RECORDS
Saturday, december 18, 2021
tHe ObSerVer — A3
OBITUARIES
THE POLICE LOG CAN BE FOUND AT
Virginia ‘Gin’ L. Drew
www.LaGrandeObserver.com
La Grande
1926-2021
Virgina “Gin” Lee
Rivers Flanery Drew, 95,
of La Grande, died Dec.
12, 2021, at her home. A
celebration of her life will
be held in the spring.
Known as Gin, she
was born May 9, 1926,
in Oakdale, Washington,
to William Rivers and
Marie Rivers. She gradu-
ated from La Grande High
School in 1945. Gin mar-
ried Frank Kenneth “Ken”
Flanery on June 16, 1946,
at the First Presbyterian
Church in La Grande,
and they were married for
23 years. She later mar-
ried Laurence “Larry” A.
Drew on June 24, 1977, in
Boise, and they were mar-
ried for 29 years.
Gin was best known
as “The Eastern Oregon
Egg Lady.” She and her
husband Ken owned and
operated Flanery Farms
& Sunny Side Egg Farms,
a wholesale distribu-
mushroom picking. She
tion for eggs and poultry
traveled all over Western
throughout the Northwest
U.S. via plane piloted by
from 1955-1969.
her first husband, Ken;
Gin was an avid golfer
together they were active
and headed the
with friends
Ladies Auxiliary
from Alaska to
at the La Grande
Mexico. She held
Country Club,
a beautiful vaca-
tion home in
planned and
Kona, Hawaii,
curated many
for more than 20
of their social
years with her
events and, as
second husband,
a card game
Larry.
fanatic, played
Gin’s talents
and won many
Drew
were many. She
rounds of Hand
was an extremely
& Foot there
accomplished decorator
over the years. She was a
and crafter, enthusiastic
member of the Daughters
shopper, passionate story-
of the American Revolu-
tion and was also actively
teller and a beloved wife,
involved in the American
mother, grandmother
Legion, the Eagles and the and friend who loved to
Elks.
entertain.
Gin was an out-
At the celebration of
doors woman at heart
her life next spring of
and enjoyed camping,
2022, her family and
hunting, fishing and
friends will all put on
their dancing shoes, kick
up their heels and raise
a glass to toast Gin’s
amazing life.
She was preceded in
death by her parents, Wil-
liam “Bill” S. Rivers and
Marie Rivers-Joppa; sis-
ters, Nancy Garmroth and
Patricia McAvoy; first
husband Frank Kenneth
Flanery; second husband,
Laurence A. Drew; and
daughter, Mary Margaret
“Peggy” Flanery-Hervey.
Survivors include her
son, John P. Flanery;
nephew, Chris McAvoy;
niece, Diane Hertz
and husband, John;
three grandchildren;
10 great-grandchil-
dren; and 14 great-great
grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers,
memorial donations may
be given to the Ladies
Association at the La
Grande Country Club.
Alvin R. Bennett
DEATH NOTICES
1940-2021
La Grande
Judith A. Hunt
children, Sherry Odegaard
Alvin Richard Bennett,
81, of La Grande, died Dec. of Orofino, Idaho, Terrie
11, 2021, at a local care
Spalding of Orofino, Idaho,
facility.
Mike Bennett of La Grande,
Alvin was born
Rob Burns of
March 11, 1940,
Wallowa, Mark
in La Grande,
Burns of Los-
tine, Justin Burns
to Alvin Ben-
nett and Helen
of Wallowa, and
(McPherson)
Kevin Burns of
Bennett. He was
Wallowa; brother,
raised in Union
Alan Bennett of
and graduated
Imbler; numerous
from Union
grandchildren
High School. He
and great-grand-
children; and
Bennett
resided in Union
numerous nieces
and Wallowa;
and nephews.
Alaska; Adams; and Utah.
He was preceded in
He was married to Elva Lee
death by his parents,
Lovely, June Marie Grover
Alvin and Helen Bennett;
and Bernadine Burns.
Alvin worked in log-
daughter, Tonya Bennett;
ging, trucking, welding,
and grandsons, Ryan Ben-
farming and as a mechanic. nett and Kyle Flerchinger.
Online condolences
He enjoyed hunting, fishing,
may be made to the family
camping, leather work,
at www.lovelandfuneral-
family and pets.
chapel.com.
Survivors include his
COMMUNITY
BULLETIN
BOARD
BRIEFS
GRH Auxiliary to
celebrate holidays
ISLAND CITY — The
Grande Ronde Hospital Aux-
iliary won’t have a Christmas
potluck this year, but the aux-
iliary’s next gathering will
include treats and a chance
to wish others a Merry
Christmas and Happy New
Year. Coffee, tea and refresh-
ments will be available at
9 a.m., followed by a meeting
at 9:30 a.m., at Island City
City Hall on Monday, Dec.
20.
Wallowology hosts
solstice celebration
JOSEPH — Wallowology
and Wallowa Resources
invite all to celebrate next
week’s winter solstice, which
happens Tuesday, Dec. 21.
From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., there
will be activities for the
whole family and hot apple
cider at Wallowology, 508
N. Main St., Joseph. And at
5 p.m. a Wallowology natu-
ralist will lead a solstice lan-
tern walk, beginning at the
main Iwetemlaykin parking
lot. Bring your own lantern or
drop by Wallowology before-
hand to make your own. Visit
www.wallowology.org for
full details and more infor-
mation about Wallowology’s
winter offerings.
— The Observer
July 11, 1944 - November 21, 2021
La Grande
Judith A. Hunt, 80, of La Grande, died Dec. 10, 2021,
at her residence. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Dillon L. Rogers
Elgin
Dillon L. Rogers, 38, of Elgin, died Dec. 17, 2021,
at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise.
Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral Chapel & Cre-
matory, La Grande.
UPCOMING LOCAL SERVICES
Please follow guidelines
regarding face coverings
and social distancing at all
gatherings.
Dec. 18 — JUNE
MILLER: 10 a.m.
memorial service,
Damascus Road Church,
La Grande.
Dec. 19 — MARY
REEDER: 1 p.m. cele-
bration of life, La Grande
Nazarene Church.
Jan. 15, 2022 — JIM
LUNDY: 2 p.m. memo-
rial service, Gilbert
Center, Eastern Oregon
University, La Grande.
— calendar courtesy of
Loveland Funeral Chapel
Leslie Oliver DuCharme Jr. of Union, OR, passed
away on Sunday, November 21, 2021 peacefully in his
sleep in Milton-Freewater, WA.
Les was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 11, 1944
and raised on a small farm outside of Manteno, Illinois.
After high school, Les joined the Navy where his
passion for helping people led him to become a medic.
During his 3 years of service he developed the skills
and training he needed for his time spent as a medic in
the Vietnam War.
After the Navy, he returned home to Manteno where
he got married and started a family. He continued
his medical career by studying Nursing at Kankakee
Community College. Les graduated from the nursing
program and went on to work at Riverside Medical
Center in Kankakee.
Les was offered an ER nursing position at Grande
Ronde Hospital in LaGrande, OR. He and his 2nd wife
Pam found a home in Union and started a new life
away from the city where they found the small town
atmosphere they both grew up loving. Les had many
fond memories of his time at GRH and helped so many
people as an ER nurse over the years.
After his retirement, he joined the art program at
Eastern Oregon University which gave him a new out-
let for his creativity. He found a lot of enjoyment in go-
ing back to school so late in life and made many friends
during that time. Les also enjoyed being a grandfather.
He used to love teaching his grandson, Dalton, about
living on a farm and playing in the dirt.
Though he had his share of faults, Les still had a
very strong zest for life. He was always willing to give
someone a ride into town without needing a reason, he
always gave people food when they were too proud to
ask for it themselves, and he would literally give some-
one the shirt off his back without expecting anything in
return.
Les enjoyed being enveloped by nature whenever
possible. He was an avid hunter and fisherman but
nothing seemed to make him happier than taking long
drives with his family through the mountains.
Les is preceded by his son’s; Joseph and Henry.
Les is survived by his wife, Pamela; his children,
Clifford, Lola, Leslie 3rd, Anita, Michelle, Peter, and his
Grandson Dalton.
Condolences can be sent to PO Box 624, Union, OR,
97883.
Leroy Vincent Bushman
Donald William Bork
February 2, 1926 - December 9, 2021
February 1, 1939 - November 1, 2021
MEETINGS
• IMBLER — A regular
session of the Imbler School
District Board of Directors is
scheduled for Monday, Dec.
20, at 7 p.m. in Room 1 of
the high school. The public is
welcome to attend.
• UNION — The Union
Rural Fire Protection District
Board will meet Tuesday,
Dec. 21, at 7 p.m. at the fire
hall. For more information,
contact Kim George, Union
RFPD clerk, at 541-910-3114
or union.rfpd@outlook.com.
Leslie Oliver DuCharme Jr.
Leroy Vincent Bushman, 95, of La Grande, passed
away on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at a local care
facility. A graveside service will be held at Hillcrest
Cemetery on Friday, December 17, 2021 at 2:00pm.
Casual dress is preferred by the family.
Leroy was born on February 2, 1926 in Pendleton,
OR, to Fred and Iva (Eads) Bushman. He resided in
Gibbon, OR for 27 years and then lived in Perry, OR,
from 1974 until his death. He attended elementary
school in Perry and graduated from La Grande High
School. He married Beverly Graybeal on June, 24, 1947.
Leroy served in the United States Navy during WWII
aboard the U.S. Bosque and the battleship U.S.S. Iowa.
He was aboard the U.S.S. Iowa in Tokyo Bay for the
duration of the surrender of Imperial Japan.
Leroy worked for Union Pacific Railroad as a Signal
Maintainer from 1946 until his retirement in 1988. In
their early years of marriage, he and Beverly traveled all
over the Pacific Northwest on a signal gang.
He was an enrolled member of the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the old-
est living WWII veteran for the CTUIR.
Leroy enjoyed yardwork and gardening. He was an
avid fly fisherman and big game hunter. Camping with
his family was always a favorite activity. He was very
supportive of his children’s and grandchildren’s sports
involvement and loved attending their games to cheer
them on.
Leroy is survived by his children, Julie Alexander
(Dale) of Pendleton, OR, Jeffrey Bushman (Lisa) of
Summerville, OR and Steven Bushman (Brandy) of La
Grande, OR; 11 grandchildren, Cristy (Malone) Miller,
Neil Alexander, Nicole Alexander, Joel Bushman,
Ryan Malone, Joseph Alexander, Rebecca (Bushman)
Varland, Chelsea (Malone) Musgrove, Tylor Ketchum,
Jason Bushman and Thomas Bushman; 20 great grand-
children and numerous nieces and nephews. He was
preceded in death by his wife, Beverly Bushman; par-
ents, Fred and Iva Bushman; brothers, Clenton Bush-
man and Berton Bushman; daughter, Diana Malone;
and infant daughter, Lora Anne.
Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.
Donald William Bork passed away
in Tucson, Arizona, on Monday, No-
vember 1, 2021, at the age of 82.
Don was born in La Grande, Or-
egon, on February 1, 1939, to Lillian
Blecha Bork and William John Bork.
He attended Greenwood Elementary
School and graduated from LaGrande
High School, with the class of 1957.
While in his youth, many hours
were spent hunting with his father in
the Blue Mountains of Oregon. Those
mountains soon became Don’s pas-
sion for prospecting for gold with his
childhood friend, Larry Red. He was a
miner in the making. In high school,
every summer at harvest time, Don
drove truck for Claude Anson and the
Bork family ranch located in Island
City, Oregon. It was these four years of
harvest work that paid for Don’s college
tuition.
Don attended the Montana School
of Mines, in Butte, Montana. He re-
ceived his B.S. in Mining Engineering
in 1962. It was there that Don met and
married his wife, Barbara Jean Sessions.
Starting his career, Don went to work in
the Engineering Department for the Ana-
conda Mining Company, in Butte, Mon-
tana. In 1963, he went to work for Hecla
Mining Company at the Mayflower Mine
at Park City, Utah. During the Spring of
1966, Don left the U.S. with his young fam-
ily to live and work in Honduras, Central
America. He was employed with the New
York, Honduras Rosario Mining Company,
at the El Mochito Mine, Santa Barbara,
Honduras. From 1966 to 1977 Don devel-
oped gold mines in Honduras, Nicaragua,
and the Dominican Republic; as well as
traveling and working in Spain, Portugal
and Algiers, Algeria, North Africa where
he worked with the Russians to develop
Algeria’s mining industry. Returning to the
U.S. in 1978, Don developed gold mines in
Idaho at Stibnite, and Thunder Mountain,
at the edge of the Idaho Wilderness area,
until 1994. Don’s heart was always with
the people of Central America where he
was able to speak Spanish fluently, and he
returned to Nicaragua where he worked
for several Canadian mining companies
before returning to the States and retire-
ment in 1997.
While living in Idaho, Don purchased
a cabin on the East Fork of the South Fork
of the Salmon River, near the little town
of Yellow Pine, Idaho. The cabin is in
close proximity to the gold mines he had
developed in 1978. The cabin on the river
remained one of the greatest joys in Don’s
life and the lives of his family.
Don’s presence will be missed, but he
will not be forgotten. Known as ‘Poppa’ to
his grandchildren and great-grandchildren,
he will be remembered for his “encyclo-
pedia” brain, his razor-sharp memory,
his legacy to the mining industry, and the
huge impact and influence he had on his
family both conservatively and politically
in his outlook.
Don is preceded in death by his parents
Lillian and William Bork. He is survived
by his brother, Robert L. Bork of La-
Grande, Oregon. Don is survived by his
wife of 58 years, Barbara Bork; his four
children, Victoria Lee (Michael), Jessyka
Lavern, Jocelyn Christina, Benjamin Leslie
Diego Bork (Yara); and his daughter Pa-
tricia Eden Pauls (Edward). Although not
born to Don and Barb, Patsy has always
been true family. Don leaves behind eleven
grandchildren, Bradley, Jordan, Kyle, Mal-
lorie, Justin, Zane, Enzo, Nathaniel, Derek,
Dryden and Olivia and twelve great-grand-
children.
A celebration of life will be held at a
later date in the Summer of 2022. Memori-
al cards or messages can be sent to Barbara
Bork, 9937 N. Woodstone Trail, Tucson,
Arizona, 85742.
Deceased’s Funeral Arrangements
Cremation, Adair Funeral Home, 8090 N
Northern Ave, Oro Valley, AZ, 85704 (Tuc-
son). No memorial service at this time.