April 1, 1930 – April 17, 2018
Estelle Ramona “Mona” Waibel, 88, of Sweet Home died April 17, 2018.
She was born April 1, 1930 in Portland to James Edgar Hyer and Audrey Nadine Daugherty (Sankey).
Her pioneer family migrated from Illinois to Sweet Home in 1882. Growing up she attended Beulah Land School in Pleasant Valley and graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1948.
After graduating she met and married Joe Stephenson, later celebrating the birth of their daughter Dawn. After being widowed, she married Robert Waibel from Brownsville in 1961, after meeting him at a square dance.
Mrs. Waibel went on later in life to obtain her associate of science degree from Linn Benton Community College. Her professional career included many years as manager of the Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce and then coordinator of Linn Benton Community College’s Sweet Home branch.
Her commitment and dedication to the community is unparalleled – something she learned from her mother Audrey. She was a member of the Presidents Club, Alumni Foundation, Kiwanis Club, All School Reunion, Loggers Relay, City Council, 1980 First Citizen, 2002 Distinguished Service Award, Squarenaders, Oregon Jamboree, and Rock and Mineral Society. She was once called the “Queen of Sweet Home” by State Rep. Sherri Sprenger.
Mrs. Waibel was also instrumental in raising funds for the Sweet Home Police Station and the Jim Riggs Community Center.
Her love for the community never stopped, as she wrote a column called “The Good Old Days” in the Sweet Home New Era and wrote five historical books about Sweet Home and its early settlers. Proceeds from the sales of those went to the East Linn Museum.
Mrs. Waibel is survived by her brother, Tom Hyer of Sweet Home; daughter Dawn Dalton and husband Bob of Sweet Home; son Rob Waibel and wife Shannon of West Linn; grandchildren Justin Dalton and wife Nicole of Portland, Alecia Dalton of Sweet Home, Xander and wife Melody of Portland and Emma Waibel of Portland; and great-grandchildren Odessa and Loretta of Portland.
She was preceded in death by her brothers, Jim Hyer, Karel Hyer and Delmer Bryant.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 29, at the Sweet Home Evangelical Church, 1347 Long St.
Contributions can be made to the Mona Waibel Scholarship Fund – Sweet Home Alumni Foundation, P.O Box 83, Sweet Home, Oregon 97386.
(Editor’s note: The time of the memorial service was corrected to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 29.