Leimomi Abigail Durdan October 31, 1926 ' October 23, 2013

Leimomi Abigail Durdan was born in Wahiawa, Hawaii, on October 31, 1926 to Horace Eugene and Abigail Manley, the second of five children.

She was at home at her beloved Crooked Pine Ranch in Sisters, when she peacefully passed on October 23 at the age of 86.

Lei met her husband, Scott Durdan, at the University of Hawaii and they married in 1945. Thus began a long and remarkable adventure. While living in Hawaii, our mother developed her inimitable style of entertaining and became known for her elegance, graciousness and great cuisine.

All four of the children were born in Hawaii; Pililani, Kalani, Ginger Leimomi and Kanoelani.

In 1961 the Oregon chapter began with the purchase of the ranch outside of Sisters. The following year the family moved to Eugene where Scott enrolled at the University of Oregon and eventually obtained his PhD. At the same time, Scott was the driving force in the development of Indian Ford Ranch. It was during this period that mother resumed her childhood passion of riding horses. We will never forget the first time she drove the horse trailer from Eugene to Sisters. It was also the first time she ever drove in a snowstorm, but she would not be deterred.

A lifelong learner and avid reader, Lei was always open to new stories and ideas and made the most of the move to Utah where Scott taught at Utah State while writing his doctorate. The family subsequently moved to Lake Oswego when Scott began his career as a college professor teaching urban planning at Portland State. Scott and Lei relocated permanently when Scott retired in 1978.

Lei became a serious horsewoman. She enjoyed the horse camping trips with the Saddlebags, going to horseshows with Kanoe, and competing in combined driving events. She loved driving carriages behind her gorgeous Friesian horses. A highlight of her horse career was traveling to Germany with granddaughter Chelsea to select a German Warmblood pair of horses to import to the ranch. She entered her first three-day driving event at the age of 60. One of her greatest honors was being the Grand Marshall of the Sisters Rodeo in 2007.

Lei was predeceased by her husband Scott, son Kalani, and her brother Eugene Manley.

She is survived by her daughters Pililani (David) Meyer of Port Angeles, WA, Ginger (Bob) Durdan-Shaw of Portland, and Kanoe (Dyrk) Godby of Sisters.

She was blessed with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Grandson Jason (Sonia) Stanford and great-grandsons Henry and Hatcher; grandson Zac (Yuka) Stanford and great-granddaughter Julia; granddaughter Chelsea (Orly) Halpern and great-grandson Hudson; and newlywed granddaughter Tessa (David) Stephenson.

Also surviving are her sister Dolly Phillips, brothers Elmer Manley and Bucky Manley, all of Hawaii, and a large group of adoring nieces and nephews spread out around the world.

She was a the first woman president of the Sisters Rotary, a founding member of SOAR (now called SPRD), a member of the Sisters Rodeo Association, and fondly known as Tutu by all.

Our family is forever indebted to the loving care given our mother by Shelly Stark, Karen Findley, Susan Bosworth, Darci Brown, with special gratitude to Maureen Bidasolo.

In honor of her love of service, contributions are appreciated in Lei Durdan's name to the Bonnie Malone Scholarship Fund at Sisters Park & Recreation District, 1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters, OR 97759

A Celebration of Life will be held starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013, at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds Clubhouse.

"Life is not a dress rehearsal!"