Gerald L Dotson

He was born March 25, 1923, in Mounds, Oklahoma. He passed away the morning of December 3, 2018, at his Yachats home at the age of 95 years.

“Zeke” left home at 17 to join the Army and spent WWII in the Pacific Theater where he won the Purple Heart as well as many other awards and honors. He was also an occupant of Hitler’s Eagles Nest for four months. On March 16, 1951, he married the love of his life, Jean Schultz who was working for the American Red Cross at the time, while stationed in Yokohama, Japan, with the American Red Cross. After leaving the military having achieved the rank of Master Sergeant E8 and was a parachute repairman and completed 95 jumps.

He returned to civilian life, entered college and completed his Bachelors degree in Forestry. For the next twenty years he worked for the U.S. Forest Service at which his last posting was the Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center. In 1980, Zeke ran for Mayor of Yachats and served two terms. Jean also served as the President of the Yachats Ladies Club for a number of years. In addition, Zeke was Vice President of the Yachats Lions Club and later President, as well as working on the remodeling of the Yachats Little Log Church. They were both instrumental in the yearly event devoted to the Yachats Smelt Fry.

Zeke has been buried next to Jean, his wife of 64 years and sister in law, Dorothy M. Schultz, in Yachats Cemetery. Zeke is survived by his Buttolph Family: Randy, Vern, Velma, Steven, Jodi and Tracy.

We are all so grateful we got to spend this last Thanksgiving holiday with him. He will be deeply missed by us all.

Special thanks to Nora B. Kirschner, M.D., Dr. Warren B. Sparks, Ryan Korando, DDS, Hospice of Newport (Dusty, Kimberly, Betsy, and Rick), Saul Alvarado, Amber Wolvertory, Storme Hodges, and Blue Heron In-Home Care (Doris, Terena, Kerlyn, Shelly, and Sheryl).

A Celebration of Life with Military Honors will be held Saturday, December 22nd at 3:00 PM at Yachats Ladies Club, 286 West 3rd St., Yachats, OR 97498.

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