Kathleen Mary Hanel went home to be with her Lord, at Hawk’s Ridge Assisted Living in Hood River, Oregon on Saturday September 6, 2014. She was surrounded by family members and friends who loved her deeply. She was 94 years of age at her passing. Kathleen was born on December 3, 1919 to Leland and Stella (Reeves) Linley in Mazomanie, Wisconsin. The couple had five children, three girls and two boys. The family moved first to Gillette, Wyoming, where Kathleen graduated high school in 1935. They then moved to Oregon settling in Mt. Hood, Oregon in 1937.

Kathleen met a young Lewis Sterling Hanel, and they were married after approximately a one-year courtship. Their first residence was on Miller Road where their four children, Robert, William, and identical twins Jean and Janet were born. They relocated to a residence on the east end of Woodworth Drive where the kids grew up.

In 1943 Sterling had accumulated some money and was debating whether to buy a new car. Kathleen, being the woman behind her man, persuaded him to invest $1,350 in the sawmill business, which came to be known as Hanel Lumber Company, which the family owned and operated for over 50 years.

Kathleen work for a period at packinghouses and she also work for a time at Hanel Lumber Company helping Sterling run the business.

One of Kathleen’s passions was bowling, and she bowled several leagues over the years. She and Sterling bowled in some mixed leagues most notably the Elko League on Friday night bowling with various friends and some of her children. She loved to read, sew, cook and bake, as well as playing Bunco with the ladies groups.

She and Sterling were always very civic minded contributing significantly to the remodeling of the Hood River Hospital, and the Hood River Adult (Senior) Center, among many other endeavors.

In her latter years Kathleen loved spending time visiting her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She loved them all so very much, and had pictures of them all around her residence so she could always be in contact with them.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents; husband L. Sterling Hanel; sons Robert Hanel and William Hanel; brothers Dick and Bob Linley; and sisters Margaret Mooney and Connie Scranton.

She is survived by daughters Jean Casey and husband Carl of Hood River and Janet Princehouse and husband Jim of LaGrande; Daughter-in-Laws Kay Hanel and Barbara Hanel; Grandchildren John Swyers (Linda), Brad Hanel, David Hanel, Mike Friend (Laura), Troy Friend (Kathy), Ronnie Swyers (Tammie), Azur Scott (Garcia), Karaynn Cannan (Jim), Katherine Huerta (Miguel), Tyson Jacobs (Michelle), Tara Stewart (Matt), and Noel Princehouse; Great Grandchildren Maddie, Sterling, Shane (Melanie), Trace, Abby, Alex, Kylie, Dietrich, Baby Girl on the way, Jeff, Jenni, Kristina, Ciarra, Kyle, Grace, JP, Alice, Jackson, Abagail, Mikey, Tyler, Dillon, Trevor, Wyatt, and Courtney.

The family suggests any memorial contributions can be made to Hearts of Gold Caregivers, The Parkdale Church of the Nazarene, or to the Providence Hospice of the Gorge in care of Anderson’s Tribute Center.

The Funeral Service will be held Saturday September 13, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Anderson's Tribute Center, with interment at Idlewild Cemetery immediately following. A reception will be held following the Internment Service at the Hood River Valley Adult Center in the Kathleen Room.