Wednesday, June 7, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
9
Obituaries
Gwendolyn Berry
Stanley Charles Pintarich
March 2, 1922 — April 11, 2017
April 22, 1935 — April 28, 2017
Gwendolyn Berry, a resi-
dent of Sisters for 24 years,
passed away peacefully at
home. She was 95.
Born in Missoula,
Montana, she was raised
with her sister in Portland.
Gwen attended St. Mary of
the Valley Catholic boarding
school in Beaverton and grad-
uated from Jefferson High
School in Portland in 1940.
An adventurer her entire
life, Gwen was inspired
to help her country during
World War II, applying to
the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP), a program
designed to utilize the talents
of women who were trained
to shuttle military aircraft
around the United States dur-
ing the war while the nation’s
men served overseas. Gwen
was accepted out of 25,000
applicants.
She took flying lessons in
Blythe, California, in prepa-
ration for joining the WASP
program. She was ordered to
report to Sweetwater, Texas,
for advanced training but,
alas, the program was can-
celled before she joined.
Sometimes bad luck plays
midwife to good fortune. A
picture of her flight school
graduating class wound up
in the hands of a talent scout
for Howard Hughes’ RKO
Pictures. He found Gwen
and asked if she wanted
to screen-test for stardom.
Gwen politely said no. She
had other ideas.
After a brief marriage
that produced one son,
Gwen met her husband-for-
life on a blind date in 1957
in Portland. John “Jack”
Stanley Charles Pintarich,
born April 22, 1935 in
Portland, passed away peace-
fully among family members
after an extended struggle
with Binswanger’s dementia
on April 28 in Sisters.
He had just celebrated his
30th anniversary and 82nd
birthday.
He was the only child of
Stanley Louis and Margaret
Opheim Pintarich. A lifelong
Oregonian, he graduated
from Lincoln High School
and from Oregon State
College where he received
a Bachelor of Science in
History. Stan spent his career
with Pacific Northwest
Bell (later Qwest and now
Century Link), starting out
as a payphone coin collector
and working his way to fed-
eral procurement manager.
Stan was active and
involved in his communi-
ties, including membership
on the Tillamook County
Planning Commission dur-
ing the passing of the her-
alded Oregon Beach Bill.
He was a member of the
Berry (deceased in 2006),
was working at Aetna Life
and Casualty’s field office
in Portland. A gal working in
the office who knew Gwen
set them up. Jack’s eyes left
their sockets when he saw
her for the first time and
were reportedly still missing
when they married in 1958.
Jack’s work called him to
field all over the East Coast.
Gwen dutifully followed.
While focusing on her
family, Gwen found adven-
ture in travel and camping.
By the end of her life she vis-
ited most of the national parks
in the U.S. and all 50 states,
some several times. Gwen
also enjoyed rock hound-
ing and was a great cook.
In 1993, Jack and she
retired to Sisters. In the
house they custom built on
12 acres of land, Gwen mar-
veled at the Cascade moun-
tains. Here she tended to the
land and enjoyed the com-
pany of friends and family.
Gwen is survived by
sons Scott Christiansen
of Gladstone; John Berry
of Sisters; and Michelle
Berry Helitzer of Simsbury,
Connecticut; and several
grandchildren, including
twins Gretchen and Kirsten
Helitzer.
Services were held in late
April.
Obituaries Policy: The Nugget Newspaper does not charge a fee to
publish obituaries. Obituaries may be up to 400 words and include
one photo. Obituaries outside these guidelines are handled by the
advertising department. Obituary submissions must be received by
noon on Monday. Obituaries may be submitted to The Nugget by email
or hand delivery to our office located at 442 E. Main Ave., Sisters.
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city council in Scappoose
and was appointed to
the Columbia Regional
Association of Governments
Council, a precursor to
today’s Metro Board.
Stan also served on
the statewide planning
Land Conservation and
Development Council. After
his retirement, he stayed
active working with seniors
in Washington County. Stan
and his wife, Phyllis, were
involved with various clubs
including ones dedicated
to vintage Volvos, Land
Rovers, and Airstream travel
trailers, and moved to Sisters
in 2003, after having camped
in Camp Sherman for several
years.
Stan had a sense of
humor and love of music
that he gained from his
father, local radio host Stan
“Old Dusty” Pintarich. He
loved the outdoors, and in
his middle years could often
be found sailing local inland
waterways.
Stan is survived by his
wife, Phyllis; daughters
Leslie Pintarich (Denny
Cusimano), Cheryl Costello
(Laird Davis), and Kristin
Pintarich; son Daniel (Dia)
Pintarich; step-daughters
Jenny (Chris) Humcke,
Sarah (John) Short, and Amy
Tantau Hamilton; four grand-
daughters and two grand-
sons. Remembrances may
be sent to the Alzheimer’s
Association.
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