Mary Salisbury (Simmons)

Mary Berniece Salisbury was born May 14, 1923 and passed October 3, 2012. She was born to Clark and Grace Simmons in Hiawatha, KS. She attended schools in the Kansas area until meeting and marrying Ray Meyer, in 1942. They had a daughter; Diana, in October 1943. Ray was killed on Okinawa in the first days of World War II, and as a war time widow; Mary worked hard to provide for her daughter. She met and married Ralph Salisbury of Manhattan, KS in 1946. They had a daughter; Patricia who was born in 1947. Ralph was hired by Oregon State College in 1949 and moved the family to Corvallis, Oregon. Mary and Ralph had a son, Steven in 1952. Turning down other job offers, the couple maintained their home in Corvallis until Ralph died in 2008, a few days after their 62nd anniversary. They were very happy to live in a area untouched by natural disasters, and refused to entertain the idea of moving. She worked at the OSU bookstore for many years in the used text book section. She enjoyed her fellow employees and working with the students. She and Ralph retired from their jobs at OSU in 1981. Mary remained in Corvallis, residing at the “Timberhill Assisted Care” facility, until she and her son and daughter in law moved to Lake Havasu City, AZ in 2011. Mary and Ralph began traveling at the urging of their children: resulting in 27 straight years of vacationing in Hawaii. This turned in to a love of travel; culminating in visits to Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, as well as several Alaska, Panama Canal and Caribbean cruises. The family began taking summer vacations at the Mercer Lake Resort, near Florence, Oregon in 1951. This turned in to a favorite family reunion and continued the yearly tradition until Mary’s health prevented her from going. Mary was a life long member of the Corvallis, Oregon chapter of P.E.O. After her move to Arizona, she continued to enjoy keeping up on the chapter news. Having lost her daughter, Patricia in 1998 and Ralph in 2008, Mary leaves two children, Diana (Bruce) McFarling of Cupertino, CA and Steven (Danette) Salisbury of Lake Havasu City, AZ, four grand children and eight great grandchildren. She will be deeply missed by those who had the opportunity to know her. Mary was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church, and services will be announced by the family at a later date. Remembrances may be made to the National Chapter of P.E.O. Thoughts and condolences may be submitted to the family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory.