ALLAN (ALLY) B KREIN (COOLEY)
September 5, 1928 – April 8, 2023
Ally passed away at home with family present in Woodburn Oregon on April 8, 2023.
She was born September 5, 1928, on her grand-parents farm & dairy in Castle Rock, WA. to Thomas Arthur Cooley and Vangie Gertrude Cooley (Cunningham), the second of five children. You may have known her as Allan, or Al, or Ally - Her father named her Allan, he had wanted a boy. But it was a name she disliked and in her later years she preferred to be called Ally.
She loved living on the farm and when old enough worked in the Cunningham family dairy through her teens. When she was 15, the family moved to Molalla, Oregon where she finished high school and graduated from Molalla High school in 1946.
The day after graduation, she moved to Portland to work at Shriners Childrens Hospital in hopes of accomplishing her dream to become a nurse and help children. She said it was the most inspiring work she ever did. She derived inspiration from her work and we, her family, draw inspiration from her and her legacy of caring for others.
She married Roy Krein in 1947. They had 4 children. Nancy (1948 – present); Richard (1950 – present); Ronald (1951 - 1979); Russell (1961 – present).
In 1954, they bought their first home in the Parkrose area on Russell St. where she continued to live for 54 years, imparting her wisdom, and helping others until 2008. She was a stay-at-home mom, until 1961, when at 33, she got her driver's license and returned to work, serving as a Med-Aide in a nursing home for 25 years, beloved by her many patients. Once she learned to drive, she would spend much of her time at the coast, a place she loved and where her ashes will reside.
Ally was very creative and a life-long crafter, having grown up during the depression years, nothing went to waste. You never knew when you might need something for a craft project! She was equally adept at knitting or crocheting and an exceptional seamstress. A den mother in boy scouts for many years, her creative projects entertained both her scouts and grandkids for hours on end. In her 80's, she took up card-making, producing 100's of hand-crafted cards, something for every occasion. She also worked with fused-glass jewelry, creating her last piece just one month before passing.
Travel was a passion, and she enjoyed many trips with her good friend and travel companion Lavon Pleasant. They journeyed to many exotic places, including trips to New Zealand & Australia, a high point of Ally's travels as she got to cuddle with Koalas and pet kangaroos!
Ally was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Krein; her son Ronald Allan Krein; her parents and her sisters Donna, Hazel, and Sandra. She is also preceded in death by her longtime friend and companion Bud Malaer of Ocean Park, WA.
She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Lou McKinnon (David) of Gervais OR; her two sons, Richard Roy Krein of Portland OR; and Russell Arthur (Teresa) Krein of Rainier OR; her brother Jerry (Cindy) Cooley of Mulino OR; and many grandchildren; great grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Ally requested no service and for her ashes to be spread at the coast. We'd like to thank the staff from Country Meadows Village Assisted Living and Willamette Vital Health Hospice for their compassionate care of Ally. She was particularly fond of the hospice music and pet therapy programs.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Salvation Army Rose Senior Center in Portland or Willamette Vital Health Hospice in Salem.