Dorine Huber

Dorine Thompson Emanuel Huber died March 2, 2020 at Mennonite Village in Albany, Oregon, at the age of 94. Dorine was born Feb. 17, 1926 in Blythe, California, to Mack James and Minta Leora (McMillan) Thompson. When the United States joined World War II, Dorine and her beau, James Emanuel, were seniors in high school. A military draft loomed, so Dorine’s mother granted permission for the couple to marry while still in school, in March 1942. James enlisted in the Navy and was stationed in San Diego, where Dorine joined him. She worked at an aircraft factory as a Rosie the Riveter, able to crawl into cramped airplane wings because she was so small. Dorine had been fascinated as a little girl by the mail planes that flew over her house in Blythe. One day her father took her to meet one of the pilots. That pilot happened to be Charles Lindbergh. He asked Dorine if she would like to take a ride in his plane, and she said no. Lindbergh took her dad for a ride instead.   After James’ discharge, the couple returned to Blythe,  where their son, James Jr., was born August 15, 1947. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Eugene, Oregon.James owned several businesses there, as well as a motel in John Day, Oregon, called Little Mack’s. He died in 1970. Dorine worked for the Eugene Police Department,  handling records and communications. Dorine’s father eventually introduced her to Albert Huber, a WW II Navy veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor. Dorine and Albert married on January 21, 1980. After retirement, Dorine and Al traveled to Pearl Harbor, Australia and New Zealand. They eventually moved to Sublimity, Oregon.  Al Huber died in 2006. Dorine was a longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Stayton, serving as the church librarian. Dorine is survived by her sister, Janice Reed of Bend, Oregon, and five nieces and their families. Her son, James E. Emanuel Jr., died April 18, 2021 in Albany Oregon. Because of the pandemic, there were no services for Dorine. Her urn will be placed at Calvary Lutheran in Stayton. Memorials may be made to Mennonite Village or Evergreen Hospice.