Bill B. Triska Nov. 1, 1927 – Jan. 19, 2020 & Mary R. Triska (Green) April 26, 1928 – Feb. 2, 2020
Mary was born in Texas but moved with her parents, at an early age to Lynwood, California. She was a graduate of Lynwood High School and Compton Jr. College.
Bill was born in Nebraska but moved with his parents at an early age to Cottage Grove. He was a graduate of Cottage Grove Union High School.
Bill joined the Navy after his graduation from high school in 1945. While stationed in Southern California he met a young woman named Mary Ruth Green. Mary and Bill were married on July 21, 1951, in Yuma, Arizona.
During Bill’s naval career he served aboard the USS Boadoeng Strait in the Korean conflict, providing air support for ground forces in the combat zone. For the majority of his service he worked as a recruitment officer in various duty locations, including four years on the island of Guam.
Most of Mary’s working career was spent as an escrow officer in the various locations where her husband was assigned as a recruitment officer.
After 20 years of service Bill retired from the Navy and Mary and Bill settled permanently in Cottage Grove where Bill began his second career as a real estate broker and Mary became a full-time bowler and golfer.
Bill had great success in real estate and Mary garnered many trophies for her outstanding sports ability in both bowling and golf, winning many tournaments and even getting a hole-in-one. Mary worked for many years in a law office in Cottage Grove.
They celebrated 68 years of marriage in July of 2019.
Due to a variety of health issues, they spent their last few years in assisted living facilities in Cottage Grove and Eugene. They spent their last years as they had spent the majority of their lives … together. In death as in life, they were together, Mary passing just 14 days after her beloved Bill. She was 91 and he was 92.
They will be interred together at Fir Grove Cemetery in Cottage Grove. Arrangements in the care of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel in Cottage Grove.
