LaVerne (Vern) Lee Dotson, age 77

      LaVerne (Vern) Lee Dotson died Feb. 18 from complications of a series of strokes. He was 77.

      Vern was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Upon graduation from the University of Washington, he moved to the San Francisco Bay area and continued a career path which led to a specialty in the fields of Employee Benefits and Estate Tax Planning. He became a CPA while working for Price Waterhouse. After graduation from Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley, he practiced for a number of years with Brobeck Phleger and Harrison in S.F. In 1977 he was lured back to the Pacific Northwest with an opportunity to teach at the University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) Law School. In 1985 Vern returned to private practice with the accounting firm of Deloitte and later with Lane Powell Spears Lubersky in Seattle.

      Vern retired to Central Oregon in 2000. He never lost his love of learning and approached all of his interests (from economics, politics and wines to gardening, skiing, tennis, golf and fly fishing) with in-depth reading and practice.

      At Vern’s request, there will be no formal memorial service. He is survived by his wife, Ruby; daughter Leslie (Whitney and Zachary) Thies of Portland; son Carter (Tori and Sophie) Dotson of Bainbridge Island; and sister Gerrie Rochon of Camarillo, CA. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Redmond, OR or Deschutes Land Trust in Bend, OR.