Obituary: Randy Lowell Elliott, Parkdale

Randy Lowell Elliott passed away on July 11, 2025, at the Providence Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.

Randy spent most of his life in Oregon and the upper Hood River Valley close to family. He was currently residing in The Dalles, where he had retired. He worked for Duckwall Brothers and Diamond Fruit Growers, which he retired from. Randy was in the Oregon National Guard for over 20 years and was proud of his service, and was held in high regard by his colleagues.

Randy will be remembered for his eclectic sense of humor and his good nature.

Graveside Committal with Military Honors planned for 10:00 a.m., July 16th, 2025, at the Upper Valley Parkdale Cemetery.

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: Stephen R Shockey, 33, The Dalles

Stephen R Shockey, age 33, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on June 30, 2025.

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

Death Notice: Kirby Harold Denny, 87, The Dalles

Kirby Harold Denny, age 87, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away at a local care facility on July 14, 2025.

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

Obituary: Aaron Mark Helseth, 50, The Dalles

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Aaron Helseth, who departed this life on June 23, 2025. Aaron was a devoted father, a fiercely loyal friend, and a man who lived his life with humility, kindness, and quiet strength.

Aaron spent his life finding beauty in the simple and overlooked. He had a gifted eye for transforming the ordinary into something meaningful, whether it was a forgotten piece of furniture or a cooked meal made with love.

Aaron’s greatest joy and purpose in life was being a father. His love for his kids was boundless- a rare, unshakable connection that will endure forever. Their bond was one that words cannot fully capture, built on unconditional love, trust, and a deep understanding. His children were his pride and joy and it was with them he shared a love that will never be replaced or replicated.

To know Aaron was to know compassion. He carried a forgiving heart, never holding grudges, and always offering grace. He was the kind of man who always saw the best in people, even when they couldn’t see it themselves. His presence comforted those around him, and his laughter had a way of softening even the hardest of days.

Aaron will be remembered not just for who he was, but for how he made people feel: accepted, seen, and loved without condition.

He is survived by his three beloved children, Abbey, Gabe, and Jackson, his grandson Mateo, son-in-law Tony, his parents Karen and Bob Fisher, and sister Angie, who will carry his spirit and love with them always, along with extended family and friends whose lives he deeply touched.

A celebration of Aaron’s life will be held @ The Dalles Armory on Sunday, August 3rd from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. In place of flowers, the family asks that you honor Aaron’s legacy by sharing a meal with someone you love, forgiving freely, and finding beauty where others might not think to look.

Rest easy, Dad. You were deeply loved and will forever be deeply missed

Death Notice: Jackie Ann Ellison, 70, The Dalles

Jackie Ann Ellison, age 70, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away at Adventist Health Columbia Gorge on July 8, 2025.

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

Obituary: Marylin (Lin) Gayer Redfern, 79, The Dalles

Marylin (Lin) Gayer Redfern passed away peacefully on June 18, 2025. Lin and her twin sister, Marlene (Lee), were born on January 20, 1946, in Portland, OR. Their parents, Lucille and Eugene Gayer, founded Gene Gayer Jewelers, in The Dalles. Later their son Scott assumed ownership, relocated, and Gayer Jewelers flourished. Lin cherished her memories of spending time with her family along the Deschutes River, the beach, the Wallowa Mountains, Alaska and many other places.

Lin graduated from The Dalles High School (1964) and soon married Bill Booth. They have three children, Julie, Scott, and James. She moved to the Oregon coast, where she met and married Lee Redfern. She loved living on the Oregon coast, and while there would go beach combing with her father. Together, they collected record collections, including hundreds of washed-up flip-flops. They hung these on a line and called them “Lost Souls”.

Lin had a great sense of adventure. She traveled solo across Europe for several weeks. She enjoyed dressing up and making costumes for Halloween, beach combing, hunting, horseback riding, and sunbathing.

She was a prolific vegetable gardener and was very artistic in her designs, creating stunning rock gardens and landscapes. In the early 80s, she repainted a VW bug to look like a ladybug, using spray cans. She loved entertaining, and one of her favorites was her FAMOUS clam chowder and shrimp salad for Christmas Eve - it was the best!

She is survived by her husband, Lee, her children, Julie, Scott (Kristen), and James (Jennifer), grandchildren (Schano, Lucy, and William), her twin sister, Lee (Scott), her brother, Scott (Nok), her stepsons Todd and Torey (Jenne) Redfern, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at The Bargeway on July 17, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Death Notice: Rose Elizabeth Foster, 74, Arlington

Rose Elizabeth Foster, age 74, a resident of Arlington, OR, passed away at home on June 19, 2025.

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

Death Notice: Fred Henry Stangl, 70, Mosier

Fred Henry Stangl, age 70, a resident of Mosier, OR, passed away at home on July 2, 2025.

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

Connie Lee Smith, 94, The Dalles

Connie Lee Smith passed away on June 27th, 2025 in The Dalles, Oregon. Connie was born June 9th, 1931 in South Dakota and was 94 years of age at the time of passing.

A Celebration of Life is planned for 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 28th, 2025 at Anderson's Tribute Center • 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.

Private Committal Ceremony will proceed at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery of Hood River, Oregon. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.

Death Notice: Donna Mae Baldwin, 86, The Dalles

Donna Mae Baldwin, age 86, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away at home on June 21, 2025.

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

Death Notice: Sheryl Jane Kaseberg, 87, Wasco

Sheryl Jane Kaseberg, age 87, a resident of Wasco, OR, passed away at home on June 23, 2025.

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

Obituary: B. Sue Paige, 89, Mount Hood

B. Sue Paige passed away on June 23rd, 2025, in Mount Hood, Oregon. She was born in 1936 to Fred and Nell in Memphis, Tennessee.

Sue was an avid sportsman and gardener. She excelled in Skiing, golf, and sailing. Skiing alpine mountains by helicopter, sailing a single-person Hobie Cat, and traveling the world.  She transformed everywhere she lived into lush, beautiful gardens and had a flair for interior design. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Trish Paige, friend Sandy Bissell, Tess, and Rocky. She was a remarkable and determined woman in all that she did, including her relationship with cancer.    

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: Kelly Knopp, Hood River

Kelly Knopp passed away June 18, 2025, at home in Hood River, Oregon. Kelly was born February 27, 1958, and was 67 years of age at the time of 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: George Joseph Kopp, 76, Tygh Valley

George Joseph Kopp, age 76, a resident of Tygh Valley, OR, passed away at home on June 17, 2025.

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

Death Notice: Kevin Lee Kumm, 58, The Dalles

Kevin Lee Kumm, age 58, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away June 19, 2025. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 28, 2025, 12 PM at Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home, 1100 Kelly Ave, The Dalles, OR 97058.

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

Death Notice: Thomas Lee Tripp, 59, The Dalles

Thomas Lee Tripp, age 59, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away at a local hospital on June 20, 2025.

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

Death Notice: Margaret Ellen Dolan, 84, Hood River

Margaret Ellen Dolan passed away May 19th, 2025, at Providence Dethman House in Hood River, Oregon. Margaret was born May 20th, 1940, and was 84 years of age at the time of 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.

Obituary: Yuri Lily Hasegawa, 97, Hood River

Yuri Lily Hasegawa, 97, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2025.

She was born on March 7, 1928, in Hood River, Oregon, to Masaru and Akimi (Kuranishi) Kawachi. Yuri grew up in the Hood River Valley and attended Oak Grove Grade School. In 1942, during World War II, Yuri and her family were forcibly removed from their home and sent to the Pinedale Assembly Center in California, then to Tule Lake, and later to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming. After the war, they returned to Hood River in 1945 and Yuri graduated from Hood River High School in 1947.

Soon after, Yuri earned a business degree and began working for the State of Oregon, where she dedicated 30 years of service before retiring.

On May 6, 1956, she married Mark Hasegawa at Centenary Wilbur Methodist Church in Portland. Together, they raised three children and built a life full of love, laughter, and shared adventures.

Yuri was an avid bowler, participating in two leagues- one on Tuesday mornings and another on Thursday evenings. She loved to travel, taking countless trips to Reno with Mark and enjoying frequent visits to Hawaii with her daughters. In earlier years, family trips to the Oregon Coast for clam-digging were among her most treasured memories. Above all, Yuri found her greatest joy in time spent with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

She is survived by her children: Rhonda (Jeff) Kaneshige of Gladstone, OR; Jeff (Jackie) Hasegawa of Hood River, OR; and Janet (Tom) Mellman of Burlingame, CA. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren: Courtney Hasegawa (Manuel Garcia), Michael Hasegawa, and Gavin Mellman; her sister-in-law Dorothy Kawachi; brother-in-law James Hasegawa; sister-in-law Ella Hasegawa; and many nieces and nephews.

Yuri was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Mark; her parents; her brothers Teruo, Kenji, and Hiro; and her sister, Mary Imai.

She will be remembered for her quiet strength, unwavering devotion to family, and the joyful memories she created with all who knew and loved her.

A Celebration of Life for Yuri was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 21st, 2025, at Anderson’s Tribute Center (1401 Belmont Ave, Hood River, OR 97031). Graveside Rites will follow at Idlewilde Cemetery. A time of continued sharing will be at the Westside Fire Department Rockford Station.

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: John Burnam Smith, 69, The Dalles

John Burnam Smith passed away peacefully on June 14th, 2025, in The Dalles, Oregon.

John, the son of James F.M. Smith and Joanne Adeline Smith, was born March 25th, 1956, in Portland, Oregon.

The fifth of six children, John attended Coe Primary, Odell Grade, and Mid Valley Junior High School in Hood River County before attending Wahtonka High School in The Dalles, 1970-1974.

Industrious, multi-talented, and blessed with a delightful wit, by age 9, John was already moving sprinklers in the pre-dawn hours before school in the Odell orchard of beloved first foster parents Glen and Joyce Allen. Later, he picked apples, pears, and cherries under the summer sun in orchards from Odell to The Dalles. John endeared himself to foster parents Jim and Agnes Mortenson and family on their Mosier farm, where he rigorously undertook every brand of labor.

He was a skilled tractor driver in the dusty orchards, performed every job available in numerous restaurants, and in 1977 served as a vigilant first responder with the Wasco Rural Fire Protection District. John worked in the supermarket industry for 10 years in The Dalles, Marsing (Idaho), Bend, Oregon City, Portland, and Vancouver. In 1987, John graduated from Trend College, Vancouver, and found his true calling as a professional bookkeeper for 25 years until health issues forced early retirement.

For more than four decades, John was a familiar sight cruising in and around The Dalles in his fully restored, dark blue, 1956 Chevy Pickup.

John believed in the maxim “Work hard, play hard.” A natural athlete, growing up, he enjoyed multiple team sports. A gifted swimmer and diver, his antics at favorite Mosier Creek swimming holes – The Pocket, Sixteen Hole, Upper 16 Hole – were legendary. At 25, he boldly dived off a 55-foot-high basalt precipice into the mighty Columbia River.

John’s two lifelong passions were fishing and golf—the former primarily with Gary Gast, his close friend of more than 50 years. John and his foster brother and lifelong buddy Bob Mortenson were golf partners for decades, and in their 50s, especially pleased to renew their friendly rivalry at China Creek GC in Arlington.

Blessed with an unsurpassed love and respect for the great outdoors and God’s creatures who thrive therein, Mount Hood and Lost Lake were first among equals for John, though he enjoyed the stunning vista views throughout Wasco County, all along with the Deschutes, Klickitat and Hood Rivers and the whole of the Columbia River Gorge.

Along the journey – at home, school, work, and play -- John forged lifelong friendships. His unique manner of speaking, honesty, and sense of humor truly served to uplift and enrich the lives of family and friends.

John was rightfully proud of his beautiful home of 20 years at Foley Lakes. His manicured lawn and expert landscaping were the envy of the neighborhood.

In addition to the Allen and Mortenson families, as a teenager, John resided with foster parents Herman and Jeannie Bagge in Mosier and Jim and Lucille Torgeson in The Dalles.

In 2013, John survived a major heart attack, and his health gradually deteriorated from the effects of emphysema, COPD, and Peripheral Artery Disease. In 2018, he entered hospice and moved into Assisted Living at Flagstone in The Dalles, where he long served as an effective advocate for other residents.

An abiding faith in God long served as his anchor and gave John strength and peace as he endured the loss of his mother and four siblings. And enabled him to face his health challenges head-on with inspiring grace, dignity, and courage.

The family would like to extend thanks to the entire Bristol Hospice team, especially John’s caregiver, Megan Reed, for her compassion and countless acts of kindness. And to Doctors Lisa Pearson and Sonia Schuemann,

multiple nurses, and the dedicated staff at the Mid-Columbia Medical Center. Sincere thanks to foster sister Mary Ann Hay (Mortenson), Gary Gast, and Bob Mortenson for their love and ongoing support of John and family throughout this challenging time.

John was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Joanne Adeline Smith, in 1971, and his father, James F.M. Smith (2005). And by sister Sheila (1956), brother Daniel (2011), sister Patrica (2012), and brother Patrick (2018). He additionally forged a steadfast bond and friendship with his late brother-in-law, Roger Muma (2016).

John is survived by his dear elder sister, Florence Muma of Battle Ground, WA, and his beloved nieces Julie, Jennifer, and Heather, along with thirteen grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, each of whom “Uncle John” was so proud.

Services are planned for 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 27th, 2025, at Anderson’s Tribute Center (1401 Belmont Ave, Hood River, OR 97031).  Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to watch a livestream of John’s service or to leave a note of condolence for the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of John can be made to Providence Hospice of the Gorge c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • Celilo Chapel. 

Death Notice: Benita Jean McLean, 93, Stevenson

Benita Jean McLean passed away June 13, 2025, at Rock Grove Assisted Living in Stevenson, Washington. Jean was born December 30, 1931, and was 93 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.