Obituary of Priscilla Elaine Way

Priscilla Elaine Way was born on January 14, 1925 in Mitchell South Dakota. She lived in South Dakota until she was 12 years old then moved with her mother, father & two sisters Patricia and Jean to Hillsboro Oregon. Patricia was my mother's identical twin and Jean was her younger sister. During the journey from South Dakota to Hillsboro the sisters had to sit in what was referred to as a “rumble seat”. This was a padded bench seat located in the back portion of the car outside of the cab and was open to the elements without a covering or heat. I remember my mother telling me how cold it was to sit in the back of the car and how necessary it was to have hat, gloves, scarf and a big and heavy blanket for warmth and comfort. When Priscilla was attending high school she worked at a cannery in Hillsboro Oregon. After graduating from Hillsboro High in 1942 she moved to an apartment in Northwest Portland and worked as a secretary. I remember one of the roommates mom used to talk about the most was named Jeanette and was a close friend in her early years. The more notable companies Priscilla worked for were Pacific Aspetos and KPTV. There was a program on KPTV called “The Ramblin Rod Show” and my mother's boss was the father-in-law of Rodney Carl Anderson, the star of the Ramblin Rod show. I especially remember, when I was about 6 years old, being on this show. My mother and father were married for 23 years and had two children, a son named Bryan Mathew Way and a daughter named Sharon Leslie Way before their marriage ended in 1977. My mother became employed a short while later by Oregon Lumber Export Company as a bookkeeper. The company was located in the Board of Trade Building in downtown Portland Oregon. She had her own office and worked for this company for 4 years before the main office of the lumber company moved to Wilsonville Oregon. Despite encouraging and coaxing by her boss and coworkers to continue her job as a bookkeeper at the new Wilsonville location my mother decided to take another job working at a law firm in Northwest Portland. My mother enjoyed working at Oregon Lumber Export Company but didn't relish the thought of driving 5 days a week in rush hour traffic from Beaverton to Wilsonville. Priscilla continued working for the law firm as a bookkeeper with her own office for over 6 years before the payroll department became computerized. One of our family's favorite pastimes was camping out in a small camper and taking time away to relax and enjoy nature and spend time with the family. Priscilla enjoyed reading, playing card games and sitting by the fire and going for occasional walks. We also camped out by riding our horses, packing in and roughing it by living in a tent. We would pack in to various locations in the northwest with our camping equipment and stay for a weekend or sometimes even for a week vacation. We enjoyed riding our horses during the day and sitting by a camp fire at night. Every year Priscilla would travel to the Shakesperian Festival located in Ashland Oregon with her younger sister Jean. They would spend a week enjoying the plays performed by local actors and enjoyed the food and lodging available in Ashland Oregon. This was an annual event she looked forward to each year. What I remember the most about my mother was her sense of humor and her ability take life circumstances with ease using humor. One of my favorite sayings she used to have was “We're off and running like a herd of turtles!” I appreciate the time my mother and I spent together and remember many instances of her being a very warm and caring person to not only myself but other people in her life. She was always very interested in the lives of family, friends and people she came in contact with and expressed that interest in a caring, compassionate and empathetic way. Mom you are a very caring and special person and I love you and will miss you very much. Thank you for being there when I needed you. Love, Sharon. Priscilla’s burial site is located at the Valley Memorial Park overlooking the pond in the Lakeside Wall Crypt #514. Service Information