Dolores Irene Orehek Wilkening died peacefully March 9, 2017, surrounded by her family. Following a long illness, she died at the age of 88.
She was born Jan. 25, 1929, in Black Diamond to the late Frank and Teresja Rose (Kovac) Orehek and died on the same piece of property. She was a hard worker and as a young girl earned money picking in the berry fields for school clothes. She attended grade school in Black Diamond and graduated from Enumclaw High School in 1947, lettering in basketball. After high school she worked in Seattle for the telephone company. She married her high school sweetheart Joe Lee Wilkening on Aug. 14, 1948, at the Lutheran Church in Renton. The couple moved to Sweet Home, Ore., then to a small farm in Holley, Ore., where they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1964 they returned to Black Diamond to take care of her mother and eventually lived in the same house she grew up in. She worked for The Boeing Co. in the tool department and retired shortly after the death of her husband. She served LDS missions in England, San Diego and two in Utah. Genealogy was her hobby and she made many albums of family history. She enjoyed taking trips around the world, working in her gardens, crocheting and taking family camping trips.
She is survived by daughters Diana (Dan) Peterson, Yvonne (Bob) Krah, Cynthia (Mark) Chapman and Rebecca S. (Earl) Patterson; sister Mitzie (Donald) Barrie; and 10 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Joe L. Wilkening, sister Amelia “Molly” Maks and brothers Carl Unick and Frank Orehek Jr.
A viewing took place at Weeks’ Enumclaw Funeral Home on Monday, March 20, followed by a graveside service at Enumclaw Evergreen Memorial Park and a memorial service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Enumclaw.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Missionary Fund, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 246 Semanski St., Enumclaw, Wash, 98022.
All may sign her online guest book at www.weeksfuneralhomes.com.
