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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2020)
RECORDS AND MORE Tuesday, augusT 18, 2020 Community Meetings • LA GRANDE — A public meeting of the Union County Fair Board will be Thursday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. in the Court- right Building at the Union County Fairgrounds. For more information, email Heather Rajkovich at rhrajkovich6212@ outook.com. Briefs Saturday rummage sale supports local causes LA GRANDE — The La Grande First Christian Church, 901 Penn Ave., will hold a rummage sale at the church on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon. The sale will include household items, books and clothing. Masks and social distancing are required. Proceeds go to help missions such as Shop with a Cop, Cove Christian Camp, Shelter From the Storm, Koi- nonia House, J-House and the Friday Backpack program. City expands pool hours LA GRANDE — The city of La Grande Parks and Recreation Department will expand pool hours begin- ning Sept. 1. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Veterans’ Memorial Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. According to a press release, Parks and Rec plans to serve physical therapy clients and other adults who exercise at the pool during these times. These hours are in ad- dition to the existing open hours of 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Fri- day. The pool will be closed for maintenance Sept. 19-27. More expanded hours for October, including some swim lessons and recre- ation swim times, will be announced at a later date. Stay informed by visiting the pool’s Facebook page and www.lagrandeparks.org. Face coverings: conversation windows and heat warnings SALEM — Face coverings are required statewide, but these can make conversation harder for people who rely on reading a person’s lips or facial expressions. The state has released instructions on how to make your own conversation face covering: www.oregon.gov/dhs/EM- PLOYMENT/VR/Documents/ Conversation-face-cover- ing-instructions.pdf. As temperatures climb this summer, it might feel out of place to wear a mask. But it’s still true that wearing a face covering will help slow the spread of COVID-19. Tips on wearing a mask during warm weather — given at healthoregon.org/corona- virus — include wearing a face covering that is light in color and breathing through your nose, which will result in less heat and humidity within the mask. If you feel overheated while outside, move away from others so you can remove your mask and rest in a well-ventilated shaded area. Art Center East offers private music lessons LA GRANDE — Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave., La Grande, is offering private lessons — piano, voice and musical instruments — in person (with proper social distancing) and online. Stu- dents can receive in-depth, one-on-one instruction with a qualified music educator who will focus on challeng- ing the students’ existing skills while introducing them to new techniques, materials and styles. Private lessons can be tailored to students who are just starting and those who would like to hone their skill and take it to the next level. No experience is necessary and lessons are open to chil- dren and adults. Times are arranged between student and instructor. For current instructors and rates, go to https://artcentereast.org/ music/private-lessons. Boost your employability with free GED prep LA GRANDE — Free GED tutoring and assistance is available in La Grande. Training & Employment Consortium is offering free assistance in the subjects that are covered in the GED exams: math, language arts and writing, social studies and sciences. The program is designed to meet individual needs. Due to the pandemic, classes are taught via Zoom and with paper packets. Funding is available to pay for pre-testing and official GED testing. To register and for more details, call 541-963-7942, ext. 5, as soon as possible. Training & Employment Consortium is part of Work- Source La Grande. The GED test is a series of four subject tests a person can take to demonstrate their high school academic knowledge. THe OBseRVeR — 3A Public Safety Report FRIDAY, AUG. 14 10:51 a.m. — An Elgin resi- dent reported a case of identity theft, and a Union County sher- iff’s deputy took a report. 1:28 p.m. — The Union Coun- ty Sheriff’s Office responded to East Birch and North Benson streets, Union, on a report of a domestic disturbance, but no one was there when a deputy arrived. 5:29 p.m. — Dispatch received multiple non-com- municative 911 calls from a La Grande residence on the 1000 block of X Avenue. Officers responded but were not able to make contact with anyone. 6:17 p.m. — A caller in the area of U.S. Forest Service Road 31 near La Grande reported a possible kidnapping due to custodial interference. Law enforcement arrived, and no one wanted to pursue charges. 10:25 p.m. — A caller asked law enforcement to check on the welfare of a person who may have been suffering mental illness on Fox Hill Road, La Grande. A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded and found the person was fine. person screaming at Seventh Street and O Avenue. Officers arrived and found instead that a car had hit a dog. SATURDAY, AUG. 15 9:35 a.m. — La Grande police responded to the 1800 block of 26th Street on a report of ha- rassment. Officers determined this was a scam and talked to people involved about options. 2:26 p.m. — Dispatch re- ceived a non-communicative 911 call from a La Grande resi- dence on the 400 block of Lane Avenue. An officer responded and counseled children about using 911. 5:22 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a train struck a cow on the 56700 block of Lowell Road, Union. The cow’s owner handled the situation. 6:38 p.m. — La Grande police responded to Max Square at Adams Avenue and Fourth Street for a male causing a disturbance. Police warned the person for disorderly conduct. 11:20 p.m. — La Grande police received a report of a Stanly “Stan” Wren Case SUNDAY, AUG. 16 9:29 a.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about telephonic harassment. Police talked to the parties, and they both agreed not to contact the other. 12:16 p.m. — A caller report- ed someone dumped a lot of garbage at McAlister Road and Highway 203, La Grande. 1:22 p.m. — Police and emergency services responded to the intersection of Island and Adams avenues on a report of a vehicle hitting a bicyclist, but the cyclist was not there. Police, though, took a report for the bicycle that was. 7 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1000 block of Newport Avenue, Imbler, on a report of gunshots. A deputy determined the people involved dispatched a deer. The sheriff’s office notified Oregon State Police. ‘We Came by Boxcar’ features history of Maxville JOSEPH — The Max- ville Heritage Interpre- tive Center in Joseph announced a virtual gala and live performance, “We Came by Boxcar,” will take place in September. The event will take the audi- ence on “a journey through timber culture and heri- tage,” according to the press release, “that explores “the untold stories of one of Ore- gon’s Black and multicul- tural logging communities.” Between 1924 and 1933, Maxville, about 13 miles north of Wallowa, was the Upcoming local services Aug. 22 — STAN CASE: 10 a.m. celebration of life, Case arena at 64066 Booth Lane, La Grande; face coverings and social largest town in Wallowa County. Unlike most timber towns in the Pacific North- west, it was home to Black loggers and white loggers who worked side by side felling timber. In the early 1920s, the loggers and their families came to Maxville from the South and the Midwest in search of work. The Bow- man-Hicks Lumber Com- pany, which owned the town at that time, brought the workers and their fam- ilies to Maxville even though Oregon’s laws pro- distancing required; watch the livestream at www. lovelandfuneralchapel.com (click on “Funeral Videos” near bottom of page). Aug. 29 — MIKE MAY: 4 p.m. memorial service, Riverside Park Pavilion, La Grande; face coverings and social distancing required. — Calendar courtesy of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande Find more news online at lagrandeobserver.com hibited “free Negroes” from moving to the state to live and work. Economic con- ditions led to Maxville’s decline. In 1933 the lumber company closed, and Max- ville became a ghost town. Some 60 years later, the children and grandchil- dren of the original logging families began researching the history of the town and uncovering the stories of their ancestors. To find out more about the center and the Sep- tember event, go to www. maxvilleheritage.org. Obituary Dorothy J. Streeter La Grande Dorothy J. Streeter, 77, of La Grande, died Aug. 15 at Grande Ronde Hos- pital. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory. June 7, 1953 - August 2, 2020 The man, the myth, the legend, Stanly “Stan” Wren Case, 67, of Cove, passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2020 at his farm, where he lived his 67 years of his life. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Case arena at 64066 Booth Lane, La Grande on Saturday, August 22, 2020, at 10:00am. Attend- ees must wear a mask and practice social distancing to meet COVID-19 guidance. The service will be live streamed for those who cannot attend. Go to lovelandfuneralchapel.com and click on the “Funeral Video” button near the bottom of the home page just before 10:00am. Stan was born on June 7, 1953 in La Grande, Oregon to Wren and Lovene (Morris) Case. He attended schools in Alicel and La Grande Jr. High and graduated from La Grande High School. He later attended college in Pendleton. The farm was Stan’s life and home. He loved farming and was very good at it. Stan could fix or drive anything. He was a welder, carpenter, car painter, race car driver, he could do it all. He also loved fishing, hunting, golfing, swimming, traveling and being with his family and friends. Stan opened a driveline shop and it was a very successful business. Stan married the love of his life, Peggy in 2007. They were inseparable. They remodeled his parent’s home and continued working around the place. They bought a home in Florida and spent several winters all along knowing the farm was their true home. Stan loved westerns, reeces and a glass of wine with Peggy on their patio. Not necessarily in that order. He loved his toys, especial- ly his pickup he got for his 60th birthday from Peggy and the surprise delivery from Goss Motors. He recently designed his new Polaris RZR Turbo and loved it. He enjoyed going to the mountains and spending time with his wife and friends. Mt. Harris was his favorite place to go, great memories with his par- ents and whiskey camp with great friends. His fun car was his corvette. Stan cherished those close to him and always spoke kindly of others, even if they had done him wrong. Everyone that met Stan, liked him. He told great jokes and stories. Stan, you will be greatly missed and loved by many. Stan is survived by his wife, Peggy; sons, Justin Case and Chevy Case; sister, Ladella Wood (Dennis) of Cove, OR; brother, Jerry Case of Portland, OR; several grandchildren and nieces and nephews; Allen (Elaine) Case, Jimmy (Nancy) Case, Dale (Wanda) Case, Rodney (Wendy) Case, Mary Ellen Taal, Judy and Glen Fuller. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wren and Lovene Case; aunts and uncles, Homer and Lola Case, John and Arlene Case, Elmer and Lucille Case and Vera and George Plank and nephew, Micha Wood. Memorial contributions can be made to the 4-H Club, 10507 N McAlister Road #9, La Grande, OR 97850 or the La Grande High School FFA, 708 K Avenue, La Grande, OR 97850. Online condolences may be made to the family at www. lovelandfuneralchapel.com. The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com Elizabeth L. (Beth) Heriza June 10, 1950 - July 23, 2020 Beth Heriza was born in Baker, Oregon, to Mary and Louis Heriza, the eighth of their nine children. She attended St. Francis Academy, where she developed an abiding interest in music and math. An accomplished pianist, she continued playing and learning throughout her life. She also played the viola, most recently in a viola-cello-piano trio with her sisters Clare and Celeste. In retirement, she studied calculus. For fun! She earned an MD from Oregon Health Sciences University and completed her residency in pediatrics at UC Irvine. As a physician, she worked in chronically underserved communities—in migrant clinics in Fresno, CA, and Walla Walla, WA, and on the Navajo and Cher- okee reservations. From her father she inherited a love of small-scale farming and a longing for self-sufficiency. She left medi- cine to study horticulture at Clackamas Community Col- lege and the Arnold Arboretum in Boston. She oversaw production in commercial greenhouses in Santa Fe, NM, and, later, was the market manager of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market in Portland. She and her partner Sarah created Hozhoni Herbs—growing and selling plants at farmers’ markets in the Portland metropolitan area. Beth studied Spanish in the US and in Zacatecas, Mexico, and Antigua, Guatemala, developing enduring friendships with her instructors, Arturo Dorado, Jr. and Aura Rufina Espana Sinay. She loved biking, walking, and college basketball. In 2016, Beth and her sister Mary K. walked the 500-mile Camino de Santiago and, in 2019, she watched every March Madness game with her brother John, fulfilling two longtime dreams. Beth was independent, endlessly curious, very funny, so smart, without vanity, disciplined, deeply reserved and immensely kind. She died at home two months after being diagnosed with an untreatable cancer, cared for by Sarah Laughlin, her partner of over thirty years. Sarah and three of Beth’s sisters were with her when she died. She leaves behind Sarah and seven siblings: John Heriza and wife Elizabeth, Celeste O’Dell, Alice Ierulli, Robert Heriza and wife Judy Brookhart, Mary K. Eilers, Clare Heriza, Tony Heriza and wife Jane Golden. She is also survived by her uncle, Richard Sheehy, many cous- ins, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-neph- ews, and innumerable friends and colleagues. Preceding her in death were her parents and an infant brother, Edward. A memorial for Beth will be held when large gather- ings are again possible, and her ashes will be scattered in the Elkhorn Mountains near Baker City. In lieu of flow- ers, the family suggests donations to Ethos, a Portland non-profit that provides children with music instruction and access to instruments. Gordon “Butch” Gayle Gribling, Jr. February 3, 1954 - July 28, 2020 Gordon Gayle Gribling, 66, known affec- tionately as Butch, passes away unexpectedly in the early morning of July 28, 2020 at the St. Charles Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born February 3, 1954, in La Grande Oregon, to parents Gordon Gayle Gribling and Dixie Lee Thompson. Butch grew up in North-Eastern and Southern parts of Oregon. He enlisted into the Army services in 1971 just after turning 17 and spent nearly three years in the service. He served our country as a Recovery Specialist and Helicopter Maintenance Apprentice, ranking top of his class as an expert in the M16 sniper rifle. While serving his first son Donald “Sonny” was born. While Butch did not share much of his experience in the service upon discharge and the coming years, he was awarded the National Defense Services Medal, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Army Commendation Medal of Meritorious Service, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Butch then moved to Klamath Falls, Ore- gon where he was introduced to the Bowden family. He fell in love with the middle daugh- ter and “won” the heart of Roberta “Berta” Bowden. After a very short courtship, the two were married in Reno, Nevada on December 20th, 1975. After a thrilling honeymoon coy- ote hunting, they moved up to Elgin, Oregon where their oldest daughter Mandalynn Day and son Gordon Gayle III “Jake” were born. During this time, Butch worked as a logging truck driver and enjoyed trapping and hunt- ing in the wilderness for several years. Butch and his family decided to move to Bend, Oregon shortly thereafter to live closer to his mother and youngest brother. From there, Butch worked at Pozzi Win- dows as the plant manager for many years. He was able to purchase his first family home in Redmond, Oregon. Butch took his expert people skills and creativity and was able to create his first official business Jack E Glyde. This took him many places for hunting conventions while having the ability to share all his knowledge in game processing and meat cutting. While at home, Butch ran a butcher shop with his fam- ily and raised a small farm on the homestead. His focus then shifted with the creation of his “Beer Stain” through GG Innovations where he made a name for himself with is decorative concrete contraction business. As the years went on, Butch’s family grew, with the addition of his daughters Courtney Rae, Sarah Elizabeth, Hanna Marie and his first granddaughter Leah. His home was always full of love and excitement, and as his children grew so did his family. Butch had a total of eight grandchildren whom he loved dearly and took on the role of grandfather with as much compassion as he had father. His artistic talents never ceased to amaze everyone around him. Between his passion for music and avid guitar playing, to his talents as a published article writer in Field and Stream magazine, instructional book on game pro- cessing and the creation of magnificent works of concrete art. He spent his free time with family, be it playing music, barbecuing large meals on his grill to gardening. He could often be found watching YouTube videos on guns, guitars, coin collecting, and whatever else he was pas- sionate about at the time. He loved to talk, but more than that he loved to teach, and he was always learning, waiting for his opportunity to pass on his knowledge. Trying to put down in words his life and the impact he had on everyone in it is impossible. Above all else, he was a good man, who was loved by all who knew him, and this world will not be the same without all the beautiful ways he impacted those around him. Butch is survived by his wife Roberta Gribling. His father Gordon “Gayle” Grib- ling and stepmother Barbara Gribling. His children, Donald “Sonny” & Margo Mon- tagner and their two children Jedediah “Jed” and Lydia, Mandalynn & David Marcus and their two children Leah and Lara, Gordon “Jake” & Tamera Gribling and their daughter Megan, Courtney & Jordan Batalden and their two children Vincent and Vivian, Sarah & JR Mitchell and their son Walter “Teddy”, and his youngest daughter Hanna Gribling. And his uncle Larry Thompson of Elgin, OR. He is preceded in death by his mother Dixie Lee Thompson, brothers Gregory and Richard Gribling and grandparents Gordon and Maxine Gribling. Celebration for Butch will be held for fam- ily and friends at the VFW hall in Redmond where he will be presented with full honors for his services to his country.
