01.15.08 - 6:25 pm

Sherry May Noe

A memorial service will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, in Oregon City Evangelical Church for Sherry May Noe, who died Jan. 7 at age 66.

Sherry May Riebhoff was born Dec. 1, 1941, in Oregon City. She worked in the collections department of Key Bank, and lived in Milwaukie for 14 years. She was a member of the church. Her husband, David C. Noe, died in 1997.

Survivors include her son, Robin Noakes; daughter, Holly Wymore; mother, Jennie Riebhoff; brother, Mickey Riebhoff; and seven grandchildren.

this was my grandmother. she was fairly prominant in my childhood. i watched her and my grandfathers dog give birth. i used to slide around on my knees with her on their kitchen floor. she had such a distinct voice and laugh, i remember it like a cartoon character out of the 1950s. she wore big glasses. wore sweaters alot. dark colors. she never changed her hair style. and then, after 1997, with the death of my grandfather, i dont remember much of her. im pretty sure that was the last time i saw her again. i dont remember receiving cards from her. nor do i remember my parents helping me get cards to her, or even going to see her. no phone calls during the holidays.

rumor has it my grandfather was having an affair with her during his first marriage to my grandma val. they were neighbors. she was quite a bit younger than my grandfather and maybe more importantly, my granmda val. i dont know much more than that. mother would come to tell me that she pushed us away, not us from her. she didnt like my grandfathers kids apparently, my aunts and uncles. apparently, they didnt like her either. perhaps harboring ill feeling towards her because of the dissolution of their parents marriage. i imagine it would be hard to welcome a new mother into your family, especially one who broke apart your previous family.

she was always nice to me, i think. i dont remember her ever yelling at me or reprimanding me. i think i just remember her giving me really not enjoyable gifts. she did the bells in church though, and i remember being very impressed. far more impressed than i anticipated. i mean, bells. who plays the bells?

grandma sherry did.

ill talk to my father about this, im sure there is much i should know on the subject.

of grandma sherry, not so much her bells.