Steven Blaine Garrett, age 70, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away October 7, 2022. A Memorial will be held at Covenant Christian Church in The Dalles, OR, November 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Diane “Di” Marie Sasa (Blomquist), 76, exuberant and offbeat, was born on Oct. 2, 1945, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisc., to Kenneth and Mary Blomquist, and died Sept. 28, 2022, in an automobile accident in Goldendale, Wash., as she was packed and on her way to Hawaii. She died 4 days before her 77th birthday.
She hated funerals, so wouldn’t have attended her own. Happy things were her focus. Full of vitality and cheer, she only had positive things to say about some of the worst-behaved people. She never met a person she didn’t like. “Everyone has good qualities,” she would quip.
She grew up in Wisconsin, graduating from Regis High School in Eau Claire where she was homecoming queen. She worked her way through college waitressing at Crossroads Cafe and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire as a social worker. She went to work at the Milwaukee County Department of Social Services in the late 1960’s where she met friends like Pat and Dan, who stayed with her through life. “Diane threw my cigarettes out the window on a road trip and said she was saving my life. If it was anyone but Diane!” Pat said. “I lost my best friend.”
Diane took full advantage of globe trotting with friends on her vacations, and had stories such as an old man chasing her with a cane in Pakistan for taking his picture. She also liked to tell about when she bought her first car, a blue VW bug, that she drove home, all the way across town, with the emergency brake on. The dealer kindly replaced the car.
She left Wisconsin to move to Hawaii where she gave birth to her first son William in 1973. She worked as a probation officer in Hawaii, and a few years later met Lipano Sasa at a church friend’s gathering. They flirted. He pushed her in the pool fully clothed, jumped in after her, and the rest is history. They married in 1976 and she spent happy years watching her husband climb coconut trees and spear fish. Her second son Stephen was born in Hawaii in 1979, and later the family moved to California where their daughter Mary was born in 1981.
They later moved to The Dalles, Oregon, in 1985 where they owned an in-home foster care business for elderly and developmentally disabled until retiring a few years ago. Caring for patients who weren’t mentally capable and often ornery (public screamers) put Diane in another realm of sainthood and nothing seemed to ever embarrass her. Much to the chagrin of her children, she would tell strangers in the checkout line her life story along with her kids’ life stories, and then ask for their life story in exchange. Connecting with anyone and being inquisitive about their life was one of her most endearing traits. Saying she was a Type A extrovert somehow seems an understatement.
And no words are adequate to fully capture such vibrance, but people have described Diane as a force and full of life, an amazing personality, wild and funny, friendly and sweet, enthusiastic and kind, considerate and generous, giving and exceptional, hospitable and welcoming, someone who made everyone feel special, and full of Jesus’ love always. Her boisterous laugh made people laugh with her, and her husband said, “You could always hear Diane before you ever saw her.” She loved healthy food, traveling, good sales, giving and getting gifts, staying connected with family and friends, toast/desserts, blue, watching sermons on 3ABN, swimming in the sea, not in that particular order.
She gave of herself daily, even when she was tired or poor, she gave with joy. After observing Diane give selflessly to someone in trouble, a court judge noted, “I have never seen such charity.”
A diligent worker, she made sure her kids attended private Christian schools and took pride in knowing they became successful members of society who were attentive to her as she aged.
In The Dalles, Diane also busied herself with teaching her kids’ Sabbath school class and with other church activities, as she was a member of numerous Seventh-Day Adventist churches in the Columbia River Gorge during her 37 years there. The source of her joy and ability to live sacrificially was Jesus, and her greatest desire was that her family and friends know Jesus. In her last year of life, her focus was the hope that she would meet her loved ones again on resurrection morning, and her favorite Bible story was about Lazarus.
She is survived by her devoted husband Lipano Sasa; son William Perry and wife Davina; son Stephen Sasa and wife Kerry; daughter Mary Hilde and husband Shane; grandchildren Koby, Zoe, Jehu, Josiah, Jude, Adeline and Clementine; brothers Steve Blomquist, Jon Hehli and Jim Hehli; aunt Anita and husband John; along with many much-loved cousins, nephews and nieces, and a host of people who called her friend. Knowing and loving these people was one of her greatest pleasures.
Memorial service for Diane will be held Oct. 16, 11 a.m. at The Dalles Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 501 Veterans Dr, The Dalles, Ore. Everyone is invited and welcome. Memorial contributions can be made to https://gofund.me/9e7635c5.
Steven Gerald Herman, age 71, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away October 6, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Neil Buckman Hansen age 78, a resident of Kent, OR, passed away October 2, 2022. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Alyssa Rianne Adams, age 30, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away October 3, 2022. A celebration of life to be held at a later date. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Michael Charles Mooney, age 73, a resident of Wamic, OR, passed away September 30, 2022. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangement.
Majorie Chrystal Foster, age 88, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away October 02, 2022. A Celebration of Life will be held at a soon date. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Robert Dale Sloan, age 69, a resident of Maupin, OR, Passed away September 29, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Diane Marie Sasa, age 76, a resident of Goldendale, WA, passed away on September 28, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Joanne Karole Frost, was born November 22, 1931 in Portland, Oregon, to James B. Lash and Alice F. Lash, and passed away August 28, 2022 in The Dalles, Oregon. She was a long-time resident of The Dalles, and graduated from The Dalles High School in 1949. She is survived by her four children Cynthia Adams (Dale), Chester Frost (Leslie), Carmen Frost, and Amy Frost; four grandchildren Rebecca Frost-Mayer, John Mayer, Zachary Mayer, and Duncan Frost; two sisters-in-law, Dolores Frost and Liz LeMay; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her ex-husband, Gerald D. Frost, her parents, and her brother, James K. Lash. Joanne was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker. In her later years, she worked for 16 years as a fish counter at The Dalles Dam. She enjoyed participating in her sorority, Preceptor Alpha Nu of Beta Sigma Phi, and was an avid gardener. Often, she would work tirelessly in her yard from sun-up to sundown. She was loved by many, and will be forever missed by friends and family.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, October 8, 2022, 11:00 a.m., at Zion Lutheran Church, 10th and Union St.
Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Todd Douglas Henry, age 51, a resident of Kent, OR, passed away September 20, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Peggy Lou Espeland, 88, a resident of Tygh Valley, OR, passed away September 23, 2022. A Graveside Service will be held at a near date. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements..
Demetra Corene Apperson, age 67, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away September 25, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Joseph F. Wehr, age 80, a resident of The Dalles, Or passed away Sept. 22, 2022 at a local care facility. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Phillip Bruce Dowsett, age 75, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away September 17, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at The Gateway Presbyterian Church in The Dalles, OR, September 23, 2022 at 4:00 pm. A Funeral will be held at a later date at Odd Fellows Cemetery. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Claudette Joan McLoughlin, age 89, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away September 15, 2022. A Graveside service will be held at the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in The Dalles, OR, September 27, 2022 at 4:00 pm. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Jo Ann Avery, age 89, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away August 6, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Debra Rea Lane, age 68, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away September 9, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
William Swaim Brunt, age 69, a resident of Appleton, WA, passed away September 13, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Charlotte Lee Haney, age 68, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away September 12, 2022. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.