Jean Frances Clouston Cahill, a fourth generation Oregonian, passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2026 in Hermiston at the age of 93.
She was born on March 31, 1932 in Pendleton to John G. and Alma Devin Clouston.
Jean spent her childhood years in Pendleton and Lakeview, as her father was a U.S. Forest Service professional ranger. She had fond memories of her first few school years in Lakeview, learning to snow ski and playing with neighborhood children. Jean’s junior high and high school years were in Pendleton. Jean had a wonderful soprano voice and was active in church chorus and theater at PHS. Jean graduated from Pendleton High in 1950. During high school Jean fell in love with Cason J. Cahill, who had also attended the Church of the Redeemer (Episcopal) in Pendleton. Cason went off to the Navy during the Korean War and Jean went to Oregon State College (now Oregon State University). Jean became pledged to the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma while at OSU.
In 1952, Cason came home on leave and married Jean at a well-attended ceremony at the Church of the Redeemer. From this marriage came four children, Nancy Cay Ross (Cahill) of Florence, Michael John Cahill of Junction City, Patrick Charles Cahill of Murietta Hot Springs, Calif., and Scott William Cahill of Umatilla. Upon Cason’s discharge from the U.S. Navy and a year at Portland State College, the family set up residence in Athena. Cason was learning business management with Pendleton Grain Growers so the young family moved several times with PGG, finally settling in Hermiston in 1967. Jean stayed at home and raised the kids until they were all in junior high school. Jean worked several years as a teacher’s assistant in the Hermiston School District and also at a local fabric store. Jean was an accomplished host and had many bridge parties at their home on West Highland Avenue. Jean was a fairly prolific painter in the oils and watercolor mediums. Her treasured works adorn the walls of her family. In the mid-1970s, Jean and Cason eventually purchased a small farm on Powerline Road and began raising cattle and farming alfalfa hay. Later Cason and Jean built a beautiful retirement home overlooking the Umatilla River near west Feedville Road. Retirement was not for Dad, so Jean and Cason embarked on a partner career managing retirement communities in Oregon and Utah.
They finally hung-up full-time work in the late 1990s and settled in on the Woodburn Estates golf course, where they enjoyed their daily games of golf, walking from their back yard right onto the 18th hole and sharing life at neighborhood happy hour gatherings. Jean and Cason discovered Yuma, Ariz. during this era of their retirement and purchased a small second home in the Yuma Foothills, where they would get away from the damp cold of the Willamette Valley for six months of the year. When Jean and Cason were in Oregon, they would host a family reunion at the coast where many fond memories were made. Jean had some great worldwide travels with her sister Louise and daughter Nancy: traveling on a sailing yacht in the Mediterranean while visiting Greece and Turkey, a Rick Steve’s European tour with daughter Nancy, and on another trip, Jean and Louise visited the Orkney Islands to see their grandfather’s boyhood home on the Isle of Hoy, Scotland. One of Jean’s favorite and arduous trips with her sister was climbing up to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Jean and Cason lived for a while at Sun Terrace Assisted Living in Hermiston, but the COVID-19 restrictions were hard on them so their youngest son Scott and his wife Mary quickly converted their overlook home near McNary Dam so Cason and Jean could enjoy their closing years with incredible views of McNary Lock and Dam, the Horse Heaven Hills, the Columbia River, and on clear days, Mt. Adams and the most amazing sunsets. Cason passed in 2022 after 70 years of marriage. Jean has dearly missed him ever since. Jean had endured more than a decade of progressively worsening Alzheimer’s and her final two years living under the care of the Geneva House in rural Hermiston, not far from son Scott’s home. The family is eternally grateful to our brother Scott and sister-in-law Mary for the years of care at their home and for Taunya and Howard Martin at Geneva House for their incredible patience, love, and care for Jean the last two years.
Jean is survived by all four of her children, 12 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren who all loved her kindness and beauty.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Alma; her older sister, Louise Vogler of Boulder, Colo.; and many of her cousins.
Jean did not want a memorial service, but there will be a summer 2026 gathering of family and close friends at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton, where the Cahill family interment is located.
Please share memories of Jean with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
