Dolores M. Kanyer

An angel has left us to join her husband, her ancestors, and her God. On October 30, 2025 our beloved mom, Dolores May Kanyer, left this world exactly five years to the day after our dad, Darwin, preceded her. She is now free from a protracted battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Mom was born in Cle Elum, Washington on May 1, 1929 to Pietro Giovanni Riva “Peter” and Carolina Maria (Glando) Dogliatti, recent immigrants from Italy. She joined two older sisters, Ann and Violet, in a home she cherished and kept until her death. A standout student, she started working at the Cle Elum Telephone Company as a switchboard operator while still in school. Out of the several jobs she had, this was her favorite, and she would have stayed in it had technology not made it obsolete.

Around this time, she met a returning WWII era veteran from Roslyn, Darwin Kanyer, and really hit it off over jazz music, dancing, love of each other’s families, and the Catholic Church. Married in 1951, they had three sons - Dan, David and Douglas - and set about raising their own family.

Mom continued to work after the phone company closed, as an assistant librarian at the High School, and retail worker at Garboloto’s Cle Elum Drug, and Pardini’s family store. She loved these jobs and her coworkers. They also gave her more time to be a Cub Scout Den Mother, and active participant in the boy’s growing sports interests. She was also very involved in church activities at St. John the Baptist Catholic church as a member of Alter Society.

After raising their boys and entering retirement, Mom and Dad were able to get out of Cle Elum and do some traveling. California, Hawaii, Italy, New York, Washington DC, and Branson, Missouri were some of the great trips they made, usually taking her sister Ann along too. Grandchildren then came into her life, giving her much fun and purpose.

Mom and Dad loved the simple things - car rides to Lake Cle Elum and Teanaway, grabbing a mocha, daily walks, cultivating their trees, flowers and yard, and following grandkid’s sports. A fine (and some would say obsessive) photographer since she was young, all parts of her life were well documented and, much to the family’s delight, scrapbooked. Her legacy is preserved. Mom and Dad were also fixtures at the cemetery not just around Memorial Day, but year-round, tending to the graves of those who had gone before them.

Mom’s illness resulted in moving to Highgate Senior Living in Yakima where the staff of managers, caregivers and medical professionals were phenomenal. We are eternally grateful for them.

Mom was preceded in death by our dad, Darwin; her parents; sisters Ann Drovetto and Violet Kovacevich (Gioletti), and their spouses.

She is survived by her sons Dan (Janell), Dave (Marjie) and Doug (Laurie); grandchildren Zane (Kerry), Cole (Lauren), Elisabeth, Kirsten (Andy) and Wyatt (Rishi). She has six great grandchildren who loved her dearly. Also surviving her are sister-in-law Jen Gouge-Manning and nephews Duane Kovacevich and Brian and Drew Kanyer and their families.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cle Elum with burial to follow at Laurel Hill Memorial Park. A reception will follow the burial at the Cle Elum Senior Center.

Memorial contributions are suggested to a local high school athletic program of your choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.johnston-williams.com