Vernon Sterns Moeller

Vern was born in Innisfree, Alberta, Canada, to Morris and Ida Moeller. He grew up in Portland, Oregon, and attended Washington High. After an argument with his English Teacher, much to his family’s dismay, he quit school two months before graduation and went to work driving truck for Ben Portland. In 1940, he married one of his sister’s best friends, Alice Mae Halferty. Their family expanded a year later with the birth of Colleen, and another year later with the twins, Vernon Jr. and Verna. When the children were still very small, he was drafted into the Army.

He served two years in WWII in the Philippines, first in the infantry, where he was on the front for 15 months – he was one of three in his battalion not wounded or killed – and later he was in the Army Corps of Engineers. He came home on a “torpedoed” hospital ship and spent a year in Letterman Hospital recovering from an exotic jungle disease. He came out of the military experience with a jaded view of war and war culture that remained with him throughout his life. Although he had been slated for Officer’s Training, he refused. He was always a quiet rebel, which he came by honestly. Both his mother and father had been activists – his mother a teacher and suffragette, and his father, a socialist under Kaiser Wilhelm II.

After the war, in 1946, Vern and Alice and three children moved to Warrenton to be closer to Alice’s family, who were early settlers in the Warrenton area. It was here their youngest and nicest child, Duane, was born. Vern went to work for Heavy Hauling as a cross-country truck driver. Although this experience gave rise to many stories and gave him an opportunity to see the country, he actually wanted to spend more time with his family, so he went to work as a driver for Crown Zellerbach. The family bought property in the Seaside area and moved out onto a “stump-ranch” on Hamlet Route.

The Moellers, Alice and Vern, loved the Hamlet community and were involved a multitude of activities including square-dancing, 4-H, and Garden Club. The family kept the ranch, but ultimately moved closer to town to Peterson Point. Vern worked for Crown until he retired at 67. After retirement, to keep himself entertained, he worked as a locksmith for several years.

After retirement, Vern and Alice traveled the country and abroad to visit family and friends.

They spent wonderful months in Australia, Canada and Alaska. They adored their grandchildren, and as they grew, Vern and Alice spent much time attending weddings and graduations. Both Vern and Alice felt family was their greatest achievement, and delighted in any excuse to get together. Even at the great age of 94, Vern remained vitally interested in the family and family events.

Vern was a dynamic person who retained his drive, his mind and chutzpah until the very end. He did, however, lose some of his patience. He had had excellent health most of his life and was a little surprised when his body started giving out. This, however, didn’t stop him for long; he learned new skills and took up new hobbies.

What the family will remember and value about him was his extraordinary honesty, his very clear mind, willingness to discuss history, ideas, science, and world events, and also his laughter. He was integral part of the chemistry that made the Moeller family extraordinarily close and extraordinarily fun. In addition to family, Vern and Alice always had a wonderful circle of friends to visit with, play cards, share stories, or to have coffee with at Riley’s Café .

Vern is survived by his four children: Colleen Dohrn, Seaside, Vernon (Valerie), Alaska, Verna Relkoff, British Columbia, and Duane (Joan), Tasmania; his eleven grandchildren: Natalie, Kristin and Aron Dohrn, Kaye Norback, Rick and Dirk Moeller, Samuel, Heather, Justin Pelant and Sarah Relkoff, Lily Moeller; his sister, Gladys Chamberlain; and eleven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Alice in 2009, his great grandson, Patrick Norback in 2003, and his brother, Robert in 2006.

On August 10th, the family plans have a reunion, party and a memorial out in Hamlet. Family and friends are welcome to join us. There will be more details later.