Obituary of Lois J. Guard

Lois Guard passed away in Vancouver October 3, 2009 at the age of 84. Born Lois Jean Horning on April 2, 1925 to John W. and Iris Horning, Lois attended Washougal Schools and Washington State College Now WSU. In 1947 she married George Guard and together they raised eight children. In 1965-66 they also sponsored Lan Le, an AFS student from Saigon, South Vietnam. They later helped sponsor her family to the United States during the Saigon airlifts. Lois and George owned Columbia Litho in Camas for 10 years before selling the business to their son Pat. Prior to Columbia Litho they were partners in the business with Tom & Alice Blair for 30 years. Lois was active in many areas, including St. Thomas Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, St. Thomas Aquinas Guild, Camasino, AFS and numerous bowling leagues. Lois was also named Citizen of the Year in Camas-Washougal in 1990 and was a Life Member of Orchard Hills Golf Club. Lois also was very involved in C-W Little League, Babe Ruth and coached the very first girls softball team in C-W. She wrote a weekly column for the Post Record entitled Guarded Comment for over 20 years and was also a professional singer in her younger years. She volunteered for junior golf programs and also helped produce the first color Annual for WHS in 1971. Lois is survived by her children Susan Whitten, Anne Guard, Jeff Guard, Pat Charmane Guard, Betsy John Ward and Sean Annie Guard, as well as 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren and three nieces Cindy Horning Kelley, Charlynne Horning Baker and Christine Horning Scott and their families. The Guard family also informally adopted Tom & Sherlyn Walsh and their family many years ago. Lois was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, George, children Tom and Nikki and her brother John G. Horning. A Rosary service will be held at 5 PM on Thursday October 8 at St. Thomas Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday October 9 at 11 AM at St. Thomas. Interment will be at the Washougal Memorial Cemetery. To send condolences or to sign the online guestbook visit www.straubsfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Lois' name to Alzheimer's, a cause that she felt very strongly about. Donation checks may be sent c/o Straub's Funeral Home, 325 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607.