SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
C OMMUNITY
Meetings
• UNION — The Union
Rural Fire Protection
District’s board will meet
Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the
fi re hall.
Briefs
Video delves
into ‘Race and
the Politics of
Medicare’
Highway 204
repairs underway
Observer Staff
ELGIN — Work began
Thursday to restore a portion
of Highway 204 from Sum-
merville Road to Andes Prairie
that had been closed due to
slide activity and erosion that
washed out part of the road
and shoulders. The Oregon
Department of Transportation
reported the highway is open
between the two points to one
lane with pilot cars escorting
vehicles under 10,000 pounds
gross vehicle weight through
the work zone.
The department announced
it awarded a contract to restore
drainage and protect the
remaining road infrastructure
and crews have started the
work. The contractor, however,
cannot properly restore the
road until after the snow melts,
so the pilot car operation looks
to last into spring.
In addition, the department
stated the weather forecast
for the area predicts another
2 feet of snow this weekend,
making the evaluation of
damage and repairs diffi cult.
Snow removal, the repair
work and a steep highway
along the creek with multiple
chain-up areas complicates
the pilot car operation. The
work zone is about 10 miles
long, and winter weather will
affect single lane travel.
“Drive with caution,” ODOT
advised, “and expect delays
anywhere between 30 minutes
and two hours, depending on
conditions.”
Her favorite moments were
spent with her grandsons and
her family.
Surviving relatives include
her husband of 64 years, Le-
roy Damewood of La Grande;
daughter and son-in-law,
Sally Ann Damewood-Wight
and Mike Wight of Portland;
two grandsons; and nine
nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death
by her parents, Roy and
Marie Johnston, and brother,
Bradley Prentis Johnston.
Online condolences may
be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralcha-
pel.com.
Kenneth A. Skillings
O BITUARIES
John L. Wallsinger
LA GRANDE — The
Oregon Rural Action
Healthcare Reform Action
Team presents a video
screening and discussion
of “Race and the Politics
of Medicare” at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday at Oregon Rural
Action, 1112 1/2 Adams
Ave., La Grande. The
video explores how the
defense of racially segre-
gated health care in the
South left the nation with
the compromise that is
Medicare, according to
the announcement from
Oregon Rural Action. The
free presentation is in
recognition of Black
History Month and is
open to the public.
Class of ‘54 meets
for lunch
LA GRANDE — Mem-
bers of the La Grande
High School class of
1954 will meet for lunch
Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
at the Cock ‘n’ Bull Villa
Roma, inside Pat’s Alley,
1414 Adams Ave., La
Grande.
Learn how to
identify weeds
ISLAND CITY — The
Oregon State University
Master Gardener pro-
gram’s individual classes
are open to the commu-
nity for $5 each. Tuesday,
Sam Bernards, of Tri-
County Cooperative Weed
Management, and Brian
Clapp, of Union County
Weed Control, will teach
“Weed Identifi cation.” The
class will be in the confer-
ence room at the OSU-
Union County Extension
Offi ce, 10507 N. McAlister
Road, Island City. For
more information and
to RSVP for classes, call
the Extension Offi ce at
541-963-1010. Photos,
upcoming classes and
links to research-based
gardening information is
available on the Union
County Master Gardeners
– Oregon Facebook page.
Fish for free this
weekend
SALEM — The Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife announced the
public is free to fi sh,
crab or clam anywhere
in Oregon on Saturday
and Sunday in recogni-
tion of Presidents Day
weekend. That means no
one needs any fi shing
licenses or tags for
residents and non-
residents. While anglers
don’t need licenses or
tags, all other fi shing
regulations apply, includ-
ing closures, bag limits
and size restrictions. Go
to www.eregulations.
com/oregon/fi shing/ to
fi nd out more.
La GRANDE
AUTO REPAIR
975-2000
www.lagrandeautorepair.com
MOST
ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY
AVAILABLE
Joe Horst
THE OBSERVER — 3A
LOCAL
ACDelcoTSS
Formerly of La Grande
Mary K. (Johnston)
Damewood
1946-2019
La Grande
John Lowell Wallsinger,
73, formerly of La Grande,
died May 9, 2019, from idio-
pathic pulmo-
nary fi brosis at
Auburn Multi-
Care Hospital
in Auburn,
Washington. A
memorial service was held
May 18 at Mountain Vine-
yard Christian Fellowship in
Kent, Washington.
John was born Feb. 9,
1946, in La Grande, to
Thomas and Hazel Walls-
inger. The Wallsinger and
Woodell families came to
the valley in 1862, and the
Wallsinger family farm was
on Market Lane, south and
east of Alicel. John attended
Alicel School, La Grande
High School and what is now
Eastern Oregon University.
Surviving relatives
include his wife of 49 years,
Julia Wallsinger of Auburn;
daughter, Jessica Wallsinger
of Reno, Nevada; son and
daughter-in-law, Jeremy
and Christina Wallsinger
of Spanaway, Washington;
three grandsons; siblings,
Colleen Byers, Tom Walls-
inger and Kathy Humis-
ton; and many nieces and
nephews.
He was preceded in
death by his parents,
Thomas and Hazel Walls-
inger, and brother, Howard
Wallsinger.
1933-2020
Mary Kathleen Dame-
wood, 86, of La Grande, died
Feb. 6 at her residence. A
celebration of
her life will be
held at 2 p.m.
Feb. 22 at the
La Grande
First Christian
Church.
Nicknamed Mary K., she
was born Aug. 23, 1933, in
Munising, Michigan, to Roy
and Marie (Prentis) Johnston.
She resided in Ironwood,
Michigan; Cashmere, Wash-
ington; Corvallis; Brunswick,
Maine; and La Grande,
where she lived for 57 years.
Mary K. attended Wenatchee
Junior College and Wash-
ington State University. She
married Leroy Damewood in
Cashmere, Washington, on
Sept. 11, 1955.
Mary K. was employed as a
proofreader at the Wenatchee
Daily World while in junior col-
lege and then in the personnel
office for Boeing in Seattle. She
also worked as the secretary in
the journalism and informa-
tion office at what is now
Oregon State University. Dur-
ing her two years in Maine, she
was a volunteer switchboard
operator at the Brunswick
Hospital and a member of an
ad hoc committee for a new
senior program.
From 1963-1983, Mary K.
worked for Ross Hearing, an
attorney, and she spent the
past 30 years as a book-
keeper for the Carey, Joseph &
Mendiguren Law Offi ce. She
was a member of the Grande
Ronde Hospital Auxiliary and
was awarded for her service
as the volunteer secretary for
the Grande Ronde Hospital
Foundation. She also volun-
teered as a bookkeeper for the
Elks Lodge in the 1980s.
As a young girl growing up
in Ironwood, Mary K. loved to
ice skate and play the piano.
She enjoyed gardening, play-
ing bridge with two different
bridge groups, canning, baking,
sewing, knitting and camping.
P UBLIC S AFETY R EPORT
WEDNESDAY
A caller at 3:18 p.m. reported
an abandoned wheelchair on
the 1500 block of Fifth Street, La
Grande. The parking enforce-
ment offi cer picked up the
wheelchair and took a report for
found property.
La Grande police at 3:41 p.m.
responded to two juveniles
fi ghting at Cove Avenue and
27th Street. Turned out they
were only playing.
Law enforcement at 4:04
p.m. responded to the 1800
block of Fourth Street to speak
to someone about possible
drug activity. Police determined
the substance was burnt coffee.
THURSDAY
La Grande police at 7:46 a.m.
received a report of two white,
short-hair dogs missing from
the 1600 block of Y Avenue.
The animal enforcement offi cer
found and returned the dogs to
the owner.
The school resource offi cer
at about 12:20 p.m. received a
report of an assault involving
a student in Union. The offi cer
talked to people involved about
options.
La Grande police at about 6
p.m. arrested Dustin Michael
Webb-Davies, 27, of La Grande,
on two counts of fi rst-degree
sexual abuse. Webb-Davies was
in the Union County Jail, La
Grande, at the time of the arrest
on charges of felony assault
and criminal mistreatment of a
child younger than 10.
According to state court
records, the district attorney’s
offi ce on Wednesday indicted
Webb-Davies on the sex crime
charges, accusing him of mo-
lesting a girl younger than 14.
The court records indicate the
two cases against Webb-Davies
have different victims.
And La Grande fi refi ght-
ers responded to fi ve calls for
medical assistance on Thursday
and six on Wednesday.
UNION COUNTY SENIOR CENTER
1504 N. ALBANY ST., LA GRANDE
LUNCH MENU
FEB. 17-21
Served 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
age 60+ $3 suggested donation, others $6,
MONDAY: closed for Presidents Day.
TUESDAY: tomatoes stuffed with chicken salad, salad
greens, fresh fruit, bread, dessert.
WEDNESDAY: shepherd’s pie, spinach salad, cottage
cheese, fresh fruit, dessert.
THURSDAY: Southwest chili, layered salad, fresh fruit,
cornbread and honey (alternate meal: chicken noodle
soup).
FRIDAY: turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce, cup of
soup, vegetables, fresh fruit.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
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Cost: $540 (Runs 3 consecutive days including wkds.)
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27 newspapers - 1,016,864 circulation
Size: 2x2 (3.25”x2”) Cost: 1x 2x2: $1,050
More info: Cecelia@cnpa.com or call (916) 288-6011
Nicole Cathey
10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City
541-975-1364
Kenneth A. Skillings, 82, of
Wallowa, died Feb. 12. Bollman
Funeral Home is entrusted
with the arrangements.
Next Week:
Mon-Fri Blue Plate $12:
Grilled Coconut Chicken
with sticky rice and asian salad
Wednesday, 8pm
4IPUTLJT 4LJáJDLTBOE%SJOL4QFDJBMT
541-963-8766
tendepotstreet.com
Dock Wallen Baker, 94
February 20, 1925 - February 7, 2020
Dock Wallen Baker,
94, of La Grande,
passed away on Friday,
February 7, 2020 at
Grande Ronde Hospital.
A memorial service will
be held at 2:00 pm on
Saturday, February 29 at
The Presbyterian Church
in La Grande. Following
the service, a reception
will be held at the PFC.
Dock was born on
February 20, 1925, in
Norton, Virginia to
James Andrew and Vera
(O’Neil) Baker. Dock and his seven sib-
lings were raised in and around Kingsport,
Tennessee. In 1942, at age seventeen,
Dock enlisted in the army. He was
deployed to the Pacific Theater where he
served as an anti-aircraft gunner. He took
part in the island invasions of the South
Pacific, and he served for a short time in
Australia and as part of the forces that first
occupied Japan.
After the war, Dock—along with sever-
al brothers and sisters and his mother—
moved to Southern California in search of
a good job and a future. But he found only
jobs that paid little more than bus fare and
lunch money.
Oregon beckoned. Two sisters, a broth-
er, and an uncle had already moved from
Southern California to Bend, Oregon. In
1947 Dock headed north and quickly found
jobs as a school custodian and a pumice
truck driver.
In his free time, Dock played on a city
league basketball and softball team. His
softball coach was an Oregon State police
sergeant. The coach knew Dock was
drawn to the outdoors, and he saw an hon-
est man of promise and principle. The
coach encouraged Dock to apply to be an
OSP game officer. He got the job and was
assigned to the La Grande office.
Before joining the police force, while in
Bend, Dock met Ernestene (Ernie) Marie
Baller of Redmond. Ernie was the friend
of Dock’s youngest sister, Jean. Jean set
them up on a date, and the rest is history—
Dock and Ernie married in Redmond on
September 9, 1950. The newlyweds honey-
mooned on the Oregon coast before head-
ing to La Grande to begin their new lives
together.
Dock was assigned to game enforce-
ment for Union and Wallowa Counties as
well as parts of Baker, Umatilla, Malheur
and Grant Counties. Dock worked six
days a week for many years. During the
busiest times of the year, elk and deer sea-
son, he worked 10-14 hours a day, seven
days a week. For his last years on the
force, Dock worked as an investigator, at
which time he hung up his uniform and
wore civilian clothes until his retirement in
1981 after 31 years service.
Not one to be idle for long, Dock began
working for the La Grande City Parks
during the summer. He enjoyed being out-
doors once again, mowing the grass and
tending to the flowers. He also worked as
a substitute janitor for the public schools.
He enjoyed being around the students and
visiting with the staff.
In September, 1951, Dock and Ernie’s
first son, Bruce Roger, was born. Their
second son, Keith Duane, followed in
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1953. In December
1968, during Bruce’s
senior year in high
school, he lost his battle
with leukemia. Keith
taught elementary
school in La Grande
public schools for seven
years before moving on
to a career in writing
and illustrating chil-
dren’s books. He now
lives in Walla Walla.
From 1959 until
now, Dock and Ernie
have resided at 1805 3rd
Street.
During his seventies and eighties, Dock
spent many hours at the college gym, lift-
ing weights and swimming. Dock and
Ernie traveled to the American Southwest,
and they took two memorable trips to
Ireland, Scotland and England. But rather
than travel the world, Dock preferred to
stay home and enjoy the beauty of Eastern
Oregon.
Dock played penny ante poker Thursday
night for fourteen years, he watched
Jeopardy every evening, and he baked
whole wheat bread once a week.
After retirement, Dock and Ernie began
walking every morning with their little
dogs. Over the years their walking loops
became shorter and shorter, but they never
skipped a day. On the day before Dock
died, at 5:00 in the morning, he walked
around the block with their little dog
Molly.
Dock was a keen observer, a trait that
served him well in his work and in the
enjoyment of the day to day. The sparrows
in their garden hedge, the glow of the
moon, the acrobatics of the squirrels—the
little things gave him the most pleasure.
Dock spoke slowly and softly with a
thick southern accent, a touch of Tennessee
twang. He was a great story teller. His
stories were slow, gentle, and heartwarm-
ing. The stories of his mother and his
brood of siblings were the funniest and
most tender.
Dock lived a long and healthy life, one
full of integrity and compassion for every
human and animal alike. He never said an
unkind word about anyone he ever met—or
ticketed or arrested. He treated everyone
with respect and decency. He gave people
the benefit of the doubt, and he considered
the individual’s circumstances before mak-
ing judgements and administering the law.
He was fair, he was generous, he was con-
siderate. But he wasn’t a pushover, and he
did not suffer fools. Dock never missed an
opportunity to be kind—that has to be his
greatest achievement and legacy.
Dock is survived by his wife of 69
years, Ernestene Baker of La Grande; son,
Keith Baker of Walla Walla, WA; and 9
nieces and nephews. He was preceded in
death by his parents; 4 sisters, 3 brothers;
and son, Bruce Roger Baker.
The Baker family would welcome and
appreciate any memories or re-telling of
Dock’s stories. Those may be posted
online at www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations
may be made to Blue Mountain Humane
Association, 3212 Highway 30, La Grande,
OR 97850; or to La Grande City Library,
2006 4th St, La Grande, OR 97850.
Medicare, Auto, Home
insurance and Annuities
www.reed-insurance.net
Kevin Reed