RECORDS AND MORE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020
THE OBSERVER — 3A
OBITUARIES
Donald J. Tusten
1930-2020 • Formerly of La Grande
Donald Jerome Tusten,
89, formerly of La Grande,
died July 18 at the Oregon
Veterans’ Home in The
Dalles.
Known as
Don, he was
born Oct. 1,
1930, in Port-
land and raised
on a small
farm in Uma-
tilla by Walt
and Betsy
Agee.
Don was
known by all
who knew him to be a good
man. He also was adven-
turous and mischievous
and once swam across the
mile-wide Columbia River
just to prove he could. He
enjoyed yodeling, dancing
and racing his Harley
Davidson motorcycle at
the local racetrack and was
proud to hand down his
70-year-old Harley Jacket to
his children.
Don’s nicknames were
Klondike and Popeye. He
shared many stories of
hitching trains to Portland
to visit his lifelong friend
Ronnie Ross, who was like
a brother to him.
Don was eager to join
the military at the age of 16
and tried to enlist by saying
he was 18. The recruiter
said, “Thank you for your
enthusiasm, come back
in two years.” At 18, Don
joined the U.S. Army. He
honorably served 24 years
of active duty with two
years in Vietnam and was
awarded a Purple Heart
medal. Don retired as ser-
geant fi rst class.
While stationed in
Panama City, Panama, Don
met his future wife, Gloria
Wong, and they were mar-
ried in 1959. Together, they
raised nine children: David,
Debra, Sabrina, Freder-
icka, Walter, Wayne, Heidi,
Susan and Robert. They
have 13 grandchildren and
11 great-grandchildren.
In 1977, Don and Gloria
moved their family to his
hometown of Umatilla,
where he worked at the
Umatilla Army Depot until
retirement. In 1998, Gloria
passed away. Don moved
to La Grande in 2000 and
married Patricia Wiley in
2002.
Don was a dedicated
member of the VFW in
Union and the Oregon State
Defense Team, and he was
proud of the dear friends he
made.
Don was preceded
in death by his parents,
Walt and Betsy Agee; fi rst
wife, Gloria Wong Tusten;
daughters, Fredericka L.
Tusten and Debra L. Myers
Stolz; grandson, Nathaniel
Lee TenEyck; and second
wife, Patricia Wiley Tusten.
Marian B. (Bogan)
Evensen
1925-2020 • La Grande
Marian B. Evensen, 95,
of La Grande, died Sept. 12
at her home. No public ser-
vice is planned at this time.
Marian was born Jan. 27,
1925, in Franklin, Indiana,
to Elmer and Myrtle
(Wright) Bogan. After grad-
uating from high school,
she worked in a laundry and
as a carhop at a drive-in in
Pendleton until she married
Clarence G. “Slim” Evensen
in La Grande in 1944.
Marian and Clarence
Robert P. Wadlinger
Please follow guidelines
regarding face coverings
and social distancing at all
services.
Oct. 2 — LEAL GRA-
HAM: 10 a.m. graveside ser-
moved to La Grande, where
she worked for a time as
a nurse’s aide at a local
nursing home. Marian loved
to read and enjoyed cro-
cheting. She was a member
of the La Grande Sev-
enth-day Adventist Church.
Surviving relatives
include her children, Chris-
tine Beal of Pacifi ca, Cal-
ifornia, Fred Evensen
of Hillsboro, Richard
Evensen of Damascus,
Heidi Lampa of Pay-
ette, Idaho, Linda Dunlap
of La Grande and Maria
Russell of La Grande; 11
grandchildren; and nine
great-grandchildren.
Marian was preceded in
La Grande
vice, Summerville Cemetery.
Oct. 3 — HERSCHEL
“BUTCH” MALONE: 2 p.m.
celebration of life, Optimist
Field, La Grande.
Oct. 10 — NORM HEI-
ER: 2 p.m. celebration of life,
Riverside Park Pavilion, La
Grande.
Robert P. Wadlinger, 72,
of La Grande, died Sept.
26 at Grande Ronde Hos-
pital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
William ‘Bill’ H.
Whitaker
— calendar courtesy of
Loveland Funeral Chapel,
La Grande
La Grande
death by her husband, Clar-
ence, on Oct. 16, 2008; par-
ents, Elmer and Myrtle;
four siblings; and son, Gil-
bert Evensen.
Memorial contribu-
tions may be made to the
La Grande Seventh-day
Adventist Church in care
of Daniels-Knopp Funeral,
Cremation & Life Celebra-
tion Center, 1507 Seventh
St., La Grande.
Charles A. Daff er
William “Bill” H.
Whitaker, 80, of La Grande,
died Sept. 27 at his home.
Arrangements are by Love-
land Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
John Dietz
La Grande
John Dietz, 78, of La
Grande, died Sept. 28
at a local care facility.
Arrangements are by Love-
land Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
Mary Lou A. Sherburn
La Grande
La Grande
Charles A. Daffer, 89, of
La Grande, died Sept. 27
at his home. Arrangements
are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory.
Mary Lou A. Sherburn,
93, of La Grande, died Sept.
27 at Grande Ronde Hos-
pital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
Veterans’ Memorial
Virtual programming and plans for reopening Pool expands schedule
Library column
indle eReaders are now
available at Cook Memorial
Library for checkout. Loaded
with popular fi ction and nonfi c-
tion titles, each checks out for three
weeks, and no internet connection is
K
Share your views
Library staff ask residents to
complete a short survey about
plans for reopening the building.
Online
www.cookmemoriallibrary.org
and click the survey link.
OFF THE SHELF
ROSE
PEACOCK
COOK MEMORIAL LIBRARY
required.
Mobile and remote printing now
is available. To print from home, go
to https://tbs.eprintit.com/portal/#/
ppl/upload/CML. To print from a
mobile device, download the Public
Print Locations app. Printouts are
available for pick up during open
hours. Printing is free for the fi rst 10
pages.
As we plan for our pandemic
reopening of the building, we need
your input. Please take our short
survey — visit our website and
click the survey link. Paper copies
are available at the Fourth Street
entrance.
Are you overwhelmed with mes-
sages from politicians, news sources
and other media? If so, then plan
to join us at a most timely virtual
program, “Misinformation, Fake
News and Political Propaganda” on
Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m. Experi-
enced civic educator Donna Cohen
will show how to fi nd accurate
information, become your own “fact
checker” and distinguish truth from
fi ction. Call the library to register.
In person
Paper copies are available at
the Fourth Street entrance of the
library, 2006 Fourth Street, La
Grande.
More information
Call us at 541-962-1339, Mon-
day-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Patrons may use the computer in
the atrium area for up to 30 minutes
per day, once per day, one person
per appointment. For more details
and to make an appointment, call the
library.
Another new service is Library
@ Your Door, in partnership with
Rob’s Speedy Delivery. This free
service is for residents within La
Grande city limits who cannot phys-
ically come to the library due to
long- or short-term health concerns.
Deliveries are Friday afternoons;
orders must be placed prior to
6 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday.
Fill out our online registration
form or call the library for more
information.
We are excited to announce a
partnership with Unite for Lit-
eracy, providing access to children’s
eBooks in English and Spanish, and
digital audiobooks in a wide offering
of languages. Also new for children
is TumbleBooks, a collection of ani-
mated, narrated picture books.
Wi-Fi hotspots and two Chrome-
Kits are available for check out. A
ChromeKit features a Chromebook
laptop and a WiFi hotspot. Patrons
must be 18 or older, read and sign
a borrowing policy and have had a
library account in good standing for
at least the past six months. Kits will
checkout for one week and are not
renewable.
Dial-a-Story for all ages con-
tinues with new selections for
autumn. Dial in to hear stories,
poems and jokes read aloud. Dial-
a-Story can be accessed 24 hours
a day, free of charge, by calling
541-624-6339.
Genre Book Club is a great
opportunity for adults to come
together virtually and talk about
books. The next meeting is Oct. 22
at 2 p.m. The group will discuss
the classic novels we read or lis-
tened to. Email rpeacock@cookme-
moriallibrary.org for meeting login
information.
The library’s WiFi (LGPLWiFi) is
on from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The signal
reaches to the building’s entrances
and the parking lot and does not
require a password.
Have questions? Call us at 541-
962-1339, Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to
6 p.m. Find out more on our website:
www.cookmemoriallibrary.org.
About the Author
Rose Peacock oversees adult ser-
vices at Cook Memorial Library, La
Grande.
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
SATURDAY. SEPT. 26
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
7:08 a.m. — A caller on the
1900 block of Cove Avenue,
La Grande, complained about
barking dogs.
8:10 a.m. — A caller reported
juveniles tried to damage resi-
dential property in the 200 block
of Chestnut Street, La Grande.
8:31 a.m. — A caller on the
2000 block of Third Street, La
Grande, reported the theft of a
political sign but did not want to
pursue charges.
11:53 a.m. — A caller reported
the theft of a utility trailer from
the 10300 block of West First
Street, La Grande.
3 p.m. — The Union County
Sheriff’s Offi ce received a
report of a residential burglary
at the Sacajawea Mobile Home
Park, 2403 Riddle Road, La
Grande.
5:42 p.m. — A Union County
sheriff’s deputy responded to
a La Grande-area residence
on a report of a sex crime. The
deputy took a report.
6:19 p.m. — The Union
County Sheriff’s Offi ce received
a report from the 400 block of
North 12th Street, Elgin, for
animal abandonment.
1:21 a.m. — La Grande police
responded to the 1900 block of
H Avenue on a report of a fi ght,
but people left before offi cers
arrived.
8:17 a.m. — A caller on the
58800 block of Highway 203,
Union, complained about an
ongoing problem with loose
dogs.
10:23 a.m. — A caller report-
ed someone going through a
dumpster on the 2000 block of
Second Street, La Grande. The
person left before an offi cer
arrived.
1:41 p.m. — La Grande police
received a report of a domes-
tic disturbance on the 3300
block of Union Street, but the
situation calmed down before
offi cers arrived.
7:20 p.m. — The Union Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Offi ce responded to
a noise complaint on the 700
block of North Eighth Avenue,
Elgin. The people said they
would keep down the noise.
9:10 p.m. — The Union Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Offi ce responded
again to a noise complaint on
the 700 block of North Eighth
Avenue, Elgin, but the party was
quiet upon arrival.
12:11 a.m. — La Grande
police responded to a loud
party on the 2700 block of Birch
Street. Offi cers arrived, and the
party ended.
12:22 a.m. — The Union
County Sheriff’s Offi ce respond-
ed to a noise complaint on the
700 block of Hill Street, Cove,
for juveniles throwing a party. A
deputy talked to the homeown-
ers about the situation.
6:42 a.m. — The Union Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Offi ce responded to
the Medical Springs area on a
report of a slaughtered cow.
1:48 p.m. — La Grande police
received a report of a vehicle
striking a pedestrian on Fourth
Street, but the pedestrian left
before offi cers arrived.
7:29 p.m. — La Grande police
tried to conduct a traffi c stop at
X Avenue and Birch Street, but
the driver fl ed. Police caught the
vehicle and arrested the driver,
Kaden Barnhart, 21, for felony
attempt to elude and reckless
driving.
9:35 p.m. — Law enforce-
ment responded to the 10700
block of Island City on a report
of a fi ght and resolved the
situation.
The Observer
LA GRANDE —
La Grande Parks and
Recreation beginning
Wednesday, Sept. 30, is
expanding the recreation
swim times at Veterans’
Memorial Pool.
Rec swim times will
be Wednesdays and Fri-
days from 7-8:30 p.m.
with some new regula-
tions, the department
announced in a press
release.
For now, the rec swim
times will be for fami-
lies only. A parent or par-
ents must be with their
children and are respon-
sible for maintaining
social distancing for their
family. Spectators will
not be allowed.
Pool users must
come in swimsuits and
follow all one-way signs.
Showers will not be open.
Masks are required at
entry and when you exit
the pools. One family at
a time will be allowed
to use the locker rooms
after swimming and are
asked to do so as quickly
as possible.
Only 50 swimmers will
be allowed in the pool for
each session. Reserva-
tions must be made every
week. To reserve a spot on
Wednesday or Friday, call
Teresa or Breeanna at 541-
962-1367 beginning on
Monday. Cost is regular
admission.
Other updates
•Lap swim times
will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday through Friday,
and 5:30-7:30 a.m. and
5:30-7 p.m. on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays
(one person per lane).
•Small pool exercise
times will be 11 a.m. to
1 p.m. Monday through
Friday, and 5:30-7:30 a.m.
Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays.
•A one-hour gentle
exercise class will start
at 11 a.m. on Monday,
Wednesdays and Fridays.
•Locker rooms will
be open for changing
after exiting pools and
restrooms will be avail-
able. Only four people will
be allowed in the locker
room at a time.
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
www.eomediagroup.com
Assisted
Living-It-Up
GRANDE
Ronde
Retirement & Assisted Living
PROTECTING our
Residents during this
Pandemic
1809 Gekeler Ln.
La Grande
541-963-4700