Lily V. Vess

Lily Vess, 81, of La Grande, died Jan. 22 at Grande Ronde Hospital of a heart attack.

A viewing will run from noon to 4:30 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel. A service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Chapel.

Lily was born July 19, 1928, to Dora Crosswell-Shenfield and Richard Shenfield in Radway Center Alberta, Canada. Lily came to the United States when she was 3 and lived in Boise with her grandparents, Lily and Elise Davis.

When she was 13 she moved to La Grande to live with her parents and new siblings.

She married Calvin Vess Dec. 27, 1944. They had three children together.

She did day care and those who knew her say she loved children. She loved to crochet and made layettes for many babies, even for ones she didn't know. Family and friends say she was known as the candy lady because everywhere she went she had a basket of candy she shared. Lily collected dolls and perfume bottles.

She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Calvin Steven Vess and Ann of Lake Oswego, Patty Clark and Jay of Vancouver, Wash., and Sue Holmes and Tom of La Grande; two grandsons; three granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; sisters, Karen Van Blockland and Ellen Summerville; brothers, Dick Shenfield and Floyd Shenfield; brother-in-law, Joe Haynes; and sister-in-law, Beverly Vess.

She was preceded in death by her husband Calvin; and two sisters, Janice Pratt and Verna Haynes.

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