Elwood Eugene 'Gene' Kellams

Elwood Eugene 'Gene' Kellams, 86, of Ephrata, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007, at his home in Ephrata.

He was born at Hoxie Hospital in Leavenworth, Wash., on April 23, 1921, to John and Ruth Kellams.

Gene grew up and attended school in Leavenworth, graduating from high school in 1944. After graduating he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Wenatchee, and was sent to San Diego, Calif., in 1940. From there he was sent to Bremerton, Wash., where he was assigned to the U.S.S. Tennessee. On Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S.S. Tennessee was at Pearl Harbor when the United States came under attack firom Japan. The U.S.S. Tennessee sustained damage but survived the attack. After six years, three rnonths and thirteen days in the Navy, Gene was honorably discharged.

On Nov. 7, 1942, Gene married the love of his life, Berdeanne "Dene" Wise. They began their married life in Leavenworth. Alter Gene's discharge from the Navy he worked for the Washington State Highway Department from 1946 to 1948. They also lived for a short time in Stockton, Calif., where he worked for a paper mill. In 1950 they moved to Ephrata where he was a lineman for the Glen Groves Construction Company of Ephrata, who did contract power line construction for the PUD. In 1955 he began working for the Grant County PUD as a lineman. Gene was a family oriented man, who loved his boys and taught them all an honest and hard-working work ethic. He also spent as much time with them as he could, especially on sumrner weekends where they went camping on the lcicle River near Leavenworth, as well as the Entiat and Banks Lake area. In 1973 they moved to Royal City to be closer to his work. He retired kom the PUD in 1979 as a Line Crew Foreman for the Royal and Wahluke Slope service area. In 1984 they returned to Ephrata, where they continued to make their home. After retiring from the PUD, they spent several winters in Quartzsite, Arizona as "snowbirds."

Gene is survived by his loving sister Ruth Avey of Lodi, Calif. He is also survived by four sons, Mike and wife Trudy of Ephrata, Bruce and wife Judy of Vista, Calif., John and wife Teena of Chelan, and Scott and wife Maria of Soap Lake. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 15 great -grandcbildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his wife Berdeanne in 2005, his parents, John and Ruth Kellams, his sisters Virginia Knapp, and Glenda Eardman, and a granddaughter Ambyr Jo Kellams.

Memorials can be made to the American Heart Association.