Obituaries: Allen ‘Dean’ Kindle

Published 2:48 am Tuesday, November 13, 2007

WALLA WALLA – Allen “Dean” Kindle, 57, a long-time employee of St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, died Nov. 7 at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla after a brief but intense battle with cancer.

Viewing will be held from 4-7 p.m., Wednesday at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with a potluck celebration to follow at the Let ‘er Buck Room.

Mr. Kindle was born April 14, 1950 in Kirkland, Wash., to Betty Myrtle Hughes and Kenneth Dennis Kindle. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, Myrtle and Robert Hughes, until he was 5 years old. He graduated from Heppner schools and attended Blue Mountain Community College.

Mr. Kindle served in the U. S. Army in Japan and Okinawa as a cryptographer. He lived in New Orleans, where he worked seven days as a hospital orderly, alternating with seven days as an oil rigger in the Gulf of Mexico. He returned to Morrow County to enroll in the nursing program at BMCC.

Mr. Kindle married Jean Alice Maulsby on March 22, 1980 in Hermiston. He worked at St. Anthony Hospital from 1979 until the time of his death. He worked on Med/Surg in ER as CCU manager and for the last 18 years as a director of education and risk manager and infection control officer combined.

Mr. Kindle was an affiliate faculty member of the American Heart Association, teaching and directing CPR and ACLS courses throughout Oregon. He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than a decade, eventually serving as Scoutmaster of Troop 765. Mr. Kindle received the St. George Medal for his service for scouts within the Catholic Church.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and fourth degree Knight of Columbus.

Mr. Kindle enjoyed being with his family, fly-fishing, camping, carpentry, gardening, hunting and sudoku.

He is survived by his wife: son James Dean Kindle and daughters Elizabeth Morgan Kindle and Katherine Francis Kindle, all of Pendleton; brothers Michael and Robert Kindle; sisters Sherri and Betsy; and stepfather Elmer Heath.

Memorial contributions may be made to a fund in his name at the Pendleton branch of Bank of America. Donations will be applied to his medical bills and a portion will be donated to Camp Good Times, a summer camp for children with cancer.

Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in care of arrangements.