| Last Name |
Tyler |
| First Name |
Inez |
| Middle Name |
Melissa |
| Born |
9 Jun 1897 in Winnebago, Thurston Co., Nebraska |
| Home Addresses (Salem)
|
1306 N 12th
1207 N 17th
1587 N. Winter
535 N. Winter |
| Died |
15 Mar 1997 in Salem, Marion Co., Oregon |
| Place Buried |
Mt Crest Abbey Mausoleum, Clackamas Terrace, Salem OR |
| Spouse |
Never married |
| Date of Marriage |
N/A |
| Children |
N/A |
| Dates of Employment |
1913 |
| Job(s) at TKWM |
Spooler |
| Life Story
|
Inez Tyler worked at TKWM in 1913 as a Spooler.
Inez Melissa Tyler was born 9 June 1897 on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Nebraska. She grew up in a large family, one of eleven children born to Edward and Ella Tyler. At the time of her birth, her father leased Indian land for farming, but in 1900, he moved the family to Heppner, Oregon to homestead a ranch. The family followed by train. Her father died of pneumonia shortly after their arrival. At just five years old, Inez began helping on the ranch, riding horses and herding cattle.
By 1903, the Tylers relocated to Salem, Oregon, seeking educational opportunities for the younger children. Their summers were spent living in a tent, laboring in the fruit orchards and fields – picking peaches, pears, and strawberries – to earn money for food, books, and clothing. In 1913, at 16, Inez briefly worked as a spooler at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. Other summers were spent working at a local cannery, to earn money for her education.
Education was a cornerstone of the Tyler family’s values, and Inez embraced it wholeheartedly. She graduated from Salem High School in 1918, before attending the University of Oregon where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She continued her schooling at the University of Chicago School of Social Service and Administration, obtaining a Master of Arts degree that laid the foundation for her career in social work.
Inez dedicated her life to social service, working in New York, the Pacific Northwest, and Arizona. She taught social work courses briefly, at the University of Hawaii and later, the University of Washington. In 1955, she made history as the first medical social worker serving the Navajo Nation, traveling countless miles across rugged terrain to assist families in need. Her dedication was recognized in 1964 when she was awarded the Superior Service Medal by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
On retiring in 1975, Inez settled in Tucson, Arizona, where she remained engaged in community activism. She was a member of the World Federalist Association, Common Cause, and the Congregational Church. She also served on the board of Armory Park Apartments, a Tucson-based low-cost housing project. An avid reader and traveler, she enriched her retirement years with exploration and continuous learning.
In 1995, Inez returned to Salem to be closer to family. She passed away on 15 March 1997, and was cremated, with her ashes interred at Mt. Crest Abbey Mausoleum in Salem. Her legacy as a trailblazer in social work and community service continues to inspire generations. |
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| Name |
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| Salem City Directories |
1913 Tyler Inez, spooler, TKWM Co
1915 Tyler Inez, student, rooms at 1587 N Winter
1917 Tyler Inez M. student, rooms at 1587 N Winter
1921 Tyler Inez M. stenographer, Charles K. Spaulding Logging Co. residence 1587 N Winter
1924 Tyler Inez M. stenographer, Charles K. Spaulding Logging Co. residence 1587 N Winter
1925 Tyler Inez M, rooms at 535 N Winter
1926-27 Tyler Inez M. stenographer, Oregon Pulp & Paper Co. residence 1587 N Winter |
| Census Records |
1900 Inez M Tyler. Age: 2. Birth Date: June 1897 in Nebraska. Single, daughter to HOH. Home in 1900: Omadi, Dakota, Nebraska. Additional household members: Edward S. Tyler, age 50 (father), Ella M. Tyler, age 40 (mother), Mable A. Tyler, age 19 (sister), Byron T. Tyler, age 15 (brother), Mertie Tyler, age 12 (sister), Frank T. Tyler, age 11 (brother), Alonzo Tyler, age 9 (brother), Samuel Tyler, age 7 (brother), Gracie M. Tyler, age 4 (sister).
1910 Inez M Tyler. Age: 12. Birth Date: 1898 in Nebraska. Single, daughter to HOH. Home in 1910: Salem Ward 6, Marion, Oregon. Additional household members: Ella M. Tyler, age 49 (mother), Frank J. Tyler, age 21 (brother), Alonzo J. Tyler, age 19 (brother), Samuel H. Tyler, age 16 (sister), Grace M. Tyler, age 14 (sister), Lois M. Tyler, age 9 (sister), Vernon O. Tyler, age 8 (brother).
1920 Inez M Tyler. Age: 22. Birth Year: abt 1898 in Nebraska. Single, daughter to HOH. Home in 1920: Winter St. Salem Ward 5, Marion, Oregon. Additional household members: Ella M. Tyler, age 58 (mother), Grace Tyler, age 24 (sister), Lois Tyler, age 19 (sister), Vernon Tyler, age 17 (brother).
1930 Unable to locate
1940 Unable to locate
1950 Inez M Tyler. Age: 52. Birth Date: abt 1898 in Nebraska. Single, daughter to HOH. Home in 1950: SW 11th Ave. Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Occupation: Social Worker for U.S. Veteran’s Bureau. |
| Social Security Death Index |
Inez M. Tyler. Birth Date: 9 June 1897. Issue Year: 1961. Issue State: New Mexico. Last Residence: 97308, Salem, Marion, Oregon. Death Date: 15 Mar 1997. |
| County Marriage Record |
N/A |
| Oregon Death Index |
Inez Melissa Tyler. Birth Date: 9 June 1897. Death Date: 15 Mar 1997. Death Place: Marion [County]. Certificate: 97-06267 |
| Find-a-Grave |
Inez Melissa Tyler Birth: 9 June 1897 in Nebraska. Death: 15 Mar 1997 (aged 99). Burial: Mount Crest Abbey Mausoleum, Salem, Marion, Oregon. Plot: Clackamas Terrace. Memorial ID: 96170951. |
| Digital Newspapers |
Oregon Statesman 16 Aug 1921, p. 6 – Challenge to a foot race
Capital Press 6 Sep 1929, p. 1 – Job in Los Angeles, now Rhode Island
Oregon Statesman 10 July 1938, p. 12 – Visit to Family, resident of New York
Capital Journal 15 Sep 1943, p. 11 – Master’s degree from University of Chicago
Capital Journal 8 Apr 1964, p. 15 – Receives Superior Service Award
Statesman Journal 18 Apr 1997, p. 21 – Obituary |
| WHC Materials |
None yet identified |
