Ruth Anne (Durland) Hendricks passed away on April 14, 2020, at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center of Gresham, Oregon. Ruth Anne was born on October 2, 1933, in Hood River, Oregon, to William B. and Ruth (Weitman) Durland and was 86 at the time of her passing.
There are two things everyone who knew Ruth Anne will always remember: how much she loved people, and her passion for music. Ruth Anne was one of the friendliest persons you could ever meet. Not surprisingly, she made many friends at the assisted living centers where she lived during the last few years of her life. You could always count on her to provide a listening, sympathetic ear. We knew that “Always Loving, Always Loved” was the best inscription to put on her headstone. Her kindness to others was all the more remarkable because Ruth Anne had a difficult life, enduring many health challenges and the untimely loss of her older daughter Pamela.
Ruth Anne grew up on a farm outside Hood River in a family of 10. She was a blond, blue-eyed child with naturally curly hair. Early on, her siblings saw that she was highly intelligent and highly musical. She could read music so well that her brothers and sister joked that she could “read fly specks.” She loved to sing and play the organ in church, and her feet would fly across the pedals. Her family filled an entire pew in Hood River’s Asbury Methodist Church, which is now closed.
Ruth Anne went on to study music at the university level. She was the accompanist for the Opera Chorus at the University of Oregon. Her finger dexterity was such that she later became the head typist at the Denver Motor Vehicle Department. She also worked as a medical transcriptionist and taught piano lessons. She loved church and playing the organ so much that she served as organist in several area churches over the years.
She was the loving mother of three: Larry, Pamela, and Lisa, and the proud grandmother of three: Brandon, Sierra, and Conor. She also had four great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her son, Larry Lyons Jr. of Dallas, Texas, and his wife Julie; her daughter, Lisa Lyons of Gresham, Oregon; her oldest grandchild, Brandon Lyons of Placerville, California and his wife Priscilla; a granddaughter, Sierra Lyons-Allmon, who is a studying Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University; and another grandson, Conor Lyons, who follows in her footsteps as a music student at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. She is also survived by her younger sister, June Clapp of Oregon City, and two brothers, Forrest Durland of Reno, Nevada, and Gaylord Durland of Mukilteo, Wahington. Ruth Anne’s daughter Pamela Lyons preceded her in death in 1995. She was also preceded in death by four brothers; Wesley, Donald, Stanley and Joseph. Most of all, she loves Jesus Christ.
Graveside committal services are planned for 12 noon, Friday, April 17th, 2020 at Mountain View Cemetery of Hood River, Oregon. Ruth’s service will be shared via Anderson’s Tribute Center Facebook live and shared on her web guestbook at www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.
Family suggests that any memorials be made to the: African Refugee Music Project this charity was special to Ruth and donations can be made thru the website at https://pushpay.com/g/trinitydallas?src=hpp with reference to Ruth.