Mayreta June Van Blarcom was born on 28 Jun 1933 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington. She died on 08 Mar 2016 in Eugene, Lane, Oregon. She married (1) David Edwin Whisler on 19 Jun 1954 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington. He died in an airplane crash on 15 Oct 1965 in Wells, Elko, Nevada. She married (2) Howard Peterson on 20 Jul 1968 in Eugene, Lane, Oregon. They divorced on 28 Jan 1977.

Obituary:

Mayreta June Whisler passed away peacefully on March 8, 2016. She was born on June 29, 1933 to Hazel & Benjamin Van Blarcom in Spokane Washington, where she grew up. She attended Northwest Christian College (NCC) and Whitworth University.

Mayreta married her high school sweetheart, David Whisler, on June 19, 1954. They briefly lived in Bend, Oregon before moving to Augusta, Georgia where David was stationed in the army. There she worked as a receptionist at radio station WRDW. When David was finished in the army, they pulled their trailer across the country & moved to Eugene where they had previously attended NCC together. Not long after that, David helped to start “Whisler Hardwoods,” and was killed in a plane crash in October, 1965. Mayreta then poured her life into her two children, Marcia & Ron.

Mayreta was very active at First Christian Church in Eugene. She made many of her lifelong friends there, and she was the first woman chairman of the board in that church. She was a teacher’s aide, a voting poll worker and volunteered at the NCC library.

She worked at Allison Park Christian church for two years at the church receptionist, and later at First Baptist Church for 14 years, before retiring in the spring of 2003. She touched many lives in these congregations.

Whenever Mayreta met someone, she asked many questions to find out about them & their family. She really enjoyed networking, to try and figure out how people were connected. That is one of her skills that made her such a great person and a great church receptionist.

Mayreta is survived by her daughter Marcia Whisler and son Ron Whisler, and their families: Greg & Taylor Ilg; Jacqui, Jana Severn, Jamie & Elise.

Many thanks to those who have cared for Mayreta at Bayberry Commons and most recently at Gateway Gardens. She was well loved and cared for.

Memorial services & celebration of life will be held at First Baptist Church on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 10:00am; and there will be a service at Gateway Gardens for the Gateway Garden community.