Mabel Jane Shahan, life long area resident of Oakesdale, passed away Friday, December 9, 2011 at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax. She was 96. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, December 17th at 10:30 a.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church in Oakesdale. Rev. Erik Buhl will officiate and burial will follow in the Oakesdale Cemetery. Viewing for friends and family will be Thursday and Friday from 9 to 4 at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax. Mabel was born March 1, 1915 near Oakesdale to Andrew Jackson and Betty Jane Hall Lisenbee. She started school at Cottonwood near Steptoe Butte, and then graduated from 8th grade at Deep Cut near Oakesdale. After graduating from Oakesdale High School in 1933, she attended Kinman Business College in Spokane. Mabel met the love of her life Gerald "Johnny" Shahan from Steptoe and the two were married October 6, 1934 in Steptoe. They moved to Oakesdale where they worked for Frank McCroskey and later bought the farm and operated it for over 50 years. Johnny died in 1990 and Mable moved in to town. She raised beautiful flower gardens and always had a large garden to take care of. She enjoyed her years working alongside Johnny on the farm. She enjoyed crocheting and embroidery and made her children and grandchildren beautiful afghans and dollies. Mabel was active in bowling leagues both in Tekoa and in Colfax. She belonged to the Oakesdale Grange, Granite Hill Club, Oakesdale Presbyterian Church where she sang in the church choir for many years, and the Rebekah Lodge and Red Hatters. She loved getting together for family dinners and everyone loved her cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies. She is survived by daughters and spouses Beverly & Harold Wohlers of Spokane, Marlena & Gary Gregory of Klamath Falls, OR and son Gerald of Oakesdale; her grandchildren, Tim Wohlers, Vicki Neher, Tammy Mullins and Christine Connors all of Spokane, Brian Gregory and Kathy Shadley of Klamath Falls, OR, and Katrina Rambo of Spangle, WA., 14 great-grandchildren, Derek Wohlers, Amber Christensen, Carrisa and Justin Neher, Tiffany Skidmore, Ryan and Christopher Mullins, Ashley and Nicole Connors, Cameron and Caleb Shadley, Kaitlyn and Austin Rambo and 3 great-great-grandchildren, Gaige Christensen, Luke Wohlers and Ariana Gray. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Stuart Shahan, in 1991 and by her brothers Palmer, Macy, Virgil, Claude and James Lisenbee and her sisters, Hassie Dobbins, Gladys Turner and Flossie Gordon. The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Oakesdale Presbyterian Church or to the Oakesdale Fire Department. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
Bruning Funeral Home, Colfax, is caring for the family.