Hazeldean Eva Alice Riffe

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Hazeldean Eva Alice Riffe, a longtime resident of Rainey Valley, passed away with her daughters at her side Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at Capital Medical Center, Olympia, Wash. Several days after a successful stomach surgery, she contracted a staph infection, from which she never recovered.

She was born Jan. 2, 1928, in Sumas, Wash., to Elonzo and Jennett Rollins.  Hazeldean was the youngest of seven girls. As a teenager, she moved with her family to Glenoma, where she met and married Glenn B. Riffe.  They had three children, Tony Alonzo Riffe, Terri Dean Riffe and Jerri Carlene Blankenship.

Her daughter, Terri, lives in Tucson, Ariz, Jerri (David) lives in Glenoma; and  son, Tony (Jill), died of cancer in June 1967.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Glenn, Aug. 19, 2014.

With her family, Hazeldean enjoyed all aspects of the outdoors including clam digging, fishing, camping, gardening and watching birds in her yard. She worked for many years in a veneer mill in Randle. Once retired, she and Glenn enjoyed trips to Tucson in the Spring and also traveled with their daughters to New Orleans and Hawaii.  Throughout her life, she enjoyed going to sporting events to watch her son, then grandsons, granddaughter, and great-grandsons, compete in basketball, football, track and baseball.  

She was an outstanding resource of information about Rainey Valley for friends and family and was known for her remarkable memory.  

Hazeldean has three grandchildren, Randi Lydum (Matt) of Monmouth, Ore., Tony Blankenship (Elizabeth) of Soap Lake, Wash., and Todd Blankenship (Jody) of Roseburg, Ore.: and five great-grandchildren, Max Lydum, Gunnar Blankenship, Caden Blankenship, Hazel Rose Lydum, and Tanner Blankenship.

The family would like to thank all friends who called, visited and texted frequently with fervent thoughts, prayers and good wishes for Hazeldean.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., at The Church at Glenoma, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. Burial will precede the memorial service at 10 a.m., at Rainey Valley Cemetery. All are welcome at both services.  A potluck lunch will be provided after the memorial service.

Directions are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock, cattermolefh.com.