Roger Jay Dorner

Roger Dorner died on June 22, , 2016 after a short battle with cancer. He was born September 23, 1932 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the third child to his parents Alfred and Sadie Strom Dorner. At age four his family moved west, settling in Lower Naches, WA. He helped in the family orchard business. By the age of 12, he could drive a truck loaded with boxed fruit alone, to town, for delivery to the warehouse. His high school years were in Spangle, WA attending Upper Columbia Academy, a private parochial boarding school. When he enrolled as a freshman, he was the smallest and youngest student. He graduated as the tallest student on campus. He continued his education at Walla Walla College, now Walla Walla University. His nursing studies took him to Portland Adventist Hospital where he met fellow student, June Books, his future wife. In 1954, Roger and June were married in her hometown of Wenatchee. Returning to College Place, June worked as a surgical scrub nurse while Roger took pre-med classes at WWC. After the birth of their first child, Dixie, in June of 1956, they moved to California where Roger began his medical studies at Loma Linda Medical School, now Loma Linda University. Roger had been involved in construction during his pre-med studies at WWC. After 1 ½ of rigorous studies at LLMS he decided a doctors life was not for him. They packed up, moved to Wenatchee in early 1958, and began a lifelong career in property development and construction. He went to Community Savings and Loan requesting and receiving $500 in startup funds to build his first spec home. In July of that year their second child, Duke was born at Deaconess Hospital with Dr. Earl Bolton in attendance. A hard worker Roger saw to it that his children not only learned the value of hard work by joining he and June on the job site but that they also enjoyed family time together by traveling and participating in many activities as the children were growing up. He had a fine memory and could relate many detailed stories of his childhood. Roger was an avid reader, especially of religious history and WWII. His many interests through the years included bird watching, travel, city league softball, golfing, fishing the daily crossword puzzle, playing basketball into his 50's and weekly card games with friends. Roger was preceded in death by his parents and by a sister, Marge Dorner Bock. He is survived by his wife June at the family home; daughter, Dixie (Darrell) Hunt in Troy, ID; son, Duke (Connie) in Wenatchee and four grandchildren, Taylor and Hayden Dorner of Wenatchee, Denae' (Jason) Kramer in Moscow, ID and Devin (Laura) Hunt in Troy as well as a brother, Lee (Maxine) Dorner in Salem, OR. He also leaves seven nieces and nephews, Kelly, Terry, Rick, Rollie, Brad, Becky and Cheryl. Special thanks go to the Colonial Vista staff for the quality care given to Roger in the last months and for the compassion shown to the family. Memorial Services will be held on July 9, 2016, 2:30 pm at the Wenatchee Seventh-day Adventist church. You are invited to view his online guestbook at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com . Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Roger Jay Dorner

September 27, 1932 - June 22, 2016