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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