Loren Oris Pettenger

Loren Oris Pettenger, 87, a Wenatchee resident passed away at his home with family at his side on Saturday, October 19, 2013. He was born February 21, 1926 in Riverside, CA to the late Levi and Stella (White) Pettenger. He was raised alongside his three sisters and brother in Compton, CA. He attended the area schools including Compton Junior College; during his 11th grade he left school and became employed as a body man at a local mechanic shop. At the age of 17 and a half he joined the Navy; he served proudly in the Pacific Theatre in the Philippine and Asiatic area as a water tender mostly aboard the USS Custer. Upon discharge he returned Compton, CA. He met and married Dorothy Campbell in Maywood, CA on April 25, 1948. Together they made their home in Long Beach, CA and had three children, Robin, Jeff and Mitch. He worked as a truck driver for Marine Transport. On September 1950 the Navy called him back to serve during the Korean Conflict, recommissioning ships in the ship yards. Honorably discharged once again he and his family moved to Three Rivers, CA. He later met and married Eileen Kilfeather-Smith in Carson City, NV on November 28, 1971. Eileen brought to the marriage three children, Michael, Mark and Janice. Loren loved these kids and adopted them raising them as his own. In time Loren and Eileen welcomed a daughter together, Maureen. They moved to Silver Springs, NV in 1971 and remained there until 2012. Loren worked as a heavy equipment operator for Savage Construction and then later Operating Engineers where he assisted in the building the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno. In the early 80's he and Eileen started their own excavating company, Loren Pettenger Excavating (later Pettenger Excavating, Inc), which they ran together until her death in February 2008. In October of that year Loren retired from his business. Due to his decreasing health Loren moved to Wenatchee to live with his daughter Maureen in 2012. Loren's greatest passions were his family, traveling, camping, fishing and hunting. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Eileen; brother, Clarence Pettenger and sister Loaine Maedel. He is survived by his children, Robin (Tony) Hernandez, Mitch Pettenger, Mark (Alain) Pettenger, all of Visalia, CA, Jeff Pettenger, Indianapolis, IN, Michael (Leane) Pettenger, Silver Springs, NV, Janice McElhaney, Virginia City Highlands, NV, Maureen (Ed) Phinney, Wenatchee, WA; two sisters, Lawanda (Paul) Dworshak, Hayden, ID, Lorena (Ronnie) Clark, Reno, NV; 16 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. A service will be held at Faith Baptist Church, 5715 Elm St., Silver Springs, NV at 11:00am with a Graveside Inurnment to be held on November 1, 2013, 1:00pm at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Fernley, NV. To leave messages of condolence and memories for his family please visit his online tribute at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com . Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee, WA.

Loren Oris Pettenger

February 21, 1926 - October 19, 2013