Obituaries

Mr. Tanner was born March 25, 1913, in Kennydale, to Fred Jay Tanner and Bessie Esther Barnhart Tanner. The family lived in many different places in Washington and Oregon. He graduated from Columbia Union High School in White Salmon, where he participated in football and baseball.

He worked in the woods with his father until his father retired. He then worked at the mill in Klickitat.

He married Shirley Hamm on April 9, 1939, on Easter Sunday and they were together for 64 years. He had one son, Terry. They also had numerous dog and cat pets during their years on the ranch.

He quit the mill and logged with his own truck for a couple of years. He then went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad as a signal maintainer in Oregon. He bought the Dan Ewing Ranch while working for the railroad and moved there after leaving the railroad. He logged and ranched until 1962 when he moved to California and was timekeeper for his brother's Building Construction Company. In 1968 he moved back to the ranch and worked in the SDS mill until he retired.

After retiring, he continued to ranch and work in logging off and on. He and his wife traveled back east to visit family and research family tree history. During the years he spent many hours going to the mountains and the coast, enjoying berry picking and clamming.

He was a past master of the White Salmon Masonic Lodge. He belonged to Columbia Grange for 66 years. He was a charter member of the Sundowners Good Sam group. He was a member of the Lyle Cemetery Board and a member of the Lyle School Board for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley Tanner; his son Terry; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Friday, July 18, 2003, at Columbia Grange #87 in Lyle at 1 p.m. with a potluck following.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Gorge in care of Gardner Funeral Home or Columbia Grange in care of Brenda Sorensen.