Doris Bessie Chryst

Doris B. Chryst passed away peacefully at her son’s home, July 3, 2024, in Walla Walla, Washington. Doris Bessie Phillips was born November 18, 1927, in Milton, Oregon to Jessie Opal Noyes Phillips and John Kennedy Phillips. Doris was the oldest and only daughter. Her brothers were Kenneth Phillips, Ross Phillips, and Donovan Phillips.

Doris attended school in Walla Walla, WA and helped with her younger brothers after her parents divorced. She met Leslie Wyatt Chryst at the VFW hall and married him on November 7, 1944, in Walla Walla. Due to his mother’s death, they left by train for Los Angeles the following day to join his father. 

They lived in Los Angeles for several years, Portland Oregon a short while, and then returned to California settling in Norwalk, CA. Leslie was a chef and Doris was a server at The Hearth Restaurant in Downey CA. They both catered many events in the Hollywood area. Doris also baked cakes for the restaurant and became such an excellent cake decorator she made birthday and wedding cakes for the family through the years. Doris finished high school in 1959 and began working towards a degree in education at Cerritos and Whittier Colleges. In 1965 she separated from Leslie and moved back to the Pendleton area where her brothers were living. 

She married Joseph H. Chaney, a family friend, February 7, 1967, in Lewiston, ID. At this time, she joined the Peace Lutheran Church. They made their home in Milton-Freewater for a couple of years before returning to Pendleton. She taught English in the Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield WA., commuting back to Pendleton on the weekends. During the summer, she attended Portland State University and earned two master’s degrees, one in education and one in English and minored in German. In 1968 she obtained a position at Umapine School in Umapine teaching Home Economics, English, German, and was also the Librarian. She taught English in an American school in Haiti in the early seventies. Upon her return to the Pendleton area, she taught English and was the librarian at Pilot Rock High School, Pilot Rock, Oregon. In the eighty’s she began teaching at Dayton High School and was also the librarian. During this time, Doris took flying lessons, a birthday gift from her son.

After her retirement, she purchased a house on the corner of Main Street and Despain Ave., and turned it into a successful Bed and Breakfast, Dorie’s Inn. After Joe passed away in 1998, she closed the business and moved to Arizona in 2005. There she met and married Raymond Allen Rider. The two of them ran Rider Trucking for several years before he passed away in 2008. Doris returned to the Pendleton area to be closer to her family. Doris loved to dance, ride horses, was an accomplished seamstress and a gourmet cook. She taught herself to knit and crochet and over the years produced many pairs of socks and beautiful afghans and lacey doilies. She crocheted many afghans in the past two years and sent them to many of her grandchildren.

She is survived by her brother, Donovan (Lucy) Phillips, Milton-Freewater, Oregon, half-sister Vernie (Dan) Koch, St. Helens, Oregon, son, Dennis A. (Kathleen “Kit”) Chryst, Walla Walla, daughter, Marilyn (Ronald) Wildman, Pendleton. Grandchildren, Michelle Fowler, Dennis W. (Jennica) Chryst, Milton Freewater, Oregon, Kimberly (Matt) Lopez, Bixby OK, Denise (Brad) Hardie, Fruitland, ID., Amanda Russell, Pendleton. Eleven great grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren. Doris was preceded in death by her father, John K. Phillips, her mother Jessie Noyes Sundquist, her brothers Kenneth, and Ross, half-brother Gary Sundquist, half-sister Anita Thomsen, Leslie Chryst, Joseph Chaney, and Raymond Rider.

Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements. Graveside services are pending.