Bess (89) passed away April 6, 2021, at River Terrace Memory Care in Oregon City, OR with her family at her side.

Bess, the youngest  of 7 children, was born  on May  9, 1931 in Athabasca, Alberta  Canada to H.G. and Mildred MacDonald. The family moved  to Anacortes, WA in 1935 where her father established a frozen fish plant off of Oakes Avenue. The family home (now the Nantucket Inn) was filled with family and friends and high jinks.  As the youngest, Bess accompanied her Dad on many trips to Seattle hauling fish to the markets.  She attended Nelson Grade School and graduated from Anacortes High in 1949.  While in high school, she was a majorette with the school band. Later in life, as a young wife and mother  in Wyoming, she put her experience to use teaching baton twirling to young girls-one of  whom  won  the  state championship and a college scholarship.

Bess met Bud (Elmer) Dennis at the Anacortes roller skating rink. They began dating and were married March  27, 1950 at her parents'  home.  They immediately moved  to Shelby, MT to join Bud's extended family as dry land wheat farmers.  Soon after, they were blessed with two children, Jim and Linda.  The family then moved to Powell, WY before moving back to Anacortes in 1956 where they had a house built at Anaco Beach in the mid 1960's.  Bud retired from Scott Paper Co. after 30 years and Bess was a bookkeeper at Whitney Fidalgo Seafoods for 25+ years.

After their children graduated high school and were married, Bess and Bud sold the house at the beach and moved to Burlington and then to Sedro Woolley.  They were snowbirds for many years, acting as activity directors at Emerald Cove, CA and Yuma Lakes, AZ before settling in Yuma fulltime for 10 years.  When Bud's health started to decline, they moved to Milwaukie, OR to live next door to Jim who took exceptional care of both of them until their passing.

Bess' family meant the world to her.  Having grown up without any extended family, she became "The Family Historian" of sorts.  She always knew where all her siblings and their families were, everyone's names, birthdays, and where and how they were doing.  As her memory diminished, the family realized what a priceless repository of information she truly was.

Bess was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Bud; her parents, H. G. & Mildred MacDonald; her in-laws, Ed and May Dennis and Gerald Hambly; sister-in-law, Rose (Gene) Northrup; daughter-in-law, Kathy Dennis; granddaughter, Megan  Dennis; and all of her siblings, Alex, Walt, Helen  (Jack) Mullen, George, Dorothy (Bill) Roeder, and Jean (Bill) Canfield).

Surviving her are: her son Jim of Milwaukie, OR; her daughter and son-in-law Linda and Mike Oppe of Anacortes, WA; 6 grandchildren: Beth Woodruff of  Beaverton OR, Michelle (Patrick) Hallinan of Milwaukie, OR, Ann DiGennaro of Melbourne, FL, Mark (Ami) Oppe of North Pole, AK, Eugene (Theresa) Oppe of Sedro Woolley, WA, and Matthew (Odette) Oppe of Veneta, OR; 15 great-grandchildren; 2 great­ great-grandchildren; 2 sisters-in-law: Doris MacDonald and Donna Church (Pat Bowen); and many nieces and nephews. Bess was a beacon of love and acceptance.  She would welcome anyone with a smile and enjoyable conversation. She was the light in her family's lives and will be missed beyond words.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Milwaukie Center, 5440 SE Kellogg Drive, Milwaukie, OR 97222 in gratitude for their support  to both Bud and Bess over many years.

The family would like to thank River Terrace Memory Care in  Oregon City, OR for their loving and compassionate care of Bess these past 9 months-and her in-home caregiver, Trish Campbell, for her devoted care and friendship. To share memories of Bess, please sign her guestbook at www.evanschapel.com/obituary/bess-dennis.