Louise Pyle

October 5, 1931-October 17, 2020
Louise, 89, was born in Littcarr, Kentucky, to Curtis and Alta Amburgey. Her siblings were Audrey Blumenstein, Aubrey “Jack” Amburgey, Beulah “Boots” Tallman, Garnett Amburgey and Beuford Amburgey, all deceased.

Louise was always proud of her eastern Kentucky roots. She descended from German, Scottish and Irish immigrants who brought music and religion to the mountains in the 1700s. The family remained there for many generations despite the harsh setting. Her paternal grandmother was known for her moonshine and wore a pistol strapped to her thigh, and her maternal grandmother was a midwife who traveled on horseback through the hollows delivering babies. During the Depression when her father could no longer support the family through farming, they traveled as far west as the railroad could take them and settled in Mineral, Washington. Louise grew up in the shadow of majestic Mt. Rainier, and her father and uncles made their living in the dense forest.

Her father died when she was 10, leaving a young widow with five children and little means of support. Fortunately, Toy Vaughn Jackson, a shy, tall Tennessean with a guitar and sweet melodies stepped in and swept Alta and her children off their feet.

Louise moved to Salem to attend high school while living with her older sister Beulah and her husband Everett. She walked to school each day past a real estate office where movie star handsome Ted Pyle spotted her. He was happy to spot her again at The Crystal Gardens, a popular dance hall in Salem. After they danced and he offered to drive her home, she told him her family would never allow that because they hadn’t met him. He showed up at their house shortly thereafter to introduce himself. After Louise moved back to Mineral, he followed her there. When told she wouldn’t return to Salem without her family, he found them a house in Salem and helped them move! His persistence paid off and they were married on July 31, 1949.

Soon they welcomed three little girls, Susen, Janice and Bonnie. As a mother, Louise was active in PTA, as a room mother and a 4H leader. She made her girls’ clothes and their dolls’ clothes, taught them to dance, and read and sang to them throughout their childhood. She attended every school activity, choir concert and music recital, and she denied herself many things so her girls would have more. She instilled in her daughters her deep faith, faith that allows the family to rejoice that she is in Heaven with Ted, all her loved ones and her precious puppy Pearl.

Louise was blessed with five grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. She and Ted provided them with beautiful childhoods, countless life lessons about the importance of family, and unwavering, unconditional love. The grandchildren enjoyed frequent sleepovers, baking together, bubble baths, swimming at the family cabin, camping trips, cruises, magical holidays, games and stories. Louise was happiest when surrounded by her family.

Shortly before she passed away, the family held a socially distanced 89th birthday party for her. Guests brought her sedums for a garden that will one day be transplanted at the rebuilt family cabin recently lost in the Santiam wildfires. It will be called “Granny’s Garden.”

During her birthday party and her final week on earth, she saw all of her grandchildren, ten of her great-grandchildren and three of her great-great-grandchildren. It was a testament to how much she was adored by every generation. A special treat was meeting her youngest great-great-granddaughter Alice shortly before Louise passed away. She told her grandchildren she loved them over and over, in fact those were her last words on earth.

Left to cherish Louise’s memory are her daughters Susen Ritchey and husband Reed, Janice Hoffman and husband Gordon, Bonnie Vinyard, and daughter of her heart Debra Jo Caudy. She was predeceased by her son-in-law Roger.

Louise is also missed by her adoring grandchildren Korri Hoffman Ormsby and husband Michael, Dustin Thomas, Braden Thomas and wife Valerie, Casey Hoffman and wife Teresa, and Allison Sandoval and husband Luke.

Missing their Great-Granny are Devin Abrams, Cody Thomas, Caitlyn Parker and husband Triston, Tana Hoffman, Cole Thomas, Colby Thomas, Noah Sandoval, Addison Thomas, Joshua Sandoval, Cass Thomas and Chloe Thomas.

Louise was blessed with three great-great-granddaughters Kimber Louise, Aiyana Celine, and Alice Scarlett, and great-great-grandson Samuel Dustin.

Louise is also survived by beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She lost her husband Ted in 2019, shortly before their 70th anniversary.

This is an excerpt from a poem Louise wrote many years ago:
Always a pleasure, my three little girls, with pretty dresses and beautiful long curls.
. . .Seems only yesterday they were babies, now they are grown.
And it’s weddings, husbands and homes of their own.
. . .How will I cope when they all move away, so lonely and quiet,
but it gets a little better each day.
Soon I am blessed with a grandchild, oh, what a joy!
First a pretty granddaughter and then a grandson, an adorable little boy!
Then two more precious grandsons and another lovely little girl.
It’s not lonely or quiet now, my life is constantly in a whirl.
How I love them all, grandchildren, daughters and sons.
And how proud I am of each and every one.
Birthdays, holidays and visits all year. I’m happiest when I have them all here.
My girls have grown up and we’ve become such good friends.
I treasure their friendship and pray it never ends.
We’ve all changed a lot but still love one another.
My greatest gift in life has been being their mother.

Donations may be made in Louise’s memory to Gales Creek Camp Foundation for Children with Diabetes at support.galescreekcamp.org, or 6950 SW Hampton St. Suite 242, Tigard, OR 97223. Louise’s beloved great-grandson Noah, who was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes in 2018, raised funds the past two years in order to attend camp and pay for other kids to attend, as well.

A graveside service will be held at Restlawn Memorial Gardens at 201 Oak Grove Road, Salem, OR, 97304 at 2:00pm on November 12 with masks and social distancing required. Viewing will be from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Restlawn on November 11.