Orval Reuben Blair

BLAIR — Orval Reuben, 105; born Nov. 21, 1910, Portland, Ore.; died Nov. 20, 2016, Portland. Surviving: wife, Evelyn (Cox); son, Gary Lee, Oregon City, Ore.; stepson, Larry McClintock, Portland; 2 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, 12 step-great-grandchildren and 3 step-great-great grandchildren. 

Orval died one day shy of his 106th birthday.

Orval and Evelyn raised 4 step-great-grandchildren from infancy to adulthood: Alex, Natasha, Brittany and Courtney Meske, all of the Portland area.

Uncle Orval drove the Oregon Conference moving van and related work for 34 years. A quick history about us: my husband and I both worked for Walla Walla College (now Walla Walla University) for over 35 years combined and I'm a registered nurse, having done hospital nursing for 20 or so years. We currently live in Boise, Idaho, and attend the Cloverdale Adventist Church. We resided in the Walla Walla Valley for over 45 years and attended the Walla Walla College Church (now University church).  Feel free to call me for any further questions. I have a photo of Uncle Orval I would like to put along with this obituary if that's permitted.

Orval was born in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 22, 1910. Sadly he passed away at home quietly in his sleep on Nov. 21, 2016, one day before his 106th birthday.  

His parents were charter members of the Lents Church in Portland. He attended school in Lents, Laurelwood and  Doremus, (which was the forerunner of Portland Union Academy and Portland Adventist Academy). He married Ardoth Taylor on June 25, 1931 in Medford, Ore. 

They moved back to Portland, Oregon in 1943 and he worked in the shipyard during the remainder of the war. then he worked for the Oregon Conference driving their moving van and related activities for 31 years and retired in 1976. 

Orval married Evelyn Cox in August 1980. In 1995 He (along with Evelyn) took four of his step-great-grandchildren to raise: Courtney (19 months), Brittany (3), Natasha (7), and Alex (9), until they were adults and on their own.  

Surviving family include: wife, Evelyn (Cox); son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Terry Lee; granddaughter, Mindy; grandson and his wife, Tim and Laura; 4 great-grandsons; stepson, Larry McClinntock; 3 step-grandchildren, 12 step-great-grandchildren, 3 step-great-great-grandchildren.  

He always had a smile and pleasant personality. He enjoyed music and sang for Builders of Faith, a Adventist radio program. He loved to play the violin for church and campmeetings. He will be greatly missed.