Flora MacCracken

January 17,1932 - February 8, 2019

Flora MacCracken passed away on Friday, February 8th at McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, OR after a brief illness at the age of 87.

Flora was the youngest of 4 children born to Carl and Agnes Schuster in Corvallis Oregon, all of whom have preceded her in death (brothers Charles (Chuck), Robert (Bob) and sister Margaret). Her father was a professor in the Agriculture department at OSU and a USDA horticulturist known as "the father of the American filbert (hazelnut)". Her mother was a homemaker/seed analyst. Flora attended school in Corvallis, graduating from OSU with a BS in Business Education. She was an active member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, maintaining lifelong friendships with her sorority sisters. She was also a member of Mortar Board, Phi Kappa Phi, Theta Sigma Phi, and Kappa Delta Pi honor societies and on the editorial staff of the OSU newspaper, The Barometer.

After graduation, Flora taught for one year in California at Arvin High School, then returned to Oregon State to study for a master's degree in business education. Following graduate school in 1955 she moved to Ashland, OR to assume a position at Southern Oregon College of Education (now SOU) teaching secretarial science. It was there that she met her husband, Dr. Elliott B. MacCracken, and left teaching in 1957 to raise her family. Flora returned to teaching in 1970 at Ashland High School, from which she retired in 1990 as head of the Business Department.

Flora had many interests and was involved in many organizations including 58 years as Tudor Guild member at Oregon Shakespeare Festival where she was past president and recipient of the Gina-Marie Romeo Award, Chapter AC PEO, AAUW, Delta Kappa Gamma, and a long-term active member at Trinity Episcopal Church. She was very social hosting numerous parties and events including an annual Christmas Open House for the Science and Math Dept. at SOU. She remained very active in her bridge club, enjoyed going to Shakespeare plays and hosting friends and family, concerts, symphony, her YMCA exercise group, and many other activities including the "Corvallis girls" annual luncheon in Portland.

Flora's most treasured pastime was traveling. She and Elliott traveled extensively prior to his passing in 1985, and Flora continued this passion with friends and family traveling throughout the world including North America, South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. She maintained homes in Ashland/Talent and a vacation home in Sunriver OR.

Flora's proudest achievement was her family. Flora loved family trips to Sunriver, the Oregon Coast, as well as holidays and birthdays spent together. In 2016 Flora moved to Eugene to be closer to her daughter, Kathy, residing at Sheldon Park Senior Living. Flora is survived by her children: Susan (Dubai UAE), Kathryn and husband Bruce (Eugene OR), and Robert and wife Jennifer (Ashland, OR). Flora proudly leaves grandchildren: Samuel, Maisie, Maya, and Vikram, step-grandchildren Riley (Dalia), Jackson, Parker, and Emma, and 1 great-grandchild Blakely.

A service of remembrance will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Ashland, OR on Monday, February 18 at 11:00 followed by a reception at the church. Remembrances may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church or Oregon Shakespeare Festival Tudor Guild.