Ernie Dent died at his home in Hines on Nov. 19.

He was born on March 30, 1928, in Creston, B.C. to Bert and Evelyn (Wheeler) Dent.

After losing his mother in 1934, Dent moved with his dad to Mitchell, and worked on ranches with his father until he joined the U.S. Army in 1950 during the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged in 1956.  While in the military he met and married Elaine Viles.

Their son, Mike was born in 1955, daughter Colleen in 1957 and daughter Sharon in 1958. The family lived in Mitchell, where Dent contracted fence building for the Forest Service. At this time the opportunity to go to work for Jim Howden logging in Prineville came along, and Dent was employed there as a skidder operator. When  Howden moved his operation to Burns in 1966, the Dent family moved also and he continued his employment with Howden Logging until 1977.

After moving to Dexter in 1979, Dent was severely injured in a logging accident that resulted in paralysis for the rest of his life. It was due to his wheelchair confinement that Dent developed a love for painting and the challenge of jigsaw puzzles. After the accident, he made his home in Ontario until 2002, when he and his wife moved back to Burns to the mountains he loved so much. His wife spent countless hours driving him to all the areas he enjoyed. She passed away in 2004, and though the loss was devastating to him, he was fortunate enough to find caregivers who drove him every day to enjoy the outdoors.

Dent is survived by his children, Mike Dent and wife, Bitty of Burns; Colleen Vose and husband Ken of Havasau City, Ariz.; and Sharon Fulton and husband Jeff of Burns; grandchildren, Michole and Rob Glick, Michael Dent and Leland Dent, Chris and Mandy Vose, Heather and Tony Caruso, Ashley Vose and friend Will, Lori and Jon Ford and Shelly Fulton and fiance Mike Arnold; and great-grandchildren, Colby and Alexys Vose, Jayden Glick and Jaxon Ford.

He is also survived by his sisters, Mickey, Esther, Bernice and Kathy; and caregivers Esther Majors, Lanette Humphrey, Jeanette Berry, Joyce Dudley and Brandy Lee.

Contributions in Dent’s memory can be made to the Harney County EMS or Harney County Home Health, in care of LaFollette’s Chapel, P.O. Box 488, Burns, OR 97720.

A memorial service will be held in the spring to celebrate Dent’s life.