The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Laura Jean Hevel, age 93, of Waitsburg, WA, died at home on December 23, 2018.The memorial service will be at the Presbyterian Church in Waitsburg on Saturday, January 26th at 2:00 p.m. There will be a private burial later at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton, Ore.

Mrs. Hevel was the daughter of Otis H. and Myrtle Westgate Hampton at Pendleton, OR. She graduated with the Pendleton High School class of 1943. She and Roger Hevel were married on March 23, 1947.

She graduated with honors from Oregon State College, 1947, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honorary, Mortar Board honorary for women, and Omicron Nu honorary in Home Economics. She taught Home Ec at Grant High School in Portland for two years while Roger finished University of Oregon Medical School.

In 1953 she and her family moved to Waitsburg, WA, where Roger was in private medical practice for forty years, and she was the medical office manager for the last twenty-one years of his practice.

In 1953 Laura Jean joined the First Presbyterian Church of Waitsburg, served as an elder, and sang in the choir for more than 50 years. She served as the church treasurer for more than 40 years. She had been a Sunday School teacher and was a past president and active member of the Women's Association of the church. She and her husband traveled to medical symposia where he gained additional training. In 1976, they visited Christian hospitals in India and became supporters of the Witnessing Ministries of Christ, a Presbyterian mission to the dalits in India.

Locally she and Roger supported the Waitsburg pool, including funding free swimming lessons, the library, scholarships, the Historical Society, the Commercial Club, their church, and other local groups.

She was active in the PTA and other school activities when her children were at home and was an assistant Mother Advisor to Waitsburg's Rainbow for Girls. She was a member and past chapter President of Chapter BE, P.E.O. and a member of Eastern Star, Chapter #9. She was a member and past president of the Auxiliary to the Walla Walla Valley Medical Society.

She was the first woman member of the Waitsburg City Council where she served for two years, after which she served on the Waitsburg Planning Commission for another 23 years. She was a long-time member and past chairperson of the Weller Library Board. She volunteered in the community as a piano player, also playing monthly for many years at the Booker Rest Home in Dayton. She enjoyed playing bridge and became a Gold Life Master as well as a Certfied Director of the American Contract Bridge League.

She is survived by her husband at home, a son, David Roger Hevel of Richland, a daughter, Claudia Ann Hevel of Los Altos, CA, as well as four grandchildren: David Roger Hevel, Jr., Melanie Ann Hevel, John Robert Hevel Doty and Anna Dawn Hevel Doty, and great-grandsons Roger William Hevel and Elias Zachary Hevel, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceasing her were brothers Robert S. Hampton, Richard W. Hampton, and Otis H. Hampton, Jr., as well as infant children, Douglas and Paula Jean.

Memorials may be given to the Hevel Waitsburg Fund through Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Umatilla County Historical Society, or to the charity of the donor's choice directly or through the Rogg Funeral Chapel.