Lorn "Tiny" Trickel of Welches, Oregon, passed away on September 28, 2022, following a brief illness.
He was born on July 6, 1932, in New Bridge, Oregon to parents Cully and Mabel (Garrett) Trickel. In 1952, Tiny began his lifetime career as an electrician. He worked for several companies before opening Tiny's Electric in 1970.
In addition to his successful electrical contracting business, Tiny was also an inventor. In the late 1970's he was awarded a patent for an apparatus for burning air-suspended particulate fuel. In the 1980's he was awarded patents for several devices associated with greyhound racetrack lures, solid fill rubber core tires for forklifts and a solar energy collecting roof panel. His most successful invention was a railroad highway crossing deck and structural components. He later sold the patent to Riedel International, and they marketed it worldwide. The railroad crossing products and components are still in use today.
Tiny could fix almost anything. He loved to figure out how things worked and to troubleshoot mechanical problems of all sorts that people brought to him.
Tiny loved to take an idea and use his hands to build it. He spent many hours in his shop on woodworking projects. Other favorite pursuits included fishing for sturgeon, picking huckleberries and hunting mushrooms. He could spot a morel mushroom from 50 yards away while driving the forest fire roads in his pickup, aptly named the "Tiny T".
A caregiver at heart, Tiny was always willing to lend a hand to a friend or stranger in need. He derived great pleasure from making meals for family and friends. For years he prepared breakfast for his many friends on the mountain in the Zig Zag Inn kitchen before they opened for business each day. He was arguably the best sourdough waffle maker in the Northwest.
Tiny is survived by children Lonnie (Debbie) Trickel, Lorna (Dave) Lacey, Lorn J. Trickel, Larry (Deb) Trickel and Brian (Debbie) Hagey. 10 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 8 great great grandchildren. Tiny was predeceased by parents Culley Trickel and Mabel Blank, brother John Trickel and sisters Nona Gibbons and Jean Morehead.
It was Tiny's request that no funeral or memorial service be held when he passed.