Surnames: Urness, Wikberg, Hobson, Thomas, Stover Carolyn Ann Urness, 73, a resident of The Dalles, died at her home on Tuesday, March 12, 2002. She was born in Salem on September 8, 1928, the younger of two daughters to Homer Lyle and Martha Catherine (Wikberg) Hobson. She and her sister, Katie, grew up in the logging camps around Castle Rock until her parents bought a small grocery store and moved to Portland when she was in the fifth grade. She was an honor student in the Class of 1945, at Jefferson High School and was selected as a Rose Festival princess in her senior year. She loved the piano and played the piano for a dance studio after school and on Saturdays. She also played for war bond shows at local shipyards, theaters and for the U.S. soldiers at Barnes Hospital in Portland. After graduation, she followed her high school sweetheart, Chuck Urness to Oregon State College, where she was a Kappa Kappa Gamma. Prior to her final year at college, she married Charles Richard Urness on September 4, 1948, in her parents' Portland home. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in education in three years. After graduation, they moved to The Dalles where he joined the staff of C.H. Urness Motors. She devoted 17 years to being a full time mom and wife, before beginning as a caseworker for the Children's Services Division in 1968. She spent 19 years protecting and advocating for abused or neglected children, before retiring in 1987. She enjoyed cruises with her husband, fishing for steelhead and spending time at the beach with her family. She was also a member of the United Church of Christ Congregational, A.A.U.W. and P.E.O., BF Chapter and The Dalles Country Club. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Chuck Urness, The Dalles; her children and their spouses, Molly and Darrell Thomas, Portland; Linda and Ron Stover, Toluca Lake, California; John and Linda Urness, Springfield, and Jeff and Connie Urness, Kennewick, Washington; her grandchildren, Jeff, Angela and Christie Stover, Shawn Thomas, Jordan, Barrett, Bailey, Sarah, Matt, Emily, Danny and Joey Urness, her brothers-in-laws and sister-in-law, Jerry Urness and Ed and Marilyn Urness. Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at United Church of Christ Congregational, Fifth and Court streets, with Reverend Karl Vercouteren officiating. Private cremation will be held at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory with Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Gorge, 751 Myrtle Street, The Dalles, Oregon 97058 or United Church of Christ Congregational, 111 E. Fifth Street, The Dalles, Oregon 97058. The Dalles Chronicle March 14, 2002 Written permission to reprint obituary given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon. Copied and submitted by Earline Wasser.