Audrey Louise Hitchcock passed away peacefully to be with Jesus in the early hours of Tuesday, December 27th, 2016 with her granddaughter by her side. She was 88 years old and an avid lover of life and people.

Audrey was an only child born in Grantsburg, Wisconsin to Gordon and Nellie Mensing on August 11th, 1928. She spent her early years there and in River Falls, Wisconsin where she developed her uncanny ability to predict snowfall by smelling it hours in advance. She graduated from River Falls High School in the spring of 1946 and shortly thereafter moved west with her mother. Together they made a home in Portland, Oregon where they would both spend the rest of their lives.

In April of 1948 Audrey was approached by a friend from work named Don Gibbs who wanted her to meet a pal of his. The friend was Jack Hitchcock. In Audrey’s words:

“Jack and I met on a blind date. About one and a half years later we were married. A friend that I worked with said he had a buddy and would like all of us to go out. The first night they came over I was washing woodwork in the kitchen. We went out and had a grand time. Rode out to Oregon City and went through the Bomber. Then we went to Whirries (Whirry’s) and ended up at Flanagan’s. The kid that introduced Jack and I was our best man at the wedding.

Jack and I went out on about three or four dates before he got up the nerve to kiss me. We were with Don & Mary. Jack and I were in the back seat of his car and he said ‘Oh Look!!’ As I turned my head to look he kissed me. This happened just in front of the Big Apple on Sandy.”

The two lovebirds were married October 29th, 1949 in part because Jack wanted to turn 21 before the wedding (which he did 7 days prior).

Audrey was a loving and devoted wife who gave birth to a daughter, Launie, and then a son, Jon. She and Jack also fostered three children from birth through their first birthdays. They would have liked to foster more but Audrey said it became too difficult to let them go when the time came. Later in life Audrey would be blessed with three grandchildren…first “the twins” (as she would say), Keith and Sadako, and then April. Audrey is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Caleb, Tenley and Micah, as well as Jon’s wife Laurie and her son Nathan.

As a testament to Audrey’s love of people and family (and cats) she came to be known and loved as “Kitty Grandma” to many including Dan, Taela, Matt, Lori, Tristan and Isla. Even in Audrey’s final days her impact on those around her was always evident. The staff at Royalton Place where she spent her final year were deeply shaken by her departure. Thank you from all of us who love Audrey to those of you at the Royalton who cared for and about her this past year. She was blessed to have you there for her and she appreciated and cared deeply about all of you.

Throughout her life, Audrey was active in the community and social activities. She was a lifelong member of the Eastern Star (Valiant-Sellwood Chapter #92 O.E.S.) serving multiple terms as Worthy Matron and one term as Grand Marshall for the Grand Lodge of Oregon. Titles aside, Audrey spent decades devoting herself to the people and the mission of Eastern Star. She was not only essential to her chapter, but also brought to it her sense of fun and whimsy.

Audrey (and Jack) loved spending time with friends which often was centered around a game of cards. She loved to play many different card games and had the patience even to teach her grandchildren and great-grandchildren how to play in the process…anything from Pinochle to Rummy to “Tee’d Off”. She loved to get together with “the Bunko Girls” even long after they stopped playing Bunko. Audrey also loved bowling in her earlier years, fishing and travelling in the motor home and spending time at “the lake” throughout her life with Jack, the Seattle Mariners, and “rummage sales” (both shopping at them and hosting them). Nearly every year Audrey would declare that this would be the last time she would put on a garage sale…but everyone knew they could count on next year.

And Audrey loved the slots. Win or lose there was always a twinkle in her eye any time she and her lifelong friend Jeanne could get together for food (or not) and some “gambling”.

She collected perfume bottles throughout her life and kept them prominently on display in the living room. Over the years she collected cherubs and Garfield the Cat and smiley faces. And she earned her “Kitty Grandma” moniker by acquiring cats through the years, most of which simply showed up on her doorstep (or in her window well). From Lucy to Coley & Salty to Cowboy to BW and finally Foxxee who was a companion until the end.

Audrey loved to laugh. She loved her friends. She loved her family. She loved her neighbors. She cared about community in a way that has been lost by younger generations. And people loved to be around her…whether old friends or new acquaintances. They loved her oversized pink eyeglasses. They loved her charisma. They loved the outdated terms she used like “you little dickens!” or “every cotton-pickin’ time!” or the way “the other day” could mean years and year ago. She made every room she was in somehow brighter.

Audrey will be missed by many. She was surrounded by her family throughout her final months and her final hours as we should all hope to be. She was a devoted and loving wife and the matriarch of her family. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and friend. Audrey’s great-granddaughter whispered to her on her final evening, “have a fun time in Heaven.” Rest assured that she certainly is.

A celebration of life service will be held for her on Saturday January 21, 2017 at 2PM at Woodland Park Baptist Church, 11375 NE Halsey Street, Portland, OR 97220.

Celebration of Life

2:00 PM ,Saturday, January 21, 2017
Woodland Park Baptist Church
11375 NE Halsey Street , OR 97220