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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2019)
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Obituaries When Central Oregon was ‘Moon Country’ Ronald Earl Bliven September 4, 1939 — June 19, 2019 Ron Bliven was born in Cherokee, Iowa, to Earl and Jeanette Bliven. He had two brothers and one sister. Ron married his high school, baton-twirling, sweetheart, Terry, in 1960 in Riddle, Oregon. He worked in the meat industry. Ron and Terry lived all over Oregon. They settled in Sisters in 1992 after raising two chil- dren: Brenda (Tim Gross) and Brad (Irene) Bliven. Ron was the proud grandfather of Matt, Katey, Jared, Desirae, Justin and Jenna; and he had six great-grandchildren. Ron loved hunting and fishing. His hobby and <sec- ond job= was square-dance caller. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favor- ite children9s organization. Private family services at a later date. Gene Austin Warf October 6, 1927 — June 18, 2019 Our beloved father, Gene, passed away June 18, 2019, in a loving hospice facility, in Tucson, Arizona. His daughters and son-in- law rotated days by his side for his final nine days. He had been suffering with a failing heart condition, and had chosen to have correc- tive surgery. Complications from the surgery caused his death. Gene was 91 years young. He was born in Wewoca, Oklahoma, to Oscar and Nelle Warf. He had one brother, Boyd, and two sisters, Diene and Louise (who all predeceased him). The Warf family moved a lot 4 from Oklahoma to California. It was in San Jose, California, that Gene, at 17, met the love of his life 4 Beverly Joyce Tosello. Gene enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1946, as World War II was wind- ing down. Lucky for us, he developed pneumonia, and was forced to remain state- side as a company clerk. He was honorably discharged in 1947, to return to California and his Beverly. (We often laughed about the story that Gene9s shoulders had grown so big, Beverly9s family joked he wouldn9t fit through the door!) Gene and Beverly were married June 20, 1948, in San Jose, California. Work was scarce after the war, but Gene found an entry-level job at IMC, where he had a 35-year career. He always shared that he was a terrified young man 4 taking on the respon- sibility of a wife and chil- dren soon to follow. His first daughter, Nancy Jean, was born March 25, 1949. Patricia Lynn was born March 25, 1950 (on Nancy9s first birthday!) From that day forward, Gene totally focused his life on caring for 25 and financially supporting his precious <girls.= He loved working num- bers (accounting) and rarely missed work in his career. He worked his way up to a division manager with IMC and was transferred to Skokie, Illinois for a couple years, then back to San Jose. After retiring from IMC, Gene and Beverly moved to Sisters in 1980 to be near their only grandchild, Jennifer Michele Brown. Jennifer9s <Papa= would spend hours with her, play- ing <waitress,= bank teller, and school. He often got a <make-over,= too! Gene and Beverly adored their precious Jennifer. They loved to RV, and often took her along. Both Gene and Beverly decided they weren9t ready to be totally retired, so they tried a hand at real estate sales with Reed Brothers Realty. Both really enjoyed those years and the interesting people they met. Finally, they both decided to retire and purchase a sec- ond home in Boulder City, Nevada. The two enjoyed the wonderful winter weather in their later years. They truly adored each other their entire married life (it was like Camelot). After 64 years, Gene sadly lost Beverly in February 2013. As Alzheimer9s ravaged her mind and body, Gene NEVER left her side. He was her caregiver until the very end. Never has a love been truer& After Beverly died, Gene sold his acreage in Sisters and moved to Arizona to be near Nancy and Patricia (and Patricia9s husband, Patrick, who loved Gene as a father). He pined for his Beverly every day. Gene lived in Florence, Arizona, for a couple years, then moved to a lovely retirement village in Tucson to be nearer Pat and Patti. As his health declined, he was in need of more and more assistance. But he remained positive (at 90, he had a 10-year plan!), and just as fiercely dedicated to his remaining family. He will be greatly missed by all who really knew him. He was a quiet, gentle man. Quick to smile. Generous to a fault. There are many peo- ple who received the bene- fits of his selfless generosity. He is survived by his daughter Nancy Blake (Bob Gerhard), daughter Patricia Brown (Patrick); grand- daughter Jennifer Brown Mainero; Beverly9s brother, George Tosello (Gayle); nephews and nieces from both sides of the family, especially our dear Tosello9s: Carey, Garth, Chris, (all in Sisters) and Greg; and their beautiful families; Byron Blake, Jeff and Anne Blake, and his step-great-grand- children: Tyler, Justin, and Haley Blake who he abso- lutely adored. What a bless- ing they were to him in his later years. And of course, his beloved mini-dachshund, Bella. Gene will be laid to rest alongside his beautiful bride, Beverly, in Greenwood Cemetery, Bend (private- family). TOGETHER FOREVER NOW 4 IN HEAVEN. We will really miss you, Dad. You started as a gentle ripple in this pond of life& but the ripple grew and spread, and you touched so many. More than 50 years ago, as the space race between the United States and Soviet Union reached a fever pitch, Central Oregon played an important yet little-known role in preparing U.S. astro- nauts for lunar landscapes. Moon Country: Oregon and the Space Race, an origi- nal exhibit celebrating this region9s involvement in the first lunar landing, opens at the High Desert Museum on Saturday, July 6. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established in 1958 and, in a race for supremacy with the Soviet Union, set its sights on being the first to put astronauts on the moon. NASA theorized that Central Oregon9s volca- nic terrain resembled that of the moon, creating an ideal place for geologists to train astronauts and test equip- ment. The Apollo program trained in Central Oregon in 1964 and in 1966. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing 4 on July 20, 1969, commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on the moon. Moon Country: Oregon and the Space Race features stories and rarely seen photo- graphs from this time period in locations well known to Oregonians, from McKenzie Pass to Paulina Lake. As a backdrop, the exhibit also discusses the turmoil divid- ing the country during that decade, including the civil rights movement and the country9s involvement in the Vietnam War. Somewhat isolated during those years, Central Oregon was expe- riencing its own evolution: The timber industry was shrinking, and some were envisioning future tour- ism with the establishment of Mt. Bachelor as a ski resort. From the exhibition, visi- tors will learn that there is a small piece of lava rock on the moon that came from Devils Lake, beside the Cascade Lakes Highway roughly 30 miles west of Bend. In 1971, astronaut James Irwin placed the rock on the moon dur- ing his Apollo 15 mission to commemorate his geological training in Central Oregon years before. Like many astronauts dur- ing those years, Irwin com- pleted some of his training at sites throughout Central Oregon such as Newberry Crater, Lava Butte, Fort Rock and Hole-in-the-Ground. The training offered astronauts a chance to learn about ter- rain they might encounter on the moon and improve their skills navigating challenging landscapes. It also earned Central Oregon the nickname <Moon Country.= www.NuggetNews.com Summer Arts Camps • Starshine Theater Camps – 3 weeks offered (ages 4-18) • Mural Arts Camp – August 12-23 (ages 11-17) Check out our website for times and more info. View activities & classes, and register online! www.SistersRecreation.com 1750 W. Mckinney Butte Rd. | 541-549-2091 SNO CAP MINI STORAGE Sisters Industrial Park 157 Sisters Park Dr. • 541-549-3575 www.SistersStorage.com • State-of-the-art Security Technology • Sizes from 5x5 to 12x40 • Individual Gate Codes • Long-term Discounts • On-site Manager