry and Val Jean spent time getting to know their neighbors at Emerald Pointe Retirement Community and Harry found his next (sports) passion: the world of Bean Bag Baseball. His nickname, Homerun Harry, says it all!
Harry is survived by his wife, Val Jean Beugli-Pease; his daughter Charyn (Mike) McDonnell and daughter Trina (Dan) Morgan; his granddaughter Randi (Nick) Viggiano; grandsons, Jeremy Williams and Jonathan Williams and his brothe- in-law, Dick Pence and so many others including former students, friends and family that have shared his life.
Harry is preceded in death by: Nancy, his parents, Walter and Marcia, his sisters: Marilyn, Betty, Barbara, and Donna.
A Celebration of Life for Harry is going to be held at the Keizer Elks Lodge on Dec. 28, 2024, beginning at 2 p.m.
Tammy Tesch
Harry Edward Pease, a life-long resident of Oregon, passed away on Nov .8, 2024. He was born in Tillamook, Oregon on May 18, 1933, to Walter and Marcia Pease.
He and his family, including four younger sisters, moved to the valley near the beginning of his high school years. He graduated from Cascade in 1951. Before graduating, he was honored with a PTA scholarship and began his college career at Oregon College of Education in the fall of that year. While attending OCE, he became the sports editor of the school paper. It is also there that he met Nancy. They were engaged in May of 1955 and married later that year. Daughter Charyn came along in 1956 and daughter Trina in 1965.
After graduating from OCE, Harry began teaching in the Salem-Keizer School District, starting at Cummings Elementary for his first seven years and then moving to Whiteaker Middle School when it opened in 1966. He taught Physical Education and is widely known to have taught most of the student population of Keizer how to dance during his tenure there. In a recent conversation, he remembered at one time being called the “Fred Astaire of Keizer.”
Once becoming Keizerites, Harry and Nancy became charter members of John Knox Presbyterian Church and was still one of oldest active members until his passing.
Harry and Nancy were also active in the Keizer Heritage Foundation and played active roles in the efforts to move and restore the original Keizer Elementary to its current location.
Harry retired from Salem-Keizer School District in 1989 and continued his love of sports which was apparent in everything he did. He began coaching Little League softball in 1976 which led to many years of umpiring at several levels of softball. He often reflected on what a great experience it was to have been the home plate umpire during the championship game of the Little League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1988. He remained actively involved with Little League for over 37 years and had a passion for pin trading, a collection that spans pins from all over the US and many individual sets of pins that he created and traded as well.
Harry filled much of his years of retirement umpiring high school softball. In 1990, he was elected Softball Commissioner and went on to hold that position for over 20 years. During this time, he was also heavily active in refereeing volleyball and basketball. If all that were not enough to quench his thirst for sports, Harry (and Nancy) were also present in the stands for any activity that their granddaughter Randi was doing as well as his grandsons, Jeremy, and Jonathan until Nancy’s passing in February of 2004.
Harry spent his later years still attending sporting events and an occasional Saturday morning trip to the Salem/Keizer Area Senior Center where he would enjoy a meal and an afternoon of dancing to the local band. It was here that Harry met Val Jean Beugli. They married in April of 2010 and continued to enjoy their Saturday mornings and, of course, dancing at the Center. They also enjoyed travelling and family time including an occasional competitive card game or two.
In early 2024, Harry and Val Jean spent time getting to know their neighbors at Emerald Pointe Retirement Community and Harry found his next (sports) passion: the world of Bean Bag Baseball. His nickname, Homerun Harry, says it all!
Harry is survived by his wife, Val Jean Beugli-Pease; his daughter Charyn (Mike) McDonnell and daughter Trina (Dan) Morgan; his granddaughter Randi (Nick) Viggiano; grandsons, Jeremy Williams and Jonathan Williams and his brothe- in-law, Dick Pence and so many others including former students, friends and family that have shared his life.
Harry is preceded in death by: Nancy, his parents, Walter and Marcia, his sisters: Marilyn, Betty, Barbara, and Donna.
A Celebration of Life for Harry is going to be held at the Keizer Elks Lodge on Dec. 28, 2024, beginning at 2 p.m.
