Esther Eleanor Hekala Dorvinen

Esther Dorvinen’s constant prayer was, “Lord, may we live our lives in a way that is pleasing to you.”  Everyone who knew her would say that she has certainly done that.

On Oct. 5, 2020, in her home of 67 years in Svensen, while listening to Alan Jackson’s hymn, “I’ll Fly Away,” Esther flew away into the arms of her savior and her beloved family and friends who had gone before her.

Esther Eleanor Hekala was born March 29, 1928, in Astoria.  Her parents, John Hekala and Anna Hanni Hekala, were immigrants from Hailuoto, Finland, and taught their four children to speak Finnish before they learned English.

Esther grew up in Svensen, and attended Svensen and Knappa schools.  Her senior year at Knappa she was the school newspaper editor and the annual editor and was the salutatorian for her small class of 1946.

On her first date with Robert (Bob) Dorvinen, they were in a car accident, and Esther spent three months in Columbia Hospital in Astoria recovering from a compound fracture of her right leg.  On the day she was being released, she fell and broke her leg again, and spent another three months in the hospital.

Every day she was in the hospital, Bob came to visit her.  Much of their courtship took place in the hospital.  It was the start of their 60 years of devotion to one another.

Esther and Bob were married on Nov. 14, 1947, and spent their first two months living in Astoria.  They were both country kids, though, and moved back to Svensen, where they lived the rest of their lives.

They had three children, Terry Robert, Corinne Kay and Lori Ann.  Bob worked at the lumber mill in Bradwood and as a television repairman at Dave’s TV in Gearhart.

Esther was a loving and happy homemaker, raising the kids and cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, crocheting, knitting, canning and quilting.  She loved both vegetable and flower gardening.  When she got tired of competing with the elk for her vegetable garden, she started doing container gardening.

When her girls were young, she taught 4-H cooking clubs.  She became active at the Svensen Friends Church, now called Crossroads Community Church.  She served as the church librarian, a Sunday school teacher and a janitor.  She also led Good News Clubs in her home.

Forty years into their marriage, Bob suffered a severe stroke, from which he almost died.  It left him in a wheelchair the last 20 years of his life. Throughout that time, Esther cared for her husband with great love and devotion.

Esther lived simply, with a heart of gratitude for all her blessings.  She was gentle and easy-going, loving and kind.  She enjoyed her life, and was always ready for the next adventure.

She had lifelong close relationships with friends, and everyone was welcome to visit at her kitchen table.  She had a phenomenal memory for people and birthdays, and for the history of her area.  In her later years, she became passionate about playing Scrabble online with family members.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bob; her siblings, Walter Hekala, Victor Hekala and Janet Welch Maxson; Bob’s parents, Felix and Fannie Dorvinen; and his siblings, Violet Grove and Margaret Maher.

She is survived by her children, Terry (JoRene Byers) Dorvinen, of Powell Butte, Corinne (Mark) Neufeldt, of St. Helens, and Lori Tussing, of Hammond; grandchildren, Nathan (Elizabeth) Neufeldt, of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, Andrea (Michael) Motley, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Cally (Eric) Ridlon, of Sunriver, Than (Juli) Tussing, of Warren, Shoshana (Ted) Brinkman, of Warrenton, and Elisa (Robert) Scull, of Warrenton; 22 beloved great-grandchildren; and numerous equally beloved nieces and nephews, all of whom felt blessed to have known her, and were inspired by the example of her life.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their deep friendship and/or devoted service to Esther over the years: Fritz and Dave Perry and family; Cheryl Floyd, a neighbor Esther considered her fourth child; Cheryl’s grandson, Nathan, who kept her computer Scrabble-friendly; Eldred Bagley, a classmate, ready always to share a scripture, a song and a prayer; Jean Ingersoll Aarnio, a good friend since very early childhood; Imogene Abramson, lifelong friend; Marsha Ettro, Ilene Johnson and the rest of her dear church family and Bible study group; Dr. Thomas Duncan, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Providence Home Health and Lower Columbia Hospice. A special thank you to Gina Conn, Esther’s niece, whose devotion and support over the last months have been invaluable.  A graveside celebration of Esther’s life will be held at Greenwood Cemetery on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Funeral arrangements are by Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary in Astoria.

Contributions in Esther’s memory may be given to the Crossroads Community Church in Svensen, the Astoria Rescue Mission and/or the charity of your choice.