Dennis Merle Auvil, 69, passed from this life on Thursday, July 11, 2013, at 1:25 a.m., after a 3 ½ year battle with cancer. He had been lovingly tended by family and hospital staff, with the timely assistance of Assured Hospice. You don't know how much that means until you experience it.
Dennis was born to Jacob Merle Auvil and Mildred Fern (Walker) Auvil, on April 5, 1944, in Morton, Wash. He grew up in the Eastern Lewis County area, with moves to the Tillamook, Ore., and Northern California logging camps, as his father followed the work. He graduated Mossyrock High School in 1962, and immediately joined the Air Force, where he served until 1966. The Air Force transferred him from Lackland, Texas, to Biloxi, Miss., Goose Bay, Labrador, and finally McGuire AFB, N.J., where he met his future wife, Carolin Herbert, who was studying music at Trenton University.
Dennis and Carolin had their first child the first year of their marriage, so they took turns going to school and working. Dennis attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., and later transferred to WSU in Pullman, where he earned his BS in Journalism. After that, he and the family happily moved west to Mossyrock, where he worked in the woods as a choker setter until the job on the Chronicle opened up. There he worked from May 1973 through Oct. 1989 approximately, writing news stories on everything from sports cars, to the Cowlitz Falls Dam Project, to city government. In 1986, he earned an award from the ICMA (International City/County Management Assoc.) for a series of articles on Centralia city government.
After he and The Chronicle parted ways, he spent some time doing office work locally, working on home projects, and researching family history, for a book that never worked out. Then he applied for office work at the State of Washington. Even though there was a hiring freeze, he got temporary jobs, and finally got on at L&I. He stayed for about 11 years, and retired in 2010. He was always amazed at the appreciation people there showed him for the little things he did to help.
Dennis was no social butterfly, but he enjoyed a good political discussion, and joined the local Democrats in the 90s; target shooting, and helped with Civil Air Patrol; lending a hand, and became the Chehalis Lions Club Secretary for a time. He also loved hiking, camping, fishing, and photography. He much preferred hunting with his camera.
Dennis has gone home to join his parents; uncles, Art and Grady; and grandparents, Judy and Joe Blankenship, Ajlune, Wash. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Carolin, at home in Chehalis; sister, Linda Lee Fryberger (Ken), Naselle, Wash.; sister, Pamela Murphy (Bob), Scott City, Kan.; son, Peter Auvil (Melyssa), Centralia; daughter, Wendy Conejo (Tony), Riverside, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.
A celebration of his life with potluck is planned for Aug. 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis, and burial at Doss Cemetery, Mossyrock. Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or to WPC.
Dennis was born to Jacob Merle Auvil and Mildred Fern (Walker) Auvil, on April 5, 1944, in Morton, Wash. He grew up in the Eastern Lewis County area, with moves to the Tillamook, Ore., and Northern California logging camps, as his father followed the work. He graduated Mossyrock High School in 1962, and immediately joined the Air Force, where he served until 1966. The Air Force transferred him from Lackland, Texas, to Biloxi, Miss., Goose Bay, Labrador, and finally McGuire AFB, N.J., where he met his future wife, Carolin Herbert, who was studying music at Trenton University.
Dennis and Carolin had their first child the first year of their marriage, so they took turns going to school and working. Dennis attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., and later transferred to WSU in Pullman, where he earned his BS in Journalism. After that, he and the family happily moved west to Mossyrock, where he worked in the woods as a choker setter until the job on the Chronicle opened up. There he worked from May 1973 through Oct. 1989 approximately, writing news stories on everything from sports cars, to the Cowlitz Falls Dam Project, to city government. In 1986, he earned an award from the ICMA (International City/County Management Assoc.) for a series of articles on Centralia city government.
After he and The Chronicle parted ways, he spent some time doing office work locally, working on home projects, and researching family history, for a book that never worked out. Then he applied for office work at the State of Washington. Even though there was a hiring freeze, he got temporary jobs, and finally got on at L&I. He stayed for about 11 years, and retired in 2010. He was always amazed at the appreciation people there showed him for the little things he did to help.
Dennis was no social butterfly, but he enjoyed a good political discussion, and joined the local Democrats in the 90s; target shooting, and helped with Civil Air Patrol; lending a hand, and became the Chehalis Lions Club Secretary for a time. He also loved hiking, camping, fishing, and photography. He much preferred hunting with his camera.
Dennis has gone home to join his parents; uncles, Art and Grady; and grandparents, Judy and Joe Blankenship, Ajlune, Wash. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Carolin, at home in Chehalis; sister, Linda Lee Fryberger (Ken), Naselle, Wash.; sister, Pamela Murphy (Bob), Scott City, Kan.; son, Peter Auvil (Melyssa), Centralia; daughter, Wendy Conejo (Tony), Riverside, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.
A celebration of his life with potluck is planned for Aug. 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis, and burial at Doss Cemetery, Mossyrock. Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or to WPC.
Dennis Merle Auvil, 69, passed from this life on Thursday, July 11, 2013, at 1:25 a.m., after a 3 ½ year battle with cancer. He had been lovingly tended by family and hospital staff, with the timely assistance of Assured Hospice. You don't know how much that means until you experience it.
Dennis was born to Jacob Merle Auvil and Mildred Fern (Walker) Auvil, on April 5, 1944, in Morton, Wash. He grew up in the Eastern Lewis County area, with moves to the Tillamook, Ore., and Northern California logging camps, as his father followed the work. He graduated Mossyrock High School in 1962, and immediately joined the Air Force, where he served until 1966. The Air Force transferred him from Lackland, Texas, to Biloxi, Miss., Goose Bay, Labrador, and finally McGuire AFB, N.J., where he met his future wife, Carolin Herbert, who was studying music at Trenton University.
Dennis and Carolin had their first child the first year of their marriage, so they took turns going to school and working. Dennis attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., and later transferred to WSU in Pullman, where he earned his BS in Journalism. After that, he and the family happily moved west to Mossyrock, where he worked in the woods as a choker setter until the job on the Chronicle opened up. There he worked from May 1973 through Oct. 1989 approximately, writing news stories on everything from sports cars, to the Cowlitz Falls Dam Project, to city government. In 1986, he earned an award from the ICMA (International City/County Management Assoc.) for a series of articles on Centralia city government.
After he and The Chronicle parted ways, he spent some time doing office work locally, working on home projects, and researching family history, for a book that never worked out. Then he applied for office work at the State of Washington. Even though there was a hiring freeze, he got temporary jobs, and finally got on at L&I. He stayed for about 11 years, and retired in 2010. He was always amazed at the appreciation people there showed him for the little things he did to help.
Dennis was no social butterfly, but he enjoyed a good political discussion, and joined the local Democrats in the 90s; target shooting, and helped with Civil Air Patrol; lending a hand, and became the Chehalis Lions Club Secretary for a time. He also loved hiking, camping, fishing, and photography. He much preferred hunting with his camera.
Dennis has gone home to join his parents; uncles, Art and Grady; and grandparents, Judy and Joe Blankenship, Ajlune, Wash. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Carolin, at home in Chehalis; sister, Linda Lee Fryberger (Ken), Naselle, Wash.; sister, Pamela Murphy (Bob), Scott City, Kan.; son, Peter Auvil (Melyssa), Centralia; daughter, Wendy Conejo (Tony), Riverside, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.
A celebration of his life with potluck is planned for Aug. 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis, and burial at Doss Cemetery, Mossyrock. Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or to WPC.
Dennis was born to Jacob Merle Auvil and Mildred Fern (Walker) Auvil, on April 5, 1944, in Morton, Wash. He grew up in the Eastern Lewis County area, with moves to the Tillamook, Ore., and Northern California logging camps, as his father followed the work. He graduated Mossyrock High School in 1962, and immediately joined the Air Force, where he served until 1966. The Air Force transferred him from Lackland, Texas, to Biloxi, Miss., Goose Bay, Labrador, and finally McGuire AFB, N.J., where he met his future wife, Carolin Herbert, who was studying music at Trenton University.
Dennis and Carolin had their first child the first year of their marriage, so they took turns going to school and working. Dennis attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., and later transferred to WSU in Pullman, where he earned his BS in Journalism. After that, he and the family happily moved west to Mossyrock, where he worked in the woods as a choker setter until the job on the Chronicle opened up. There he worked from May 1973 through Oct. 1989 approximately, writing news stories on everything from sports cars, to the Cowlitz Falls Dam Project, to city government. In 1986, he earned an award from the ICMA (International City/County Management Assoc.) for a series of articles on Centralia city government.
After he and The Chronicle parted ways, he spent some time doing office work locally, working on home projects, and researching family history, for a book that never worked out. Then he applied for office work at the State of Washington. Even though there was a hiring freeze, he got temporary jobs, and finally got on at L&I. He stayed for about 11 years, and retired in 2010. He was always amazed at the appreciation people there showed him for the little things he did to help.
Dennis was no social butterfly, but he enjoyed a good political discussion, and joined the local Democrats in the 90s; target shooting, and helped with Civil Air Patrol; lending a hand, and became the Chehalis Lions Club Secretary for a time. He also loved hiking, camping, fishing, and photography. He much preferred hunting with his camera.
Dennis has gone home to join his parents; uncles, Art and Grady; and grandparents, Judy and Joe Blankenship, Ajlune, Wash. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Carolin, at home in Chehalis; sister, Linda Lee Fryberger (Ken), Naselle, Wash.; sister, Pamela Murphy (Bob), Scott City, Kan.; son, Peter Auvil (Melyssa), Centralia; daughter, Wendy Conejo (Tony), Riverside, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.
A celebration of his life with potluck is planned for Aug. 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis, and burial at Doss Cemetery, Mossyrock. Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or to WPC.
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