La Grande, Oregon
Marguerite Jean Vanderbilt, 88, of La Grande died June 18 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Nazarene Church with Pastor Mouse McKinney officiating.
Mrs. Vanderbilt was born Nov. 10, 1917, to William Wallace and Barbara Agnes Whittall Orr in Ponteix, Saskatchewan, Canada. She graduated from high school in Ormstown, Quebec, attended a school in Plattsburg, N.Y., and the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital Nurses’ Training School. She became a registered nurse and worked in Temiskaming, Ontario, and Montreal. On Aug. 14, 1946, she married John William Vanderbilt in Plattsburg. They lived in several places while he served in the Army, and settled in La Grande.
She volunteered with the Little League, the PTA, and other organizations while her children were growing up. She was a member of the Nazarene Church, the Good Sam Club and a sign language group, and enjoyed cooking, making hand-dipped chocolates, sewing, arts and crafts and being with her family. Her doll collection has been displayed at the Union County Museum.
She and her husband moved to Carson City, Nev., in 1978 for two years and then to Sitka, Alaska, for another three before returning to La Grande.
Survivors include children Robert Vanderbilt of Baker City, Jean McKern of Hood River, Peggy Vanderbilt of Portland, and Jim Vanderbilt of La Grande; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Barbara Aldridge of Ormstown, Quebec, and Carita Zumbrunn of Calgary, Alberta. Her husband, a daughter, Victoria Antonia Vanderbilt, and a sister, Eleanor Reid, all died earlier.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to any charity in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St.
The Observer Online, Obituaries for the week ending July 1, 2006, Published, July 3, 2006