Oliver “Ollie” Lund
May 13, 1928 to December 26, 2017
JACK RUSHALL,
MID-COUNTY MEMO
Ollie Lund—veteran, businessman, husband, father, gambler and Rotarian—passed away in December.
COURTESY NAIM HASAN PHOTOGRAPHY
The man who introduced the world’s most famous hamburger to Oregon has passed. Oliver “Ollie” Lund was born on May 13, 1928, in Rock, Michigan; the youngest of 12 children to an immigrant Finnish family. He was raised among seven of his parents’ grandchildren, a classic story of the Depression era with humble beginnings.
Lund led a busy, enriching life before settling down in mid-Multnomah county in 1965. He lived in Argay Terrace from 1973 until his death on Dec. 26, 2017. He used the same phone number all those years.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II and worked as a journalist. Even up until his death, Lund was instrumental in marketing the debut of the USS Portland, the United States’ first naval warship dedicated to Portland, Ore., which will be visiting Portland this year.
Alongside temperamental war, there was dutiful love—and lots of it. Lund met wife Mary Louise (“Mary Lou”) Ridgeway while stationed at the Naval Station Great Lakes, in 1949, and the two were married in 1950. A proud family man, Lund went on to have four daughters: Gail, Karen, Nancy and Sherry. Mary Louise passed away in 2008.
On February 26, 1960, Lund opened the first McDonalds restaurant in Oregon (located at 551 N.E. 122nd Ave.) with several of his friends from the Navy, who transitioned into his business partners. It was McDonalds’ 117th location worldwide. At the time, you could purchase a hamburger for 15 cents.
Lund would go on to break off from his Navy business partners and their joint company called Careers, Inc., with whom he had opened additional McDonalds. In 1975, he opened his own business called Owl Enterprises, which unveiled new McDonalds’ locations in Jantzen Beach, Sandy, Tanasbourne, Cherry Park and two stores in Gresham. He retired in 2016. Presently, none of the Lund family operates any of the locations Lund opened.
Since retiring, Lund continued to generate fulfilling and colorful days inspired by traveling and socializing. He was an avid blackjack player and also admitted himself into tournaments, pilgrimaging to Reno. He often taught others how to play. A longtime Rotarian, he was also an avid fan of Rotary Club meetings and was known to find a meeting wherever he went. He shocked friends and family by attending Rotary Club meetings while on a vacation in Europe.
But Lund’s ethos was all about giving. He contributed to setting up the Ronald McDonald House in Portland and spent years religiously donating to charities from his success in the fast-food industry.
Lund was the last of his siblings and was preceded in death by his daughter Sherry. He is survived by children Gail, Karen and Nancy (John); grandchildren Stephanie (Travis), Joe (Ashley), Brad (Krystal), Vanessa (Eric), Alex (Brooke), Annie (Jake), Sara and Payton; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Lund was honored with a celebration of life Feb. 11 at the Embassy Suites, Portland Airport. The reception saw between 250 and 300 people show up to pay their respects. According to daughter Nancy, “there wasn’t a person there he hadn’t probably personally helped.”
While teaching at Parkrose High, Dennis Godsil helped develop a humanities program.
COURTESY GODSIL FAMILY
Dennis William Godsil
Feb. 27, 1934 to Jan. 29, 2018
Dennis was born on Feb. 27, 1934, in Seattle, Wash., to parents Alice (Gamer) and Dennis William Godsil and passed away Jan. 29, 2018. He was raised in Seattle, Alaska and Portland, Ore., eventually graduating from Grant High School in 1952. He went on to pursue a degree in education at Portland State College and obtained his bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from Eastern Oregon University in 1962. While studying and working at Yaw’s Top Notch, he met Donna Andrews. They married and had four children.
After graduation, he taught English at Parkrose High School from 1962 to 1967, where he also helped to develop an innovative humanities program. He then moved to The Dalles, where he continued to teach until he retired in 1986. He enlightened his students with his love of dramatic literature. Shakespeare was his passion both in and out of the classroom. He could be found spending time with his longtime friend Peter in Ashland, and the Shakespeare Festival was the highlight of his summers.
Dennis loved the outdoors, biking, kayaking and camping. The Oregon coast was a favorite spot, where he was sure to have the biggest fire in the campground. Exploring Oswald West and Cape Lookout and finishing up with oysters in Pacific City were just a few of his favorite activities. He also liked to hike the trails in the Columbia River Gorge. During his retirement years, he could be found cruising the lakes and estuaries throughout Oregon in his kayak. Dennis also loved music of all kinds—but especially classical and jazz
Dennis is survived by his brothers, Mike (Delphi) of Chandler, Ariz.; Marty (Sandy) of Kingston, Wash.; Pat (Nancy) of Arvada, Colo.; and his sister, Alys (Marcio Carrasco) of Vancouver, Wash. He will be greatly missed by his children, Gary (Carin) of Forest Grove; Aaron of Hillsboro; Mike (Juli) of San Jose, Calif.; and Colleen (Dave Erickson) of Sherwood; and fond memories will also be cherished by his grandchildren.
A celebration of life has been held.
Previously published in The Oregonian.
Judy Yost was a fixture in Parkrose schools and classrooms.
COURTESY YOST FAMILY
Judith (Judy) Ann Yost
Jan. 12, 1945 to Jan. 24, 2018
Judith Ann Yost died unexpectedly at the age of 73 in her home in Portland, Ore. Born in Portland to Marion and Robert Murphy, Judy graduated from Roosevelt High School in June of 1963 and married Buzz Yost on June 6, 1964. Judy was a homemaker who spent several years as the Parent-Teacher Association president at Sacramento Elementary in the Parkrose School District. She also worked for the district in many different roles, including community school educator, teacher’s aide and reader for Prescott, Shaver and Sacramento students.
With her husband Buzz of 53 years, Judy enjoyed spending time with her family watching everyone in their backyard pool, vacationing in Hawaii and enjoying week-long driving trips with Buzz to central Oregon and the Oregon coast. Judy loved talking about her hometown and everything about it, especially current politics. She supported the Portland Police Bureau and all that they do.
Judy and Buzz are lifelong baseball fans and never missed a Yankees versus Mariners series in Seattle in the past 30 years. Some of Judy’s favorite memories included taking her grandson Conor to New York Yankees games in Seattle.
Judy is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband Buzz, children Darin (Marci) and Kelly Winning and grandson Conor Winning. She is also survived by her brother Brad Murphy (Rita); sister-in-law Doreen Peterson of Eugene; and many nieces, nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.
A service has been held. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Oregon Humane Society are suggested.
