Mae Aune

1926 - 2020

Mae Eloise Douglas Montgomery Aune

June 13, 1926 – December 25, 2020

Mae was born in Portland to Royal "Doug" Endicott Douglas and Audra Geraldine "Jerry" Akers Douglas. They moved to the Douglas family home in Harrisburg two years later and Mae lived in Harrisburg for the next 80 years. In her mind, she lived in Harrisburg always.

Mae met Gertrude Cramer when they walked to school together on the first day of first grade. They remained best friends all their lives. They were two of the 12 members of the Harrisburg High School graduating class of 1944.

Mae was dating a boy from Oklahoma whose brothers and sisters had moved to Harrisburg when another brother came home on leave from the Army in January 1945. She married the furloughed brother, Donald Anthony Montgomery, on January 19, 1945 after a two-week romance. He returned to duty and came back to Mae in August.

Don and Mae worked the McNutt farm south of Harrisburg after the war, growing mint, corn, carrots, sheep, cattle, and winter cover crops. They lived in the H.A. Davis house, built in 1852, with daughters Marilyn and Susie, occasional dogs, and barn cats, notably Arthur and Handy.

Don died suddenly on December 7, 1965. Mae and the girls moved into town after Don's death, to an apartment on Smith Street, then a little house on Quincy Street that Mae's stepfather, Elmer Bryant, and her uncle, Bruce Akers, remodeled for them. Mae did a variety of jobs to support the girls: she was an Avon lady; row boss for weeding crews on Harrisburg area farms; short-order cook at The Round Table in Harrisburg and a diner in Monroe; teacher aide at Harris Elementary School; and a janitor at Harrisburg Elementary.

A lifelong reader who instilled a love of books in both daughters, Mae landed her dream job when she became Harrisburg city librarian. Patrons looked to Mae to recommend books for them and she honored borrowers by taking photos of everyone and covering the walls of the library with them. She retired from the library in 1996 at age 70.

Mae was an artist. In high school, she drew pin-up girls with colored pencils and pastels. She painted with acrylics and oils. She crocheted scores of afghans and doilies and snowflakes to hang on Christmas trees. She embroidered pillowcases and tablecloths and hand-colored photographs.

She was a pianist who couldn't read music but could play any tune by converting it to the key of C. "The Undertaker's Stomp" was her original composition, and she played "Ave Maria "at twice the normal tempo, creating the music of a waterfall.

She baked and decorated dozens of wedding and birthday cakes. She wrote "pomes". She named everything - stuffed animals, houseplants, cars. She had beautiful cursive handwriting. She had the sense of humor of a stand-up comic and passed that on to her granddaughter. She entertained everyone she met, and saw the good in everyone. She loved movies and knew more about rock music than her daughters or their friends ever cared to know. She loved M&Ms, peanut butter on graham crackers, and Coke. No one makes better deviled eggs or peanut butter fudge.

Mae married Clifford Julian Aune on March 1, 1976. The marriage added three stepchildren and their families to Mae's circle, and included a few trips to North Dakota, where Cliff grew up. Cliff died June 21, 1991.

Mae survived colon cancer, aortic valve replacement, and a half-hip replacement. Her memory became unreliable after the heart surgery and she moved to Quail Run Assisted Living at the Mennonite Village in Albany October 26, 2008. She moved to Lydia's House memory care October 29, 2019. She lived longer than anyone in her family, ever.

She was a lifelong member of the Harrisburg United Methodist Church.

Mae is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Marilyn and Stanford Smith of Albany and Susie and Kerry Williams of Salem; granddaughter Angela McKee (Allen) and grandchildren Brett and Alexis McKee, all of Junction City; best friend Gertie Cramer, Harrisburg; brothers Wayne Douglas of Union, Kenny Douglas (Ellen) of Marcola, and John Douglas (Bobbie) of Sweet Home; stepson Merrit Aune (Sue) of Everett, Idaho; and stepgrandsons James and Justin Aune of Harrisburg and Tyler and Andrew Aune, Idaho.

Mae's brother James Douglas, sister Bonnie Douglas Christensen, stepson Merle "Buster" Aune, and stepdaughter Frances Aune Heckart died before her. Her grand-dog, Stella, ran on ahead, too.

Mae will be cremated with her childhood Teddy and interred in a private graveside service. She will be with Don and Cliff, Jerry and Elmer, and little Grandma Mabel at Rest Lawn Memorial Park, Junction City. Fisher Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A larger remembrance event will be held next year.

Think of Mae when you hear "Mary's Boy Child" and "It is Well with my Soul." Dance when you hear The BeeGees. When someone offends you, intentionally or not, look it as Mae would: "They meant well."" Online condolences may be posted at www.fisherfuneralhome.com.