Obituary: Dennie, Claudia Hahner

DENNIE, Claudia Hahner Was born June 25, 1922, on Charles and Lillie Hahner’s farm in Fairfield, Washington.

Claudia was the fourth of seven children and earned a nickname, “Schěą„tzie,” for her sweetness and wonderful smile.

After Fairfield High School, Claudia attended Washington State University, where she set a record for club memberships.

She graduated with a degree in home economics and taught in Colville and Bellingham, Washington, before marrying Richard (“Dick”) Dennie in 1948.

Dick farmed and raised Appaloosa horses in eastern Washington for 25 years, and Claudia was a farm wife and gamely rode herd on their five children.

While the kids were in school, Claudia taught part-time in Fairfield, before moving to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Dick earned a Ph.D. in psychology.

The couple returned to Washington; Dick had a private practice, and Claudia worked in retail in Spokane for a decade.

In their later years, Dick and Claudia moved to Woodland, California, to be closer to four of their children.

Claudia was the epitome of good wife and loving mother, who taught her children the importance of education and living by the Golden Rule.

Above all, she was fond of people and was an excellent sport.

Her family wanted to attend horse shows and major-league baseball games and to go camping, so they did—although their sleeping bags had removable sheets for laundering.

Claudia enjoyed home decorating and entertaining, wearing a Nebraska sweatshirt and watching football with Dick, all sorts of movies, walking, traveling, sewing, and working with ceramics and textiles.

She was active in the Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield and the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Spokane.

Claudia’s survivors include daughters Lynn of Sunnyvale, Califonia; Jan (Daniel Gordon) of San Luis Obispo, California; and Gail (James Huttlinger) of Sacramento; sons Bruce (Angie Dennie) of Woodland; and Douglas (Jane Yung Dennie) of Bellevue, Washington; grandchildren Rick and Veronica Gordon; Emma and Faith Dennie; and Charlotte, Rachel, Katherine, and Sarah Dennie; brother Charles (Carol Hahner) and sister-in-law Dona Kochheiser (Wayne; James Hahner, deceased) of Fairfield; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

She was preceded in death by Dick Dennie, her husband of 52 years; and siblings Herman Hayner, Eleanor Hawley, Ruth Meyer, Margaret Groth, and James Hahner.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, June 21, 2014, at Zion Lutheran Church, 206 W. Hamilton Ave., Fairfield, WA 99012.

Dessert and coffee will follow in the church basement.

Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity; Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield; or Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 8304 East Buckeye, Spokane, WA 99212.

Claudia’s family members thank Yolo County Hospice and Manor East at St. John’s Retirement Village of Woodland for their care.