Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Sylvia Dorothy Davidson Pake, age 92, homemaker, certified nurse assistant and community volunteer, passed away May 14, 2022, at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.
Sylvia was born Dec. 19, 1929, on the family farm in Swift County, Minn., to David and Sophie (Johnson) Davidson. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pauli Lutheran Church and attended school in rural Swift Falls, Minn. She met Charles Pake in Willmar, Minn. They married on Nov. 25, 1950, in Swift Falls. They made their first home on a small dairy farm near Willmar, where Charlie worked as a diesel electrician for Great Northern Railway and Sylvia took care of their four young children and the dairy cows. They moved to a 200-acre farm in Kandiyohi County, where they farmed together while Charlie continued working for the railroad. They sold the farm to follow his promotions, transferring to Havre and Whitefish Mont., Vancouver, Wash., Klamath Falls, Ore., and retiring in Rufus, Ore., in 1983. Sylvia completed CNA training in Havre and loved working at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Havre, Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in Kalispell, Mont., and Meadow Glade Manor in Brush Prairie, Wash.
During retirement years in Rufus, Sylvia enjoyed fishing the Columbia with Charlie, gardening, taking care of her grandchildren, making delicious lefse and cookies, and volunteering as head cook at the Potlatch meal site in Rufus, where she served up to 70 senior meals every week. When the Rufus meal site closed, Sylvia worked alongside Charlie while he served as president of Pioneer Potlatch in The Dalles, Ore. Together they served many senior meal sites in Wasco, Sherman, and Hood River counties. Charlie passed away April 16, 2012, at home in Rufus. Sylvia moved to Hood River, Ore., in 2015 to live with her daughter.
Sylvia is survived by her children, Neil of Yakima, Wash., Patty (Brad) Richards of Redmond, Ore., and Sharon Bonderud of Hood River; seven grandchildren; four great- grandchildren; and special niece and nephew Sandra Abell and Howard Noor of Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Charlie, daughter Debbie, and siblings Caroline, Edward, Olga, Richard, Leila, Josie, and two infant sisters Lyla and Dena.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on June 6 at Zion Lutheran Church in The Dalles, followed by a reception at the church and committal at Three Mile Cemetery. Arrangements by Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Chapel. The family suggests memorials to Zion Lutheran Church, where Sylvia was a faithful member for many years.
Sylvia loved her Norwegian Heritage, and we will always cherish the family traditions she graciously passed on to us.
To plant a tree in memory of Sylvia Pake as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.