Doyle B. Slechta

Doyle Slechta was born June 25, 1935, on a small farm outside Deloitte, IA. His family moved to the Northwest in 1944. Doyle attended Cashmere High School and participated in basketball, football, baseball and track. During school, he also worked for the Forest Service, where he was responsible for building many trails in the area, especially Devil’s Gulch. After graduating in 1954, he attended Wenatchee Valley College and Eastern Washington University. In 1958, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Fort Sill, OK. He married Jolene McDonald and had two daughters, Janna and Tammy. After the Army, Doyle was involved with Tiny’s Fruit Stand and managed the Cashmere Safeway. The family settled in Cashmere and purchased the Pioneer Market. Doyle ran the meat market and, in his spare time, he worked in the agriculture field, procuring and running orchards. After running the Pioneer Market for 20 years, Doyle pursued his passion and became a full time orchardist, eventually owning and managing 100 acres of orchard in the Wenatchee Valley. During his daughter’s school years, he was active in the Cashmere Community, participating in the Masonic Lodge, Cashmere Lion’s Club and School Board. He was an avid sportsman and loved hunting and fishing times with the boys, whether it was packing in on the horses, hunting trips to Quebec, or fishing on Lake Sheridan. The last 14 years of his life, he spent with his longtime love, Neva Newberry, and fishing with his grandkids. He is survived by his significant other, Neva Newberry; brother, Dean (Gerrie) Slechta of Cashmere, WA; brother, Daywin (CarolAnn) Slechta of Port Orchard, WA; daughters, Janna Slechta of Fall City, WA and Tamera (Mike) Mangas of Cashmere; step-daughter, Shelia (Mike) Parkins of East Wenatchee; step-son, Kris (Nancy) Metrokas of Wenatchee; and grandchildren, Elliott, Jonathon and Amanda Mangas and Preston and Olivia Henning. He was preceded in death by his father, Blaine Slechta; his mother, Hazel Beck; brother, Dale Slechta; and sister, Delores Branam. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, November 21, 2014, at Cashmere Presbyterian Church at 1:00 p.m. A short Graveside Service at the Cashmere Cemetery will follow, with a reception to be held at the Cashmere Presbyterian Church. Memorial donations may be made in Doyle’s name to the Cashmere Schools Foundation, the Humane Society or Cashmere Presbyterian Church. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guestbook at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements by Jones & Jones~Betts Funeral Home, Wenatchee.

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Doyle B. Slechta

June 25, 1935 - November 17, 2014