Marjorie Rosetta Lafond Obituary (2024)

MARJORIE ROSETTA LAFOND Our mom, Marjorie Rosetta Lafond, was born to Cecil V. Allyn and Frances Louise (Korthase) Allyn on October 19, 1939 in Goldendale, Washington. She joined sisters Jean and Joan. Brother James completed her family about 3 1/2 years later. Mom graduated Goldendale High School on May 31, 1957, and became Marjorie Arp when she married our dad, Richard Arp, on June 1, 1957. They moved to Los Angeles the winter of 1957 where she worked for a stock broker for 11 months. They moved back to Goldendale via a stop in Gold Hill, Oregon, where she helped a photographer. We (Cindy, Randy, and Dale) were born to our parents in Goldendale in the early 1960's. Dad worked as a carpenter with his father-in-law during this time. In 1966 we moved to White Salmon, WA, so Dad could build houses with Mr. Ruthart. We returned to Goldendale in 1968 so our parents and grandparents could start a building supply. They completed both our home on Fairgrounds Road and the building supply in 1969. In the late 70's or early 80's they purchased a building on Main Street from Larry Boardman and started the Home & Sport Shop. One day at the Home & Sport Shop Mom was asked if she knew anyone who golfed that would be willing to be a host to a foreign exchange student that golfed. Dad had caught the golf bug and so they got their first exchange student in 1988. The student got his driver's license in just a week so she decided she could too. With the help of her friends Mary Jane and Sandy she got her license in less than two weeks at the age of 49. Exchange students were hosted from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Columbia, Brazil, Japan, and Russia. She also hosted a local girl for a couple of years. In 1989 she started climbing Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens with a group headed by Dr. Ogden for five years. Mom started working part-time as a bank teller in April 1991 while still running the store. Dad was working as a Deputy Sheriff at this time. In 1998 Mom traveled to Finland, Sweden, and Denmark to see some of her exchange students. She came home and started divorce proceedings, started working full-time at the bank and running the store. She sold the store in the fall of 1999. In 2001 she married Raymond LaFond. Together they traveled several times to Columbia and Australia several connecting with her student and his family from Columbia. Mom retired from the bank in her 60's. She and Ray enjoyed puttering in the gardens at Fairgrounds Road home and traveling. Mom also traveled with a group headed by Dr. Ogden from 2007 to 2011 to Cambodia and Romania doing eye exams and distributing eye glasses. After 2011 her travel was mainly to connect with her children in Ellensburg, Normandy Park, and Alabama. Mom remained in her home on Fairgrounds Road until August 2023. She passed away on November 7, 2024 at Fieldstone Memory Care in Yakima, Washington. She is survived by her husband Ray LaFond, daughter Cindy Arp-Teasley, sons Randy and Dale Arp, stepson Steve LaFond, granddaughter Laurie Arp, grandsons Lloyd Wyatt and Richard Allyn Arp, sister Joan Telford, brother James Allyn.