FROM PAGE ONE
SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022
THE OBSERVER — A5
Norman Payne
September 21, 1924 - December 21, 2021
Norman Payne, age
97, of La Grande, died
December 21, 2021 at his
home. Those who wish
may make contributions
in his memory to the Back
Pack Program through
Daniels~Knopp Funeral,
Cremation & Life Cele-
bration Center.
Norman was born
on September 21, 1924,
the son of Charles and
Cora Mea Payne in Mill-
ersville, Tennessee. He
moved west and worked
in CCC Camps and work-
ing hops in Yakima until
he was an adult. He mar-
ried Mary ‘Marie’ Sisco
Ellis in 1951. He worked
for Boise Cascade as a
millwright and later drove
forklift until his retire-
ment. He was a devoted
husband. Marie preceded
him in death on March 7,
2020.
Survivors include his
children, Odis Ellis of
Woodburn, Oregon, Ben-
nie Ellis of La Grande and
Rose Morton of Huntville,
Tennessee; 7 grandchil-
dren; several great-grand-
children and other rel-
atives and friends. He
was preceded in death by
brother, Charles and son,
Otto Payne.
Dick Mason/The Observer, File
ReedCo Forestry on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, works to create a fi rebreak at the Mount Emily Recreation Area near La Grande. The Union
County-based company in January 2022 was awarded a contract to do forest management work that will include some logging in the 300-acre
Red Apple area of MERA.
MERA
Continued from Page A1
In 2021, it created a
6-mile fi rebreak along
MERA’s Mainline Trail.
Chambers said ReedCo
did an excellent job of cre-
ating the fi rebreak, adding
that the forest manage-
ment project will be much
diff erent because the fi re-
break work involved clear-
cutting but the work in the
Red Apple area will not.
He said that trail cor-
ridors of the Red Apple,
Rock Garden, Lower Hot-
shot and MERA loop trails
will be fl agged to help
ReedCo identify them,
avoid damaging them and
limit the crossing of them.
Chambers said any
damage that may occur
will be repaired by the
county. He added that in
the interest of safety, there
will be some closures
while work is being done.
“These closures will
be limited and may allow
for weekend access, some-
thing to be coordinated
with the contractor,” he
said.
The project area — 300
acres — is about 8% of
MERA’s total acreage of
3,700 acres.
Forrest Warren, a
member of MERA’s advi-
sory committee, said he
does not like the idea that
the management project
will be completed over two
winters because it means
the Red Apple trails may
be tied up over a longer
span. Still, he sees an
upside because the work
will be done when there is
frozen ground and snow
cover.
“It will be a lot better
on trails,” he said. “There
will be a lot more no-trace
logging.”
Warren, echoing a con-
cern expressed by many in
late 2021, said he wishes
more public input had been
given serious consider-
ation before the decision
to move forward on the
forest management plan
was made, but he said he is
impressed with Chambers’
concern for MERA.
“Sean has the best
interest of MERA at
heart,” he said.
In his address to the
Union County Board of
Commissioners on Jan. 5
before its vote, Chambers
noted there were a number
of meetings over the last
two years where plans for
forest management work at
Red Apple were discussed,
including a Union County
Board of Commissioners
work session in August
2020 that was followed
by a fi eld review at the
Owsley Canyon Trailhead
not long after that meeting,
as well as a fi eld review in
November 2021.
The parks coordinator
believes the county has
been transparent about the
development of its plans
for a forest management
project meant to protect a
cherished portion of the
Mount Emily Recreation
Area.
“We all appreciate what
a gem this is for our com-
munity,” Chambers said,
“and we are intent on
making it shine brighter.”
Miles Franklin Thompson
October 22, 1947 - December 24, 2021
Miles Franklin Thompson, 74, of Elgin,
OR, died December 24, 2021, at St. Mary’s
Hospital in Walla Walla. At his request
there will be no services.
Miles was born October
22, 1947, in Nyssa, Oregon,
to Mabel McDaniel Thomp-
son and John Frank Thomp-
son. He attended school in
Parma, Idaho, graduating
from Parma High School in
1966.
After graduation, Miles
enlisted in the Army where
he became a Sergeant in the
military police, spending
a year in Korea during the
Vietnam War, and receiving
several medals and com-
mendations before receiving an honorable
discharge. He then became an appliance
repair service technician for Sears Roe-
buck & Co. in Boise.
Miles married Larrissa Schmidt and
later became the proud parents of Miles
(Mick) Thompson. After moving to Baker,
Miles and his father-in-law Marv Schmidt
partnered in the appliance repair business
of “S & T Service” for years. Miles took
over the business after Marv retired.
Miles later married Marilyn (Scott)
Helman in 1979 in Baker, where they
lived until after they finished renovating
her childhood home outside of Elgin (at
Cricket Flat) in 1994. They lived out at
“The Ranch” where Miles loved more than
anything to walk out the back door to hunt
with his dearest friends and family. They
remained married until Marilyn’s passing
on July 29, 2021.
Miles was always known for being a
hard worker both at his job and out at the
ranch. He worked for Arrow store in La
Grande, doing appliance repair for almost
30 years, working up to the two weeks pri-
or to his death.
During his many years in Baker you
could usually find Miles with his family
and friends up at Phillips Lake riding his
“suped up” jet skis on the weekends. The
jet skis were never new, they were always
traded for work he’d done on someone’s
appliances, but he rebuilt them in ways that
always made them the fastest, most popu-
lar to ride, (and likely the most dangerous)
on the lake.
Miles will probably be
best remembered for his ath-
leticism by both his fellow
softball team members and
his grandkids as he was the
first to let them know that
he was the fastest runner
you ever met, followed by a
foot race to prove his point.
He loved playing softball
on teams in Baker and La
Grande, traveling through-
out the state for tournaments.
He was usually the oldest
(and sometimes the fastest) on the team
and was affectionately known as “Pops”
by his fellow teammates.
He also spent over 25 years as a mem-
ber of the Baker Elks Drum and Bugle
Corps, playing the trumpet and making
lifelong friendships with his fellow band
members. For many of those years, Miles
played the difficult trumpet solo known as
“The Bull.” He loved the Corps and had
endless stories of the antics and shenani-
gans that occurred during their many trips
across the Northwest for performances.
Miles loved his grandchildren and
great-grandchild very much. Survivors in-
clude his sister, Charlotte of Alaska; son,
Miles (Mick) Thompson of Boise; his
step-son, Darin Helman and step-daugh-
ter, Kristi Helman both of Baker City;
his grandchildren, Lindsey Helman, Lo-
gan Hagey, Connor Hagey, Eiann DeLint,
Shaun (Lucy) Roland, and Evann Brown;
a nephew, Jeff Cremer; and a great-grand-
child Jackson Gonzales.
He was preceded in death by his par-
ents, Mabel and John Thompson, his
wife, Marilyn Thompson, his brother, Pete
Thompson, his step-daughter, Kari DeLint,
and his granddaughter, Katie Helman.
Miles and Marilyn’s ashes will be
spread over the ranch in the spring where
they can bicker together eternally.
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Dillon Lee Rogers
January 20, 1983 - December 17, 2021
Dillon Lee Rogers,
38, of Elgin passed away
on Friday, December
17, 2021, at St
Alphonsus Re-
gional Medical
Center, Boise,
ID. A celebra-
tion of life will
be held in the
spring at his
Nana’s house in
Reno.
Dillon was
born on January 20, 1983
at St. Mary’s, Reno, NV,
to Bruce and Heidi Rog-
ers. He resided in Reno,
NV, Gardnerville, NV,
and Elgin, OR. He attend-
ed Veterans, Scarcelli, Pa
Wa Lu, and Douglas High
School, where he was on
the basketball and football
teams.
Dillon was employed
at Local Harvest, Tim-
ber’s Feedery, and Mi-
chael’s Motor Sports,
Reno, NV. Dillon was a
kind and humorous man
that had a deep love for
his family. He loved his
mom’s cooking, shooting
with his dad, Jeopardy,
reptiles, Shark Week, At-
lantis Sunday Brunch –
prime rib and crab. Most
of all, he loved sharing his
knowledge and time with
this nephew, Timber.
Dillon is survived by
his parents, Heidi Rogers,
of Cove, OR, Bruce Rog-
ers of Elgin, OR; sisters,
Harvest
Rogers-Cocke
(David) of Elgin, OR,
Karina Heavi-
lin (Justin) of
Reno, NV and
Sydney Heavilin
of Reno, NV; 4
nieces and neph-
ews, Timber and
Maple
Cocke
and
Phoenix
and Luna Baker;
aunts and uncles,
Jared and Debbie Rogers,
Susie and Casey Harris,
Peggy and Dan Morris,
Steve Frandsen, Chris-
ty Frandsen-Oiz, Tracey
Nelson, Scott and Lynda
Frandsen, Lisa Webb, Mi-
chela and Robert Leigh-
ton, Kathy Brill and Les-
lie Rogers; grandmother,
Billie Jean Rogers; Nana,
Joy Jaqueline Frandsen.
Dillon had 33 cousins that
rallied together in prayer,
love, warmth, laughter,
and comfort in the last
few weeks of his life, just
as they have always done
for one another. He will
be missed by all. He was
preceded in death by his
grandfather, Jared “Bud”
Rogers; grandfather, Jer-
ald Lee Frandsen; cousin,
Cambria J. Leighton and
Aunt, Elayne Frandsen.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.
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