Reta Parham

Posted: Friday, Jun 21st, 2013

PARHAM—Reta Parham passed away peacefully June 13, 2013, at home while surrounded by family who loved her dearly.

Reta was born Feb. 8, 1927, in Portland, Ore. At age 5, she was adopted by Lillian and John Sievertsen and moved to Eugene, where she attended school. Her family moved to Washington her senior year and she graduated from Wenatchee High School.

Reta married Byron Pengra and they had five children. She worked side by side with Byron in the ice cream stores they operated in the Eugene and Springfield areas. She was a wonderful homemaker, a loving mother and a lot of fun.

Later, the family moved to Florence. Mom loved to dance and often had her children laughing and dancing the “Jitterbug” with her. Asher children got older, Mom became a “camper extraordinaire.” Weekends and summers were spent at Mercer Lake in Florence with tents, campfires, swimming and water skiing.

We have many memories of pancakes cooked over an open fire on a foggy drizzly morning on the Oregon coast.

Reta also worked as a caregiver. She was a physical therapy assistant at Western Lane Hospital and the Siuslaw Care Center in Florence. Later, after moving to Coos Bay, she worked as a physical therapy assistant at St. Catherine’s nursing facility, where she made many good friends with the sisters and the many special patients she cared for.

She made friends wherever she was and was a faithful and supportive friend to many in New Edinburg as well as her home in Florence.

After her marriage