Valdar Bayne Linn

Valdar Bayne Linn: September 16, 1933 – June 14, 2025

ST. HELENS- Valdar Bayne Linn was born September 16th 1933 to Otto and Julia Linn in Anderson, Indiana. He was the middle child in his family. Twanda was his older sister and Sheila, his younger sister. The family moved to Dundalk, Maryland and when he was eight years old in 1942, they moved to Oregon. There Otto became the first Dean of Pacific Bible College, eventually re-named Warner Pacific College.
Valdar was a good student at Glencoe Grade School, and Franklin High School, where he graduated in 1951. He attended Pacific Bible College, and graduated in 1954.
As a youngster in Portland, Val joined the Boy Scouts and went on monthly hikes in the Cascades. During that time, he learned to love the Mount Hood and Salmon River areas, where he got ‘hooked’ on fishing with friends at Blue Lake, Oswego Creek, and Milwaukie Lake for bass, croppies, and trout.
On one fishing excursion he met Ben Hur Lampman, the editor of the Oregonian, and a famous author. Ben left a lasting impression on him as they compared their catch of the day. Val caught a nice bass and Ben an incredible four-foot sturgeon.
Valdar was married three times. His first wife Dawne Caldwell, blessed him with his first two daughters, Shimrit and Julia.
Arlene Maynard blessed him with his only son Eric, and two daughters Kristina and Brigitta.
Susanne Eades, his third wife gave him many wonderful years till her passing in 2016.
His interests were many and varied, and blossomed into several interesting careers, working both with his hands, and his sharp and creative mind. His work history includes everything from a newspaper boy, lumber mill worker, to Army Intelligence, Insurance, a counselor, Director of Youth Adventures Boys Home, a CODA Counselor, owner of Kin Through Kindness girls home, and finally a steam fitter/pipefitter.
At home he loved survival skills and grew his own food along with wife Susanne, hay for livestock, and wrote poetry and several manuscripts including a published novel.
Valdar was a talented and creative man and made life better for everyone he interacted with, sometimes in small ways, and sometimes monumental ways. He always encouraged, and left you feeling better about yourself and your abilities.
He always expressed gratitude for anything done for him or others. Not only people, but also animals, plants, and places. Our world was made infinitely better by his presence. A wise, wonderful and mellow man, he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twenty great grandchildren, so far, a legacy he was extremely proud of.