Dell Roy Spohn was born in Spooner, Wisconsin on March 24, 1920, and died in Bend on June 17, 2012 at the age of 92. He was predeceased by his parents, Dell Roy Spohn Sr. and Avis Connor Spohn; and his siblings, Joe and Helen.

His father was a railroader and his job took the family to Toppenish, Washington where Dell graduated High School. Dell, called “Bud” in his younger years, joined the Navy in 1942 and served on a Destroyer Escort shepherding convoys across the Atlantic and also to Russia. He made the infamous “Murmansk Run” twice. He served for the duration of the war and was discharged as a Machinist Mate First Class.

Following the war Dell returned to the construction industry, becoming a well known and respected crane operator. He worked on many of the dams in the Pacific Northwest as well as projects in Portland, including the Lloyd Center and Memorial Coliseum. He was the guy with the cigar clenched in his teeth running the big crane that lifted the huge beams and poured the concrete. He was known by hundreds of construction workers as ‘Poncho’. In about 1962 he joined the Port of Vancouver as their first crane operator. He retired from there in 1982, pleased with the progress the Port had made.

Dell was a proud Life Member of Local 701 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Dell was a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons for over 50 years. He served as Worshipful Master of both Washington Lodge #46 and Intrepid Lodge #224 and was a member of Holbrook Lodge #30. Dell was also a member of American Legion Post 104 in Aloha and the Hillsboro Elks for 35 years.

Dell married Wanda Hickam Bailey in 1947 and became Dad to Richard. After several years as construction vagabonds, the family settled in St. Johns in 1951. Patricia joined the family just before Christmas of that year. Dell and Wanda divorced in about 1975.

Dell was briefly married to Sally Temple. He lived in Hillsboro from about 1987 until shortly before his death with his companion June Lalor, who survives him. Dell is survived by his daughter, Pat Cohen of Bend; son, Richard Spohn of Portland; grandsons, Aaron and Jason Spohn, both of Portland; and great-granddaughters, Shelby Spohn, Elliot Spohn and Emmett Spohn, all of Portland.

At his request there were no services, his friends had a ‘wake’ for him several years ago which he thoroughly enjoyed. Like others whose lives were shaped by the hardships of the Depression and the discipline of our country’s all-out effort in World War II, Dell held some opinions and values that might seem quaint today: Earn your wage and take pride in your work – never cross a picket line – you have to work if you want to play – don’t whine, nobody cares – everyone is important, not just the people you like – keep your word – never forget that we’re all in this together. Dell was a good man and lived a good life.