Posted: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 12:00 am
Dec. 18, 1917 - Sept. 13, 2006
Margaret Belnap Reese-Frazier of Corvallis died Wednesday, Sept. 13, of complications related to Alzheimer's disease. She was 88.
She was born in Moreland, Idaho, the daughter of Henry William and Priscilla Cooper Belnap. Margaret was the second of five children, and was raised in Glenns Ferry, Idaho.
After high school, Margaret attended the University of Idaho, Southern Branch (now Idaho State University) in Pocatello, Idaho. After her freshman year, she transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and received her degree in home economics. At BYU she met her future husband, Hamit Darwin Reese. After graduation, they were married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on Sept. 12, 1940. The next day, Darwin and Margaret left to attend graduate school at Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa. Two children, Lynne and Paul, were born there. In 1947, Dar accepted a faculty position at Oregon State College and moved the family to Corvallis, where Margaret lived 59 more years. Two more children, Scott and Lila, were born in Corvallis.
Margaret was a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She contributed much as a member of the Relief Society, a women's organization in the church. She participated in many musical programs, both in the church and community. She sang, played the piano and led church choirs. She also led the music in her church congregation into her early 80s. She loved writing poetry, beginning at the age of nine. She worked as a secretary for the LDS Institute of Religion at OSU for 23 years from 1960 through 1983, and greatly enjoyed her association with the college students there. She loved teaching. She taught high school early morning seminary classes for seven years and also taught adult Sunday school classes for many years. She loved tending her flower garden and sewing. In addition to these pursuits, she maintained their home and family while her husband, Dr. Reese, professor of chemistry, kept up his teaching and advising schedule on campus.
After Darwin's untimely death in 1987, Margaret's interests continued to include poetry, music, church activities and family for 14 years. She served as a Portland Oregon Temple worker from 1991 until 2001. On March 20, 2001, she married a longtime friend, Lloyd Frazier. They had a few wonderful years together until the effects of Alzheimer's disease necessitated her move to Regent Court. The family wishes to express their thanks to everyone who cared for her there over the past years.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Darwin; her parents; brothers Fred and Paul; and sisters Thelda and Gene. She is survived by her husband, Lloyd Frazier; children Lynne Lyman of Concord, Calif., Paul and wife Kathryn of Flagstaff, Ariz., Scott and wife Joy of Spokane, Wash., and Lila Robinson and husband Mark of Salt Lake City, Utah; 18 grandchildren (one deceased); and 18 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the LDS Church, 4141 N.W. Harrison Blvd., Corvallis. Visitation is scheduled between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will follow in Oaklawn Memorial Park, Corvallis. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday evening at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis.
Remembrances can be made to Camp Alpine, the LDS youth camp; the Oregon Alzheimer's Association; the Dar Reese Advising Award at OSU; or Benton Hospice, in care of McHenry Funeral Home.