Donald Marion Dealy

DEALY — Donald Marion, 90; born Sept. 20, 1926, Bozeman, Mont.; died Aug. 9, 2017, College Place, Wash. Surviving: wife, Orletta (Wilson); sons, Donald Dealy II, Aloha, Ore.; Marvin Dealy (deceased); Howard "Tom" Dealy, Snohomish, Wash.; 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Don spent his youth in Washington where his mother taught at Seventh-day Adventist schools, and his father served as Treasurer for the Upper Columbia Conference and Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Don met Orletta Wilson while attending Walla Walla College in 1946, and the couple married in Caldwell, Idaho, in 1947. Don graduated from Walla Walla College with a double major in Math and Theology in 1948, and later received his Masters in Education in 1962.

Both Don and Orletta devoted their entire adult lives to Seventh-day Adventist church work. For many years, Don was a teacher and/or principal in Seventh-day Adventist grade schools and academies in Nebraska, Washington, Oregon and California. And in later years, Don changed careers and worked as a computer technician in the IT department at Fuller Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, Mass.

When the couple retired in 1990, they moved to College Place, Wash., where they built their retirement home and settled into active volunteer work. Don volunteered at Blue Mountain Television until 2016, and both Don and Orletta were very active members of the Walla Walla College Alumni Association. They faithfully attended the Walla Walla City Seventh-day Adventist Church where Don served as Sabbath School Teacher and Organist until his death.

In addition to teaching, Don had many passions, but was best known for being a very accomplished singer, pianist, organist, and xylophone player. He also enjoyed gardening, computers, photography and videography, and over his lifetime created thousands of photographs and hours of videos that faithfully documented family and church-related events.

Don leaves behind a loving family as well as many past students, colleagues and church family members who remember him as a true man of God and a faithful and loving friend. He passed away early in the morning while sleeping peacefully at home. God is good and merciful!