Obituary of Iris Mosier

On Friday, December 11, 2020, Iris Mae Mosier, loving Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, passed away at the age of 95. 

Iris was born on March 27, 1925, in Winston-Salem, NC to William and Cleo (Ziglar) Poindexter. The 3^rd of 6 children and the only girl, Iris put her own life on hold at the age of 12 to care for her younger siblings when her mother left the family during the depths of the great depression, garnering a deep, lifelong affection from her siblings. Unable to attend school regularly, she educated herself with help from her aunts and the Moravian Church.  

During the war she worked at a War Department typing pool in Baltimore, where she met and then married Robert (Ted) Mosier on February 23, 1945. Ted was promptly drafted into the Army and sent overseas for 2 years, delaying, but not stopping, the start of their family: three girls, Brenda, Barbara, and Beverly, and two boys, Robert Jr. (Ted) and Tim. Shortly after Brenda’s birth in 1948, Iris and Ted loaded everything they owned into a Buick and moved to southern California, drawn by the sunshine, rosy job prospects, and the proximity to her older brother Dex. There they raised their family in the sun and fun of San Diego, interrupted by camping trips to the Sierras and Utah, with weeks long trips back to North Carolina and Virginia every other year to keep family connections alive. Job opportunities for Ted eventually pulled the family to the Portland, OR area. Through it all Iris never lost her southern accent or southern values. She was always supportive of Ted’s career and was happy to act the part of a businessman’s wife, attending banquets, lunches and dinners dressed up in her heels and finery.  

Iris loved her family and they loved her. She had little ambition beyond enjoying each day as it came, and to see her loved ones prosper and her family grow. She embraced her children’s spouses as her own, maintaining strong bonds with some even after divorces. The toughest years for her were those caring for Ted Sr. as he succumbed to dementia in his early 70’s. After his death in 1996, Iris stayed busy keeping her home a warm and open sanctuary for her expanding family, and spent much time travelling with her children and grandchildren as opportunities arose. She never turned down a chance for conversation and a glass of wine.  

Iris was preceded in death by her father, William, mother, Cleo, brothers, Neuma (Dex), Alvin (Red), Hassle (Bud), and Ronald, as well as her youngest daughter Beverley. She is survived by brother William (Bill) Poindexter of Winston Salem, NC, four children, Brenda Sorvik (Terry) of Portland, OR, Barbara McNamee (Paul) of Dunnellon, FL, Ted Mosier (Nancy) of Hillsboro, OR, and Tim Mosier (Nadine) of Damascus, OR, nine grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren with one more on the way. No service is planned at this time.