Kaye Christine Prouty
As of March 20, 2020 Memorial Services for Kaye Prouty have been changed to a private family only service. A public celebration will be held at a later date to be decided by family. Please check our website for updates.
Kaye Christine Whipple was born on December 31, 1946 in Portland, Oregon to Geraldine and Thomas L. Whipple. She passed away on March 13, 2020 at the age of 73, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her father when she was only 4 years old, and eventually her mother remarried Harold Engberg, who she loved and called “dad”. Kaye grew up an only child in Wasco, Oregon, and graduated from Sherman High School in 1964. She received her Associate’s Degree from Eastern Oregon State College, and married Joseph Burgett in 1967. They raised a family, which includes Steven, Marcy, and Jodie in Arlington, Oregon and then later, Dufur, Oregon where the lived for many years.
Her children have been blessed with so many amazing memories of time spent with grandparents, family vacations in the motorhome, holiday traditions, and dinnertime around the table. Kaye spent many years watching her kids’ sporting events and supporting their many activities, while working at Oregon Bank, and then, Mid-Columbia Vision Center where she was the Office Manager for over 20 years.
She truly enjoyed spending time with her friends and family, playing pinochle with her club, shopping with her girls, and sipping Coors Light and sharing conversations. In 1996, she married Harvey Prouty and they’ve resided in The Dalles for over 25 years. They enjoyed going to Palm Desert for the winters, gardening, traveling, and spending time with their friends and “Kitty Cat”.
Kaye spent the last two years battling cancer and handled it like a “champ”. Her fun, positive attitude and sense of humor shined through, like her beautiful smile. When asked by her kids how she wanted to spend her final weeks, she requested “lots of parties”. And that is exactly what we did.
Kaye was preceded in death by her mother and father, Geraldine & Harold Engberg, her biological father, Thomas L. Whipple; and her best friend, Penny Gronquist.
She is survived by her husband, Harvey Prouty; her children, Steven Burgett and wife Monica, Marcy Bales and husband Justin, and Jodie Clapham and husband Jason; step-children, Stan Prouty, Stephanie Ryan and husband Chris; her grandchildren, Kolbe and Cooper Bales, Hayden and Kennedy Clapham, Marshall Thompson, Caitlyn Rivas, and Jessica Canady; and five great grandchildren, Bayli, Jersey, Cruz, Adeline, and Lincoln.
Kaye Christine Prouty, age 73, resident of The Dalles, Oregon, passed away March 13, 2020.
Memorial Service
11:00 AM, Saturday March 21, 2020
at Spencer, Libby & Powell Gathering Hall.