Dorothy Mae Waln

Dorothy Mae Waln (Kennington) died peacefully Thursday, August 15, 2017 at the Grande Ronde Retirement Center at the age of 83.

Dorothy Mae Kennington was born on November 14, 1933 to Avis and Leroy Kennington in a farmhouse in Lamb County, Texas. She met Kenneth Waln while they were both singers from different churches involved in a jail ministry. They were married August 25, 1951 in Klamath Falls, Oregon. They lived for a few years in Coos Bay before moving their family to Imbler, Ore. in 1962. Ken was her beloved husband for 19 years, and was a strong lead singer and support during her training and teaching until his untimely death in 1970.

Dorothy lived most of her life in the Grande Ronde Valley, Ore. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education through classes at Southwest Oregon Community College and Eastern Oregon University. She also obtained a library science certification from University of Oregon. She taught at Elgin's Stella Mayfield and La Grande Junior High, Baker Junior High Library, and was District librarian for the Pine Eagle and Imbler Schools.

Dorothy was deeply shaped by the issues of her lifetime. As a school librarian she worked tirelessly to give all students access to information needed to navigate a complicated and troubled world.

Dorothy retired in 1995 after 23 years of teaching. In retirement she volunteered in the Cove Library and Cove School's classrooms. She spent a year directing the Union Carnegie Library. She also supervised student teachers for Eastern Oregon University. A special interest was the Union Family Health Center where she served on its board.


Reading stories to children and singing harmony with small groups were among her favorite activities.

A Celebration of Life service will be held for Dorothy on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 2 pm at Daniels Knopp Funeral Chapel. Private interment of the ashes will be held at a different time.


Donations can be made to the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation in Dorothy's memory.


Dorothy is survived by son David Waln and daughter-in-law Karen, four grandsons: Joseph (Stacy) in Saint Paul, MN, Ethan (Setsuko) in Portland, Ore., Benjamin (Ashley) in Raeford, NC, and Daniel (Amber) Beaverton, Ore., plus nine great grandchildren and brother Ken in California. She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Waln in 1970.

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