Sharon Whitten of Battle Ground, Washington, passed away on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 in Portland, Oregon after seven weeks of hospitalization. She was supported and consoled during this sad time by her husband, sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, brothers-in-law and sister-in-law.
Sharon was born in Salem, Oregon on October 25, 1946 to Barbara and Roy Pate and was the middle of their 5 daughters. She grew up in the Santiam Canyon logging towns of Mill City and Gates, Oregon. Sharon attended Santiam High School in Mill City where she met Charles "Rusty" Whitten and they became high school sweethearts. She graduated in 1965 and they were married in Mill City on September 17, 1966. After a year in Corvallis, Oregon, they moved to Vancouver, Washington where "Rusty" took a job with the Washington Department of Natural Resources as an engineer at the Larch Mountain Honor Camp.
Sons Kevin and Jeff arrived in 1968 and 1969 and in 1972, bought their first home in Orchards, Washington. By 1977, they moved to a new house they built east of Battle Ground, Washington.
Sharon's mother and mother-in-law were both avid gardeners and Sharon carried that tradition on in a grand fashion. She excelled at making things grow and collected and transplanted many flowers and shrubs from the gardens of her mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and grandmother.
Sharon always kept a neat, clean, and orderly household and turned every one of our "houses" into a "home". She loved animals and they loved her, having had many pets over the years. Sharon would often say "no more pets", only to soon find a new one had again "found her".
Most of all, she loved our children and adored our 5 grandchildren. She was very active and we went on many back-packing and fishing trips in the wilderness where she would cook meals ranging from huckleberry pancakes and eggs to steaks and potatoes complete with dessert. On holidays, she enjoyed planning and making wonderful, elaborate meals for the family members at our home. Her annual prime rib dinners at Christmas were classic and on birthdays, she usually made "scratch cakes" which always were a much anticipated treat.
Sharon enjoyed traveling and we went to Hawaii several times and twice to the Cook Islands, south of Tahiti. A special trip she scheduled was last June when we took our sons, their wives, and all 5 grandchildren to Maui to help us celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
Sharon is survived by her husband "Rusty" (aka Chuck); son, Kevin (Lisa) Whitten of Yacolt, Washington and their 3 children, Eric (15), Sam (15), and Lena (15); son, Jeff Whitten (Shelly) of Battle Ground, Washington and their 2 children, Katelyn (20) and Bethany (17); sister, Phyllis (Chuck) Burns of Springfield, Oregon; sister, Judy (Jack) Cram of Gates, Oregon; sister, Lisa (Maurie) of Gates, Oregon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Cara Lee Crowder of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and 6 nieces and 3 nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Carol Miller.
A Celebration of Life was on August 26, 2017 at the Cherry Grove Friends Church at the intersection of Highway 502 and NE 92nd Avenue in Battle Ground, Washington. A memorial service at the Mountain View Cemetery near Amboy, Washington was held in October, 2017.
Sharon's wish was that friends donate to one of the charitable organizations listed below:
Furry Friends, 6715 NE 63rd St., Ste. 450, Vancouver, WA 98661 or North Santiam Historical Museum and Canyon Life Museum, P.O. Box 574, Gates, OR 97346.
Published in The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington on August 6, 2017
Sharon was born in Salem, Oregon on October 25, 1946 to Barbara and Roy Pate and was the middle of their 5 daughters. She grew up in the Santiam Canyon logging towns of Mill City and Gates, Oregon. Sharon attended Santiam High School in Mill City where she met Charles "Rusty" Whitten and they became high school sweethearts. She graduated in 1965 and they were married in Mill City on September 17, 1966. After a year in Corvallis, Oregon, they moved to Vancouver, Washington where "Rusty" took a job with the Washington Department of Natural Resources as an engineer at the Larch Mountain Honor Camp.
Sons Kevin and Jeff arrived in 1968 and 1969 and in 1972, bought their first home in Orchards, Washington. By 1977, they moved to a new house they built east of Battle Ground, Washington.
Sharon's mother and mother-in-law were both avid gardeners and Sharon carried that tradition on in a grand fashion. She excelled at making things grow and collected and transplanted many flowers and shrubs from the gardens of her mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and grandmother.
Sharon always kept a neat, clean, and orderly household and turned every one of our "houses" into a "home". She loved animals and they loved her, having had many pets over the years. Sharon would often say "no more pets", only to soon find a new one had again "found her".
Most of all, she loved our children and adored our 5 grandchildren. She was very active and we went on many back-packing and fishing trips in the wilderness where she would cook meals ranging from huckleberry pancakes and eggs to steaks and potatoes complete with dessert. On holidays, she enjoyed planning and making wonderful, elaborate meals for the family members at our home. Her annual prime rib dinners at Christmas were classic and on birthdays, she usually made "scratch cakes" which always were a much anticipated treat.
Sharon enjoyed traveling and we went to Hawaii several times and twice to the Cook Islands, south of Tahiti. A special trip she scheduled was last June when we took our sons, their wives, and all 5 grandchildren to Maui to help us celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
Sharon is survived by her husband "Rusty" (aka Chuck); son, Kevin (Lisa) Whitten of Yacolt, Washington and their 3 children, Eric (15), Sam (15), and Lena (15); son, Jeff Whitten (Shelly) of Battle Ground, Washington and their 2 children, Katelyn (20) and Bethany (17); sister, Phyllis (Chuck) Burns of Springfield, Oregon; sister, Judy (Jack) Cram of Gates, Oregon; sister, Lisa (Maurie) of Gates, Oregon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Cara Lee Crowder of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and 6 nieces and 3 nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Carol Miller.
A Celebration of Life was on August 26, 2017 at the Cherry Grove Friends Church at the intersection of Highway 502 and NE 92nd Avenue in Battle Ground, Washington. A memorial service at the Mountain View Cemetery near Amboy, Washington was held in October, 2017.
Sharon's wish was that friends donate to one of the charitable organizations listed below:
Furry Friends, 6715 NE 63rd St., Ste. 450, Vancouver, WA 98661 or North Santiam Historical Museum and Canyon Life Museum, P.O. Box 574, Gates, OR 97346.
Published in The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington on August 6, 2017
Sharon Whitten of Battle Ground, Washington, passed away on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 in Portland, Oregon after seven weeks of hospitalization. She was supported and consoled during this sad time by her husband, sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, brothers-in-law and sister-in-law.
Sharon was born in Salem, Oregon on October 25, 1946 to Barbara and Roy Pate and was the middle of their 5 daughters. She grew up in the Santiam Canyon logging towns of Mill City and Gates, Oregon. Sharon attended Santiam High School in Mill City where she met Charles "Rusty" Whitten and they became high school sweethearts. She graduated in 1965 and they were married in Mill City on September 17, 1966. After a year in Corvallis, Oregon, they moved to Vancouver, Washington where "Rusty" took a job with the Washington Department of Natural Resources as an engineer at the Larch Mountain Honor Camp.
Sons Kevin and Jeff arrived in 1968 and 1969 and in 1972, bought their first home in Orchards, Washington. By 1977, they moved to a new house they built east of Battle Ground, Washington.
Sharon's mother and mother-in-law were both avid gardeners and Sharon carried that tradition on in a grand fashion. She excelled at making things grow and collected and transplanted many flowers and shrubs from the gardens of her mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and grandmother.
Sharon always kept a neat, clean, and orderly household and turned every one of our "houses" into a "home". She loved animals and they loved her, having had many pets over the years. Sharon would often say "no more pets", only to soon find a new one had again "found her".
Most of all, she loved our children and adored our 5 grandchildren. She was very active and we went on many back-packing and fishing trips in the wilderness where she would cook meals ranging from huckleberry pancakes and eggs to steaks and potatoes complete with dessert. On holidays, she enjoyed planning and making wonderful, elaborate meals for the family members at our home. Her annual prime rib dinners at Christmas were classic and on birthdays, she usually made "scratch cakes" which always were a much anticipated treat.
Sharon enjoyed traveling and we went to Hawaii several times and twice to the Cook Islands, south of Tahiti. A special trip she scheduled was last June when we took our sons, their wives, and all 5 grandchildren to Maui to help us celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
Sharon is survived by her husband "Rusty" (aka Chuck); son, Kevin (Lisa) Whitten of Yacolt, Washington and their 3 children, Eric (15), Sam (15), and Lena (15); son, Jeff Whitten (Shelly) of Battle Ground, Washington and their 2 children, Katelyn (20) and Bethany (17); sister, Phyllis (Chuck) Burns of Springfield, Oregon; sister, Judy (Jack) Cram of Gates, Oregon; sister, Lisa (Maurie) of Gates, Oregon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Cara Lee Crowder of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and 6 nieces and 3 nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Carol Miller.
A Celebration of Life was on August 26, 2017 at the Cherry Grove Friends Church at the intersection of Highway 502 and NE 92nd Avenue in Battle Ground, Washington. A memorial service at the Mountain View Cemetery near Amboy, Washington was held in October, 2017.
Sharon's wish was that friends donate to one of the charitable organizations listed below:
Furry Friends, 6715 NE 63rd St., Ste. 450, Vancouver, WA 98661 or North Santiam Historical Museum and Canyon Life Museum, P.O. Box 574, Gates, OR 97346.
Published in The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington on August 6, 2017
Sharon was born in Salem, Oregon on October 25, 1946 to Barbara and Roy Pate and was the middle of their 5 daughters. She grew up in the Santiam Canyon logging towns of Mill City and Gates, Oregon. Sharon attended Santiam High School in Mill City where she met Charles "Rusty" Whitten and they became high school sweethearts. She graduated in 1965 and they were married in Mill City on September 17, 1966. After a year in Corvallis, Oregon, they moved to Vancouver, Washington where "Rusty" took a job with the Washington Department of Natural Resources as an engineer at the Larch Mountain Honor Camp.
Sons Kevin and Jeff arrived in 1968 and 1969 and in 1972, bought their first home in Orchards, Washington. By 1977, they moved to a new house they built east of Battle Ground, Washington.
Sharon's mother and mother-in-law were both avid gardeners and Sharon carried that tradition on in a grand fashion. She excelled at making things grow and collected and transplanted many flowers and shrubs from the gardens of her mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and grandmother.
Sharon always kept a neat, clean, and orderly household and turned every one of our "houses" into a "home". She loved animals and they loved her, having had many pets over the years. Sharon would often say "no more pets", only to soon find a new one had again "found her".
Most of all, she loved our children and adored our 5 grandchildren. She was very active and we went on many back-packing and fishing trips in the wilderness where she would cook meals ranging from huckleberry pancakes and eggs to steaks and potatoes complete with dessert. On holidays, she enjoyed planning and making wonderful, elaborate meals for the family members at our home. Her annual prime rib dinners at Christmas were classic and on birthdays, she usually made "scratch cakes" which always were a much anticipated treat.
Sharon enjoyed traveling and we went to Hawaii several times and twice to the Cook Islands, south of Tahiti. A special trip she scheduled was last June when we took our sons, their wives, and all 5 grandchildren to Maui to help us celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
Sharon is survived by her husband "Rusty" (aka Chuck); son, Kevin (Lisa) Whitten of Yacolt, Washington and their 3 children, Eric (15), Sam (15), and Lena (15); son, Jeff Whitten (Shelly) of Battle Ground, Washington and their 2 children, Katelyn (20) and Bethany (17); sister, Phyllis (Chuck) Burns of Springfield, Oregon; sister, Judy (Jack) Cram of Gates, Oregon; sister, Lisa (Maurie) of Gates, Oregon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Cara Lee Crowder of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and 6 nieces and 3 nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Carol Miller.
A Celebration of Life was on August 26, 2017 at the Cherry Grove Friends Church at the intersection of Highway 502 and NE 92nd Avenue in Battle Ground, Washington. A memorial service at the Mountain View Cemetery near Amboy, Washington was held in October, 2017.
Sharon's wish was that friends donate to one of the charitable organizations listed below:
Furry Friends, 6715 NE 63rd St., Ste. 450, Vancouver, WA 98661 or North Santiam Historical Museum and Canyon Life Museum, P.O. Box 574, Gates, OR 97346.
Published in The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington on August 6, 2017
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