Lorna Ann Salt

Lorna Ann Salt

October 9, 1931 – September 29, 2022

Lorna Ann Salt passed away peacefully at her home in Bandon, Oregon, on September 29, 2022 surrounded by family and friends. She was 90 years old. Lorna was a very dynamic individual throughout her life and she will be missed by many.

Lorna was born on October 9, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the youngest child of Cris and Gwen Woodle who also had two other daughters, Virginia, who passed away shortly after her birth in 1924 and Lois, who passed away in January this year. The Woodle girls were raised in a family characterized by hard work and community service. Gwen served for many years in the Young Women’s programs of the LDS church. Cris, despite having no sons of his own, organized and ran The Yale Athletic Club for boys in the neighborhood. The club focused on baseball and clean living, with Gwen serving as team mom, and Lorna serving as scorekeeper at games managed by Cris. During the off-season, the club was a social vehicle for the boys who often came to the Woodle home to play card games with Cris and Gwen, and Lorna played right along with them, developing game skills she enjoyed throughout her life.

Upon graduating from high school, Lorna began her collegiate studies at the University of Utah. A chance encounter at the university library led to romance, and in June of 1950, she married her long time husband, Charles Salt in the iconic Salt Lake LDS temple. Lorna dropped out of college to support Chuck’s pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree, but she would eventually resume her college studies to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and communications from what is now known as Southern Oregon University. While still living in Salt Lake City, Chuck and Lorna became first time parents with the arrival of Stephen in August, 1951.

In 1953, the family moved from Salt Lake City to Portland, Oregon, and Chuck and Lorna would remain Oregon residents for the rest of their lives. While living in Portland, Lorna continued to work to support the family, and she and Chuck brought two more children into the world: Kenneth in 1956 and Jeffrey in 1959.

Not long after Jeffrey’s birth, the family moved to Albany, Oregon, where Lorna found work with the U.S. Bureau of Mines. She served as the Ward Relief Society President, served in several other church callings, and assisted the youth in the “road shows” that were put on each year. Compassionate service to ward members in need was a big part of Lorna’s time in Albany.

Another work transfer for Chuck would take the family to Keizer, Oregon, and Lorna transferred from the Bureau of Mines to begin her decades-long career with the Social Security Administration as a claims representative. Because of the extensive knowledge she developed over time in the SSA, she became the person you wanted to take your calls if there was any question about your potential retirement or disability benefits. While living in Keizer, Lorna resumed her collegiate studies and expanded her interest in theater arts. She served as the Salem Stake Drama Director for several years, and she studied nights and weekends at Willamette University thanks to a grant from the SSA.

Another work-related transfer brought the family to Medford, where Lorna continued her work with the SSA and finally achieve her BA degree. Additionally, she volunteered frequently at Ashland’s renowned Shakespearean Festival.

Another work-related transfer would bring Chuck and Lorna to reside in Bandon while Chuck worked in Port Orford and Lorna worked at the SSA office in Coos Bay. Perhaps the biggest chapters of Chuck’s and Lorna’s lives were written in Bandon. After Chuck’s retirement from what had become The First Interstate Bank, they bought Bandon’s Coast to Coast Hardware Store franchise and began their long association with that company. Lorna was not yet qualified to retire from the SSA, so her involvement in the store was after hours and on weekends. But work and the store were only part of their busy lives. During their time in Bandon, both Lorna and Chuck became deeply involved in community service organizations, Lorna with the Bandon Kiwanis Club and Chuck with the Bandon Rotary Club. Lorna was the Bandon Kiwanis Club President for several years and was instrumental in the success of the many Kiwanis Kids programs and the thrift store associated with the Bandon club. Lorna continued her theatrical work with her tireless involvement with the Bandon Playhouse. She directed several musical productions including “The Sound of Music” (1986), “Cabaret Internationale” (1988), “My Fair Lady” (1989), “Carousel” (1991), and “Miracle on 11th Street” (2002). She served on the Bandon Playhouse board for several years, including time as board president. In addition, she was instrumental in the conception, design and fundraising efforts for the construction of Bandon’s Sprague Community Theater. She and Chuck were also benefactors of the new community library that was built adjacent to the theater. Within the theater and the library, Chuck and Lorna’s support can be found in the form of bricks on the walkway, seats in the theater, a ticket office named after them, and a reading room in the library also named after them. Chuck and Lorna also sponsored Bandon’s Elizabeth Simmons in her beauty pageant bid, and saw her achieve the title of Miss Oregon and finish as 3rd runner-up in the national Miss America pageant. Lorna was also instrumental in raising funds and establishing the Bandon Community Youth Center, and often volunteered there. And in addition to these community service efforts, Lorna continued to be active in her LDS faith, serving in various callings in the Bandon branch, including serving as the branch’s Relief Society President.

Lorna was preceded in death by her parents, Cris and Gwen Woodle; her sisters, Gwen Virginia Woodle and Lois Verla Peacock; her brother-in-law, Edwin Salt and her sister-in-law, Leona Potter. She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Charles Salt; by her three sons, Stephen (Barbara), Kenneth (Kestin) and Jeffrey Salt; by 11 grandchildren, Sarah, Matthew, Adam, Nathan, Andrew, Kimberly, Lidianna, Jared, Kya, River and Autumn; by 13 great grandchildren; and by her devoted niece, Julie Peacock.

Lorna’s memorial arrangements are being handled by Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary in Coos Bay. Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 950 Delaware Avenue Southeast in Bandon, Oregon. A viewing will be held at that location starting at 10:30 AM. A Zoom option will be available for the memorial service only, please contact Mike Jenson at 951.314.3314 for details.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the Bandon Playhouse (a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization). You can send donations by check to Bandon Playhouse, P.O. Box 1047, Bandon, Oregon 97411.