Roy Allen "Pete" DeCrevel 1937 - 2026

Roy Allen "Pete" DeCrevel passed away March 23, 2026, at his beloved home. He was 88 years old.

He was born May 25, 1937, in Portland, Oregon, to parents Albert and Maybelle DeCrevel. His father was a steel worker, and his mother was a homemaker and an artist.  Pete grew up in Portland, where he was active in Scouts and took drum lessons from an early age. He lived during a time when the milkman left bottles of milk on your doorstep, and a kid alone could safely take three buses to their music lesson.  

He had many adventures in Portland, including riding his bike down the brand-new Portland Airport runway, and he camped up in the woods of Mount Scott. Pete attended Franklin High School in Portland. He marched and played drums in the band. He ran varsity track for the Quackers for three years, qualifying for the state track meet.  

The family moved to Yamhill, Oregon, in the summer of 1954. He attended Yamhill Carlton High School his senior year.  It was there, in English class, that he sat behind a girl with beautiful, long red hair. This was the beginning of a forever love.  At Y-C he played the drums in a band called the Jive Five.  They entertained many at the high school dances. Since track was a love of his, he helped start the Y-C track team with a fellow student.  

After high school, Pete joined the Navy Reserve.  He had odd jobs, including digging ditches. He began logging for CF Laughlin Logging as a choker setter. At some point, he shifted to working in the shop as a mechanic, where he found two mentors that changed his career path. In 1961, his career took a pause when he was called to active duty for the Vietnam War. He worked in the engine room of the USS McGinty of the Pacific Fleet. When he returned, he resumed working at the shop and asked that gorgeous redhead, Carolyn, to marry him. They married August 17, 1963, at Sport and Carrie Laughlin's residence. The reception was epic and talked about for years.  

Pete and Carolyn had two children, Kelly and Robbie. During the early 1970s, Pete moved to the Carlton Truck Shop to be a diesel mechanic. Eventually, he co-owned the shop with Russell Bony. When Russell retired, he became the sole owner and was the owner to date.

Pete loved to hunt and fish. He had a fondness for the outdoors and was grateful to live on a farm in God's country.  He had many stories about his adventures that he enjoyed telling around the campfire. Another campfire favorite was Pyro Pete's Black Cauldron Chili. Many lined up with a bowl and spoon to have a taste. Drumming on the drums never left Pete's soul. He played in several bands around Yamhill County, including playing at Yamhill's Flying M Ranch. Everyone always felt like a friend around Pete. He will be forever remembered as a loving husband, a kind father, a giving grandpa, a teasing brother, an adventurous uncle, and a loyal, storytelling friend.

Pete is survived by his wife, Carolyn DeCrevel; sister, Dolly McCord (Dennis); two children, Kelly Van Horn (Cliff), and Robert Bernstein (Bradley); as well as two grandchildren, Peter and Isabella Van Horn. He was preceded in death by brother, Bill Junell; and sister, Alora Colistro.  

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. May 23, 2026, at the family farm. Memorial donations may be made to the Charles and Carrie Laughlin Scholarship at Yamhill Carlton School District 120 N. Larch Place, Yamhill,  Oregon 97148, and the See Ya Later Foundation, P.O. Box 1281, McMinnville, Oregon 97128.