Delayne Merlin Hollis

Delayne Merlin Hollis was born July 2, 1936 at Goshen, Oregon. He believed that he had been named after President Roosevelt by his father, Seth Leland Hollis and his mother, Violet Irene Calvert.

“Tickie” was the youngest of four, Dorothy "Dotie" Hollis, Harold "Burr" Hollis and Laureen "Reenie" Hollis. When he was 18 months-old his dad was killed in a road construction accident. His mom re-married in 1941 and they moved to Boise, Idaho where his step-dad, Raymond Percy "Jim" Augenstein, worked in a defense plant during World War II. More siblings followed, Janet "Janny "Augenstein, Gweneth "Gwenny" Augenstein and Raymond "Jimmy" Augenstein.

The family returned to the Coast Fork of the Willamette River when he and his sister, Reenie were in 2nd grade. He went to a one-room school until the little school consolidated, after which he attended school at Pleasant Hill 7th through 10th grade. The family bought a farm and moved to Delight Valley in 1952 across the road from the Way family. He graduated Cottage Grove High in 1954 and began to romance the girl across the street, Ruth Way, who called him “Dee.” They corresponded for two years when he went off that fall to Oregon Tech, now Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls. While he was attending school he managed and lived in the Klamath Auto Camp Cottages, graduating OTI in 1956 with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Automotive Machinist Technology.

After graduation he moved to Sutherlin to work as an auto mechanic in the Ford Garage. He and Ruth were married September 1, 1956, at Walker Union Church, near Cottage Grove, Oregon. He worked in Sutherlin until spring of 1959, then returned to Klamath Falls where he was employed at Weyerhaeuser Lumber Mill. Known as “Del” to his co-workers, he worked at the same plant for 40 years as the lead millwright in the hardboard division.

He became “Daddy” when their daughter Kathy Irene was born September 1959. A son, John Gregory followed in November 1962.

Delayne was an outdoorsman with summers spent camping, fishing the streams, antelope hunting, riding dirt bikes and exploring the desert of Eastern Oregon. Each fall for many years, he looked forward to hunting trips with his good friend Gary Griffith, successfully hunting deer and elk. He excelled at fishing, from salmon at the coast, lake boat fishing to fly-fishing streams all over Oregon. His fondest trips were to Alaska, where he went moose and caribou hunting with his nephew, Harold Hollis.

For many years he was active in target shooting and muzzle loader clubs.

He was “Red Rooster” as a CB enthusiast and later became a licensed amateur radio operator “N7RBG.” He enjoyed assisting the radio club in their many activities, working the Crater Lake Rim Run, lining up floats for the Snowflake parades and volunteering as an election official.

He and Ruth rode their motorcycle all over the west coast; after his retirement, one trip alone covered nine states in two weeks, visiting national and historical landmarks.

They traveled extensively throughout the western half of the United States.

From early childhood on, beginning by helping in his mother’s garden to working on small farms in the Willamette Valley, he became a passionate gardener. He was generous with produce from his vegetable garden and received many compliments on his park-like landscaping.

He was very knowledgeable about machinery, automobiles and guns, also a vicarious reader right up to the end.

Delayne passed away in his sleep at his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, September 9, 2023. He is survived by his wife Ruth, daughter Kathy (David) Heintz, grandchildren: Miranda (Zach) Bonner, Carmen (Jake) Healy, Daniel Heintz, great-grandson Colt Bonner, sisters Laureen Purkey of Port Orford, Janet Durflinger of Baker City and Gwen Yeager Owosso, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Harold Hollis and Raymond Augenstein, sister Dorothy Mills and his son John Hollis.

In lieu of flowers Delayne’s family invites anyone wishing to make a donation in his memory to do so to the horse therapy program: Solid Ground Equine Assisted Services

They can be contacted at

630 Griffith Lane, Klamath Falls, OR

(541) 539-6303

https://www.solidgroundkf.org

or the charity of your choice.

His Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 30 at 3:00 pm at Keno Christian Church, 15210 Riveredge Road, Keno, Oregon 97627.

A graveside service will be held next summer, July 13th, Pleasant Hill Cemetery for family and friends.