Death Notice: Betty Plotkin, 95, Hood River

Betty Plotkin passed away May 11, 2025, in Hood River, Oregon. Betty was born October 25, 1929, and was 95 years of age at the time of her passing.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.

Death Notice: Lorna Huskey, 85, The Dalles

Lorna Huskey passed away May 1st, 2025, at The Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles, Oregon. Lorna was born June 10th, 1939, in Portland, Oregon, and was 85 years of age at the time of her passing.  Lorna served in the United States Artmy during Vietnam and will be laid to rest at Willamette National Cemetery of Portland, Oregon. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.  Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.

Obituary: Jerry S Davis, 85, The Dalles

Jerry S Davis was born in The Dalles, OR, on October 8, 1939, to George M and Eva Anderson Davis. He was a fifth-generation Oregonian. Jerry attended schools in The Dalles, graduating in 1957 from The Dalles High School. He received a BS Degree in Business from Oregon State University in 1961. Following college ROTC, Jerry entered the Navy, serving two years on the USS Iwo Jima. After his release from active duty, he continued with the Navy Reserve, serving for a total of 25 years and rising to the rank of Commander.

Jerry owned and managed Mill Creek Orchard and his family’s George M Davis Orchard. He was a former President of the Oregon Horticultural Society. Jerry loved his family, Beaver football and gymnastics, steam locomotives, the old Baldwin Saloon, his Wednesday chapel group, and everything “Navy.” He taste-tested 4-H cooking projects, was a Cub Scout leader, helped with high school girls’ soccer, and was a school board member.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 61 years, Peggy Healy Davis; daughters, Cynthis L Kliewer and husband Kyle, Kara K Davis; son, George M Davis and wife Heather. Jerry was a proud “Papa” to six grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Nicole, and Emily Kliewer, Zain Hartsook, Parker and Addie Davis; sister, Georgia Davis Ordway. Jerry leaves behind many nieces and nephews, including great-great niece Macey Vice and great-great nephew Michael Vice.

A Memorial Service is to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Cove Ascension School, 1104 Church Street, Cove, OR 97824, or to Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Attn: Development Department, 875 Randolph St. Suite 225, Arlington, VA 22203.

Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Obituary: Mark Richard Paulin, 67, Vancouver

Mark Richard Paulin

March 25, 1958 – April 26, 2025

Mark Richard Paulin passed away unexpectedly at his home in Vancouver, Washington, on April 26, 2025. He was 67 years old.

A Lifetime of Applied Curiosity

Mark was born on March 25, 1958, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. When he was eight years old, his parents, Judy and Neil Paulin, moved the family to Hood River, Oregon, where Mark grew up alongside his two younger brothers, Dale and John.

Entrepreneur and Eagle Scout

From a young age, Mark demonstrated drive and initiative. He played Little League baseball, delivered newspapers for The Oregonian to over 60 customers by the age of 12, and was active in the Boy Scouts, earning both his Webelos and Eagle Scout badges.

A Passion for How Things Work

Inspired by his father, a self-taught engineer, Mark developed an insatiable curiosity about how things worked. Long before computers were commonplace, he was taking apart telephones and adding machines to study their mechanisms. As a teenager, he embraced the emerging era of electronics, building his own walkie-talkies and experimenting with circuit boards. A devoted reader of science fiction, he was drawn to the imaginative worlds of Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov.

The Original Geek

At Hood River Valley High School, Mark was known for his brilliance in mathematics and his signature look: a calculator and slide rule on his belt and several mechanical pencils in his shirt pocket. He had memorized over 200 digits of pi and relished solving complex problems. He graduated as a National Merit Scholar with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Mark went on to study mathematics and computer science at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. His senior thesis focused on "Latin Squares," a foundational concept linked to the early development of string theory.

A Pioneer in Technology

After college, Mark worked with several early "Silicon Forest" tech companies, helping to develop software for COBOL compilers and early speech recognition systems. Later, at General Electric, he served as an IT strategist, contributing to innovations in tracking and routing the thousands of railcars that keep the U.S. supply chain moving.

A Lifelong Tinkerer

Even after retiring in 2020, Mark remained intellectually active. At the time of his passing, he was designing a more efficient camshaft for automotive engines—a testament to his enduring passion for innovation.

Survived By

Mark is survived by his mother, Judy Judd; his brothers, John Paulin and Dale Paulin; his beloved dog, Bonnie; and many other family members and friends who will miss his intellect, humor, and generous spirit.

Service Information

A service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the Upper Valley Parkdale Cemetery, 6917 Allen Road, Parkdale, Oregon.

Arrangements are under the care of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.  To share a memory or leave a note of condolence, please visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com.

Obituary: Keith Smith, 87, Dufur

The gates to heaven must need a little welding because on May 3rd, 2025, Keith Smith, beloved farmer and rancher, officially fired up the big welder in the sky and got to work. 

Born August 21st, 1937, and raised in the Dufur countryside, he spent his life tending to his crops and cattle with the dedication that can only come from someone who truly loves what he does. 

Keith enjoyed riding horses, hunting, fishing, and working in his shop.  But his shop wasn’t just a shop — it was a sanctuary and gathering place where young and old came to hear some of his well-earned wisdom. Keith fondly referred to these sacred sessions as “choir practice,” though it’s unclear if any hymns were actually ever sung.  What is clear is that the place was filled with gossip, laughter, questionable political correctness, and enough empty beer cans to make it qualify as a recycling center.

 Keith leaves behind many vehicles that may or may not start without a small prayer and a large kick and a herd of cats his deceased wife collected, and he pretended not to like, but always tried to coax one onto his lap to watch Perry Mason. 

Keith is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Shannon and Ryan, grandson Taylor, nieces Marni and Carrie, and nephews Jeremy and Brian.

 Services will be held on May 18th at noon at Spencer, Libby, and Powell funeral home, and burial at the Kingsley Catholic Cemetery.  A celebration of his life will be held immediately after at Dave Wilson’s shop, where guests are encouraged to wear suspenders, bring their favorite beer, and tell a good story. Extra points if it involves Keith, someone falling off a horse, or both.  

Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funereal Home in care of arrangements.