RECORDS
Saturday, auguSt 14, 2021
OBITUARIES
BIRTHS
Debra ‘Debbie’ L. (Hinze) Rachau
1959-2021
La Grande
Debra “Debbie” Louise
mother who will be greatly
Rachau, 61, of La Grande,
missed by all. She enjoyed
died Aug. 4, 2021, at
scrapbooking, baking and
Grande Ronde Hospital. A
animals.
celebration of her life will
Surviving relatives
be held Sept. 26
include her hus-
band, Tom
at 2 p.m. at the
Rachau of La
Elgin Community
Grande; daughter
Center.
Also known
and son-in-law,
as Debbie, she
Tiffany and Ray-
mand Johnson of
was born Dec.
La Grande; son,
23, 1959, in La
Jerry Hinze of La
Grande, to Gerald
Grande; mother,
and Ione (Hob-
bick) Hinze.
Ione Hobbick of
Rachau
She lived in La
Elgin; siblings,
Grande, Elgin,
Danny Hinze of
Portland and Tri-Cities.
La Grande, Rhonda Hinze
She graduated from North
of La Grande, Deanna
Clackamas High School
Hogan of La Grande, Erick
and was married to Tom
Hinze of Elgin, and Wayne
Rachau.
Hinze of Alaska; one grand-
Debbie worked as a care- child; and numerous aunts,
giver at Riverside Adult
uncles, nieces and nephews.
Foster Home. She loved her
She was preceded in
residents more than any-
death by her father, Gerald
thing and took great joy
Hinze.
in buying them gifts at
Online condolences
Christmas and other hol-
may be made to the family
idays. She was a loving
at www.lovelandfuneral-
chapel.com.
wife, mother and grand-
Donna M. Hack
Donna Mae Hack, 80,
drove the Haines route and
of North Powder, died
also took the kindergarten
Aug. 8, 2021, at home. A
kids home. She enjoyed
memorial service will be
the children who rode the
held Aug. 16 at 2 p.m. at
bus and would come home
the Baker City
with stories of
Church of the
the things they
Nazarene. Friends
did and how she
are invited to join
had to get after
the family imme-
them.
diately following
Donna
the service at the
enjoyed cross-
word puzzles,
church for a pot-
luck reception
sewing, jigsaw
(meat will be pro-
puzzles and
vided; bring a
watching TV.
Hack
dish to share).
She even got to
Donna was
playing com-
born May 24, 1941, in
puter games on the iPad,
Baker and raised in Pon-
which she said she would
dosa. She lived in Keating, never do.
Union and Heppner before
Surviving relatives
moving to North Powder,
include her husband of
which has been her home
63 years, Larry; sons and
for many years.
daughters-in-law, Allen
On Jan. 17, 1958,
and Betty, Mike and Beth,
Donna married Larry
and Ron and Debbi; five
Hack in Weiser, Idaho.
grandchildren; and six
They raised four children,
great-grandchildren.
whom she was very proud
She was preceded in
of. She was a wife, mom,
death by her parents, Ruth
grandma, great-grandma
and Lloyd Davis; daughter,
and friend. In her life she
Rhonda; sisters and broth-
ers-in-law, Pat and Paul,
befriended many people
and Hallie and Henry;
and was always there if
brother, Leon; moth-
you needed anything.
Besides raising her chil- er-in-law, Shirley; and
dren and taking care of her granddaughter, Tracy.
home, Donna worked at
Memorial donations
the old St. Elizabeth Hos-
may be made to St. Jude’s
pital in Baker and was
Children Hospital or the
a janitor at the Keating
North Powder FFA in
School.
care of Tami’s Pine Valley
She drove school bus
Funeral Home and Crema-
for many years, taking
tion Services, PO Box 543,
special needs children
Halfway 97834.
to La Grande and back
Online condolences
to North Powder every
may be shared at www.
day, no matter what the
tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
weather brought. She
Darrel L. Williams
1944-2021
La Grande
La GRANDE
AUTO REPAIR
975-2000
MAHLER: Raelynn Marie Mahler, Aug. 4, 2021,
daughter of Kayla Mahler and David Mahler, of La
Grande.
McCONNELL: Kannon Adam McConnell, Aug. 2,
2021, son of Heather Thornton and Jeff McConnell, of
La Grande. Grandparents are Shannon Thornton, Adam
Thornton, Richard McConnell, Mary Morehouse and
Robert Morehouse.
NICE: Bridger Nice, Aug. 2, 2021, son of Alexia
Nice and Tyler Nice, of La Grande. Grandparents are
Sunnie Prince, Nick Tanzey, Andrea and Tony Gross,
Jeff and Lisa Nice, Patricia Smith, Larry and Claudine
Nice, and J.R. and Lana Arnold.
throughout the early years
with his dad. He was also
a talented carpenter, and
when he added roofing
to his specialties, he was
able to become a general
contractor, living most of
those years in Hermiston.
Surviving relatives
include his two children
and their families, his
sister, and many nephews,
nieces and cousins.
He was preceded in
death by his parents and
his brother.
Joe Horst
ACDelcoTSS
George Neer to celebrate
90th birthday on Aug. 20
MEETINGS
• SUMMERVILLE — A special meeting of the
Summerville Cemetery District will be held Tuesday,
Aug. 17, at 9 a.m. in the cemetery’s chapel. This session
is open to the public.
• IMBLER — The Imbler School District Board of
Directors will convene for its regular August meeting
on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 7 p.m. in the high school gym.
The public is welcome to attend all open sessions of the
Imbler School Board.
• UNION — A regular session of the Union Rural
Fire Protection District Board will begin at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the fire hall. For more informa-
tion, contact Kim George, Union RFPD clerk, at 541-
910-3114 or union.rfpd@outlook.com.
This month’s ACE Writing Project features …
you? Join in the open mic via Zoom
LA GRANDE — The ACE Writing Project on
Wednesday, Aug. 18, will be a virtual open mic for
the community. There are no featured speakers on
this day, so the public is invited to read and/or just
listen to their neighbors read their original work
(published or not). Works of poetry or prose are
encouraged and readers are each allowed up to 5
minutes.
The event will be held via Zoom. For access
instructions, go to www.artcentereast.org, call 541-
624-2800 or email info@artcentereast.org. Partic-
ipants who want to read are encouraged to join the
virtual link at 6:45 p.m. to sign up.
Sign up for one of the last three
GRH Clinics’ free sports physicals
UNION COUNTY — Grande Ronde Hospital
Clinics is offering free sports physicals throughout
August for students in fourth through 12th grade. Col-
lege students will receive a discount of $50.
The final three opportunities are in La Grande:
Aug. 16 at the Regional Medical Clinic (541-663-3138)
and Aug. 19, 20 and 24 at the Women’s and Children’s
Clinic (541-663-3150). For more information or to make
an appointment, call the clinic where the student athlete
will be receiving the physical. Learn more about the
GRH clinics at www.grh.org.
Contributed Photo
George Neer was born Aug. 20, 1931, in Neodesha, Kansas. The
family moved to La Grande in 1944. He graduated from La Grande
High School in 1949 and has lived in La Grande continually. Fam-
ily and friends are invited to stop by 1601 X Ave. Friday, Aug. 20,
between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to help him celebrate his 90th birth-
day. There will be cake and some of George’s “Famous Ice Cream.”
No gifts please, just bring memories to share.
DEATH & SERVICE NOTICES
George B. Tishmack Jr.
Union
George B. Tishmack Jr., 61, of Union, died Aug. 12,
2021, at home. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Thomas Collins
Enterprise
Thomas Collins, 50, of Enterprise, died Aug. 11,
2021, at La Grande Post Acute Rehab. Arrangements
are by Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation
Services, Halfway.
Hershell R. Parker
Cove
Hershell Ray Parker, 78, of Cove, died Aug. 3, 2021,
at Grande Ronde Hospital. A graveside service will be
held Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Cove Cemetery. Casual
dress is preferred by the family. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
UPCOMING LOCAL SERVICES
MENUS
Union County Senior Center
takeout lunch menu
Served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 1504 N. Albany
St., La Grande. For delivery, call 541-963-7532 before
10 a.m. Age 60+, $3 suggested donation; all others, $5.
Public is welcome.
Aug. 16-20
Monday: lemon chicken over rice, broccoli salad,
fresh watermelon, cookie.
Tuesday: fish and chips, baked beans, cabbage slaw,
fresh fruit, huckleberry ice cream.
Wednesday: roast pork, baked apples, mashed
potatoes with gravy, spinach salad, homemade bread,
dessert.
Thursday: Reuben sandwich, potato salad, fresh
fruit, veggie sticks, cookie.
Friday: orange-sesame chicken, sweet potato fries,
carrot-raisin salad, fresh fruit.
ONLINE
For police reports and more community news,
go to lagrandeobserver.com.
The most valuable and
respected source of
local news, advertising
and information for
our communities.
eomediagroup.com
Is healthcare
for everyone
or just a few?
Is healthcare a right or a privilege?
www.lagrandeautorepair.com
MOST
ADVANCED
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BRIEFS
1941-2021
North Powder
Darrel Lee Williams
76, of La Grande, died
July 7, 2021. A service
was held Aug. 7 at the
Summerville Cemetery.
Darrel was born in
1944 in Pasco, Wash-
ington, to Hank and Verna
Williams. He grew up in
La Grande and gradu-
ated from La Grande High
School. His whole life,
he loved to hunt, fish and
go camping. He enjoyed
family gatherings — the
more family, the more sto-
ries to tell and fun to be
had. He also loved going
to car races and music
from the 1950s and early
1960s.
Darrel learned to
be a concrete finisher
and worked many jobs
GRANDE RONDE HOSPITAL
tHE OBSErVEr — A3
For more info, email:
unioncounty@hcao.org
Celebration of Life
Mary Louise
(Owen)
Brown
Saturday August 21, 2021
11 AM - 12 PM
Saint Peter’s
Episcopal Church
1001 O Avenue
La Grande, OR
Aug. 14 —
PATRICIA SANDLIN:
11 a.m. funeral, Bollman
Funeral Home, Enter-
prise; interment follows at
Enterprise Cemetery.
Aug. 14 — ALVIN
MONTGOMERY:
12:30 p.m. celebration
of life, Zion Lutheran
Church, La Grande.
Aug. 16 — DONNA
HACK: 2 p.m. memo-
rial service, Baker City
Church of the Nazarene; a
potluck reception follows
(bring a dish to share,
meat will be provided).
Aug. 18 — ROSE
MOORE: 12:30 p.m.
memorial service, Haines
Cemetery.
Aug. 21 — MARY
BROWN: 11 a.m. cele-
bration of life, St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church, La
Grande.
Aug. 21 — WES
KILGORE: 2 p.m. cel-
ebration of life, Joseph
Methodist Church; a
remembrance get-together
for family and friends fol-
lows at the Joseph Com-
munity Center.
Aug. 27 — HER-
SHELL PARKER:
10 a.m. graveside service,
Cove Cemetery (casual
dress preferred).
Aug. 28 — RODNEY
PAYANT: noon to 3 p.m.
celebration of life, Pend-
leton Eagles Lodge.
Aug. 28 — SHIRLEY
KUNKEL: 1:30 p.m.
celebration of life, La
Grande Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
Sept. 18 — JAMES
YOST: 2 p.m. celebration
of life, Cloverleaf Hall,
Enterprise.
Sept. 26 — DEBBIE
RACHAU: 2 p.m. cel-
ebration of life, Elgin
Community Center.
— calendar cour-
tesy of Loveland Funeral
Chapel, La Grande
Please join us in a celebration of Mary Brown’s life at St Peter’s
Episcopal Church on Saturday, August 21 at 11 AM.
Mary passed away peacefully on October 7, 2020 from congestive
heart failure and related complications. She was born February 12,
1928 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and was the youngest of William
Jesse and Evelyn Mary Grant’s three children.
Mary had a heart full of love for God and every element of God’s
creation. Growing up in a setting of astonishing natural beauty, at the
foot of the Teton mountain range, planted a seed that grew through-
out Mary’s lifetime and filled her with great wonder, love and respect
for the natural world.
At the age of 17, Mary started taking flying lessons. She described
flying as “…a beautiful and peaceful feeling to be up among the
clouds — so free and close to God.” She eventually fell in love with
and married her flight instructor - Merritt Owen. In 1949 Mary and
Merritt moved to La Grande, Oregon, raised three children and loved
each other as much as any two people can. Their marriage ended
with Merritt’s death in 1982.
In 1988 Mary and Ray “Red” Brown were married. Sadly, on
Christmas Eve of that year she became a widow again when Red
passed away unexpectedly.
Mary was an active, dedicated and well-loved member of St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church for over 70 years. The community at St. Peter’s
played an essential role in her life during that entire time.
She thrived on helping others, had a great imagination, wry sense
of humor, a substantial dose of grit and made the best strawber-
ry-rhubarb pie imaginable.
Mary is survived by brothers John and Robert Grant; her children
Peggy Dennis, Pat Owen and John Owen; step-children Margaret
“Mib” Kelly and Hal Brown, as well as, her children’s spouses and
several well-loved, loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren
who have long been constant sources of joy for her.