Winnie was born with a twin brother, Hugh James, on March 15, 1908, in Sacramento, California, to James Hugh Strachan and Cecelia Ryan. The family called them ''Bud and Sis''. Winnie, age 95, died on March 29, 2003, at Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice in Kennewick, WA.

The marriage of her parents united two large extended families, the Scotch Strachans and the Irish Ryans, all living in the Sacramento area. Winnie's personality was the wonderful blend of Scotch practicality and thriftiness and of Irish jovial good humor and congeniality - a great combination. Winnie was always joyful, friendly, and fun-loving and wanted everyone to be happy and comfortable. Summers were spent in Pacific Grove, CA, where Winnie learned to swim in Monterey Bay and to enjoy the small town life with cousins, aunts and uncles, away from the heat of Sacramento.

Winnie graduated from Sacramento High School in 1926, where her senior year was saddened by the death of her mother. She immediately started her career of homemaking for her father and twin brother. Her older brother, John, was already married. Winnie attended junior college briefly while her twin brother enrolled at Cal-Berkeley and eventually became a lawyer.

On September 28, 1929, she married Robert Eugene Hooker and the young couple moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where Gene was a machinist.

Eventually he had his own business designing and overseeing the construction and assembly of sawmills throughout the Northwest. In 1937 they built their first home and lived in Klamath Falls for 33 years.

Their two children Robert and Mary were born and raised in Klamath Falls.

Winnie was an at-home mother who sewed most of her little daughter's clothes and later her party dresses and formals. She was involved in her children's activities, as well as a community volunteer, and she was always active in the affairs of the Catholic Church wherever she lived. She gave willingly of her time and effort through the years: religious teacher for her church, blue bird leader for the Campfire Girls, president for the Lioness Club, worker for the PTA and other school activities, typist for the Red Cross blood drives during war and peace, and founding member of the Klamath Falls branch of the Catholic Daughters of America.

It was through these groups that Winnie became well known for her lasting friendships, lively sociality, and gracious generosity.

In the years before retirement they traveled extensively. In 1962, Gene retired early and they moved to Pacific Grove, CA where they built their dream home on the little golf course overlooking Monterey Bay. They enjoyed three years of leisure, along with visiting friends and family before Gene's death in 1966.

Winnie continued to live in Pacific Grove until 1968 when she remarried a long time family friend, Kenneth Moore of Klamath Falls, OR. Kenneth and Winnie spent five happy years in Klamath Falls until the death of her second husband.

In 1973, Winnie moved to Richland, WA to be near her daughter and son in law, Mary and Tom Claudson and her four grand children, Theresa, Mark, Rosemary and Mike. She was known by all her grandchildren as Nanny Winnie.

She was a joyful and helpful member of the family while remaining independent. In 1980, Winnie moved to the Ballard area in Seattle, WA where she shared a home with her sister-in-law, Gwen Rogers for 15 years.

While in Ballard she was active in a guild of Children's Hospital and, again, in her church. In 1995, she returned to the Tri-Cities and resided at Hawthorne Court and Callaway Gardens.

Winnie was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Gene and Kenneth, both brothers and most of the extended family. She is survived by her son Robert E. Hooker, Jr., Caldwell, ID; her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Tom Claudson, Richland, WA; and her grandchildren, Theresa and Alfred Hupp and their children James Robert Hupp and Margaret Cecelia Hupp Marcy all of Kansas City, MO; Dr. Robert Mark Claudson, Berkeley, CA; Rosemary and Troy Larson and their children, Kathleen Elizabeth Larson and Megan Alicia Larson, of Renton, WA: Dr. Thomas Michael Mike and Danika Jo Claudson, of Renton, WA; also, two step children, Joan and John Holmes of Gresham, OR and Tom and Jackie Moore of Klamath Falls, OR and their families.

A Memorial Mass will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Richland, WA on Saturday, April 12, 2003, at 10:00 a.m.

The family suggests memorials may be made to Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice, 2108 W. Entiat, Kennewick, WA 99336, to Children's Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98105-0371, or to any charity of your choice.