Obituaries: Dale Gaylord

HERMISTON – Dale Gaylord, formerly of John Day, died March 15, 2010, at his home in Hermiston. He was 77.

Mr. Gaylord was born on Nov. 9, 1932, in Atlantic, Iowa, to Lee and Lorraine Morrow Gaylord. He was raised in Iowa and in Hermiston, graduating from Hermiston High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps, and then returned to Hermiston. He worked for at the Umatilla Army Depot and also on the Northwest Natural Gas pipeline from Umatilla to La Grande.

Mr. Gaylord married Doris Woods on Sept. 22, 1957, in John Day. He graduated from Eastern Oregon State College in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree and a double major in biology. They moved to Hermiston where he taught science and coached sports for eight years. He was a department head and athletic director at the junior high until 1968.

He completed his master’s degree in education administration at EOU in 1970 and earned his certification for Principal/Superintendent from Washington State University. He worked as a vice principal at Hermiston High School, a junior high principal and then assistant superintendent for the Hermiston School District until he retired in 1990.

Mr. Gaylord had been president of the Izaak Walton League, Local Chapter; president of the Hermiston Rotary Club; a Hunter Education instructor; chairman of the Boy Scout Camporee; director of Head Start, and served on the American Field Service Committee.

He loved hunting, traveling with family, gardening, fishing, photography and taxidermy.

He is survived by his wife, Doris Gaylord of Hermiston; son, Joe (Jody) Gaylord, Hermiston; daughters, Joni Gaylord, Tri-Cities, Wash., and Dorene (Chuck) West of Pendleton; sister, Dorothy “Dottie” Ryan, Benton City, Wash.; granddaughters, Jessica Hubbard, Resa West and Kaci Gaylord; grandsons, Shann West, Joseph Gaylord, Travis (Talese) Dollarhide; and great-grandchildren Caitlyn and Cameron Dollarhide and Landon Hubbard.

A celebration of life gathering was held at the family home Saturday, March 20.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Hermiston High School Wrestling Program or the Vange John Memorial Hospice Bereavement Education.

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements. A link to a condolence book is at www.MyEagleNews.com.