The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current, July 30, 2020, Image 3

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The Observer., July 30, 2020, Page 3, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextTHURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020 OBITUARIES COMMUNITY Meetings • COVE — The Cove City Council will hold a work ses- sion and a regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, Cove City Hall, 504 Alder. The work ses- sion begins at 6 p.m., fol- lowed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m. Attendance to the meeting will be available vir- tually. For instructions on how to connect, go to www.cityof- cove.org or call 541-568-4566. The work session is for the purpose of reviewing council rules. The regular meeting agenda includes voting on a resolution referring to the voters a measure proposing an updated city charter. Also on the agenda are ﬁ nal read- ings of an ordinance regu- lating the maintenance of ditches and watercourses within city boundaries and of an ordinance renewing the Avista franchise agreement. Copies of the city’s charter and ordinances are available for public inspection Tues- day-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Public com- ments will be accepted on agenda items. To submit a comment, send an e-mail to cityadmin@cityofcove.org before 6:45 p.m. the day of the meeting. Briefs Church holds yard sale Saturday LA GRANDE — Faith Lutheran Church, 104 S. 12th St., La Grande, is hosting its annual beneﬁ t yard sale Saturday, Aug. 1. The sale will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church. ODF raises public use restrictions LA GRANDE — The Ore- gon Department of Forestry Northeast Oregon District is implementing public use restrictions as conditions across the region have be- come warmer and drier. The state forestry de- partment in a press release stated the rules, which are to help prevent human-started ﬁ res, go into effect Friday, July 31. These rules apply to private, state, county and municipal forestlands under the protection of the Oregon Department of Forestry. The restrictions prohibit several activities, including open ﬁ res, smoking, debris burning and ﬁ reworks. From 12-8 p.m. the use of non-in- dustrial chainsaws, cutting, grinding and welding metal and mowing of dried and cured grass with power-driv- en equipment is off limits. Also prohibited is the use of tracer ammunition, any bullet with pyrotech- nic charge in the base and exploding targets. The forestry department prohibits sky lanterns throughout the year. Additional requirements during ﬁ re season include electric fence controllers in use be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or certiﬁ ed by the Depart- ment of Consumer and Business Services and be operated in compliance with manufacturer’s instructions. A shovel and 1 gallon of water or 2.5 pound ﬁ re extin- guisher are required when traveling, excluding travel on state highways, county roads and driveways. Josephy Book Club looks at ‘White Fragility’ JOSEPH — The Josephy Book Club will meet Tuesday, Aug. 4 to discuss “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” by Robin Diangelo. The Bookloft in Enterprise offers a 15% discount on the title. The New York Times best-selling book explores the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. Promotional materials deem it “a necessary book for all people invested in societal change through productive social and intimate relation- ships.” The book group meets virtually beginning at 7 p.m. Join the live discus- sion at https://us02web. zoom.us/j/85961312704?p- wd=Q1V1WDl2MGZrej- d5RGtsejZHWk15dz09. More information is available at www.josephy.org/book- group. La GRANDE AUTO REPAIR 975-2000 www.lagrandeautorepair.com MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE Joe Horst ACDelcoTSS THE OBSERVER — 3A RECORDS AND MORE Ruth (Stussi) Rodarme 1943-2020 Ruth (Stussi) Rodarme, 76, died July 20 in Texas. A service will be held in La Grande at a later date, and burial will be at the Island City Cemetery. Ruth was born Nov. 27, 1943, in Long Creek, to John and Reta Stussi. She had many relatives in La Grande, where she spent a lot of time. Ruth loved to travel. She was lucky enough to ﬁ nd Dan Rodarme 18 years ago, who also enjoyed trav- eling. They spent the last ﬁ ve years RVing all over the U.S., and Ruth was the happiest she had ever been. Dan was her rock and the Christian man of her dreams. She truly believed God had put them together. Ruth died sitting outside her RV with two Bibles on her lap and a handwritten note about what she was studying beside her chair. The EMT who came to help Ruth was touched by her message and said his life will be forever changed for the good because of it. Surviving relatives include her children, Monica and Darrin; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Lola Chapman and Donna Amos. Paul D. Wagoner La Grande Paul D. Wagoner, 85, of La Grande, died June 25 at his residence. A celebra- tion of his life will be held Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. at Indian Rock. Casual dress is pre- ferred by the family. Love- land Funeral Chapel & Crematory is handling the service. Upcoming local services Michael Doran May June 11, 1946 - July 23, 2020 Aug. 2 — KEITH WALKER: 1 p.m. outdoor memorial service, Spring Creek. Aug. 15 — PAUL WAGONER: 11 a.m. celebration of life, Indian Rock; casual dress pre- ferred. Aug. 29 — MIKE MAY: 4 p.m. memorial service, Riverside Park Pavilion, La Grande; please wear masks and respect social distancing. — Calendar cour- tesy of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT MONDAY, JULY 27 7:54 a.m. — La Grande police received a report of a suspi- cious person on the 600 block of Crook Avenue. An ofﬁ cer responded. 10:13 a.m. — La Grande police responded to the 1400 block of X Avenue on a report of a domestic disturbance. Ofﬁ cers determined the situation did not rise to the level of an arrest. 11:20 a.m. — A caller reported a residential burglary on the 1300 block of Madison Avenue, La Grande. An ofﬁ cer respond- ed and took a report. 2:30 p.m. — A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded to a residence in Imbler for a person suffering a mental or emotional crisis. The sheriff’s ofﬁ ce contacted mental health providers. 6:15 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 500 block of M Avenue on a report of possible mistreatment. An ofﬁ cer took a report. 9:09 p.m. — Law enforce- ment responded to a location off Gun Club Road, La Grande, to deal with transients camping. 10:52 p.m. — Oregon State Police responded to the east- bound side on Interstate 84 near milepost 261 on a report of suspicious circumstances. The state trooper cited two juvenile males, one 15 and one 12, both of La Grande, for disorderly conduct. TUESDAY, JULY 28 8:22 a.m. — La Grande police responded to the 1400 block of X Avenue for a person in mental duress. 9:27 a.m. — Union Coun- ty dispatchers received a non-communicative 911 call from North Powder, determined it was a medical emergency and dispatched an ambulance. 11:41 a.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Ofﬁ ce respond- ed to Walmart, 11627 Island Ave., Island City, on a report that someone threatened another person. A deputy contacted the caller and explained options. 3:07 p.m. — The Union Coun- ty Sheriff’s Ofﬁ ce responded to a report of child abuse in Elgin. 5:41 p.m. — A caller reported a dog was harassing chickens on the 200 block of North Main Street, Union. 5:45 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Ofﬁ ce received a report of possible animal neglect on the 63000 block of Mount Glen Road, La Grande. 8:56 p.m. — A La Grande resident on the 200 block of Polk Avenue reported a neighbor was throwing ﬁ reworks. An of- ﬁ cer responded and counseled several people at the scene. New TV stations available for over-the-air viewers The Observer LA GRANDE — Two more TV channels are available to over-the-air TV viewers in Baker and Union counties. The Blue Mountain Translator District in a press release announced Portland stations transi- tioned two channel licenses, KRCW 32 (RF 33) and KPDX 49 (RF 30) to ATSC 3.0. Due to that NextGen TV transition, the two Port- land channels will be avail- able to viewers in Baker City and northern Union County after they have their TVs rescan channels. Find more news online at lagrandeobserver.com. Viewers who receive signals from Mt. Fanny will receive duplicates of KRCW and KPDX fol- lowing the rescan. For more information, contact Alex McHaddad, Blue Mountain Translator District executive director at 541-963-0196 or bmtd.org@gmail.com. On July 23rd, 2020, Mi- chael Doran May ended his battle with can- cer. Mike was a kind, goofy, big hearted guy who loved and was loved by many. Mike was born June 11th, 1946 and raised in La Grande, Oregon. He lived there most of his life, maintaining a wide circle of friends. He served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, completing three tours on the U.S.S. Iwo Jima. Mike was proud of his service and service became a driving force in his life. Mike is survived by his wife Tracey May, his chil- dren Apryl Wagner, Dawn VanAntwerp and fiancée Terry, and Shawn McAdams, as well as his stepchil- dren Liberty Avila and husband Nick, Noah Merrill, and Zach Merrick and wife Ty. Mike took delight in his grandchildren, Jessica Core and her husband Chad, Kory Voss and his wife Stephanie, Jake Wagner, Dar- rienne DelaRosa, Dakota DelaRosa, Marisa DelaRosa, Reed Avila, and August McAdams. He doted on his great-grandchildren Vedder and Sophia Core, Parker Voss, and he was excited for the coming birth of Park- er’s little brother. He is also survived by his brother, Tim May, and a large extended family. Family was everything to Mike, and he spent much of his time visiting and helping family members. Once Mike thought of you as family, you were always family to him. He always kept up on every birthday and hol- iday and spent hours picking the exact right card for each person and occasion. Mike was the kind of person who would do any- thing for anyone. He performed many large and small kindnesses, often helping people anonymously. He was hilarious and had a goofy sense of humor. He loved gag gifts of all types, with a special fondness for Cookie Monster and Alf. We will all miss his jokes, weather re- ports, and all the fun that we had with him. There will be two services held for Mike to accom- modate the distances family will have to travel during this time of COVID restrictions. There will be outdoor services in Gresham and La Grande, both in August. The La Grande service will be held August 29th at the Riverside Pavillion at 4 pm. Please wear masks and re- spect social distancing. Whitney Koure Kirkeby Joyner Matthew Carter Coote September 11, 1997 - July 14, 2020 March 17, 1989 - July 10, 2020 Whitney Koure Kirkeby Joyner, 22, passed away on July 14, 2020 at her home in Meridian Idaho. A Cele- bration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 12 PM at the Liberty Park in Nampa. Whitney requested that everyone wear bright colors, her favorite flower colors are pink, white and orange. Whitney’s family appreciates all the love and support through this difficult time. Whitney was born in La Grande Oregon on September 11, 1997 and was raised by her mother Jennifer (Kirkeby) Krause, her grandparents, Steve and Verla Kirkeby and her Father Wayne Joyner. When Whitney was 3 years old, she moved to the Boise area. Whitney graduated from Caldwell High School where she played basketball and made many friends. After graduating high school Whitney spent a short time living in Corvallis Oregon with her Aunt Stephanie and her family while at- tending Linn Benton Community college. Whitney decided she wanted to go to Cosmetology school and attended Idaho State University in Pocatello. While Whitney was there, she, being an introvert had a difficult time making friends, and being rather ambitious she joined Tri Sigma. One of this so- rority’s purposes was to establish bonds of friendships, de- velop strong womanly character, and to impress upon their members high standards of conduct. Whitney participated in several charitable events planned by the sorority. Besides making many friends, Whitney received an award from the Greek Counsel for the highest Chapter GPA Sigma, Sigma, Sigma. After a checkup It was discovered that Whitney had a rare form of cancer. Whitney was also an incredibly determined young woman with many dreams for her future, so she decided that she would have a positive attitude, and not be defined by her diagnosis of cancer. After many treatments Whitney’s cancer went in to remission, and she enjoyed a year of what she called “Normal” life again. Just when Whitney was getting ready to return to Cosmetology school to get her certification, the cancer returned. Whitney was given 4 more months with her family and friends. Anyone that knew Whitney enjoyed her straight-faced sense of humor that occasionally was tinged with sarcasm. Whitney was outspoken and communicated in an open way with everyone she met. Whitney loved to shop, especially for beauty products as she explored new techniques to prac- tice cosmetology. Whitney also had a passion for fashion, as observed when looking in her closet. Whitney would like to be remembered for the love and loyalty she had for her friends and family and her faith in Jesus Christ. Whitney was baptized recently while on her dream vacation and con- sidered herself a member of Valley Fellowship in La Grande. Whitney is survived by her Mother, Jennifer Krause and husband Ken; her Father, Wayne Joyner and wife Deb- bie; brother, Alijah Joyner; grandparents, Steve and Verla Kirkeby; Aunts, Courtney Kirkeby and Stephanie Raleigh, cousins Sawyer and Finn and other cousins, stepbrothers and stepsisters. Whitney was preceded in death by her great grandparents, Glen and Iris Kirkeby, Verlee and Ken Jones and grandparents, Henry and Dollie Joyner. If you like to make donations in Lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Luke’s Children’s hospital 190 E Bannock St, Boise ID 83712 or St Luke’s Hospice 325 W Idaho St, Boise ID 83702. Matthew Carter Coote, 31, of La Grande, passed away on July 10, 2020. It is anticipated that a celebration of life service will be held April 10, 2021 at 4 p.m. at the Becker Family Sale Barn at Eastern Oregon Livestock Show Grounds in Union Oregon, to allow Matthew’s friends and family to all share memories and celebrate his life. Matthew was born on March 17, 1989, in La Grande, Oregon, a native of the Grande Ronde Valley, Matthew lived all of his short but full life in the same home. From the day he was brought home from the hospital by his parents, John Edward Coote and Anne C. (Verbout) Coote, he was blessed to be raised in a place he truly loved. Whether it was pur- suing his passion of farming or playing in the hills and streams that bountifully surrounded us, Matthew loved the Eastern Oregon way of life. To all who knew Matthew at any stage of his life were met with a kind hearted gentle soul. Even as a youngster at Island City Elementary, Matthew was always considerate and a good friend to others. As a youth he participated in all types of sports. Matthew enjoyed the camaraderie sports provided. He cherished his friendships. His early years found him developing a love for animals. In addition to owning many different pets throughout his life, Matthew enjoyed raising sheep and Registered Angus Cattle. He excelled in preparing his animals for 4-H competitions at the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show and Union County Fair; as well as other junior show competitions. Whether it was friends or animals, Matthew always put the needs of others ahead of him- self. He was a loyal and loving young man. Matthew embraced his new blended fam- ily at the age of 11 when his father married his second mother, Joni Lequerica. Matthew felt blessed to have two new siblings, Cale and Cali Wetstein. Matthew relished the opportu- nities to share life with new friends. He was reared in love by all of his family. After graduating from La Grande High School in 2007, Matthew worked the land. He loved making hay and planting crops. He started with Tony Hamann at a young age and worked most of his adult life at Hamann Farms. His passion to farm embodied many of the things that brought him joy. He loved the outdoors and the satisfac- tion of nurturing the growth of crops. He was skilled at welding and had a good working knowledge of mechanics. He could fix any- thing at any time. When work gave way for a moment to play, Matthew could be found enjoying another passion his father had introduced him to Fishing. He became skilled at fly fishing with encouragement from his mother. Along with friends and his dogs Murphy or Boss by his side, would hit the rivers, streams and lakes that are abundant in our area. He enjoyed cooking. Particularly ribs, brisket and anything that required grilling and smoking. Matthew’s good nature was always fun to be around or with. Matthew will be remembered as always smiling. He always put others at ease with his caring and compassionate nature. At every stage of life he demonstrated an innate ability to connect with others and be a friend. Matthew is survived by his parents: Father, John Edward Coote and Step-Mother Joni Le- querica of La Grande; Mother Anne (Verbout) Coote of La Grande, step-siblings Cale Wet- stein of Orlando Florida and Cali Wetstein of Vancouver, Washington; grandmother Mari- lyn Friedrich of Portland, Oregon; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his three grandparents, Edward and Francis Coote and Alphonso Verbout. The Coote family would welcome and ap- preciate any memories or re-telling Matthew’s stories. Those may be posted online at www. lovelandfuneralchapel.com Additionally, the family is pursuing the establishment of a memorial scholarship fund through the Union 4-H Association, In lieu of flowers, tax deductible memorial donations may be made to Union County 4-H Associa- tion, Memo: Matthew Coote Memorial, 10507 N. McAlister Rd., La Grande, Oregon 97850. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loveland- funeralchapel.com.