# Thressa Lillian Strong (1915–2002) ![[strong, thressa.jpg|200]] ## Early Life in Eastern Washington Thressa Lillian Strong was born on August 10, 1915, in Deer Park, a small but growing town in Spokane County, Washington. She was the daughter of William “Bill” Henry Strong and Josephine Lillian Spence, members of a pioneering family with deep roots in northeastern Washington. Her early years were spent in a region where the rugged forests met patchwork farmlands, and where hardworking families carved communities out of the wild frontier. The Strongs were well-known in the area for their determination, resilience, and commitment to family values. Growing up in Deer Park, Thressa would have experienced the tail end of the pioneer era, where families still depended on their own livestock, wells, and hand-built barns. It was a childhood filled with the scent of fresh-cut timber, the rhythm of farm chores, and the seasonal flow of rural life. From an early age, she was taught the importance of responsibility, faith, and helping others—a foundation that would shape the rest of her life. ## Childhood in Riverside By 1920, Thressa and her family were living in Riverside, a small community nestled in Stevens County along the banks of the Pend Oreille River. Life in Riverside was rustic and grounded, surrounded by forests thick with pine and fir, and interspersed with narrow homesteads and logging camps. Here, families lived close to the land, raising animals, growing vegetables, and bartering goods and services in a community built on mutual support. Thressa came of age during a period of national turmoil—the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl years loomed large, but in Riverside, strong community bonds helped many families get by. Schoolhouses were often one-room and heated with wood stoves. Church socials, quilting bees, and barn dances brought people together in times of both joy and hardship. As one of the older children in a large family, Thressa likely helped raise her younger siblings, balancing household duties with a thirst for learning and the social gatherings that provided much-needed levity. ## Marriage to Herman Carl Daubel In her early twenties, Thressa met Herman Carl Daubel, a hard-working logger and farmer who had once worked for her father. Herman had a reputation for diligence and kindness, and the pair soon formed a bond. They were married on November 6, 1937, in Spokane, beginning a lifelong partnership during an era of recovery from economic collapse and on the brink of global war. Their first years of marriage were spent near Chattaroy, a farming community nestled among wooded hills north of Spokane. Together, they faced the challenges of starting a home, building a life with limited resources but abundant determination. Their union was one rooted in shared values—faith, perseverance, and the willingness to work hard for a better future. Their home became a lively hub of family life, work, and hospitality, echoing with the noise of children, the hum of sewing machines, and the aroma of fresh bread from the wood stove. ## Family and Community Life Thressa and Herman raised six children: Verla Doreen, Charlotte Anne, Harold Herman (“Bud”), Dorothy Gay, Larry Dale, and Delbert Earl. Raising a large family in mid-century rural America was no small feat. Thressa managed the home with remarkable skill—gardening, sewing, canning, and maintaining order in a household filled with activity. She was a master of frugality, creativity, and discipline, crafting a nurturing environment where each child felt cared for. In addition to her domestic responsibilities, Thressa was active in her local church and community. The family was likely involved in school events, holiday programs, and church suppers—cornerstones of rural social life. Her children remember a home full of structure and warmth, where each day was grounded in faith and hard work. The seasons were marked not by calendar pages but by planting, harvest, hunting season, and winter preparations. Her strength, both physical and emotional, set the tone for her children’s upbringing and modeled a quiet dignity in the face of life’s inevitable struggles. ## Later Years in Chattaroy and Mead Thressa lived most of her life in the Chattaroy area, bearing witness to remarkable changes in technology, transportation, and daily life. From the horse-drawn wagons and coal stoves of her youth to the modern conveniences of the late 20th century, she adapted gracefully to change while holding fast to the values of her upbringing. As her children grew and began families of their own, Thressa transitioned from a busy mother to a beloved grandmother. She offered wisdom, shared stories of earlier times, and continued many of the traditions that had defined her life. Eventually, she moved to Mead, Washington, just north of Spokane, where she spent her final years surrounded by family. She passed away on April 17, 2002, at the age of 86 and was laid to rest in Spokane. ## Legacy Thressa Lillian Strong is remembered as a woman of grace, strength, and boundless dedication to her family. She represented the best of pioneer resilience—steadfast, selfless, and grounded in the values of faith, family, and community. Her story is woven into the very fabric of northeastern Washington, carried forward in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her life spanned nearly the entire 20th century—a time of unprecedented change—but through it all, she remained a steady presence. She weathered hard times with dignity, embraced joy with humility, and left behind a legacy not of wealth or status, but of love, perseverance, and quiet leadership that endures to this day.