The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - Bernard Howard Donnelly was born July 29, 1926, in Newell South Dakota to Richard Henry Donnelly and Lucy Brott. In 1937, due to the dry and dusty weather conditions of the time, the family left their farm in South Dakota. They packed their own eleven children, a cousin, and all of their belongings into a 1926 Chev and headed west. A young cousin had preceded the family and found work in Dayton, Washington, so the family settled there.

Bernard attended Pine Grove School, where he acquired his love of poetry, under the tutelage of Juanita Harting. Throughout his life he recited the poems he learned at Pine Grove.

After the death of his father, in 1941, Bernard and his family moved to Waitsburg, where he graduated from Waitsburg High School. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946 aboard the USS Mackinak and witnessed the signing of the peace accord from its deck.

In 1948, he married Betty Jo Hanger at St. Joseph's Church in Dayton. They resided in Waitsburg, where Bernard ran the Chevron station on Coppei Avenue.

In 1955, Bernard began working for Hinchliffe Trucking as a driver and mechanic. Later, he added custom hay work to his agenda, and, in 1991, retired from trucking and maintained his hay business and his small herd of Herford cattle. He tilled gardens in the community and helped maintain the local baseball field. He loaned his bull to the Waitsburg FFA chapter.

Bernard and Betty Jo raised three children, Shane Donnelly (MerryLynn) of Walla Walla, Kathy Donnelly Conrath of Cheney, and Sherri Donnelly Erikson ( John) of Waitsburg.

Bernard was a life member of the NRA and Waitsburg Gun Club. He taught a firearms safety class that a number of his children and grandchildren attended. He was known in the community as a firearms expert and was often consulted on the subject. All his life, he and his family hunted in the Blue Mountains, a tradition carried on by his son, grandsons, and great granddaughter.

Bernard was a member of St. Marks Catholic Church, VFW, American Legion, and The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

His other interests included a love of horses, collecting antique tools, caring for his cattle, gardening, welding, and collecting cartridges from all over the world. Several times he displayed his tools, cartridges, or firearms at the local Fall Festival.

Bernard lost his wife of sixty years, Betty Jo, in 2009 to cancer. Later, he moved to Booker Rest Home, where he joined an old classmate from Pine Grove School. He passed away on Oct. 16, 2014 at age 88.

Bernard was preceded in death by three brothers, Richard Donnelly, John Donnelly, and Delbert Donnelly, and three sisters, Elma Brown, Mary Hopkins, and Eleanor Supon.

He is survived by three brothers and two sisters: Frank Donnelly, David Donnelly, Patrick Donnelly, Lillian Pereira and Catherine Basta.

Also, by his children listed above and grandchildren: Ellis Erikson (Kristin,) Chris Conrath (Beth,) Adam Erikson, Matt Conrath (Madeline,) Meghan Conrath Jensen (Dylan,) Marshall Donnelly ( Jenny,) Shaun Donnelly (Elsa,) and Sam Donnelly.

His great grandchildren include: Madeline Erikson, Ryan Conrath, Tyler Conrath, Signe Erikson, Clara Conrath, Lyla Jensen, Linley Donnelly, Molly Jensen, Eli Erikson, Hudson Conrath, Emmet Erikson, Lilliah Donnelly, and Lincoln Conrath.

Services will be held at St. Marks Catholic Church on Nov. 1 at 10:00 a.m. and will be officiated by Father Bob Turner. Interment with military honors will follow at the Waitsburg Cemetery, and then a luncheon will be held at the Waitsburg Lyons Memorial Building at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Marks Catholic Church or charity of the donor's choice in care of Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla.