Willow Dooley-French

Monday, July 22, 2013

Willow Dooley-French was born April 7 1992 in Eugene, Ore., but lived most of her life in Boulder, Colorado and Mountain Home, Idaho, with brief stops in Aberdeen, Was., and Sunrise, Alaska.

While her early years in Boulder were challenging, she often had a bright smile (that remained with her throughout her life.) After moving to Washington for a year Willow moved on to Alaska to live with her aunt Paige for another year before coming to Mountain Home at age 11.

Willow struggled in school for a few years but caught on and became an "A" student. She was a voracious reader and was rarely seen without a book. Sshe was also a pretty fine writer, too.

Willow worked several jobs in town including stints at Taco John's, Footnotes/Phoenix book store, Common Grounds and Wendy's. At Wendy's she was soon promoted to shift supervisor and would have been promoted to manager if she were old enough. With just four months of school left Willow dropped out because she couldn't stay awake in class. Willow worked at Wendy's for four years.

Willow left Mountain Home to help her ailing grandfather in Toutle, Wash., and graduated from school there. After a short series of misadventures she returned to Mountain Home and lived with her family until this May when she took a job in Stanley, Idaho.

Willow loved the mountains and nature and it is there that she left us, in a grassy glade surrounded by roses and wildflowers in the woods.

Willow adored her sister, Johanna, and was known to spend many an afternoon snuggled up with Johanna reading a book. Willow also dearly loved her friend Forrestt, and is Godmother to Forrestt's daughter Annabelle. Another friend of great significance to Willow is our dear friend Diana who Willow considered a mentor.

Willow will be remembered for her generosity, her brilliant mind, her infectious smile, her quick wit and her great beauty. She is loved by all who knew her and will not be forgotten.

A memorial is being planned for sometime in mid-August.

Willow was preceded in death by her Aunt Paige and wished to be at rest with her Aunt in Utah.

Willow is survived by: her parents, Davis and Michaela French, and sister Johanna French; family of choice, John and Bea, Tom and Lynn, Jennifer, Forrestt, Janis, Karl and Mary and others too numerous to name; grandparents Raiford and Joy French; her mother, Deborah Dooley; aunt Kate Dooley; uncle Bill Dooley and grandparents Dan and Elaine Stewart.

We have been overwhelmed by the love and support of our many friends in the community.

Willow was planning to start a book club for beginning readers and we would like to support her wish. Donations in her name can be made to: Friends of The Library, 1235 Holiday Dr. Mountain Home, ID 83647