“She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.” (Proverbs 3:15-18) 

Like branches on a tree, our family and community has grown in different directions, yet our roots remain as one - Delores Cynthia Russell Roeder was a core root that grounded us all with her beauty, grace, and resiliency for 82 years.

She was born to Fred and Ruth Russell on June 7, 1939. The youngest and only girl among four rambunctious logger brothers, she had an amazing ability of wielding gentle strength and exercising great patience. At 16 years of age Delores fell in love with one of her brothers’ buddies, Murray Hollister, who she married in 1955. Together they roamed the West from work gigs in Santa Cruz to pursuing the logging boom in Colorado camps. They had an adventurous six years together and three children: Kristi, Dawn and Twila.

In 1961 Delores found herself suddenly widowed and she returned to her Umpqua homeland. There she eventually met and married her soul mate, John Roeder, in 1964. John built her forever home on Hubbard Creek Road, and they had two children: John Jr. and Kitty. The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Delores as she grew her blended family and put down roots as a devoted and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Delores had an uncanny ability to find happiness in her daily activities of growing her family and the land - helping John with the ranch, playing with her grandchildren by the creek, cooking for the hay haulers and always hatching a new plot to keep the deer out of the garden and flower beds. When she needed a break from the valley, she would seek the sea and loved visits to the coast for soothing waves and a full family hunt for the perfect sand dollar shell. She always found great joy in nature’s beauty and especially loved the wildflowers that popped up along the old logging roads throughout her homeland. For over 55 years of marriage, John brought her the elusive Lady’s Slipper flower every spring from his forest treks.

On July 16th, 2021, surrounded by flowers and the many branches of her loving family, Delores passed peacefully in her home, holding the hand of her beloved husband. She shepherded her family and neighbors with teachings of kindness and a genuine unconditional love that has left a beacon of light for the Umpqua community. She is survived by her husband John and children Dawn (Buster), Twila, John Jr. (Cyndi) and Kitty (Andy), along with many grandchildren and great grandchildren.