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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2011)
Page 20 The INDEPENDENT, December 7, 2011 Obituary DONALD LEROY ABBOTT Donald “Don” LeRoy Abbott, 85, Forest Grove, died Novem- ber 25, 2011. A memorial mass was held December 2 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. In- terment was at Mountain View Cemetery in Forest Grove. Mr. Abbott was born Sep- tember 3, 1926, in Vancouver, Washington, to Charles and Julie H. (Adling) Abbott. He was raised in Vancouver, grad- uating from Union High School in 1942, before attending West- ern University of Business for one year. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1948, he married Joanne Franck. They made their home in Forest Grove. He was a truck driver, dairy farmer and a construction laborer. He worked for Forest Grove Light and Power Dept. for 35 years before retiring in 1988. He also sold real estate. He enjoyed hunting, camp- ing, fishing and football. He was a charter member of the Forest Grove Elks Lodge. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Pamela. Survivors include his wife; one son, Dan of Hillsboro; one daughter, Kathy Meade of Bux- ton; two sisters, Lois Starnes of Hillsboro, and Hazel Jenson of Medford; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Remembrances are sug- gested to the Elks Eye Clinic in Portland. VERDELL STRONG “DALE” ARM- Verdell “Dale” Armstrong, 82, Forest Grove, died Novem- ber 23, 2011. Funeral services were held November 29 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, in Ver- nonia, with Fr. Luan Tran cele- brant. Interment was at Ver- nonia Memorial Cemetery. Mrs. Armstrong was born February 11, 1929, in Santa Anna, Texas, to L. B. and Ruby (Hester) Yates. She was raised in Coleman, Tex. In 1946, she married Irvin Armstrong. They made their home in Vernonia. She was a homemaker. They later di- vorced. She worked as a cook and caregiver in Vernonia, Hillsboro and Coleman, Tex. She enjoyed making afghans and scarves for friends and family. She was preceded in death by three sisters. Survivors include six chil- dren, Betty Schmidlin of Ver- nonia, Peggy Mather of Forest Grove, Lind McCubbin of North Plains, Michael Armstrong of Aurora, Minnesota, James Armstrong of Willis, Tex., and Tracy Armstrong of Buxton; a brother, L. B. Yates of Cole- man, Tex.; a sister, Dorothy Robbins of Stratford, Tex.; 23 grandchildren, 28 great-grand- children, nieces and nephews. Remembrances are sug- gested to Housecall Providers in Portland. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Vernonia was in charge of arrangements. GARY DEAN BELL Gary Dean Bell, 68, Hills- boro, died November 27, 2011. A service will be held Sunday, December 11, at 1:00 p.m., at the Forest Grove Elks Lodge #2440, 2810 Pacific Ave. Pri- vate interment will be at Moun- tain View Memorial Gardens. Mr. Bell was born August 18, 1943, in Forest Grove, to Hen- ry “Hank” and Laverne (Griffin) Bell. He was raised in Forest Grove, graduating from Forest Grove High School in 1961. He later attended Portland Com- munity College for two years. He served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam era. In 1964, he married Dorothy Sue Bell. They made their home in Arizona before moving to Seattle, Washington, in 1965. They moved to Forest Grove in 1973 and to Hillsboro in 2002. He worked for Boeing, then Stimson Lumber, as a re- serve police officer in Forest Grove, then for Haney Truck Line for eight years. He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, a brother, Bob Delaney; and a sister, Linda Day. Survivors include one son, Gary C. “Chris” Bell of Vancou- ver, Wash.; one daughter, Jodi Bell-Brown of Hillsboro; a brother, Larry of Forest Grove; a sister, Beverly Erickson of Jewell; five grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Remembrances are sug- gested to his grandchildren’s college fund, c/o Jodi Bell- Brown, 399 NE Autumn Rose Way, Apt. H, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home is in charge of arrange- ments. JOHN DENIS GERRISH John Denis Gerrish, 61, Banks, died November 28, 2011. A funeral service was held December 2 at the Assem- bly of God Church in Forest Grove. Burial services were held at Forest View Cemetery in Forest Grove. Mr. Gerrish was born Octo- ber 21, 1950, in Forest Grove, to John and Geraldine (Raines) Gerrish. He graduated from Forest Grove High School in 1968. In 1975, he married Karen Johnson. They followed his career in the U.S. Air Force, living in Germany, Turkey, Washington, New Mexico and California. When he retired, they made their home in Palm Springs, Calif., until moving to Hillsboro in 2000. In 2006, they moved to Banks. He was a me- teorologist. He enjoyed gardening, hav- ing a well-kept yard, the OSU Beavers, the Portland Trail Blazers, boating, fishing, trap- shooting, camping and the coast. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife; four sons, Ian of Stanwood, Wash., Jeremy of Beaumont, Calif., Ryan of San Francisco, Calif., and Kevin of Portland; three sisters, Kathy Sahfeld, Kay Jackson, and Karen Fenni- more; and five grandchildren. Remembrances are sug- gested to Banks Christian Academy, 22785 NW Fisher Rd., Buxton, OR 97109. ARLENE EDNA HENNESSY Arlene Edna Hennessy, 74, Vernonia, died November 23, 2011. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 10, at 2:00 p.m., at the Vernon- ia Christian Church with Pastor Sam Hough officiating. A re- ception will follow. Mrs. Hennessy was born December 20, 1936, in St. He- lens, to John and Minnie (Stevens) Bomberry. She was raised in Yankton, graduating from St. Helens High School in 1955. She attended Behnke Business College in Portland and received a business certifi- cate in clerk stenography. In 1960, she married Robert L. Hennessy. They made their home in St. Helens before moving to Vernonia in 2002. She was a secretary at Boise Cascade Paper Mill until her re- tirement. She enjoyed hunting, camp- ing, cooking, reading, the Ore- gon Ducks, crafts, gardening, and her pets. She was preceded in death by her husband. Survivors include two daughters, Cindy Heimann of West Richland, Washington, and Shelley Cota of Vernonia; and four grandchildren. Remembrances are sug- gested to Columbia County Hu- mane Society, 2084 Oregon St., St. Helens, OR 97051. Please see page 21