Thursday, March 28, 2024

Neva Joanne Dezellem

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Neva Joanne Dezellem longtime resident of Bridgeport passed away October 16, 2016 at Blossom Creek Memory Care in a Wenatchee, Wash.  Neva was born on May 5, 1935 to Ed and Leona Goodrich in Prineville, Oregon.  Neva was raised in Prineville and graduated from Crook County High School in 1953.  

In 1954, she married Alan Steele and started a family.  Neva and Alan settled in Bridgeport in 1963. Neva worked as a homemaker and drafter for the family’s land surveying company while their children were young.  After raising four children, she began work at the Bridgeport School District as a paraprofessional for over 20 years before retiring. During the summer, she drove wheat truck for close family friends Harry L. and Joan Hanford.  Some of her greatest joys in life were spending time in her yard/garden, sewing, cutting and wrapping all the local hunters’ deer during hunting season, baking oatmeal raisin cookies, applesauce cake, Mimi beans and spending time with her grandchildren who gave her the name Mimi.  

Neva is proceeded in death by her parents Ed and Leona Goodrich.  She is survived by sister Nancy Bick of Eugene, Oregon.  Her son Jerry Steele and friend Peggy of Chelan, son Mark (Jody) Steele of Bridgeport, son Brett (Lisa) Steele of Mardon and daughter Jann (Scott) Jenkins of Bridgeport. Her grandchildren BJ Steele of Spokane Valley, Jacob Steele of  Ephrata, Zachary Steele of Mansfield, Megan Trautman of Ephrata, Jamey Jo Steele of Mansfield and Kyle Jenkins of Cheney.  Neva was also the proud great-grandmother of Harlen, Aspen, Farrah, and Houston.  

Our family would like to thank the staff at Blossom Creek Memory Care for welcoming our Mimi into their home the past 3 years.  A private family service will take place summer 2019 in Prineville, Oregon. Memorials can be made in Neva’s name to Mansfield Scholars Foundation PO Box 642, Mansfield, WA 98830 or Shriners Hospital of Spokane 911 W. 5th Ave., Spokane, WA, 99204.