Marie (Ree) Deffries Macbeth
July 25, 1929 - November 6, 2018
Marie (Ree) was born on July 25, 1929, the fifth of eight siblings, to James and Nora Deffries in Kent WA.
When Ree was 10 months old, her father died and soon afterward her mother Nora remarried a widower, William Horning, who Ree always referred to as “Daddy Horning”.
As a young girl, the family moved to an orchard farm in Garden, Michigan. Ree was an excellent student and learned hard work on the farm. At the age of 16, her family moved to Yakima, WA.
After finishing High School, Ree went to work at the local hardware store until getting the call to be a missionary and serve others. She enrolled at Seattle Pacific College (University) and while there she met a Navy Sailor friend of her brother, Ray Macbeth. They began dating in February of 1951, fell in love and were married in May 1951 to begin a life together for over 67 years.
After Ray’s service in the Navy during the Korean War, they settled in Seattle, WA and Ray attended Seattle Pacific College (University) where Ray began a ministerial religious degree and together they started a family having two sons.
In 1958, they moved to Jackson, Kentucky to begin missions service at Oakdale Christian School (K-12). From there, Ree and Ray went on to pastor several churches in Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Oregon and British Columbia, then served as hospital chaplain for a combined 54 years of service before retiring in 2005. Ree served as Pastor’s wife, pianist, Sunday School Teacher, in women’s and children’s and prayer ministries, and as group’s leader. Ree often had a twinkle in her eye, a good sense of humor, known to speak her mind, but with a loving heart and care for others. She sacrificed living close to her mother and family to serve the Lord, often in faraway locations.
Ree was preceded in death by two fathers, Jim Deffries and Will Horning, mother Nora Horning, sisters Pearl Beeck, and Barb Schmidt, and brothers Bill, Frank, and Jim Deffries.
Ree is survived by husband Ray, sons Rick (Debbie) and Randy (Pam) Macbeth, a sister Maxine Conrad and a brother Randall Horning. Also she is survived by 7 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and a large extended family.
A private burial service will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent WA. A celebration of Life service is being considered for a date yet to be determined. ,
FUNERAL INFORMATION
A private burial service will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent WA. A celebration of Life service is being considered for a date yet to be determined.