Martha Genevieve Tripp

Martha Genevieve "Marty" Tripp, 91, died Wednesday in Albany of causes related to her age. Marty was born in Edgeley, North Dakota, the adopted daughter of Anna and George Van Horn of Ellendale, North Dakota. After her father's family grocery business failed during the Great Depression, she moved with her folks to Albany in the fall of 1936. She graduated from Albany High School in 1937 and studied sociology for two years at Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho. As a young woman in Albany, she worked at a dime store on First Avene, where Rodney Tripp became a frequent customer. She eloped with him to Reno on August 14, 1941, a marriage that lasted 69 years, and prompted Rod to forever refer to the million-dollar baby he found at the five-and-ten-cent store. During World War II while her husband served in the U.S. Navy, Marty lived with Rod's parents and in Miami, Florida, while Rod trained to skipper a subchaser. After the war, they settled back in Albany. Marty was active in the Jaycee Wives and worked hard to assure the success of the Albany Timber Carnival when it was revived after the war. Marty had a lifelong love of music, played the piano and sang beautifully. She was an early supported and board member of the Albany Community Concert Association; a founding member of the Albany General Hospital "Pink Ladies" volunteer group; and a fine seamstress known for her remarkable tailoring. Survivors include her husband, Rodney; son Randall W. "Randy" Tripp of Albany; daughter Julie Lou Tripp of Portland; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Russell W. and Duffy Tripp of Albany; granddaughters Sarah Tripp of Palm Springs, California, and Sarah's mother, Lauren McLaglan of Salem; Ashleigh Tripp of Palm Springs, California, and Haley Tripp of San Francisco, and their mother, Nancee Wines of Albany; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, Van and Gert Van Horn. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, February 8, at Fisher Funeral Home. A reception and celebration of Marty's life will follow from 2 to 4 p.m. at Sweet Waters Family Restaurant, 2830 Santiam Hwy S.E. Memorial contributions to the Albany Regional Museum may be made in care of Fisher Funeral Home, 306 Washington St. S.W., Albany, OR 97321.