The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

Obituaries

Death notices for Carolyn Hill and Ellis Breedlove Jr.

August 28, 2012

Carolyn Jane Hill of Kirkland passed away peacefully on Aug. 18, 2012, with her family by her side after complications resulting from recent illnesses. She was born Dec. 18, 1949, in Roseburg, Ore., to Ralph and Bettye Lyons.

Carolyn spent most of her early childhood years in Onalaska, where her father was in the logging business with his brothers. She grew up surrounded by a very large and loving extended family. Her strong and loving devotion to her own family was developed during these years and lasted throughout her life.

During the summer of 1964, Carolyn moved to White Salmon where her father started his own logging operation. It was during this summer that she first met the boy, Dennis Hill, who would eventually become her husband, friend and soul mate for life. They were married on June 22, 1968, at the Congregational Church in White Salmon.

Carolyn's passion throughout her life was music. She had a sweet, soft and pure voice that touched your heart when she sang. She performed many solos at school and community functions in White Salmon. That passion carried on into her married life where her greatest joy was singing to her children and grandchildren. She also sang with the Sweet Adelines, performing at both local and national competitions.

Carolyn married into an "outdoors" family. This was a foreign concept to her, but she was willing to try anything and soon came to love camping, hiking, fishing and especially rockhunting. She spent many weekends with her family digging holes in the ground or wading streams looking for semi-precious gemstones. She loved to hike in the Mt. Adams area, with the longest trek being a week-long backpacking trip around the base of the mountain.

She had a special gift in doing anything that involved working with her hands. This was reflected in her many hobbies of which her favorites were sewing for her children and grandchildren, cake decorating, knitting and crocheting.

In recent years Carolyn was able to take many vacations with her family. She leaves her loved ones with great memories of travels to the Oregon Coast, Disneyland, Disney World, Hawaii, Mexico and Europe, as well as cruises to Alaska, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Carolyn shared a special bond for 11 years with her Chihuahua, Ginger, who never left her side. Ginger had also been dealing with recent illnesses and passed away on the same day as Carolyn. Ginger's ashes will be laid to rest with her best friend, Carolyn.

Carolyn was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband Dennis, her children Jeffrey Hill, Jeremy Hill and Jacquelyn Neibauer, her grandchildren Jordan and Alyssa Hill and Ariaunna and Josiah Neibauer, her sisters Sandi Sohler and Betsy Keith, and her brother Ralph Lyons.

Memorial services will be held at Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at 1 P.M. There will be a potluck reception immediately following the service. Carolyn will be laid to rest at the Trout Lake Cemetery.

Ellis, or Deb as he was called by all his friends and family, was born on Aug. 28, 1927, to Ellis and Anna Breedlove in White Salmon. Deb died Aug. 22, 2012, at the age of 84 of heart failure related to Parkinson's.

He graduated from Columbia High School and enlisted in the Army in 1947 and was stationed in Hawaii.

Deb worked as a logger for many years in Oregon and Washington, until he had one too many logging injuries. He retired to work on the many projects around his home and gardens.

When Deb was young, he loved to dance and sing. He often took his sister, Marian, out dancing so he could show the other single ladies how good a dancer he was...so they would dance with him when he asked them to dance.

Deb is survived by his wife Wanda, his son Marty, daughter Debra, sisters Delores and Marian, one grandson and two granddaughters. Deb's other sister Lorraine passed away earlier.

Deb will be buried in the White Salmon cemetery, near his mom and dad on Aug. 29, 2012, at 1 p.m.