Hey, It’s Mary Lou’s 90th—and You’re Invited!

By Marie KennedyThe Mountain Times

On Saturday, August 16th, the community will gather at the Mt. Hood Lions Club to honor Mary Lou Dunham, a long-time local, loving mother, horsewoman, and neighbor, as she turns 90. There will be food, drinks, laughter, and more than a few stories.

We had the chance to sit down with Mary Lou recently in her cozy Brightwood home, joined by her son Bill Dunham Jr. and daughter Laurie Trelstad. As the conversation picked up, the stories began to tumble out – sometimes one on top of another – full of memories, laughter, and affection.

Mary Lou Matthews met Bill Dunham when she was just a freshman at Camas Valley High School in southern Oregon. From the start, it was clear this was not a casual teenage fling — though her mother certainly hoped it was. “She said he wasn’t a nice boy and I wasn’t allowed to go out with him,” Mary Lou said, shaking her head. “But I was getting tired of fighting with her about it. So I snuck out to see him.”

Eventually, she decided to stop hiding it. “I told her, ‘I’m gonna tell you something, and hopefully you’ll be happy for us. I’m going to marry that boy, and he wants to marry me.’” And that was that. “I don’t remember what she said, but she probably figured she may as well give it up.”

The couple married in 1952. Mary Lou had to finish summer school to graduate early so they could marry before her senior year. It turned out she was still short one PE credit. Luckily, the school principal stepped in and signed off on her graduation. She was able to marry and still walk with the class of 1953.

Mary Lou and Bill began married life in Roseburg, but when Bill entered the service, she returned home to be with family during her pregnancy with their first child, Laurie. Their second child, Bill Jr., was born in 1955 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. A few years and a few moves later, their third child, Jeff, was born in Roseburg in 1963.

Eventually, the family looked northward for new opportunities. Mary Lou remembered looking at houses in Beaverton and thinking, “I don’t think this is the place for us – too much going on here.” Then one day, they saw a listing for a house in the Mount Hood area. It needed work, but it had charm. And it was in the country. That sealed the deal.

They moved to Brightwood before the new highway was even finished. Their home sat along the old Mount Hood Highway. That first Christmas in their new place, they gave the kids a Shetland pony. “He was like a Palomino,” Laurie remembered, smiling. “He was beautiful.”

When the family landed in Brightwood, Laurie attended Sandy High School. Bill Jr. ended up at the old Welches schoolhouse – a building that’s sadly long gone. “I was the last eighth grader to graduate from the old school building,” Bill Jr. said fondly. A few years later, Jeff started first grade in the then-new Welches Elementary building.

In 1972, they upgraded to their forever home just up the road on Brightwood Loop, a property with more land – and more space for horses. Installing a manufactured home on the site wasn’t easy back then; it took extra work with the county to get it approved. But they made it happen, and the new place gave them everything they needed: a little more room to breathe, and plenty of pasture.

There was always something going on at the Dunham place. Bill Sr. worked constantly. He ran the service station in Rhododendron – and added a rental shop, and then U-Haul rentals. Later, he worked with his son Jeff to help build the bridge in Wildwood Park. They also worked together to install underground cable in the park.

Later, Bill and Mary Lou began wintering in Yuma, Arizona. “We enjoyed going down every year,” she said. “It was friendly, and we’d see the same faces year after year.” Those trips became part of their rhythm too, until they grew harder to make. Bill passed in 2020.

Still, Mary Lou has kept her Brightwood home and her spirit. These days she’s fostering horses for friends in Welches. “I’ve missed having horses on the property,” she said. “Plus, they help keep the grass down,” she added with a smile.

As we finished flipping through old photos, Mary Lou stood and nodded toward the back door. “I want to show you something,” she said. She led us out onto the porch and motioned toward the view. “That’s my mountain,” she said quietly, pointing to the tree-lined hill in the distance. The pastures stretched out below. “I sit out here in the morning. I just love the view.”

Good for you, Mary Lou. May you enjoy many more mornings with your family, your horses, and that mountain view. Happy 90th – and thank you for sharing your story.

The party is open to all:

Saturday, August 16, 2025

Mt. Hood Lions Club

24730 E Woodsey Way, Welches, OR

Starts at noon

Food and drinks provided. No gifts needed, your presence is enough.

This is your chance to stop by, give her a hug, and raise a glass to a long life – still going strong