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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 1, 1999, page 5

GENEVIEVE DORSEY CONLEE

     Genevieve Jessica Conlee, 80 of Goldendale, died March 15, 1999. She was born June 10, 1918 in Pasco, where her father worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Genevieve finished all her schooling in Pasco. The family had a small acreage with a flock of about 30 sheep. When she was not in school, Genevieve would herd the sheep from horseback. During this time, she discovered that she could write poetry. For her it became an effective way to express herself.
     Following high school in 1936, she worked for a doctor's family as a live-in housekeeper and baby-sitter. Genevieve graduated from Cheney Normal School (later called Eastern Washington College) in 1940, and her first teaching job was first through fifth grades (11 students) near Colfax. She later took a job teaching in a country school near Pomeroy. It had seven grades and 13 students. It was here that Genevieve met and married Victor Hugg in June 1942. The family moved to the Spring Creek area, near Goldendale, in October 1949.
     In 1958, Genevieve was hired by the Goldendale Schools, and taught fifth grade for two years. She became aware of a great need to help the children of parents who were working on The Dalles Dam. She was asked to set up a special reading program, and for 18 years, until 1979, when she retired, she taught special reading in the primary and middle schools. Genevieve married Tom Conlee in 1963.
     In her retirement, she has tutored students and adults in her home; tutored special education students in the Primary and Middle Schools as a volunteer; visited the nursing home each Sunday for the past 20 years to read to the "old people." In her spare time, she made 87 quilts, which were given to needy families, homeless, new immigrants, friends and each family member.
     Survivors include one daughter, Judy Hilman of Gresham, Ore.; one son, Dick Hugg of Portland, Ore.; five grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; one sister, Eloise Knapp of Wenatchee; and many neighbors and friends.
     Memorial services will be held on Saturday, April 10 at 1 p.m. in the Chapel of Erdman Funeral Home with Pastor Skip Mitchell officiating. Private interment will be in Mt. View Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope Farms or a charity of the donor's choice.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer