Willa Jane Varner

Willa Jane (Wolff) Varner passed on Nov. 13, 2025 in Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Varner was born at home in 1926 in Franklin Township Pa., but has resided in Oregon from 1948, first in Astoria until 1968 and then in The Dalles.

Willa was the oldest of ten children of Robert Eugene Wolff and Eliza Margaret (Ford) Wolff. Until sixth grade she attended a one room school house. She recalled that the children loved to play pranks and the school outhouse regularly ended up on the roof of the school each Halloween. In later grades she excelled and won a medal for her academic achievements while training to become a secretary. She graduated from Ambridge High School in Pennsylvania in 1944.

Willa married Kenneth Edward Varner on August 3, 1944 and they enjoyed 69 years together until his death in 2014. They had five children, four girls and a boy, and she was proud that they all went on for further education after high school. Her children and their spouses include Willa Jane Tanabe (George), Marjorie Lee Dwyer (Jim), Donna Jean O’Brien, deceased, (Dennis), Phyllis Anne McDonald, (Michael, deceased), and Kenneth Eugene Varner (Jo Ellen, deceased). She also had eight grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.

Family life was noisy, hectic and fun. Car rides from Astoria to Pennsylvania to visit relatives meant five kids and two harassed parents in a 1957 Chevy for a 5 day road trip with only one overnight stop. Helping with scout troops, PTA activities, school performances and camping trips filled the days. Once the kids began college, Willa began to work outside the home. She was a checker at Safeway and loved it because she got to meet so many people and hear their stories. It sometimes felt like she knew everyone in town.

Willa found enjoyment in traveling not only in the U. S., especially Alaska and Hawaii, but in Ireland, Japan and Canada. She also loved dancing. From her first dates with her husband when they went to big band performances and danced the jitterbug, cha-cha-cha, rhumba and salsa (they even square danced), she was known as the “dancing queen.”

Willa was a prolific reader of history and mystery books as well as doing the NYT crossword puzzle in ink daily. As her eyesight dimmed in her 90s, she began listening to audiobooks from the State Library Talking Book program, reading over 800 books in four years.

Willa and Ken moved into an independent living apartment at The Springs at Mill Creek in 2008. Willa’s gift of memory for faces and names and “never met a stranger” approach resulted in her welcoming many old and new friends into her life. She participated in all the activities, even performing a hula dance for the Aloha Luau event. Willa remained in independent living following her husband’s death and as one staff member said “was an Institution.”

Her greatest joy, however, remained her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. At 99 and three-quarters she was still part of their lives and as her grandkids said, “still had all her marbles.” Her children were already planning a dance party for her 100th birthday celebration. Willa Jane Varner will be greatly missed.

Besides her children and families, she is survived by her beloved siblings Joyce Phillips, Robert Wolff, Betsy Grant, in-laws Jim and Rose Varner, cousin Jack Ford and many, many relatives. The family would also like to thank residents and staff of The Springs for being her friend and especially acknowledge Joe Craven, Lars Ryssdal, Jack Franklin and many others who were very dear to her.

Visitation will be on Friday, November 28 from 2 to 6 pm at Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 11 am at the funeral home of Spencer, Libby & Powell, 1100 Kelly Ave., The Dalles, Or. 97058 It will be followed by a reception at noon at The Springs at Mill Creek located at 1000 Vey Way, The Dalles, Or.

Burial will be on Monday, December 1 at 2 pm at the Odd Fellows (IOOF) Cemetery off Cherry Heights Road at 110 W. 18th St., The Dalles, OR.

Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.