Amy Marie Deffenbaugh

Amy was born January 11th, 1932 and died peacefully surrounded by her family February 28th, 2024. She was born in rural north central Wisconsin, Harmony Township, Catawba region, the first of 8 children to Arthur and Rose Worsech. The family lived in Wisconsin until moving to Portland, Oregon in 1943 to work in the war effort. After graduating from Cleveland High School, Amy took a secretarial job in Portland. Shortly thereafter, she met her best friend's brother. That meeting led to her marriage to Leon Deffenbaugh in 1949. The newlyweds began their marriage in Portland and started a family. In 1954 they moved the family to Salem for a job opportunity. In 1957 Amy and Leon found "the place they've been looking for," a small farm 4 miles NW of Brooks to put down permanent roots.

With their fourth child only a few months old, Amy's focus was as a homemaker, seamstress, quilter, weaver, 4-H instructor, farm manager, bookkeeper, and all things regarding her kids which was a never ending job. She won numerous blue ribbons at the State Fair for her quilts and made a fantastic quilt for each of her grandchildren for their high school graduation. After Leon's retirement they bought a 650 acre ranch in central Oregon with timber, grazing, and alfalfa. They built a beautiful log home with a view overlooking the ranch. She always loved to have her grandchildren close and they loved to be either at the farm on the ranch. Unfortunately, Leon died in an accident at the ranch in 1996 and Amy moved back to Salem to be closer to her grandchildren.

After a couple of years, she reconnected with Leon's brother (Lionel) whose wife had died some 10 years earlier. They married and she moved to Nevada. In 2016 Amy and Lionel moved back to Keizer to be closer to family. It was a great blessing for all the family that she was here the last years of her life with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was industrious, strong, healthy, and a determined lady until the last year of life when she began suffering from effects of congestive heart failure.

There is a large empty place in all our hearts as we go forward without her. Amy was proceeded in death by her parents, brothers Harold and Wilbert, younger sister Paulette, sister-in-law Sandra Worsech, and husband Leon, and Lionel. She is survived by her children Lonny (Barb), Carolyn Poach (Curtis), Loren (Melinda), and Craig (Gina). Sister Shirley Kester, Anita Lindiman, Jackie Haworth, Cheryl Wright and sister-in-law Pat Worsech, 11 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and a large number of nieces and nephews.

She will be entombed at Restlawn Memory Gardens in Polk County. A celebration of life will be held on April 2, 2024 at 2pm at the Scenic Valley Farms, located at 12423 River Rd N Gervais, OR 97026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Honor Flights.