Yvonne Ruth (Eccles) Dennis

   Yvonne Ruth Dennis

July 16, 1936 – January 5, 2016

        Newport, Oregon

Yvonne Ruth Dennis, age 79, of Newport, Oregon, peacefully passed on January 5th in the presence of her children and some grandchildren at Samaritan Regional Medical Center, in Corvallis, Oregon after a long hospital stay.

Yvonne, is survived by five of her children Kerlyn (Darrell) Staffenson of Newport, Oregon, Richmond Dennis of Keizer, Oregon, La Donna Belt of Aloha, Oregon, DaRene “Dori” (Phil) Dammer of Salem, Oregon, and Lynn Dennis, Jr. of Auburn, WA; 18 grandchildren, and 27 great grandchildren and one on the way, an older sister, Elaine Sheridan of Ocean Park, Washington, six nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by both parents; her husband, Lynn; a brother, Darris Eccles; a son, Wayne Dennis; and a grandson, Trevor Belt.

Yvonne was born to Richmond and Lenore Eccles on July 16th, 1936 in Baker City, Oregon. In February 1953, Yvonne married Lynn Dennis, while he was serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict. She graduated from Baker High School in 1954. The family moved from Baker City to Toledo, Oregon in 1963, then finally to Newport in October of 1967.

Besides raising her children, Yvonne worked at a Bakery in Toledo and in grocery stores before finding her life’s work, serving in the Lincoln County Veterans’ Service Office.  Yvonne learned the importance of volunteering and her love for the Veterans Organizations by watching her mother serve sandwiches to the troop trains passing through Baker City, Oregon during World War II. She continued to support Veterans organizations for the remainder of her life. Starting in 1971, she volunteered as the secretary, at the Lincoln County Veterans Service Office, she was then appointed to run the office in 1976 where she continued to work until her retirement in 1998 after 26 years of service.

While serving in the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, she was the Auxiliary President, 1987-89, was the Department of Oregon Ladies Auxiliary President for 2001-02, and held various positions within the Auxiliary between 1972 and 2015.

Additionally, she routinely volunteered serving holiday meals and helped organize medical screening for those in need, and ensured that American Flags were on all Veteran's graves on Memorial Day.

Besides her family and close friends, Yvonne loved sports. Yvonne was a fixture at her children’s sporting events and that passion continued well after they graduated from Newport High School. She loved baseball and football and the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks were her favorites.  She would religiously follow Newport High School sports, and watched all the other baseball and football games she could fit in.

She also continued working on behalf of Veterans Organizations and she volunteered in the community in various capacities.

In 2000, Yvonne joined the Newport Church of the Nazarene where she was a member of the Joy Group and attended the Woman’s Bible Study.

In continuation of Yvonne’s passion for supporting veterans, the family requests in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the United Service Organization (USO) or The Fisher House.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Newport Church of the Nazarene at 11:00 am on January 16th, 2016.

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