Evelyn Janice (West) Russell passed
away on Wednesday, October 23, 2013
where she resided at Cascade Senior
Care in The Dalles, OR. She was 87 years
old. She was born to Dewey and Althea
West on March 3, 1926 in Arlington, OR.
The family then lived in Pendleton,
OR for a time, also at the homestead
ranch at Rock Creek out of Arlington,
Willow Creek, also outside of Arlington, a
short time in The Dalles during Evelyn’s
freshman year at The Dalles High School
and finally back to Arlington where she
graduated from Arlington’s High School
in 1944. After graduating, she worked
for the town’s telephone company as a
switchboard operator.
During her teenage years, Evelyn
enjoyed going with friends to many
dances. It was at one of those dances on
New Year’s Eve, 1945, that she saw the
handsome Dale Russell from Boardman,
OR, who had just returned from overseas
serving his country during WW2 in the
army. From that evening on and sealed
with a kiss, they began dating. They
were engaged by March and Married on
October 5, 1946.
Dale worked for the railroad in
those days, and for a time they lived in
Boardman’s train depot. They also ventured
up to the Mount Hood area and
lived at the “Lazy K Skyline Ranch” where
Dale worked his new skills in Pear Orchards.
Tragically, the ranch house
burned down, which forced them to
leave their beloved ranch and mountain.
Eventually, Dale and Evelyn,
and by then their two young sons,
moved on to The Dalles. They settled in
to their new life and welcomed the birth
of their daughter. They also began attending
Calvary Baptist Church. Evelyn
grew to love the Lord Jesus and her
church family. She served by teaching
children’s Sunday school for some years
and then became very active with the
Church’s hospitality and kitchen work.
Cooking and providing meals and making
events special were some of Evelyn’s
passions in ministry. She loved putting
on luncheons or just joining her friends
for luncheons.
Dale and Evelyn really enjoyed
trailering with family and friends from
church. She joined “The Deep Enders”
water aerobics class at The Dalles fitness
club, and she loved the work out and social
time. She also enjoyed going to the
Senior Center and its Tuesday Night’s
music and loved the new friends that
she made there.
In 1995, Evelyn lost the love of
her life Dale Russell, but then in 1999,
God blessed her again with the love of
another man, Hank Locy. She was a wonderful
and beautiful wife and mother. It
was her joy and delight to create beauty
and comfort in her home for her family
and for anyone who came to visit. We all
miss her very much.
Evelyn is survived by her sons
Dan Russell, Steve Russell (wife Cindy) all
of The Dalles; daughter Dalene Pollman
(husband John) of Randle, WA; grandchildren
Leah Russell and Anders Pollman
(wife Kacey), great grandsons Jordan
Russell and Logan Pollman. Also surviving
are sisters Shirley Donovan of Boardman,
OR, Lois Gill (husband Ed) of
Arlington, OR; brother-in-law Vern Russell
(wife Barbara) of Boardman, OR;
many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by
her parents, Dewey and Althea West,
husbands Dale Russell, and then Hank
Locy and her brother Dewey West of
Boardman.
Please join us as we celebrate
Evelyn’s life on November 23, 2013 at
Calvary Baptist Church, 3350 Columbia
View Drive at 11:00 in The Dalles.
In lieu of flowers, donations
may be sent to Providence Hospice of
the Gorge or Calvary Baptist Church of
The Dalles in honor of Evelyn.