RECORDS
Thursday, February 24, 2022
The ObserVer — A5
Literary event celebrates Women’s History Month
The Observer
ENTERPRISE — Fishtrap
Fireside celebrates Women’s His-
tory Month with featured read-
ings from Wallowa County writers
Debbie Carson, Talia Filipek and
Toni Marie Jones. The virtual lit-
erary event will be released on
Friday, March 4, at www.fishtrap.
org and on Fishtrap’s YouTube
channel.
The monthly literary gath-
ering typically includes three
writers reading from their works.
The stream may be watched at
any time after it’s released. The
March episode of Fishtrap Fire-
side is sponsored by Alder Slope
Nursery.
Carson, a native of Philadel-
Carson
Filipek
Jones
phia, also lived as a child in then-
rural Connecticut, where sur-
rounding dairy farms gave way to
insurance company campuses. She
acquired an art degree and held
a variety of jobs before heading
West. While living in Eugene,
she joined Hoedads Reforestation
Co-op, making lifelong friends,
while earning very little planting
trees. She fared better working as
a U.S. Forest Service temp, but
eventually returned to college.
Now retired from school librarian-
ship and teaching art, she has two
adult children, an itchy foot and a
love for being on the water.
Filipek lives in Enterprise,
ogling at the mountains with a cup
of cocoa in one hand and a baby
in the other arm. Growing up,
she visited here with her Eastern
Oregon-based family many sum-
mers to camp and explore, and
then returned as a young adult to
work for the USFS as a ranger in
the Eagle Cap Wilderness and the
Hells Canyon National Recreation
Area. Her professional career has
taken her to Corvallis, Culver,
Estacada, Bend and tall buildings
for work in design, editorial, pho-
tography, outdoor ed and social
sciences. Though she loves variety
in her adventures, she always
knew that near the Wallowas
would be her base camp one day.
Jones is a Wallowa County
native whose Irish immigrant
great-great-grandparents home-
steaded on the Zumwalt Prairie
in 1880. Her direct Indian lineage
includes Cayuse, Assiniboine,
Northern Cree and Muskego Cree.
Two of her third great-grand-
fathers were interpreters for
the Nez Perce and the Cayuse
during the 1855 Treaty negotia-
tions. She holds a liberal studies
degree with an anthropology
minor specializing in Oregon
Indians. After a career working
for the Oregon University System
as a secretary, program man-
ager and then graphic artist, and
another working as a marketing
director and consultant for non-
profit air ambulance companies,
she is happily retired and grateful
to have more time for writing
and making. Jones is the co-ed-
itor of the Frenchtown Historical
Foundation newsletter, a publica-
tion focusing on the Native Amer-
ican, French-Canadian and Metis
families’ history of the area. Her
work has appeared in two Fish-
trap Outpost chapbooks, and she
is a member of the Write Women
and Sheep Creek Word Herders,
local writing groups headed up by
author and rancher Janie Tippett.
Multitasking on the sidelines
alex Wittwer/EO Media Group
Members of the North Powder girls basketball team and other North Powder students pretend to read Go! Magazine (a publication of EO Media Group) during a match between North Powder and Condon at
North Powder High School on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. The Powder Valley Badgers won 80-63 against the Condon Blue Devils in the OSAA 1A State Championship playoff.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
BRIEFS
Inaugural ‘Last Fridays’ market
set for Feb. 25
UNION — Catherine Creek
Community Center, housed in the
former Methodist Church build-
ings on Main Street in Union, is
launching a new monthly program
called “Last Fridays.” Beginning
Feb. 25, on the last Friday of the
month the center will be open from
4-8:30 p.m. for vendors to sell their
wares. Spaces are open to artists,
crafters, farmers, foodies, home-
based businesses, etc.
Vendor spaces start at $20. The
center’s commercial kitchen may be
used with advance reservations, and
the stage will be open for musicians.
The goal is to give local makers and
home businesses a storefront, and to
create a farmers market-type program
with a variety of products, services
and activities.
To sign up or for more informa-
tion, email ccc667@gmail.com, visit
the center’s Facebook page or call
541-562-2038.
for Saturday, Feb. 26, from 6-9 p.m.
This is their first gathering in two
years, said Denny Langford, one of
the organizers.
There will be a finger-food pot-
luck and door prizes in addition to the
live music and dancing. Admission is
$5 per person, or free for ages 12 and
younger.
BlueMountaineers bring live
music back to the senior center
Seeking Meals on Wheels
volunteers
LA GRANDE — With the
COVID-19 pandemic waning, events
are returning to the Union County
Senior Center, 1504 N. Albany St.,
La Grande — including the end-
of-the-month dances featuring live
music by The BlueMountaineers.
The community dance is scheduled
LA GRANDE — Community
Connection is seeking volunteers to
help with the Meals on Wheels pro-
gram in Union County. For more
information, call Sydney Gleeson at
541-963-7532, ext. 1104, or stop by
1504 N. Albany St., La Grande.
— The Observer
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
MONDAY, FEB. 21
8:40 a.m. — A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded to
Walmart, 11619 Island Ave., Island City, on a report of a trespass.
The deputy cited a man for trespassing.
10:05 a.m. — A caller reported animal cruelty on the 600 block
of Fourth Street, North Powder.
10:10 a.m. — A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded to
the 700 block of South Second Street, Union, on a report of a juve-
nile disturbance. The deputy explained options.
1:51 p.m. — A caller on the 2500 block of Second Street, La
Grande, reported a dog bit a person. An officer made contact and
advised animal enforcement.
5:14 p.m. — A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded to
Walmart and gave a trespassing citation to the same man as
earlier.
5:50 p.m. — A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded to the
200 block of South 19th Avenue, Elgin, on a report of a burglary.
The deputy took a report.
6:53 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 700 block of K
Avenue on a report of a suspicious vehicle. An officer counseled
juveniles.
8:04 p.m. — A resident on the 62700 block of Fruitdale Lane, La
Grande, reported of a mail theft. A Union County sheriff’s deputy
responded and took a report.
11 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 2600 block of
Island Avenue on a report of a possible car prowl. Officers coun-
seled two in the area.
TUESDAY, FEB. 22
12:25 a.m. — La Grande police responded to the 200 block of
Depot Street for a disturbance. Officers separated and counseled
the parties and trespassed one person.
12:39 a.m. — Police responded the 2600 block of Island Ave-
nue, La Grande, on a report of harassment and counseled the peo-
ple involved.
7:49 a.m. — A caller reported animal neglect at a residence on
the 600 block of Y Avenue, La Grande.
9:12 a.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office received a report
of a person who went out last night from the area of 58300 Grande
Ronde Road, La Grande, to help vehicles stuck on U.S. Forest Ser-
vice Road 51. A deputy located the subject and helped get several
vehicles unstuck.
2:51 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about check
fraud from Market Place Fresh Foods, 1912 Fourth St. An officer
responded and took a report.
3:28 p.m. — A caller reported suspicious circumstances involv-
ing burning dirt at a residence at Tamarack Courts Apartments,
1613 21st St., La Grande. An officer made contact and took
information.
7:41 p.m. — La Grande police recovered a firearm that was out
of Umatilla County.
DEATH NOTICES
Helen Cochrane
La Grande
Helen Cochrane, 98, of La Grande, died Feb. 19,
2022. A celebration of her life will be held in the spring.
Arrangements are by Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation
& Life Celebration Center, La Grande.
UPCOMING
LOCAL
SERVICES
Feb. 25 — RUBY WREN: 1 p.m. graveside ser-
vice, Weston Cemetery.
Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 — STEVE HAMBLIN:
Friday, 5-7 p.m. viewing, Loveland Funeral Chapel, La
Grande; Saturday 10 a.m. funeral, Loveland Funeral
Chapel (casual dress preferred), followed by Summer-
ville Cemetery graveside service and potluck.
March 5 — DAVID KENNEDY: noon celebration
of life, Elgin Community Center (dropped off potluck
dishes at the center after 10 a.m.).
March 11 — GEORGE RUSH: 10:30 a.m. memo-
rial service, Catherine Creek Community Center,
Union.
March 26 — JUDY HUNT: 3 p.m. celebration of
life, La Grande Seventh-day Adventist Church.
May 19 — ORVA MURRILL: 2 p.m. graveside
service, Union Victorian Cemetery.
Please follow guidelines regarding face coverings
and social distancing at gatherings. Calendar courtesy
of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande.
Orva Lu (Loftus) Murrill
May 21, 1931 – February 5, 2022
Orva Lu Murrill, 90, of Union,
passed away on Saturday, Feb.
5, 2022, at a local care facility. A
graveside service will be held at
the Union Victorian Cemetery on
Thursday, May 19, 2022, at 2 p.m.
Orva was born on May 21, 1931,
in Enterprise, Oregon, to James and
Lucy (Baker) Loftus. She resided
in Union, Enterprise, Imnaha and
Lostine, Oregon. She attended schools in Imnaha and
Enterprise, Oregon. She married Leonard Murrill.
Orva was a devoted wife and mother. She also
worked as a bartender and cook. She enjoyed playing
cards, camping, fishing and crossword puzzles.
Orva is survived by her husband, Leonard; children,
Lennie Murrill (Donna) and Gayle Murrill (Debbie),
both of Milton-Freewater, Oreon; daughter-in-law, De-
nise Murrill; six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchil-
dren. She was preceded in death by her parents, James
and Lucy; sons, Eddie and Carl Murrill; sisters, Leona
Whitmore and Francis Kangus; and brothers, Samuel
Loftus and Paul Loftus.
Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.