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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2021)
6 Wednesday, September 1, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Obituaries Thomas A. Stoery Jay Edwin Leonhardy February 25, 1932 — August 19, 2021 October 30, 1959 — August 9, 2021 Thomas Anton (Tom) Stoery passed away peace- fully on August 19 at the age of 89. Tom was a resi- dent of The Lodge, a resi- dential retirement commu- nity in Sisters, where he resided for two years. Tom is survived by his son, Scott Stoery, and Scott9s wife, Emilee, in Sisters; and his grandsons, Christian and Emerson. His daughter Andrea, her hus- band, Greg, and grandson Elias live in Texas. To m w a s b o r n i n Estherville, Iowa on February 25, 1932 4 the third child of Anton and Embar Stoery. His par- ents, as well as his siblings, Elizabeth and Samuel, pre- ceded him in death. Following gradua- tion from the University of Minnesota in 1956, he joined the Rock Island Railroad in its manage- ment training program. He continued in management positions for 25 years. His grandfather Caspar and his father, Anton, were also employed by Rock Island for a total of 117 years of family employment with the company. He continued in the transportation industry in various capacities in the development and manage- ment of short line railroads in California and Nevada, as a broker of small rail- roads, and numerous Jay Edwin Leonhardy passed away Monday, August 9, 2021 in Santa Isobel, California, at the age of 61. Jay was born in Burlingame, California, on October 30, 1959 and grew up in Cottage Grove and Sisters, Oregon. He spent his adult years in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was known for his political activism. He worked with Sane Freeze, an anti-nuclear organization, as a lobbyist and canvasser; he was the chief of staff for Oakland City Councilman Henry Chang; he wrote grants for the Native American Health Center in Oakland; he was the direc- tor of youth works for the city of Richmond, finding funding and job training for youth at risk; and he led numerous campaigns for people seeking political positions in the Bay Area. These are just highlights of consulting activities. He was very adventur- ous and recently went on a private flight with Outlaw Aviation from Sisters to see the Columbia Gorge, Mount Hood, and the Oregon Coast. He also loved the outdoors and picnics on the Metolius. He was a proud, lov- ing, and happy father and grandfather. He had a vig- orous curiosity about the world and an appreciation of peoples9 histories and personal stories. His stories and anecdotes will live on for many years. his many accomplishments throughout his work life. The people he helped during this time are innumerable. His sense of adventure led him to Australia, the Middle East, and Indonesia; and he had friends wherever he traveled. Jay spent his retirement as a <rock hound,= traveling from the sun stone mines in Oregon to the tourmaline mine in Santa Isobel where he lived and worked. He shared his love and knowl- edge of digging rocks with others who turned the dirt in hopes of finding treasures once the dirt was washed away. Jay was notorious for his crazy driving habits. He ter- rified anyone who had to ride with him. His favorite saying was: <Drive fast, take chances, and don9t forget to transform.= Jay is predeceased by his brother, Jerry Leonhardy, and his father, Bruce Leonhardy. He is survived by his mother, Roberta (Bobbe) Leonhardy; his two sis- ters, Rachel and Tracy Leonhardy; his aunts, Adele Leonhardy Irvin and Terry Leonhardy; and his cousins, Galen, Robert, and Jonelle Leonhardy, Matthew Irvin, Rhonda Wirth, and Michelle Dellit. He was <Unka Jay= to numerous children of family and friends. A casual celebration of life will be held for family and friends later this year at his mother9s home in Bend, Oregon. The Law Offi ce of JOHN H. MYERS, S LLC C — Downtown Sisters — WILLS & TRUSTS Make it easy for you and your loved ones. Call for a free 30-minute consultation. Protect what you’ve worked for. 541-588-2414 204 W. Adams Ave., Ste 203 www.centraloregonattorney.com Portraits OF SISTERS A fifth-generation rancher and native Texan, Hobbs Magaret now describes himself as a first-generation grazier. The 34-year-old grew up in the trade but shifted when he found a passion for music. That musi- cal career moved him around — pursuing a degree in guitar and owning a variety of musical businesses that would eventually flop. He and his wife, along with their 3-month-old daughter, hit rock bottom and jotted out a plan to take up ranching again. With $15,000 and a broken-down truck, Hobbs started Sisters Cattle Co. The local cattle outfit uses graz- ing techniques that benefit the land and the animals by implement- ing high-density grazing patterns that work the soil and vegetation. Hobbs leases land that feeds his cattle, and he rejuvenates the land in ways not seen for centuries, all with the focus on a better ecosystem. “Ranching cattle is a lot like music for me,” he says. “It’s an ecologi- cal symphony and the cattle are the conductors. This is where I get my creativity now.” THIS MONTH’S “PORTRAITS OF SISTERS” PRESENTED BY: PHOTO AND STORY BY Cody Rheault 382 E Hood Ave | Suite A East | Sisters OR 97759 541.419.5577 Licensed In The State of Oregon