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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2019)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019 THE OBSERVER — 3A LOCAL L OCAL B RIEFING From staff reports Meet Ms. Claus at ornament workshop and open and Jan. 5. The international event is conducted by the National house today Audubon Society, which has a record of every Christmas Bird LA GRANDE — Ms. Claus’ Clay Ornament Workshop and Open House is 5-8 p.m. today at the Clay Underground Studio, 1101 Washington Ave. in La Grande. Get your Christmas shop- ping done while supporting fi ve local artists. Enjoy free sweet treats and warm drinks, take a photo with Ms. Claus and make a one-of-a-kind Christmas ornament ($10 for one, $17 for two and $25 for four, with additional ornaments $5 each). Walk through Bethlehem at Living Nativity LA GRANDE — The annual Living Nativity at the La Grande Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2702 Adams Ave., will offer visitors a walk through Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The interactive experience will be open from 5-8 p.m. today and Saturday and will include baby Jesus in the manager, Roman soldiers, Bethlehem shops, live animals, music and refresh- ments. The event is free and open to all. This year also will offer a photo op with Izzy the camel today from 1-3 p.m. Photos will be taken by Arla Marie Photography, $10 per for one person and $5 for each additional person (cash or check only). All proceeds go to the local school Little Friends and the Adventist school. Appointments are not necessary. Have your photo taken with Santa before the Elgin Light Parade tomorrow ELGIN — The Elgin Light Parade is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. Before the parade, from 2-4 p.m., the Elgin High School FBLA chapter is offering pictures with Santa as a fundraiser at All For You Salon. All For You will also be providing free hot chocolate, coffee and cookies for the community along with ar- ranging fi re pits outside for people to warm up while watching the parade. Wreaths Across America placed in La Grande LA GRANDE — American Legion Post 43 of La Grande is again sponsoring Wreaths Across America. On Saturday morn- ing, the group will place wreaths on the headstones in the Veter- ans Circle in Grandview Cemetery on Foothill Road. The public is welcome to observe or help place the wreaths. There will be a brief public ceremony at 10 a.m. with Pastor Roger Cochran offi ciating. The wreaths will remain up until Dec. 28. Count since the fi rst one in 1900. police department, 541-963-1017. She also will be available Tuesday to take donations during the 11 a.m. event in the greenhouse area of Wal-Mart. Historical Society program is a tribute to Dottie Brown Weekly senior lunch in Union now served at VFW LA GRANDE — The Union County Historical Society will hold a meeting and potluck beginning at noon Sunday in the log cabin at the Union County Fairgrounds. The BlueMountaineers will play music and give their annual tribute to Dottie Brown. UNION — The Union senior lunch served on Tuesdays is now being held at the VFW High Valley Post 4060, 518 N. Main St. The coffee is available before the meal as usual, followed by lunch at noon. The meal is available for a $3 donation. PetSense hosts holiday events Saturday Imbler School Board meeting will include executive session LA GRANDE — PetSense at the Grande Ronde Plaza in La Grande is having an adoption event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. There will be shelter animals available for adoption and Santa Paws offering pictures with Santa. The holiday festivities also will include an Ugly Sweater Contest for pets and their people. Annual turkey shoot open to all COVE — The Cove Sportsman Club will hold its annual Turkey Shoot Sunday at the club on the south side of Cove. The shooting begins at 9 a.m., and there will be non-shooting games inside for all attending. Hamburgers, chili and pie will be avail- able for lunch. UNION COUNTY SENIOR CENTER MENU 1504 ALBANY ST., LA GRANDE Dec. 16-20 lunch served 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. age 60+ $3 suggested donation; others $6 Monday: traditional mac & cheese (with or without ham), spinach salad, steamed vegetables, wheat rolls, fruit. Tuesday: BBQ beef sandwiches, fries, broccoli-raisin salad, fresh fruit slices, cookies. Wednesday: honey-glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, steamed vegetables, rolls, dessert. Thursday: chicken tenders, steak fries, three-bean salad, coleslaw, fresh fruit. Friday: taquitos, Mexi-rice, steamed vegetables, salad greens, chips, fl an. GRH Auxiliary meets for Christmas Luncheon ISLAND CITY — The Grande Ronde Hospital Auxiliary’s annual Christmas Luncheon will be Monday at the Island City City Hall beginning at noon. Members are asked to bring a main dish, salad or dessert to share. The meat will be provided by the Auxiliary. Handbell concert presents traditional Christmas music LA GRANDE — The bells will be ringing at the Alleluia Bells concert beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at the La Grande First Presbyterian Church, corner of Washington Avenue and Spring Street. According to organizers, English handbells are “the epitome of the sound of Christmas.” While there is no charge for the concert, free will donations will be gratefully accepted. Alleluia Bells is a small ecumenical ensemble currently under the direction of Danny Bailey. P UBLIC S AFETY R EPORT TUESDAY The Union County Sher- iff’s Offi ce arrested Ian Riley Anderson, 19, of Island City, for possession and delivery of methamphetamine and heroine, all felonies. Union County bird count set for Sunday Donations welcome for annual Shop with a Cop UNION, COVE — The 44th annual Union County Christmas program Bird Count will begin right after midnight Sunday and continue until 11:59 p.m. The count is conducted each year in an area cen- tered about one mile northwest of Union. The area has a 15-mile diameter and a radius of 177 square miles. Union and Cove are the only towns in the count circle. People living within the count area are encouraged to fi ll their bird feeders to attract birds for counters. Anyone interested in participating in the count should call Trent Bray at 541-980-4443 or visit The Bobolink at 1707 Fifth St. to sign up. The Union County Christmas Bird Count is one of more than 2,000 being conducted throughout the world between Dec. 14 IMBLER — The Imbler School District Board of Direc- tors will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 1 of the high school. The meeting will include an executive session, pursuant to ORS192.660(2)(d), to conduct staff negotiations. LA GRANDE — The La Grande Police Department’s Shop with a Cop day is Tuesday. Over the last 10 years, the Union County event has served more than 150 children. This year there are 15 children participating in fi rst-sixth grades, selected by school counselors from local schools. More than 30 volunteers from the La Grande Police Department, Oregon State Police and the Union County Sheriff’s Offi ce will help with this year’s event. To make the event possible, LGPD partners with local schools, Wal-Mart and Loveland Funeral Chapel. Anyone who wishes to make a donation can call Carla Greenough at the WEDNESDAY The Union County Sheriff’s Offi ce arrested Michael Allan Leon. 57, of Milton-Freewater, for giving false information to an offi cer and felony metham- phetamine possession. THURSDAY La Grande police at 3:36 p.m. received a report of a possible sex crime. The Union County Sheriff’s Offi ce few minutes before midnight served a stalking order on the 1100 block of K Avenue, La Grande. FRIDAY La Grande police just after 1 a.m. responded to a report of trespassing on the 1100 block of Jefferson Avenue. An offi cer arrested Jennifer Dawn O’Daniels, 36, of La Grande, for misdemeanor meth- amphetamine and heroine possession and on fi ve war- rants for failure to appear in misdemeanor trespassing and theft cases. And fi refi ghters responded to seven calls for medical as- sistance on Thursday and fi ve on Wednesday. O BITUARIES Marcia (Miller) Smith Formerly of La Grande 1923-2019 Marcia Smith, 96, formerly of La Grande, died Nov. 9 in Seattle, Washington. A private burial took place in La Grande, her favorite place in the world, where she was laid to rest beside her parents. Marcia was born June 26, 1923, in Decatur, Georgia, the only child of Leo and Florence (Lynch) Miller. Marcia was raised in La Grande and had a life-long passion for the arts, particu- larly music and ballet. After graduating from the Univer- sity of Washington in 1946, her love of ballet took her to New York City and then to a summer dance retreat at Jacob’s Pillow, Massachu- setts. It was there she met Eugene Smith. Marcia returned to La Grande and opened a ballet studio on Depot Street. Eu- gene eventually followed her to La Grande, where they married in 1951. The early years of their married life were spent in Milton-Free- water, where they shared their mutual love of the arts playing together in an orchestra (cello and clarinet), performing in theater pro- ductions and making their own marionette show. Eugene’s graduate educa- tion and subsequent teach- ing career at the University of Washington took them to Seattle, where they lived for more than 30 years and raised fi ve children. Eventu- ally, they were drawn back to the La Grande house in which Marcia grew up and they spent most of their later years there. Surviving relatives include her husband of 68 years, Eugene Smith; children and their spouses, Sheila Smith and Don Ferguson, Kenna Smith Shangrow and Robert Shangrow, Maynard Smith, Bradley Smith, and Naomi and Jon Halfaker; and six grandchildren. In lieu of fl owers, memo- rial donations may be made to support Orchestra Seattle/ Seattle Chamber Singers, 1916 Pike Place, Suite 112, Seattle, Washington 98101, or at www.OSSCS.org. Clarence Lee Blaylock Formerly of Cove 1938-2019 Clarence Lee Blaylock, 81, formerly of Cove, died Oct. 21 at his home in Salome, Arizona. Clarence was born May 3, 1938, in Cross- ville, Tennessee, to Clarence and Vera Blaylock. In 1964, he married Betty Ann Barnett, and they had three sons: Timothy, Brian and Delbert. Clarence and Betty lived in Cove from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. Clarence and Betty shared 42 years of mar- riage and a love for the outdoors, hunting, fi shing and gold prospecting. They were members of numer- ous gold mining clubs and spent many summers as camp host in Auburn for the Eastern Oregon Mining and Prospecting Club. Surviving relatives include his sons and daughters-in- law, Timothy and Tammy Blaylock, Brian and Fran Blaylock and Delbert Blaylock; brothers, Edward Blaylock, Douglas Blaylock and Ronald Blaylock; sisters, Alice Burdette, Donna Misra, Edna Burgess and Annette Sapp; and numer- ous grandchildren and great- grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, in 2006; parents, Clarence and Vera; sister, Rita Burdette; and brothers, Bill Blaylock and Kenneth Blaylock. Shirley A. (Oveson) Blanton La Grande 1932-2019 Shirley Ann Blanton, 87, of La Grande, died Dec. 9 at Grande Ronde Retirement Center. A cel- ebration of her life will be held in the spring. Shirley was born March 29, 1932, in Green River, Utah, to Conway and Dolores (Winbourn) Oveson. Her early school years were spent in Cleveland and Hunting- ton, Utah. When her family moved to East Carbon City, Utah, she attended Carbon High School and Carbon College and was a proud alumna of both, enthusias- tically participating in all the class reunions through the years. Shirley earned a bachelor’s degree at Utah State University and became a schoolteacher. Shirley loved to dance and was an expert at the jitterbug. She played piano and enjoyed singing around the piano with family and friends and in church choirs. She learned to watercolor, and her friends’ and family’s homes are decorated with her lovely paintings. Most of her working life was spent in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she had many close, lifelong friends. In later years she moved to Canby, where she was active in her church and the senior center. Her last year was spent in La Grande with family and new friends. Shirley loved people, and people loved her. She took great joy in her family and was a special friend to all whose lives she touched. Shirley was always there with an easy laugh, warm heart and listening ear. She had a true zest for life, loved sunsets and took time to en- joy the wonders of the world. Surviving relatives include her daughter and son-in-law, Sanny (Oveson) and Tony Wartko of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Vel Donna (Sweet) Blanton of La Grande; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ameri- can Heart Association, 4380 SW Macadam Ave. #480, Portland 97239. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.lovelandfuneralchapel. com. Dolores Hewitt La Grande Dolores Hewitt, 82, of La Grande and formerly of Baker City, died Dec. 12 at Wildfl ower Lodge. An obitu- ary is forthcoming. Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crema- tory will be handling the arrangements. Delpha Hamann La Grande Delpha Hamann, 89, of La Grande, died Dec. 10 at a care facility in Pendleton. An Independent Insurance Agency Reed & Associates for excellent service LOCALLY! Nicole Cathey 10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City 541-975-1364 An obituary is forthcoming. Arrangements are entrusted to Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebra- tion Center. Daniel R. Jorgensen La Grande 1963-2019 Daniel Robert Jorgensen, 55, of La Grande, died Dec. 2 at his home. A private burial will be held at the Star Cem- etery in Idaho. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory. Known as Dan, he was born Dec. 3, 1963, in Citrus Heights, California, to Rob- ert and Susan Jorgensen, the fi rst of six children. The family moved to Arizona and then to Boise, Idaho, before settling in Eagle, Idaho, in 1972. Dan graduated from Me- ridian High School in 1982. A man of great reasoning power with a gift for the logic of math, Dan pursued a B.S. in mechanical engi- neering, taking classes at Boise State University and then graduating from the University of Idaho in 1987. He put his skills to work at Micron Technology in Boise for about a decade. A member of the United Church of God, Dan en- joyed traveling abroad to visit church brethren in Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Tasmania, the Bahamas and the Philippines. He took repeated trips to the Philip- pines after meeting Nancy Binos in 1996. They married Oct. 3, 2004. He helped her run a store in the Philip- pines for a while before they moved to Oregon and made their home in Haines and later La Grande. Dan loved trains, back- packing, fi shing, and whipped cream. He was also a notorious teaser. Surviving relatives include his wife, Nancy; children, Samuel, Matthew and Erika; mother, Susan of Eagle, Idaho; siblings, Sarah of Middleton, Idaho, Timothy of Eagle, Idaho, Jennifer of Salt Lake City, Utah, Laurie of Star, Idaho, and Ben of Kamiah, Idaho; and numer- ous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert. UPCOMING FUNERALS AND VISITATIONS Sponsored by Dec. 13 Mary Armon: 2 p.m. graveside service, Elgin Cemetery. Maxine Parks Thiessen: 2 p.m. funeral, Bollman Funeral Home, Enterprise; casual dress preferred. Dec. 14 Rodney Feik: 9-9:45 a.m. viewing and 10 a.m. funeral, La Grande Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints; followed by graveside service with military honors at Grandview Cemetery. Roberta Sinor: 2 p.m. graveside service, Elgin Cemetery. Medicare, Auto, Home insurance and Annuities Toll Free 1-866-282-1925 www.reed-insurance.net Kevin Reed
