Mary Alice "Lollar" Larson Lewis

Mary Alice “Lollar” Larson Lewis, of Astoria, passed away peacefully on April 10, 2016, in Seaside, Oregon, with her daughter and one of her many grandchildren at her side. Mary was known to all who knew her as an upbeat, funny woman, fond of breaking into song for absolutely no good reason.

She was born in Cass Lake, Minnesota, on March 18, 1930, on the kitchen table in the family home. She was the middle of five children and was fond of saying, “If you are in the middle like that, you have to be funny.” Her parents, Doris and Harry Larson, owned and operated The Corner Store. She loved the North Woods, and spent many happy days on the lakes and on Star Island.

She attended Bemidji State Teachers College, which was a short train ride away. She graduated with a teaching degree, and got her master’s degree from Minnesota State. She taught English overseas in Germany and England on Air Force bases in the Dependents Schools, and traveled all over Europe during the late 1950s, bringing back three sets of china and stories that lasted the rest of her life.

She met Evan Lewis at a New Year’s Eve party in 1961, and they married on March 31, 1962, because the priest wouldn’t let them get married on April Fools’ Day. They raised their children in the Olympia area, and owned a farm, a real estate company and a pizza restaurant. Their home was filled with books, animals and good food.

Mary was very active at the St. Michael’s parish there, serving as the Altar Society president. She frequently took us to local coffee shops for baklava and chess, after making us go to early Mass. She was an early riser all her life, and it was normal to get a phone call from her at 6:30 in morning, bursting with plans and ideas.

They moved to Astoria in 1990, and opened Phog Bounders Antique Mall, where customers still ask about them. She was well-known for walking all over town, and attended her grandchildren’s events faithfully. She was an avid sports fan, particularly Mariners baseball, and would call to update family members on exciting plays and games. She was an active member of the Star of the Sea parish. She loved books, and in her final years, gave them away to anyone who wanted one.

She was deeply connected to her siblings and their children, and loved going home to visit. On one trip back to Minnesota, her children refused to eat anything but BLTs, and she told them, “But you have a chance to try some new things! Order something you’ve never had before!”

When her memory began to fail, she would say, “God bless everyone who knows my name is Mary” because she figured she wouldn’t miss anyone. She spent her final years at the Owens-Adair and Clatsop Retirement Village, where she was a favorite resident.

She leaves behind her children, Lisa Mills and her husband Len of Portland, Bill Lewis of Seattle, Jeff Lewis in Florida, Tim Lewis and his wife Mary of The Dalles, Amy Lewis of Astoria and Matt Lewis of Missouri. She is survived by her many grandchildren, Taren Mills and his wife Francine, Ben Mills and his wife Elizabeth, Justin Mills, Lucas Lewis, Aidan Wagner and her husband Loren, Connor, Elina and Gage Lewis and Zachary, Elijah, Evan and Annabel Knight; five great-grandchildren; her siblings Peter Larson and his wife Mary of Portland, Nancy Smith of Eugene and Joanna Ward of Bismark, Missouri; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Her funeral Mass is at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16, at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, with a reception afterward in the auditorium. Please come if you can, wear a hat if you are up to it, and help us say goodbye to Lollar, the sturdy Norwegian.