Mary Helen (Jaeger) Thayer

In the early hours of August 3rd, 2018 God reached down and wrapped Mary with his loving arms and took her home to join Bob.

Mary Helen Jaeger was born on December 31st, 1936 joining her brother “Sonny” to Henry and Helen Jaeger (Flock) in The Dalles Oregon. Mary spent her early years on the Buckhorn Ranch attending school at the one room Buckhorn School for grades one through three with a student body of five. Mary reminisced about carrying water to the school from a neighbor’s well on the way to school in the morning and during the school day. Mary also attended school in Condon and Fossil showing 4 H cattle at the Gilliam and Wheeler County fairs. Mary graduated from Fossil High School in 1955.

In the fall of 1955 she attended Oregon Technology Institute (now Oregon Institute of Technology) X-ray Technician Program. It was at this time she met the love of her life on a blind double date set up by her mother on Thanksgiving eve while she was home from school. Her mother’s boyfriend had a roommate and the roommate was Bob Thayer. In 1957 Bob and Mary were married in the Fossil Methodist Church. In 1959 Bob and Mary welcomed their first child Robert (Bert) and in 1961 their second child Helen was born.

Mary was heavily involved in the family business ventures, Condon Lanes Bowling Alley, Helen’s Flowers and the C & J Drive In. Mary drove wheat truck in 1959-1963 and was featured in an article in The Oregonian about women helping to harvest wheat. In the article R W Potter states “we always hire women truck drivers because they are more careful with the equipment”.

Mary was involved in Community organizations, a life member of Eastern Star, Rainbow girls, Condon Chamber of Commerce, Senior Transportation, Red Hatters and a board member of CAPCO. Mary’s children, grandchildren, a great granddaughter, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews were big part of her life. Mary would travel great distance for family and friends, Mary was planning a road trip to Kansas for a great niece’s wedding, then from Kansas to Arizona to see her great granddaughter Allie and then home to Condon.

Senior transportation was an important part of Mary’s retirement, she was always talking about her next trip or a trip that had just happened. Mary enjoyed all the time spent with her riders and giving back to the community as a volunteer driver.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Bob and parents Helen and Henry.

She is survived by, a son Bert Thayer and Lynn Thayer of Vancouver, grandchildren, Brant and Lauren Thayer and great granddaughter Allison Thayer of Chandler Arizona, granddaughter Jillian Thayer of Portland, a daughter Helen Hedgepeth and Chris Hedgepeth, grandson Connor of Beaverton, Brother In-law Henry Jaeger and Joan Jaeger of Moro, niece Ann Irvin and Steve Irvin and their children of Lincoln City, nephew John Jaeger and Elizabeth Jaeger, their children of Hays Kansas.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Condon United Church of Christ.  The community is invited to a potluck meal after the internment.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting that donations be made to the Gilliam County Transportation Fund, PO Box 427, Condon, Oregon 97823.

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