Dee Anne Camp

Okanogan resident Dee Anne (Eaton) Camp, 67, died Aug. 18 at Swedish Hospital, Seattle, Wash. after a difficult and courageous fight for several months against cancer. She was born June 20, 1957, to Donald H. And Viola B. Eaton (Bashline) at Seattle General Hospital. The couple took their only child home to an idyllic setting of fields and forest near then-unincorporated Woodinville. She grew up exploring and playing with the family’s cat. Dee attended kindergarten at Woodinville Elementary School but was chosen the next year to attend the newly opened Cottage Lake Elementary School. During her elementary years, she helped with the Head Start preschool program, sang in the sixth-grade chorus and was a school safety patrol crossing guard. In fall 1964, at age 7, Dee joined Brownie Girl Scouts. She continued in scouting throughout high school, earned the first-class award, which was then Girl Scouting’s highest honor. She held a variety of leadership positions, led day camp units for younger girls, and wrote and edited an area newsletter for adult volunteers. After college, she became a life member. Dee attended Canyon Park Junior High School for two years. She worked on stage crews for school musicals, belonged to pep club and sang with the chorus. She belonged to the National Junior Honor Society throughout junior high. As a ninth grader she was among those chosen to attend the new Leota Junior High School. She continued with chorus belonging to pep club and designed the cover of the school’s first yearbook. At Bothell High School, Dee belonged to the Loyalty girls’ service club, pep club, French Club and National Honor Society. She was awarded the English department award upon graduation and graduated No. 13 in a class of almost 350. The University of Washington Alumnae Association honored her as a promising incoming freshman. After an unhappy year at the University of Washington, Dee transferred to Washington State University. At WSU, she served as dorm program co-chair and later as elected treasurer. Dee joined the summer Evergreen newspaper staff in June 1977 and later worked as Daily Evergreen assistant to the managing editor, editorial assistant and senior staff writer. She was selected by the WSU Publication Board as 1978 summer editor and spring 1979 spring semester editor. She was listed on the president’s honor roll several times and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor roll. She was honored for having the top-grade point average among 1979 journalism graduates. Dee was inducted into the Society of Professional Journalists in 1977 and retained membership throughout her life. While working at the Evergreen, she met Alfred F. Camp Jr, the love of her life. They were married February. 3, 1979, at the Whitman County Courthouse in Colfax. They celebrated 45 years of marriage in February 2024. After graduation from WSU, Dee was hired as society editor of The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle. She held various positions over the years, from reporter to editor, and won numerous awards for writing, editing, page layout and photography. Dee retired the summer of 2022 but continued to contribute stories to the newspaper. Dee was a person of absolutely unimpeachable character, who had high standards for herself and others, and cared deeply for her family and close friends. She was kind, patient, intelligent and dedicated. She worked incredibly hard on her passions, pouring all she had into her family and in covering the news. She also loved sewing, traveling, cooking, cats, music, and reading a good book. Through struggling with health problems for twenty years, she weathered her challenges with dignity, thoughtfulness and strength. She was preceded in death by her parents. Dee is survived by her husband, Al Camp of Okanogan and their son, Douglas, and his spouse, Andrea, who reside in Sedro Woolley. The family is honoring Dee’s request that there will be no public funeral or celebration of life service. Dee is being laid to rest at the Okanogan City Cemetery in a private family ceremony. Dee donated to the local animal shelter and would have loved for them to receive support.

Dee Anne Camp

June 20, 1957 - August 18, 2024