CORVALLIS, Ore. — Priscilla Carolyn (Ring) Zaworski died peacefully Monday, Aug. 6, in Corvallis, Oregon.
She was born April 23, 1928, to James William and Ruth Farrington Ring in Locke Mills village, town of Greenwood, in the same house in which her mother was born. She graduated from Gould Academy in nearby Bethel as one of the townies who continued with education beyond the eighth-grade level offered at the public school. She began her undergraduate study at Wheelock College in Boston (many years later completing her degree at Oregon State University). While at Wheelock, she met her future husband, Robert Joseph Zaworski, on a blind date at the Norumbega Park dance hall. They were married in Locke Mills on April 24, 1948, and Priscilla joined him in Venezuela, where he had begun work with the oil industry.
After 10 years, Bob returned to school and the family, now including five young children, moving first to Sharon, Mass., and then to Corvallis, where he joined the engineering faculty at OSU. Another return to graduate study took them to Marblehead, Mass., from 1963-66. In 1978-79, they enjoyed a sabbatical year in Stuttgart, Germany, and they returned there from 1983–86. They made many lasting friendships there, and Priscilla returned several times over the years and often welcomed German friends to Corvallis. She liked every place she lived.
She also enjoyed travel throughout her life, from the adventure of train trips to Portland as a girl to her first coast-to-coast trip in a Model A Ford, then yearly family car trips between Oregon and New England and, later, travel with friends, church groups and Elderhostel to many places in the United States and Europe. She had been to all 50 states.
Priscilla was an excellent cook, remarkably cheerful and level-headed and unfailingly grateful. She loved all her family and was deeply loved. In the last months of her life, she often marveled, “It’s been a great life, one I couldn’t have even imagined.”
Priscilla was an active member of First Congregational United Church of Christ (Corvallis). For many years, she volunteered at the Folk Club Thrift Store. She helped organize the Gifts for a Better World pop-up fair-trade Christmas market, and also managed sales of SERRV fair-trade items at many events.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Anne; brother, Keith; and sister-in-law, Maggie; and by her husband, Robert.
She is survived by children Joseph (Katherine) Zaworski of Corvallis; Ruth (Terry) Knight and Deborah (Gary) Klempke, both of the Tri-Cities, Wash.; James (Carol) Zaworski of Portland, Ore.; and David Zaworski of Forest Grove, Ore.; and by 14 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and nieces, nephews and many friends who held her dear.
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