The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

Obituaries

Death notices for W. Jeanne Meek, Gary Roderick, Thomas Schwarz

February 12, 2013

W. Jeanne Swenson Solbach Meek, 86, died at the home of her daughter in Land O' Lakes, Fla., on Feb. 5, 2013.

Jeanne Swenson Solbach Meek was born on Feb. 17, 1926, to Roy A. and Lydia Senn Swenson on their farm near Idana, Kansas. She attended King School near Idana and after age six, a country school two miles north of Morganville, Kansas, where the family moved in 1932. She attended high school at Morganville and received an associates degree from Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Mo., in 1945; after which, she taught in a one room school in Clay County, Kansas.

In December 1945 in Clifton, Kansas, she married Melvin John Solbach when he returned from Europe after World War II; they later divorced. In Clay Center, Kansas, she married James Roy Meek in 1955. After his death in 1982, she married Albert Mandell in Nevada.

She lived in Wichita, Abilene and Hope as well as Morganville, Kansas, until retirement in 1981 when she and Roy made their home in Georgetown, Calif.

She lost her eye-sight in 1985 and treated being blind as another adventure; she traveled the world to coin shows and on vacations. She testified before the California legislature on blindness, helped raise money in El Dorado County, Calif., for a blind center, and identified and involved the area's reclusive blind.

In Kansas she had been a Girl Scout leader and a long time 4-H leader, an accomplished prize-winning seamstress, and veterinary assistant while raising eight children to adulthood on the farm.

She is survived by three sons and two daughters: John M. Solbach (Patricia) of Lawrence, Kansas; Patrick D. Solbach (Jill) of Loma, Colo.; Michael S. Solbach (Carol) of Lyle; Teresa B. Witt (Kim) of Sterling, Kansas; K. Anne McVey (Bill) of Land O' Lakes, Fla.; and step-daughter, Neva Jean Schanefelt of Decatur, Ill. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 18 great grand-children.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands, her sister Dawn Lucretia Swenson, and three children: Phyllis Minter in 2002; James Phillip Meek in 1992; and Kelly A. Meek in 2009.

She donated her body to the medical center in Gainesville, Fla. The family will gather later in the summer to remember and celebrate her life. The family suggests memorial contributions to a local hospice.

Gary Rex Roderick was born June 7, 1950. He died quietly in his sleep on Jan. 18, 2013.

He is survived by his mother Betty; stepmother Tillie; brother Dean; sisters Patti, Janet and Veri; sons Wyatt and Jesse; and five grandchildren.

There will be a memorial service at Grace Baptist Church in White Salmon on Feb. 23, 2013 at 2 p.m.

Thomas Wilhelm Schwarz was born in Portland, Ore., to Sanger Edith (Kelly) and Horst Wilhelm Schwarz on Nov. 24, 1968. When he was young, his family moved to Medford, Ore., then to the Willard and Mill A area of the Gorge before settling in Cooks, where Tom lived most of his life.

He loved his job as a truck driver and would never consider having a different career.

Tom enjoyed the outdoors BBQ'ing, riding motorcycles and especially fishing. Music was another love of his. He went to many concerts. Tom cherished his daughter, Felicia. Often took her on his truck driving jobs with him when she was young. He enjoyed everyday any minute that he spent with her.

Tom passed away at his home in Vancouver on Jan. 28 2013, at the age of 44. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at 11 a.m. at Pinecrest Church of the Nazarene, 255 Rhine Village Street, White Salmon.

Surviving Thomas Schwarz are his daughter Felicia Schwarz of Estacada, Ore.; mother Sanger Schwarz of Cooks; sister Dorothy Stearns of Mt. Hood, Ore.; nephews Dustin Schwarz of Vancouver, Johnathan Krieger of Mill A, Jesse Krieger and Zachary Stearns of Hood River, and Matthew and Phillip Stearns of Mt. Hood; and nieces Natascha Stolhand of Odell and Wendy Stearns of Mt. Hood. Preceding him in death are his father Horst Schwarz and brother Stephen Schwarz.

Gardner Funeral Home handled cremation arrangements.