Doris Louise Ames

Doris Louise Ames, 95, passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. Graveside Memorial Services will be conducted on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 2:00 pm at Lakeview Cemetery. Doris was born at home in Ammon, Idaho on January 12, 1918, the daughter of William and May Hammer. She spent her early childhood on their farm with four sisters and five brothers. She was 11 years old when she lost all hearing from a statewide epidemic of meningitis and spent the next six years completing her education at the Idaho State School for the Deaf at Gooding, ID. In 1934, she graduated as Valedictorian and received her high school diploma. She returned to Ammon and worked as a housekeeper and cook for her grandmother. After six years she moved to Sandpoint, Idaho and married Merle Ames, who also graduated from the State School in Gooding. They married in December of 1940, and were married for 63 years. In 1941, their son, Raymond was born in Sandpoint. In 1942, the family moved to Portland, Oregon where Doris worked for the Albina Shipyard company. Her job was cleaning, preparing and riveting “Victory” cargo ships for the World War II effort. In 1946, after WWII, they returned to live in Dover, Idaho, where they spent their remaining married years together. In 1946, Doris had a second child, Carol, born in Sandpoint and remained home to care for her family for the next 10 years. In 1956, Doris returned to work and was employed by several families in Sandpoint as a housekeeper. Her final job was with the Jim Brown family where she worked for 20 years. Her home arts skills were remarkable and she was known for her beautiful gardens, berries and orchard as well. She always served as a homemaking resource to friends and family. She was a wonderful seamstress and enjoyed canning, fishing, yoga and traveling with her husband. In her later years she was especially proud of her grandchildren and helped to care for each of them. In 2007, due to poor health, Doris moved to the Life Care Center in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. She spent her remaining years there blessing the lives of her family, including many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Doris is survived by a son Raymond Ames; a daughter Carol Bean; grandchildren Mike Ames, Sarah Parks, Hilary Lewerenz, Melanie Nace, Matthew Bean, and Brian Bean; one brother Keith Hammer; ten great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merle Ames; four sisters; and four brothers.