Arlene Francis

Arlene Francis Lee of Bellfountain passed away Monday surrounded by family members at her home after a long battle with cancer. She was 64. Arlene, along with her twin sister, Eileen, was born Aug. 21, 1943 to Emmett and Bernice (Hull) Nye in Corvallis. Arlene’s childhood years were spent living in various locations around the Corvallis area and Northern California. At the age of 15 she met her soon to be husband, Richard Lee. After a brief, long distance courtship, Arlene and Richard were married in the Bellfountain Church on Sept. 10, 1960. She graduated from Corvallis High School in 1961. They soon had three daughters, Traci, Dana and Andrea “Angie”. After her three children were in school, Arlene began her career working at the Benton County assessor’s office for a brief time and then working 28 years at Hull-Oakes Lumber Company until she retired in 2001. In 1998 she was diagnosed with kidney cancer. In 2000 the cancer had metastasized at which time she was told by her doctors she had six months to live. Her love for her husband and family along with her strong determination and many treatments gave her several more years with her family. She will be remembered by her love and commitment to family, sense of humor, lifelong love of learning, extraordinary organization, being a friend to many, and always looking for the opportunity to play a joke or prank to outdo her husband and daughters. Her interests included cooking for family gatherings, travel, fishing, music, and her many business ventures. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Richard Lee; her daughter Traci Wilt and her husband, Steve; her daughter Dana Shelton and her husband, Scott; her daughter Andrea Barnhart and her husband, Cliff; grandchildren Christopher Rollins, Matt Rollins, Kaylin O’Brien, Jeff O’Brien, Adam Barnhart and Samuel Barnhart; four brothers and sisters, Eileen Hart of Junction City, Mike Nye of New Mexico, Phillip Nye of Oroville, Calif., and Myrna Randall of Monroe. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15 at Bellfountain Community Church followed by committal at Bellfountain Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Bellfountain Community Church or the Monroe Fire Department in care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 N.W. Fifth St., Corvallis, OR 97330.

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Arlene Francis

August 21, 1943 - October 8, 2007