Ella Dean Higley

Ella Dean (Simpson) Higley was born on October 19, 1933 in Leach, Oklahoma to Jessie and Cora (Martin) Simpson. While growing up the family would move to Silverton, Oregon where she would go on to graduate from Silverton High School.  It was during this time that she met and started dating Mark Higley who also attended the school.  After High school though Mark would join the United States Air force and the two would drift apart for a time.  Ella would go about her life and start a job with the State Department in Salem, Oregon. After serving his country, Mark Higley would return to Oregon where he would look up Ella, who was still single.  An old flame would be rekindled and the two would end up being married on September 29, 1956 in Silverton, Oregon.  After being married, the couple would move to Eugene where they would stay for almost 40 years before moving to Stayton in 2003.  In Eugene, Ella would settle into life as a home maker, raising two boys Randy and Greg. When she was younger, Ella enjoyed knitting and crocheting but her number one passion was her family.  Family was very important to Ella and in her spare time, when she wasn’t spending time with them, she was carefully documenting those precious moments.  She enjoyed going through photographs and displaying those moments in special frames on her walls. On October 19, 2019 Ella Passed away in Stayton, Oregon.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Jessie and Cora; son, Greg and siblings, Shirley, Tommy, jane and Jerry.  She is survived by her loving husband, Mark; son, Randy; Siblings, Alice, Pearl Aileen, Judy and Donny; grandchildren April, Bryan, Kyle, Amanda, and April; and 14 great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held on Friday October 25th, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Valley View Cemetery in Silverton, Oregon.