Obituary: Naomi (Harshbarger) Frisbie, 103, Hood River Valley

Naomi (Harshbarger) Frisbie

Naomi (Harshbarger) Frisbie was born July 9, 1921, to Sarah Olive (Clark) and Orvil Earl Harshbarger in Drummond, Idaho. Her parents had moved out west from Kansas to start a farm of their own they named the Yellowstone Ranch as it was southwest of Yellowstone National Park in Southeast Idaho.

Naomi found her spot in the family very special with four older brothers to entertain her and an older sister to share chores and then a younger sister to play with. They had the only home in the area with indoor plumbing and generated their own electricity. Her bedroom was upstairs above the bathroom, so they received heat from below and had a gorgeous view of the Teton Mountains to the east. She always commented how she loved to look out on her mountains and what an idyllic childhood she had with hard work, family and friends, weekend picnics, walking or skiing to school, listening to the radio, reading, swimming in nearby Squirrel Creek and riding horses, especially her favorite, Old Sunny. Her dad farmed hay and grain with a team of horses and later with a steam tractor before modernizing to combustion engine machinery. During the depression her parents took on any extra work they could to keep the family and farm together. Naomi didn’t have extras but on a farm she didn’t go hungry. She kept the depression economy mentality of many people from her generation and struggled to get rid of anything because she might need it someday. Waste not, want not.

Education was encouraged in her family for both boys and girls, so it was important to Naomi and she received a 4-H scholarship to study home economics in Idaho, California and Oregon where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in 1947. During World War II times were hard and she had to work to save money before finishing her education. She taught high school in Kendrick, Idaho and later taught kindergarten and adult tailoring in California. She met Harold Raymond Frisbie while attending Oregon State University. One of her favorite sorority sisters was Marjorie Frisbie who had talked her brother into attending a dance with her as there would be an “older” gal. He wasn’t interested in dancing with young girls because he had just returned from 6 years serving in the Navy. After that dance a courtship developed including lots of dances with Harold in his be-ribboned Navy uniform and Nomy in the dresses she designed and sewed. They were married in Ashton, Idaho on September 7, 1947.

After marriage, Harold and Naomi moved to California where Harold had a job as a chemical engineer for Shell Oil Company. Naomi taught kindergarten in Martinez before son Norman was born in 1950. Joella followed in 1953 (not in 1952 like Margie likes to tease). Like every other mother in the neighborhood, Naomi stayed home with the children. From California, Harold’s work took them back to Oregon for 4 years, returning to California in 1957, 3 weeks before Margie was born.

Naomi led a very busy life raising a family, which included her mother who moved in with the family when Naomi’s dad died soon after Margie’s birth. She still found time to volunteer with Boy Scouts, 4-H, and PTA. There are many young girls who fondly remember learning to sew and cook in her 4-H classes. She was proud to have been a founding member of the Martinez, CA branch of American Association of University Women and stayed active in that organization for over 70 years.

Naomi returned to teaching in the 1960’s when her children were a little older. She substituted at Martinez middle and high school and taught night classes in sewing. She taught Microwave cooking when microwaves were the newest technology. She also took night classes in pottery and upholstery, recovering most of the family furniture.

Naomi and Harold always enjoyed the beauty of the Hood River Valley, where Harold had been raised and he still had family. They bought a small apple orchard to retire on and moved to the farm in 1982. As young retirees, they had lots of energy for projects around their house and on the farm, but they also enjoyed being around family and joining the local community. They grew a large garden, went camping, had picnics, picked huckleberries (always a full day adventure – ending with very purple tongues).

Naomi joined the Odell Garden Club and enjoyed years of flower arranging that brought out her artistic abilities and she made many wonderful friends. She always had flower arrangements in her house and would share arrangements for almost any reason. She specialized in the tall (3’) arrangements at the county fair – and was proud of receiving a best of show honor on more than one occasion.

Naomi was happy that all three of her children decided to move to the Hood River Valley and live nearby raising their families. Naomi was always game to go to any school or sporting activity where one of her 3 grandsons was participating. Sometimes you had to explain the sport to her (she never understood soccer), but she would cheer with enthusiasm. All three of her grandsons know how to make her Christmas crescent rolls and they carry on the tradition to this day. She and Harold loved playing games with grandsons and their friends. All three boys are excellent at math having spent many hours playing dominos and counting dots to make multiples of five and receive the maximum points possible.

Naomi also hosted family reunions, picnics, dinners, camping trips and always made delicious pies for special occasions. Her trick was to use ice water (not room temperature) in the crust, roll the dough on a pastry cloth and using an unvarnished wood rolling pin. She even packed a cast iron skillet on a two-day backpack trip down Eagle Creek to fry eggs and bacon for breakfast. That’s dedication.

In the go-go years of retirement, Harold and Naomi took many trips including Elder Hostels and cruises with friends. They purchased a trailer and used it for trips to Arizona and to Brookings, OR to escape the winter inversion at home. Always they were joining with family and friends on these trips – so evenings would be a group meal and a card game for their evening entertainment. You would be amazed what she made in that tiny trailer kitchen oven. Her biggest travel adventure was a solo visit to stay with her brother Jake in Tanzania, East Africa, where she went on safari and was awed by the beauty of the country, the friendly people she met during her stay and all the wild animals in their natural environment – not in a zoo.

Naomi started going to the Hood River pool after her first knee replacement and went consistently for the next 34 years. The Hood River Valley Parks and Rec awarded her a lifetime pass when she had her 100th birthday party at the pool. She swore that her consistent exercise and socialization, at the pool, was a major contributor to her long and healthy life.

She had a huge loss when Harold died in 2015. They had been married for 67 years. She survived, but was knocked back when her son, Norman, died in 2016. Again, she picked herself up and was determined to live in the home that she loved. She was able to stay there, living alone, for 7 years. This spring she moved to Parkhurst Place where she enjoyed the care and companionship she received, and the special care provided by Bobbi’s Way.

At 103, she was the last survivor of her generation in the family. She is survived by her daughters and their husbands: Joella and Paul Dethman, Margie and Jim Byrne; three grandsons and their wives: Jesse and Joann Dethman, Craig Dethman and Joanna Volger, Matt Byrne and Lauren Kolojejchick-Kotch; and her 2 great-grandchildren: Calvin Dethman and Frances Byrne. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other extended family as well as many friends as she treated as her family.

A Service will be held at Anderson’s Tribute Center (Hood River, OR), Saturday, December 21, 2:00 with a reception following the ceremony. A private interment will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations can be made to FISH (food bank) or The Next Door, Inc.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.