Obituaries

He was born on January 8, 1944, in Hood River to Leland and Dorothy Lemley. He attended grade school at Bingen and graduated from Columbia High School. He joined the U. S. Navy in 1963 and served two tours of duty in Viet Nam. He was also stationed on Guam and later at San Diego.

Mr. Lemley and Anne Dobbs were married in Las Vegas on March 9, 1974, and he took retirement from the Navy in 1983 after serving 20 years and 20 days.

Mr. Lemley then attended San Diego College for four years. The family moved to Goldendale in November of 1999 to be near his family.

Survivors include his wife, Anne; son Robert M. Lemley, Goldendale; and brother Ray Lemley, Glenwood.

Private services were held on Sunday, June 3, 2001, at the family residence. Erdman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

LEON BILLETTE

Leon Joseph Billette, 75, died at his home in Dallesport on June 2, 2001.

Mr. Billette was born on June 3, 1925, in Albertville, Minn., to Joseph D. and Annette (Bistodeau) Billette. He grew up in Minnesota and on June 28, 1945, he married Viola Shipman in Minneapolis. The couple moved to the mid-Columbia area in 1948.

Mr. Billette worked on relocation of railroad signals when the John Day Dam was built and he also worked as a logger. At heart, however, he was always a farmer.

He enjoyed gardening, roses and talking to people. Mr. Billette loved his family and will be greatly missed by them.

Survivors include his wife Viola; sons Joseph, Lyle, and Jeff and Mike, White Salmon; daughters Susan Coleman, Lyle, Bonnie Meyer, Gresham, Ore., and Janice Billette, Hood River, Ore.; sisters Madeline Milne, Pasadena, Calif., Lenore Joyer, Medford, Ore., Lena Glass, Eugene, Ore., and Marian Booth, Minneapolis, Minn.; 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Billette was preceded in death by daughter Norma Jean in 1968 and by three brothers and one sister.

Graveside services for Mr. Billette will be held Friday, June 8, 2001, at 1 p.m. at the White Salmon Cemetery.

Arrangements were handled by Gardner Funeral Home of White Salmon.