Cleo Irene Benzel, a Hood River, Ore., resident, died Nov. 7, 2007, at Hawks Ridge Assisted Living, where she has resided for the past six years.

She was 101 years of age.

Services will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center. Viewing will be Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon at Anderson’s.

Cleo was born Aug. 24, 1906, in Rock Creek, Gilliam County, Ore., to Samuel and Fannie (Fett) Gerrish, the second of six children. She moved with her family to Yakima, Wash., and then to Odell, Ore., in 1920.

In 1930, she and Jacob “Jake” Benzel were married. They lived in White Salmon, Wash., from 1931 to 1938 and then returned to Hood River.

In her younger years, she worked at Keir’s Drug Store. She also sorted fruit at Duckwall Pooley Fruit Company. She was a member of the Neighbors of Woodcraft. Cleo enjoyed cooking, gardening, loved life on the farm, was an excellent seamstress and crocheted many afghans.

She is survived by three daughters: Judie Scobee, of Hood River, Jackie Miller, of Ridgefield, Wash., and Barbara Sunday, of Tigard, Ore. Eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren also survive.

Vault interment will be at Pine Grove Butte Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Gorge in care of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000; www.andersonstributecenter.com.

Ramona Hutson, 66, of Warrenton, Ore., died on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, in Astoria, Ore.

Ramona was born Oct. 3, 1941, in Highland Park, Mich., the daughter of Robert B. Chaefer and Ellen I. Jussero Chaefer.

In 1973, she married Willard Hutson Sr., in Long Beach, Wash. He preceded her in death on July 20, 2003.

Ramona was raised in the Fern Hill area of Astoria. She attended school in both Astoria and at a one-room schoolhouse in Fern Hill. In the 1960s and ‘70s, Mrs. Hutson worked as a waitress at Andrew’s & Steve’s Restaurant and also worked at the Bumble Bee Cannery in Astoria. She then retired in the mid-1970s to become a homemaker and raise seven children.

In the 1980s, Ramona and Willard owned and operated the Seafarer Tavern in Warrenton.

Ramona was very talented in working with ceramics. She loved being with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and she always loved great stories.

She is survived by daughters Carol Bernhard, of Torrance, Calif., Sherrie Hall, of Astoria, Ore., Melody Wharton, of Vancouver, Wash., Ruth Nan Sparks, of Astoria, and Laura Hutson, of Longview, Wash.; son, Louis James Burdett, of Warrenton, Ore., sister, Nona Bradford, of Newberg, Ore., 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her twin brother, Gordon Jussero Chaefer; twin sisters, Beverly and Patricia Jussero Chaefer; and sister, Arlene Van Dusen-Darby.

Memorial services were on Saturday, Nov. 3, at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary, Astoria, Ore., and ashes laid to rest with multiple generations at the Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Ore. A reception followed at the Astoria Moose Lodge in Astoria. Ramona will have her remaining ashes laid to rest with her husband on Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Upper Valley Cemetery in Parkdale, Ore.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hutson Trust, in care of Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave., Astoria, OR 97103.

Theodore Merle Dunn, 77, passed away at his Parkdale home with family by his side on Nov. 5, 2007.

Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church (1501 Belmont Ave., Hood River).

Merle was born July 28, 1930, at Merced, Calif., to George Wesley and Vina Marie (Quiggle) Dunn.

On Oct. 4, 1952,Merle married Delores Louise Facha at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Atwater, California. To this union they were blessed with two daughters.

Merle served his country proudly during the Korean War from 1952-1954 in the United States Army. He was a life member of the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars. After his service he and Delores continued to live in California until 1967 when the family moved to the Hood River Valley.

Merle was a mechanic and worked on farm equipment at Weber’s Farm Equipment in Odell from the late 1960s until the mid- 1970s. He then went on to work on farm equipment for Sheppard’s in Hood River from 1975 until retiring in 1989.

He loved farm equipment especially his 1936 John Deere AR tractor that he and his grandson restored to a viable working farm tractor this past summer.

He is survived and will be dearly missed by his wife of 55 plus years, Delores at their home in Parkdale, Oregon; two daughters, Bernadette Loebs and her husband Curtis of Zachary, Louisiana and Aldina Dunn of Los Osos, California; two grandchildren, Rebekka Frances Loebs and Abraham Jacob Loebs; and other family and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Ronald who died during the Korean War while serving our country.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to either Hospice of the Gorge or St. Mary’s Catholic Church in memory of Merle care of Anderson’s.