Lois McNamara Schenck, 85, was born on Sept. 3, 1926 in Portland to Ruth R. and F. Ward McNamara. A lifelong Portlander, she attended Portsmouth, Gregory Heights and Fernwood grade schools, and graduated from Grant High School in 1944. She attended Oregon State College for three years, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She married Jackson Plume Schenck on July 8, 1950, in Portland, and they had three children, Craig, Lynne (Heller) of Vienna, Austria, and Carol (Garrett) of Highland Park, Ill. She resumed her college studies in 1960 at Portland State College, and earned a degree in education and a teaching certificate in 1964. She began a teaching career at Holy Redeemer School as a special reading teacher, assigned through the Portland Public School District. She taught there for 18 years and retired in 1986. She had one brother, Richard Ward McNamara, who predeceased her. Lois's life and interests were centered on her family, community and education. She was actively involved in the Kennedy School PTA, serving as president 1966-67, and participating in the Kennedy School PTA Past-Presidents' Group, which continues to meet until this day. She ran a home kindergarten during a year of budgetary constraints in the PPS. She was also involved in Sunday School leadership at Bethany Lutheran Church. Lois was kind, loving, generous, fun and serious. She liked to garden and to read good books and was interested in people and the world. She loved her old house where she spent her entire married life; she enjoyed good conversation with friends, square-dancing with Jackson and sunsets at her beach house. Lois was meticulous and organized, a gracious host, and an accomplished cook. She initiated extensive travels. Most importantly, she loved her devoted husband, Jackson, with whom she shared 62 wonderful years, and her children and grandsons, Nathan and Timothy, so very much. In addition to her immediate family, Lois is survived by niece Jan (Masa); sister-in-law, Muriel; and nephews, Rick and Chris (Debbie).