Madge Lorraine McClellan

Madge Jelinek, born Madge Lorraine McClellan, died at the home of her daughter Kate and son-in-law Michael Powers in Portland, Ore., on December 26, 2014, three days following her 99th birthday, which she reached due in large part to Kate’s and Michael’s loving care for the last five years.

She was born on a farm in Kootenai County, Idaho, the oldest of four children of Howard (PH) and Sallie McClellan and raised on a wheat farm outside Dutton, Mont. Her three siblings predeceased her: Betty (Ross Jones), Jim (Rose Anne) and Dave.

In high school, she played basketball and ran track, winning a state medal in the hurdles. She met her future husband, George Jelinek, at a dance in Dutton, and they attended Intermountain Union College, now Rocky Mountain, in Helena, and were married in 1936. For the next two years, they lived seasonally in Yellowstone Park, where George had worked for the CCC.

In 1938, they headed to Tempe, Ariz., with children Deloris and Howard, so George could complete his degree at Arizona State. In 1939, they returned to Montana, where George began his career as a small town school superintendent, living in Highwood, Big Sandy where daughter Sally was born, Denton, and finally Harlowton, where daughter Kathleen was born.

Madge was a partner with George in a 20 year Montana career that included local and statewide associations with teachers and communities in which they lived. In 1959, they moved to Oregon, where Madge began a career as secretary-bookkeeper in local schools. Her oldest daughter, Deloris, and husband Ken Scally relocated from Montana to Oregon in 1965 with their four children, Kevin, Keith, Kendall, and Kolleen, so Madge was able to be active in the lives of her grandchildren.

Madge retired in 1980 from Barlow High School outside Gresham, Ore. During her time at Barlow, she served as the lead in contract negotiations for her local School Employees Association. With her family, she attended Gresham Methodist Church and served in several roles including with the women’s service group of the church. Always a brilliant bridge player, she enjoyed playing with clubs as well as her family.

In 1984, Madge and George moved from Portland to Oak Crest Estates in Fallbrook, Calif., close to son Howard and his wife Judith in Laguna Beach and daughter Sally in Costa Mesa. After George passed away in 1988, Madge became actively involved in the Oak Crest Estates Cooperative, contributing her considerable organizational and financial skills to support fellow homeowners. She traveled frequently by plane and car, driving until she was 95, to spend time with family and her very good friend Alice Wight in Arizona.

In 2004, she lost her daughter Deloris, leaving a huge void for the entire family, but has added other family by birth and marriage, including son-in-law George Westrom (Sally). In her last years at Oak Crest, she received loving support from her grandson Kendall and his wife Roula who lived close by in San Diego. We have all been able to enjoy her vibrancy, intellect and wisdom up until the last months of her life.

She is survived by three of her children; six grandchildren (including Ian Marx and Jessica Powers) and their spouses; eight great-grandchildren; her beloved niece, Lynn (Juelfs) Cooper, and many beloved nephews, including Kelly McClellan who, living in California, was able to be very much part of her life. Cousin Virginia Campbell of Glendale, Calif., survives her.

No services are planned. She may be remembered by donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center.