Audrey Ann Mosher

Long Beach resident Audrey A. Mosher, 76, died in Vancouver, Washington on December 31, 2010. The daughter of Michael and Leila Faye (Stevenson) Schmidt, she was born in San Francisco, California on February 15, 1934. Appropriately Audrey's first 5 years of life were in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco as she was to be a free spirit the rest of her life. Moving to Portland with her mother and step-father Dick Dean, who was a traveling salesman, Audrey lived there until she was 13. Moving to the Peninsula she attended Ilwaco High School until her senior year when she married George Mosher. Forty two years later, in 1994, she awarded her high school diploma. Audrey was proud to be an I.H.S. graduate and seldom missed the annual reunion in August. After getting married Audrey became mother to sons Larry and George. Moving to Portland she became mother to daughter Leslie, attended Phagan's Beauty School and operated her own beauty salon there. Returning to the Peninsula in 1968 she and George bought the South Winds Motel in Klipsan Beach. There Audrey opened her own beauty salon in one of the units and began serving what were to be multiple generations of customers. When the motel was sold she moved to Long Beach and opened a beauty salon in the Iron Gate Building in Ilwaco and also operated the Wild Hair Salon in Naselle. For a while she lived in Astoria and again in Portland where she sold beauty supplies, even attempting to get a sale from the Bhagwan Shiree Rashneesh during his hey days in Antelope, Oregon in the 1980s. In 1996 Audrey moved to California for a change of pace and to be near her daughter. There she pursued her interest in painting, made new friends, and experienced new adventures. She returned again to the Peninsula 2003 pursuing her painting and writing endeavors until her death. Audrey was a woman of many interests. She was an avid painter in oils and watercolors, wrote short stories and poetry; loved clamming, fishing, shopping and people. She also enjoyed riding and caring for horses and it was in this pursuit that she participated in barrel racing and was a member of the Peninsula Saddle Club, serving as president. Audrey is survived by her sons Larry (Sheri) Mosher of Gresham, Oregon and George D. (Angela) Mosher of Sandy, Oregon; daughter Leslie (Gil) Gonzalez of Ocean Park; grandchildren Alisha Mosher, Tiffany Mosher, Steven Mosher, Chad Mosher, Jelena Mosher and Chelsie Killian; great-grandchildren are Conner, Taylor, Kaitlyn and Ella; and her former husband George Mosher of Long Beach. She was proceeded in death by sister Delores Shay. Celebration of her life will be held Monday, January 17, 2011, 1:00 PM at the Peninsula Church Center in Seaview with a reception following. Memorials may be made to the Peninsula Saddle Club, PO Box 54, Long Beach, WA 98631. Her guestbook is available at www.penttilaschapel.com.