Dwight R. Kelley

Dwight R. Kelley, 88, of Marlin, Wash., passed away on Friday, April 11, 2008, at Lakeridge Care Center in Moses Lake.

Dwight was born on Aug. 28, 1919, in Lynd, Minn., the oldest of seven boys born to Lawrence and Hazel (Wunderlich) Kelley.

Dwight attended grade school in one-room schools east of Havre, Mont., at times riding horseback 12 miles a day.

In 1934, after years of poor crops and even poorer prices, his family traded their cows for horses and with 10 horses and two wagons, they traveled 520 miles in 21 days to Northern Idaho. He was a 1938 graduate of Spirit Lake High School in Idaho. After high school, he joined the Idaho National guard. In the fall of 1941, his unit was ordered to the Philippine Islands. They sailed from Pearl Harbor a few days before Japan attacked. Due to the attack, his unit was rerouted to Australia. While in Australia, he was stationed near Townsville in a pack outfit consisting of 65 men and 5000 horses. When the horse patrol was no longer needed, he was sent to New Guinea with a supply company.

With help of the GI Bill, he was able to attend Seattle University and Graduate from WSU with master's degrees in Education and School Administration.

He married Frances Grahlfs of Naches, Wash., on Dec. 31, 1947. They moved to Nespelem in 1951 where he taught science, served as principal, and then superintendent until the high school consolidated with Coulee Dam in 1957. While at Nespelem, he served as president of the area Toastmasters Club, started a photography club, and served as a play director. After Nespelem, he became school superintendent at Bickleton, Wash., where he oversaw the building of their new high school. He served as superintendent at Trout Lake, Wash., where they purchased a home with acreage for his horses and a view of Mt. Adams that he loved.

After a year away to attend Syracuse University on a National Science Foundation Grant, he became superintendent at Wilson Creek until his retirement in 1976.

Dwight always had a love of horses, helping his daughters and others in community horse clubs. After his retirement, he and Frances moved back to Trout Lake. During his years at Trout Lake, he remained active in community events, served on the school board, took on various jobs, and pursued his hobbies; raising horses and training them to saddle and harness, taking and developing many photographs, and belonging to The Trout Lake Art Players in which he did standup comedy and acting.

Dwight was predeceased by his parents; daughter Jeanna Claibourn; and brothers Jerome, Robert, Eugene, and Lawrence. He is survived by his wife Frances; daughters Candice (Sam) Compogno of Spokane, and Katherine (Tracy) Lesser of Marlin, Wash., brothers Donald (Marge) Kelley of Boise, Idaho, and Richard Kelley of Missoula, Mont., sister-in-law Cody Kelley of Boise, Idaho, and grandchildren Nathan Clark, Carmine Williams, Kelley, Nicki, and Katie Compogno, and Eric, Kyle, and Stacia Lesser. There will be no service at his request. If desired, memorials may be made to Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at One Intrepid Square, W. 46th Street and 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 or a local animal shelter. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.