Lois Morford

Astoria landlady

Nov. 22, 1935 — March 9, 2017

Lois was born in Oakland, California, on Nov. 22, 1935, and passed on March 9, 2017, at age 81.

After graduating from high school in 1953 at age 17, she moved to Ellensburg, Washington, to attend college. Within the year she was married, and had four children before graduating from Central Washington State College 10 years later, in 1963. The following year she completed an interdisciplinary psychology/sociology master’s degree at the University of Oregon.

She taught second grade in Oak Harbor, Washington, for three years, then moved to Astoria in 1967, teaching psychology and child development at Clatsop Community College until 1977. After a year of travel, she was a mental health consultant to Head Start for 10 years.

Her proudest accomplishments were raising her four children by herself, after her husband skipped out in 1970, her volunteer work in clinics and refugee camps in Central America during the violence of the 1970s and 1980s, and in providing comfortable, affordable housing to many beginning Astorians by renting rooms in her house for over 40 years.

She loved traveling, gardening and children. She was an elder of the Oregon Country Fair, attending and working for the event for 37 years. She was an original member of the OCF Wristband Crew.

Lois is survived by her partner of 37 years, Wm. Paxton Hoag of Astoria, Oregon; her four children, Kevin Morford of Chugach, Alaska, Shairn Villa of Vancouver, Washington, and Margo O’Connell and Kirk Morford, both of Portland, Oregon; her eight grandchildren, Corinna and Julian Michels, Conor and Mickey O’Connell and Alicia, James, Mateo and Elena Villa; and by one of her twin brothers, Douglas Taynton, and his wife, Leah Taynton. Her other brother, Donald Taynton, preceded her in death by two years, and is survived by his wife, Mary Taynton.

A memorial event will be held at Shively Hall in Astoria Sunday, June 11, at 1 p.m.

Memorial donations can be made to Scholarships, Culture Jam, Oregon Country Fair, 442 Lawrence St., Eugene, OR 97401. Lois sponsored four of her grandchildren to attend Culture Jam, a summer youth camp by the Oregon Country Fair.