Myrtha Lee Storm, 79, died Feb. 5, 2008.
She was born Oct. 20, 1928, to Jesse William Poulson and Vella Boswell Poulson in Steamboat Springs, Colo. As a young girl, Myrtha and her family moved to Oregon, where she attended a one-room grade school in Imnaha. Some of her high school years were spent at Lincoln High in Portland. She returned to Wallowa County for graduation from Enterprise High in 1946.
Myrtha and Robert Storm attended Eastern Oregon College following Bob’s discharge from the Army. They married Dec. 22, 1946. Two children, Carole Lynn and Jon Ervin, were born in Enterprise. The family moved to the Portland area in 1959. Myrtha worked as a bookkeeper while she helped support her husband and children through school. Bob lost his battle with kidney disease in 1981 after nearly 35 years of marriage.
While doing the books for Vern Gilbert Agency, Myrtha met her second husband, Vern Gilbert. They married in Maui in 1986. Vern and Myrtha soon became snowbirds in Mesa, Ariz., with a summer home over-looking the Pacific Ocean at Bay City.
The loss of her son, Jon, in 1994 devastated Myrtha. She survived by focusing on her grandchildren and other family members. This devoted “Gammy” befriended her grandchildren’s friends as she cheered everyone from the sidelines of their various events. She was a very stylish grandmother in her white Mustang convertible. Her legacy will be cherished.
Survivors include daughter, Carole McGraw (and husband Kirk) of West Linn; daughter-in-law,Nancy Storm of Estacada; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren with one more expected this year; brothers, Charles Poulson of Alaska, Gene Poulson of Spokane, and Elmer Enterpris; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and most of Vern Gilbert’s large family
Myrtha’s life was celebrated Feb. 22 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Beaverton. A memorial service is being planned in Enterprise for late May. Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements were made by Holman Hankins Bowker Waud and Bollman Funeral Home.
Wallowa County Chieftain – February 28, 2008