Obituary of Serena Norine Sytsma-Ragsdale

Serena Norine Sytsma, 58, died on January 3, 2020 surrounded by her family. She was born on March 2, 1961 in Springfield, Oregon to Leo Frank Sytsma and Betty Lou Dinger. Serena was the youngest of six children. She grew up with her family in Creswell, Oregon. After school, Serena settled down in Springfield, Oregon where she married Roger Sutherland and together they had three children. Roger and Serena later divorced and she moved back to her hometown of Creswell, Oregon. Serena met and married Paul Dungan and together they had four children. Her and Paul later divorced and she settled in Creswell and continued raising her seven children. In 1989, Serena finished nursing school at Lane Community College, obtained her RN license, and started working at Sacred Heart Hospital. She continued working there in the Labor and Delivery unit for 30 years. Her love of adventures and helping others led her to do travel nursing jobs in both Alaska and Montana. She was passionate about her job and found joy in helping deliver babies. Serena was the happiest when she was helping others by volunteering for countless mission trips to Guatemala and Cambodia as well as helping the homeless community in her town, spending time on the lake at her cabin in Montana, home projects, traveling with her family, and being involved in her Church. She touched countless lives wherever she went. Serena was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and nurse, but everyone who knew her knew that she most cherished being a mother and grandmother. If you were to ask her friends they would describe Serena as loving, strong in faith, an amazing nurse, adventurous, generous, someone who would give you the shirt off of her back, and the strongest woman they had ever met. Her family will no doubt remember her as the glue that held them all together, a mother to all, a devoted Christian, and now their forever guardian angel. Serena is survived by her nine children: Heather Sutherland, Mandy Brundtland, Linnie seaman, Vanessa Davis, Pauline Dungan, Christy Running, Edward Dungan, Mariah Field, and Karis Dungan. 23 grandchildren and one great grandchild. A memorial service will be held Thursday, January 9 at noon at 7305 Main Street in Springfield, Oregon. Followed by a grave side service in Creswell at Pioneer Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at 6:30pm at EPUD.