Dora Stroops

Dora Stroops passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, on Sunday, April 1, 2007, at the age of 94.

Dora was born Dec. 31, 1912, to Patrick Minahan and Bessie Leonard Minahan, in Emerson, N.D. She was the eldest of four children. The family moved to Oak Harbor in 1924 due to Patrick’s health. Dora attended Oak Harbor schools and graduated with the class of 1934. She worked for three years at Nash’s Drug Store. In 1936, she married Tom Stroops and the couple built a home on Maylor’s Point. Dora was active in the community and was a member of the Ground Observer’s Corps during World War II.

In 1947, husband Tom opened Stroops’ Garage, and the building remains today as the American Legion Hall on the corner of Barrington and Dock streets. Dora worked as a bookkeeper at the garage while raising three children. In 1958, the family moved to Recife, Brazil, where Tom worked for the Morrison-Knudsen Company and Dora worked on learning enough Portuguese to do the shopping and run the household. It was a wonderful adventure which began the wanderlust that filled the rest of her life.

After returning from Brazil in 1960, Tom’s work took them to various construction sites in Washington and Idaho for the next 10 years. They returned to Oak Harbor in the early ‘70s. Dora was a well-known “Avon Lady” on North Whidbey. She stood out in her job and was top seller for several years. After retirement Tom and Dora traveled across the U.S. and Mexico, especially to Baja, Calif., where they made many friends. In 1980, Dora’s dream of having a house not on wheels was realized with the building of their home at Rhodena Beach on property that Dora had bought in the early 1950s.

Dora was an avid gardener and a dedicated clam digger. She kept a large vegetable garden and attractive flowers and shrubs. She didn’t miss a clam tide for years until finally cracking a vertebra at age 88 carrying a bucket of clams up from the beach.

Dora was strong both physically and emotionally and was an inspiration to the many friends and family who loved her. She is survived by her daughters Pat Stwodah and husband Ibrahim of Farmville, Va., and Mickey Marshall and husband Don of Forestville, Calif.; a son, Vince Stroops and wife Kay of Asotin, Wash.; 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and her brother, Don Minahan and wife Pat of Federal Way. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom and her sisters Phyllis Race and Iris Engle.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, at Burley Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor. Remembrances may be made to Hospice of Whidbey General Hospital or Breast Cancer Society.