Randall R. Dehnel

Randall R. Dehnel, 65, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, after battling lung disease for many years.

Randy was born in Ritzville, on January 1, 1950, to Robert and Velma Dehnel formerly of Ritzville. He attended Ritzville schools and graduated from Ritzville High School in 1968. In his youth Randy enjoyed many sports and activities including scouting where his first merit badge was Archery. He attended the Lutheran Church.

Randy moved to Seattle in 1968 and married his first wife and mother to Troy and Donovan. Randy worked several jobs in the Seattle until the time of his divorce in 1977. With a desire to leave the city, he moved to Medical Lake, where he worked as a warehouseman and raised his son Troy.

In 1986 Randy began building traditional archery bows as a hobby. That hobby soon became the Saxon Archery Manufacturing Company. Randy’s artistic ability combined with fine craftsmanship and an innate understanding of physics lead him to produce a line of custom bows that were sought after by hunters and collectors around the world.

In 1993 Randy married again and moved Saxon Archery to a large retail shop in Potlatch ID where his third son Randall Jr. was born. Saxon Archery grew to become one of the top bow manufacturers in the country and (arguably) the best quality bows being produced in the world. Randy divorced again in 2002, which started a gradual decline in his well-being and health.

In 2011 Randy moved back to Ritzville to be close to his family and childhood friends. There were five unfulfilled bow orders on his workbench at the time of his death.

He is preceded in death by his Parents Robert and Velma, brother Rodney and nephew C.J Barker.

He is survived by: three sons, Troy Anthony, Donovan Wayne and Randall Jr. Six grandchildren, Levi Anthony, Kendall Lynn R’nae, Eric Donovan, Joshua Anthony, Blake Andrew and Donovan Nickolaus and one great granddaughter Brooklyn Maureen. He is also survived by a sister Val (Bob) Wiitala and brother Donald of Seattle.

A graveside memorial service will be held on Wednesday Feb. 25 at the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery at 3 p.m. There was a reception at the Eagles Club in Ritzville at 4 p.m.

Donations in Randy’s honor can be sent to Teen Challenge, a recovery program, at 2400 North Craig Road, Spokane, WA 99224.