McKERCHER 90th

Family and friends gathered at the home of Madeline Mary McKercher on June 22, 2016, to celebrate her 90th birthday. A delicious dinner was prepared and served by her family to all the guests.

Madeline Mary McPhail was born in Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada, the eldest of three girls. Her father, Granger, was employed much of his life as a lumberjack. The parents separated, and the girls were basically raised by their father.

Her first seven years of school were in the Rosedale Public School. Grades seven through nine were in Nampa, Idaho, and then Madeline went to boarding school at Canadian Junior College (now Berman University) in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. She graduated from high school in 1945 and stayed for one more year of pre-nursing. Then she moved to Portland, Ore., where she studied nursing at the Portland Sanitarium and Hospital (now Adventist Medical Center), graduating in 1949.

Her work experience began at the same hospital where she had been a student, and she found her niche in the operating room. After years of operating room experience, she enrolled at the Mid-Tennessee School of anesthesia in Madison, Tenn., graduating in 1966 as a nurse anesthetist. This allowed her to have job security and at the same time to get acquainted with much of her adopted country.

In 1973, Madeline began her employment at Tillamook County General Hospital (now Tillamook Regional Medical Center), which had just begun an affiliation with the Adventist Health system. She worked in Tillamook until her retirement in 1995. Interestingly enough, when she retired, it took three nurse anesthetists to replace her.

She was married to Gordon Swanson in 1965, and they became the parents of two sons, Eric and Leif. Gordon passed away in 1997. In 2000, Madeline married Robert McKercher, who passed away in 2006.

Both of Madeline’s sons live in Tillamook. She loves gardening and spends a lot of time and care in the upkeep of her yard and garden. She also enjoys handwork, especially cross-stitch and crocheting. She is a member of the Tillamook Church.

She is cherished by her sons; her daughter-in-law, Audra; two grandchildren, Tiffany and Taylor; 3 step-children; 4 step-grandchildren; and 5 step-great-grandchildren.