Elsie G. Hemingway

Elsie Emily Graham (Parks) Hemingway passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 27, 2014 at Royal Gardens. She was 94 years old. Elsie was born February 29, 1920 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England to Richard Holden and Amy Clarinda (Heap) Graham. She was the oldest of four girls. The family moved to Rochester, NY in 1924. After high school she attended Madison College (now James Madison University) in Harrisburg, VA. She married Dred Francis Parks in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 30, 1941. On December 7th the Japanese planes flew directly over their house on the bombing run to Pearl Harbor. Elsie was evacuated from Hawaii on April 6, 1942. The Parks were stationed in Santa Barbara, CA where Captain Parks was killed in an airplane accident on September 18, 1942. Their daughter, Gail Parks, was born in Rochester, NY March 30, 1943. Elsie married Major Ernest Robert Hemingway in Sebring, FL on December 26, 1945. Ellen Graham Hemingway was born November 13, 1946 in La Jolla, CA. A year later, November 1948, Elsie took the two girls to Tsingtao, China to join Major Hemingway who had been ordered to China just eleven days after Ellen was born. The following November, 1948, the family was evacuated from Tsingtao. The city fell to the communists even before the they reached the United States. Their youngest daughter, Kathleen Eastwood Hemingway was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 20, 1950. Following Lt. Col. Hemingway's retirement from the Marine Corp in 1962 the family moved to Grants Pass, OR. Elsie, who had always been an active volunteer, joined the Pink Lady Hospital Auxiliary. She was the Director of Pink Ladies for two years. During her term as Director, in 1967, the Christmas Home Tour was started as a fund raiser. In 1968 Elsie joined PEO Chapter CD. Chapter EH was started in 1972. Elsie was the president of Chapter EH for two years as well as holding many other offices over the course of 46 years in the organization. She continued to enjoy the friendship and support of her PEO sisters right to her last days. Mr. and Mrs. Hemingway traveled extensively. They visited all 50 states and 21 foreign countries. Once her traveling days were over she was an avid reader and loved to do nightly crossword puzzles. She read hundreds of books from the Josephine Community Library on her Kindle. Elsie donated generously to PEO scholarships, Josephine County Food Bank and Fort Vannoy Elementary School. Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie, who passed away October 4, 2004 and by her three younger sisters. She is survived by daughters Gail Hemingway Garcia and her husband Harold of Los Angeles, CA and Snellville, GA; Ellen (Ellie) Graham DeBo and her husband Fritz of Grants Pass, OR and Cornville, AZ; and Kathleen (Kathie) Hemingway Hill and her husband Randy of Grants Pass and Little River, SC; and by her five grandchildren: Leslie (Garcia) Caesar and her husband Norman of Snellville, GA; Brett Garcia of Doral, FL; Scott DeBo and his wife Rebecca of Salt Lake City, UT; Amie DeBo of Gold Beach, OR and Kara DeBo of Grants Pass. She also has six great-grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the staff of Asante Three Rivers Hospital and Royal Gardens for their care and attention to Mrs. Hemingway's comfort. We especially appreciate Dr. Bruce Murray for his years of support to us and to both of our parents. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marge Bartle Scholarship Fund of PEO or to a charity of your choice.

Service Information

Thursday, December 11th, 2014 6:00pm, Stephens Family Chapel

Interment Details

Eagle Point National Cemetery