Evelyn Marie Huff Dinning

September 14, 2023

Evelyn Marie Huff Dinning passed away on September 10, 2023, at Boundary Community Hospital at the age of 93. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 30, at United Methodist Church, 6568 Lincoln Street, Bonners Ferry.

Evelyn was born on December 20,1929, in Edgemont, South Dakota. She was the oldest of four children born to Doris (Coates) and James “Walter” Huff. In 1934, when Evelyn was five years old, her parents, baby brother Jim and Grandma Emma Huff moved from South Dakota because of the drought and the depression. They landed in the Copeland area of Boundary County where other family members had moved to earlier. After a few years her father became manager of the Copeland Co-operative and her mother the postmistress, which were all housed in the same building. A brother Harold arrived in 1937 and a sister, Margie, in 1945. They later bought a farm in the Deer Park area.

Evelyn attended the Copeland School and then graduated from Bonners Ferry High School in 1948. She worked at the First National Bank until she married Leighton Dinning on June 19, 1949. They moved to Porthill and then to a small farm near Leighton’s parents. In 1958 they moved to a larger farm in the valley. Leighton also commuted to Bonners Ferry to work at the sawmill and in 1968 decided that one job was enough so they moved back to Bonners Ferry.

Their four children were all born in Creston, British Columbia, because it was closer than the hospital in Bonners Ferry. Merle in 1950, Walter in 1953 and the twins, Nancy and Neil, in 1955.

In their 55 years of marriage, they loved traveling, camping and fishing together. She was always there for her family and helped out in many ways, hosted many family gatherings and babysat grandchildren, all done with an open heart, hands and pocketbook when needed.

Evelyn was an active member of the Mt. Hall Presbyterian Church and later the United Methodist Church in Bonners Ferry. She was a gardener, sewed quilts, knitted and later purchased a knitting machine which she spent hours at. She played cards with a group of women and pinochle and Yahtzee were regularly played around the dining room table.

She golfed in the women’s league for many summers. Over the years, she was a 4-H leader, helped at the county fair, and raised, showed and sold Shar Pei breed dogs. She was a busy woman until she had to slow down. She moved into the Restorium as her health declined.

She is now having a reunion with many family members which include her parents, her husband, Leighton, her brothers, Jim and Harold, her son, Merle and son-in-law Robert Venard. No more responsibilities, just joy!

She is survived by her son, Walter and wife Gerry, daughter Nancy Wycoff and husband Larry, son Neil and wife Pat and daughter-in-law, Carole, five grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren, her sister, Margie, four sisters-in-law, grandchildren-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the Friends of the Restorium or Bonners Ferry United Methodist Church.