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Anne Oveson (born Carolyn Anne Oveson, August 7, 1920 -- August 8, 2014) was an American quilter, tree farmer and most notable as a peony grower and cultivator.

Born in Wallowa, Oregon, to Frederick H. (Fritz or Fred) and Nina (Miller) Weinhard. She was the second of four Weinhard daughters. Anne attended the Lower Valley one-room school and Wallowa High School, graduating at age 16 in 1937.

She attended Oregon State College for two years, and then married Crawford Oveson in 1940. Three daughters were born while Anne and Crawford lived in town where Crawford taught high school at Wallowa and Lostine. Anne was active in Junior Women's Club and Wallowa Christian Church.

In 1951, the couple began their dream of farming and ranching in Lower Valley. Twin sons were born that winter. As the couple expanded their farming and cattle operation, Anne worked alongside Crawford in the registered Hereford cattle business and with a small sheep herd. She kept the detailed records, aided in the calving and lambing, cooked noon meals for summer haying crews, and canned various fruits and vegetables each year. She loved to fish and hunt, and she rode horseback to move cattle.

An excellent seamstress, Anne also made much of the clothing for her children and herself. She made dozens of quilts, completing more than 100 by her 90th year.

Widowed at 60, Anne continued her work with the cattle and her horses, but she also became skilled with a chainsaw, cutting firewood and even bumping knots for a logging operation on her rangeland north of Wallowa. She was named Wallowa County Tree Farmer of the Year in 1993 at the age of 73.

The biggest love of her life as a widow was in the world of peonies, where she became noted for her work in crossing wild peonies (P. Brownii) with domestic peonies. Two Chinese botanists visited her Lower Valley garden in 2005, when she helped them find wild peonies for their research. As a testament to her contribution to the peony society, a peony was developed by originator Irene Tolomeo and named 'Anne Oveson'.

Oveson passed away from natural causes on August 8, 2014 in Wallowa, Oregon.

She is survived by daughters, Evelyn (husband, Rod) Spikes of Elgin, Carolyn (husband, Darrell) Thomas of Wallowa, Janet (husband, Bud) Scoubes of Elgin, and by sons, Jeff (wife, Nancy) Oveson of La Grande, and Greg (wife, Eva) Oveson of Wallowa; 19 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.

References:

"Carolyn A. Weinhard" 1940 United States Federal Census. May 8, 1940. Retrieved January 12, 2020. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/m-t0627-03381-00837/64311125?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.ancestry.com%2f1940-census%2fusa%2fOregon%2fCarolyn-A-Weinhard_27mr1f&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

"Anne Oveson -- Peony". The American Peony Society. 2005. Retrieved January 12, 2020. https://americanpeonysociety.org/cultivars/peony-registry/anne-oveson/

"Anne Oveson - obituary". Wallowa County Chieftain. April 12, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2020. https://www.wallowa.com/obituaries/obituary-anne-oveson/article_af04d087-551a-512a-96d3-9ced10e4fa0c.html

"Out of the Past -- 25 Years Ago" The Wallowa County Chieftain. October 16, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2020. https://www.wallowa.com/news/local/slot-machines-net-big-bucks-in-enterprise/article_c340f9bb-0706-50ba-b359-6f5719bbfd29.html