Stevensville – Mary Dorthea Moreland Anderson was born July 31, 1914 to Percy and Nora Moreland in Tyler, Washington. She was the youngest of 5 children—Raymond, Gertrude, Ralph, and Helen. She passed away December 29 2018, surrounded by the love of her Granddaughter Debra Jossi and honorary Grandson, Tobby Thompson.
Her siblings were not aware that there was to be a new addition to their family until they found the hatch box at their home in Tyler Washington in 1914. It was about the size of a fishing tackle box and was lined in flannel. Inside were safety pins, flannel belly bands, chamomile soap, diapers, and gowns.
Mary was truly their baby and her siblings adored her. The Moreland family moved to Lamont, Washington where Mary’s father worked on the railroad and later became the school janitor. Mary’s best friend was a girl named Mildred Gunderman.
They were together as often as they could and played basketball when they were in high school. As a child Mary attended school, community and church activities with her family in Lamont. Mary had many fond memories of traveling cross country in the car with the whole family tucked inside and their belongings tied on the running boards.
She still talked of how her mother loved to camp, have road side picnics and travel to see family in California. After she graduated high school, Mary moved to Spokane and became a nurses aid at Sacred Heart Hospital. While there, she met and later married Melvin Anderson in 1939.
They moved to a farm outside of Lamont. There, she spent many years cooking, keeping house, doing farm work and raising their 2 daughters Gail and Ann. Mary cooked huge meals for her family and the harvest crew, canned, took care of the family, did laundry on a wash board and went fishing with Mel and the kids for entertainment.
For many decades Mary and Mel attended dances in and around the region on a regular basis from the time they courted all the way through when their girls grew up and moved away. They loved to dance and did it beautifully. When recently asked recently what dances they danced her answer was “We danced them all” Mel and Mary retired from farming in 1968 and moved to their new house in Cheney, Washington, where they lived for the next 44 years.
Mary was very involved in the community of Cheney, a member of the Methodist Church, one of the founders of the Cheney Museum, Mystery trip traveler with the Senior Center, avid rummy tile player, Seahawks fan, Eastern Star member, and enjoyed of red beer and burger nights with friends. Mel died in 2001 and Mary stayed in Cheney until 2012. In 2012 she moved in with her daughter and son in law Gail and Dick Jossi at the family ranch and near her Granddaughter and family Suzanne and Patrick Rondinelli and her great grandsons, Sam and Cooper in Ouray, Colorado.
While in Ouray, she became very involved with the Senior Citizens group, school functions involving her great grandkids, cooking and canning. Mary modeled in the Ouray Library Luncheon fashion show when she was 100 with her dear friend Ken McKenzie and one of the biggest highlights of her life was serving as Grand Marshall for the Ouray 4th of July parade. She loved the Ouray community.
In early 2018, at age 103, she moved to a care facility Olathe Colorado getting to a lower altitude more suited to her heart condition and then just after her 104th birthday she took her last road trip, to the Bitterroot Valley in Western Montana, and enjoyed living her last days at home with her granddaughter, Debra Jossi. Mary was adored by her loving family and friends. She was friendly, beautiful, and always enjoyed a game of rummy tiles.
She loved reading mysteries, the Wall Street Journal, the local news, and was always up to date on world events. She was a die-hard democrat until the Clintons were elected then left the party and never looked back, except to see if Hillary Clinton ever got punished for her many crimes. Political to the end, we hope she has some more pull up there on what happens in the future!
Mary left this world with the strength, beauty and dignity she maintained during her time on earth. She took showers, put on full make-up and was still walking on her walker with her mind sharp as can be up to the day she passed. Mary’s last breath was taken listening to her beloved Perry Como and surrounded by love.
May we all be so lucky. Survived by Gail (Dick) Jossi, Ann Anderson, Grandson Mike (Lynn) Jossi, Granddaughters, Angela Whitlatch, Karen Whitlatch, Suzanne (Patrick) Rondinelli, Debra (Tobby) Jossi, Great Granddaughter Mikeaela Jossi, Grandsons: Brian Whitlatch, Grant Jossi, Sam Rondinelli, Cooper Rondinelli and Andrew Jossi. Also survivied by many loving nephews and nieces throughout the US who have very fond memories of this amazing lady and childhoods spent on the farm with Mel and Mary.
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