Rita E 'Eilene' Dwelley. October 18, 1932 - December 13, 2020

Rita Eilene Dwelley, 88, a long time Tenino, Washington resident, died on December 13, 2020, at her current residence in Green Valley AZ. She passed peacefully surrounded by her two daughters. Eilene and her husband Art Dwelley purchased the Thurston County Independent newspaper in August 1966. They changed the name to the Tenino Independent and continued to actively manage and publish all aspects of the weekly newspaper until selling it in February of 1993. While in Tenino, Eilene was very active in the community; Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society and the Washington Newspaper Association. She was instrumental in the beginnings of Oregon Trail Days in Tenino. She and Art served as Grand Marshals of the 1993 parade. Upon, the sale of the Tenino Independent, they pursued their love of travel and the Southwest desert, living as snowbirds between Yuma, AZ. and Tenino. After Art's death in October 2000, Eilene continued to travel between both locations for a few years until moving to Yuma full time for the more healthful warmth. In February 2018, Eilene moved to Green Valley to be closer to her daughters.

Eilene was born in Seattle Washington, joining two brothers Patrick Ulmen and Richard Ulmen, and one sister Gail Hatley, to parents Felix and Lillian Rose (Tobin) Ulmen. Her parents and siblings all preceded her in death. Eilene felt it was quite an achievement to reach the age of 88, which exceeded all of her family members.

Eilene had two daughters with her first husband Jack D. Chesterfield. She married the love of her life Arthur Dwelley, in October 1963.
Eilene dealt with many mobility issues during her life, having contracted Polio in her early 20's. At that time, she was told she would never walk, but through her sheer determination to care for her two toddlers, she proved the doctor's wrong. She fought to stay upright through out her life with the aid of a walker towards the end. The pain of post polio syndrome and degenerative disease made her last few years challenging.

Survivors include her two daughters, Sandra C. (Sandi) Beecher, and husband Bruce, R. Chris Chesterfield-Gould all of Green Valley, AZ. Grandchildren Tawnya Bingham (Kelcey) of Whitefish MT. , Sean Miller (Kristin) of Lake Sammamish, WA. and Chelsea Sherman (Jon) of Duval, WA., plus seven great grandchildren.

There will be no formal funeral services due to the Covid epidemic. Inurnment will be at the Tenino Forest Grove Cemetery along side her husband, Art.