RECORDS
Saturday, auguSt 27, 2022
Soroptimists seek applications for benefit funds
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Appli-
cations for the La Grande
Soroptimist Commu-
nity Benefit funds will be
accepted after Thursday,
Sept. 1.
Local agencies, organi-
zations and individuals are
invited to apply.
“The net proceeds of our
successful 35th annual Fes-
tival of Trees will be dis-
bursed in our communities
throughout this year,” said
Di Lyn Larsen-Hill, chair
of the Community Bene-
fits Committee, in a press
release.
There isn’t a set dead-
line, and applications can
be submitted at any time.
“We will give extra con-
sideration for projects that
mirror our Soroptimist
global mission of empow-
ering women and girls, but
we will also consider proj-
ects that serve a broader
population,” Larsen-Hill
said.
Last year, 13 organiza-
tions and two individuals
received funding totaling
more than $34,000 from
Soroptimist International of
La Grande.
To obtain an applica-
tion or for more informa-
tion, contact Larsen-Hill at
dilarsenhill@gmail.com or
541-963-5341.
Roberta J. Witherspoon
Elgin
Roberta J. Witherspoon, 71, of Elgin, died Aug. 25,
2022, at Grande Ronde Hospital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
davis Carbaugh/The Observer, File
A Christmas tree at the La Grande Festival of Trees sits on display
alongside several other items that were auctioned off later in the
evening on Friday, Dec. 4, 2021. Local businesses sponsored the trees
decorated for the auction to raise funds for Soroptimist International
of La Grande’s Community Benefit program.
La Grande’s Soroptimist
International club was char-
tered on Oct. 16, 1941, and
is part of District 3 in the
Northwest Region of Sorop-
timist International of the
Americas.
“The name Soroptimist
The Observer
duane Boyer/Contributed Photo
The EOCenes entertain at Geiser-Pollman Park in Baker City in this
undated photo. Tickets are on sale now for the group’s performance
in Pendleton on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022.
recruiting program for the
college, according to an
article in GO! Magazine.
UNION COUNTY LUNCH MENU
LA GRANDE — Lunch
is served at the Union
County Senior Center, 1504
N. Albany St., La Grande,
on weekdays. The meal is
open to the public.
Dine-in meals are
served from 11:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m.; suggested dona-
tion is $4 for age 60+, $7 for
all others. Takeout meals
are available from noon to
1 p.m. at the kitchen’s back
door; to-go meals are $7.
For information on the
senior center’s meal pro-
grams, including having
lunches delivered by Meals
on Wheels, call the kitchen
at 541-605-5556.
The menu for Aug. 29-31
is:
Monday: pork fried rice,
BBQ pork oriental salad,
egg roll, fortune cookie.
Tuesday: pizza, Caesar
salad, watermelon slices,
brownie.
Wednesday: chick-
en-fried steak, mashed pota-
toes and country gravy,
steamed Italian blend vegeta-
bles, baked bread, fresh fruit.
The menu for September
was not available at press
time.
Donald Greer
Donald Greer, 79, of La Grande, died Aug. 25, 2022,
at a local care facility. Arrangements are by Loveland
Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
means ‘best for women,’
and that’s what we strive
to achieve,” states the La
Grande club’s website.
More about Soroptimist
International of La Grande
is available at www.face-
book.com/silagrande.
Tickets on sale for upcoming EOCenes concert
PENDLETON — The
bluegrass band EOCenes
will play again this year
at Pendleton Center for
the Arts during Round-Up
festivities.
The concert is set for
Thursday, Sept. 15, begin-
ning at 7 p.m. Tickets are
$15 and are expected to
sell out quickly. Purchase
tickets at www.pendleton-
arts.org/live-music.
The EOCenes formed
at Eastern Oregon Col-
lege (now Eastern Oregon
University) in La Grande.
The musicians were mem-
bers of the EOC Ambas-
sadors from 1969-1971,
and performed concerts
around the Northwest as a
DEATH NOTICES
La Grande
La Grande club active
since 1941
Soroptimist is a global
women’s volunteer ser-
vice organization working
to improve the lives of
women and girls through
social and economic
change, according to www.
lagrandesoroptimist.org,
and approximately 80,000
Soroptimists in 130 coun-
tries and territories sup-
port community-based and
global projects to benefit
women and girls.
tHE OBSErVEr — A5
After graduation, the
musicians went their sepa-
rate ways and played with
various bands throughout
the years. When they
gathered again at a fes-
tival about 12 years ago,
they all remembered their
parts from songs they’d
performed 40 years in
the past and decided to
become a regular blue-
grass band.
The group typically
plays six to seven times
during the year. The mem-
bers are Duane Boyer, Hal
Spence, Hugh McClellan,
Ron Emmons, Alan Feves
and Doug Jenkins.
They play bluegrass
“from old to new” —
songs from the 1920s,
’30s and ’40s up to cur-
rent music, often taking a
newer song and giving it a
“bluegrass treatment.”
UPCOMING
LOCAL
SERVICES
Aug. 27 — LARRY WATERS: 11 a.m. graveside
service, Prairie Creek Cemetery, Joseph.
Aug. 27 — VIRGINIA McLAUGHLIN: 1 p.m.
celebration of life, Union County Senior Center, La
Grande (casual dress preferred).
Aug. 27 — DICK DECKERT: 2 p.m. memorial
service, Cove United Methodist Church.
Aug. 28 — GERRY McLAIN: 4-7 p.m. celebration
of life, M. Crow, Lostine.
Sept. 3 — NYLE ROLLINS: 1 p.m. celebration of
life, Fred Beeman Park, Island City.
Sept. 4 — JEFF BOND: 1 p.m. celebration of life,
Lone Hawk Ranch, 57899 Highway 237, Union.
Sept. 4 — MARJORIE JARVIS, KATHLEEN
HATTON & JOAN JARVIS: 3 p.m. joint memorial
service, The Barn at Tamarack Springs, Summerville.
Sept. 10 — LEE FRIES: 11 a.m. graveside service,
Summerville Cemetery (casual dress preferred); gath-
ering follows at the Summerville Tavern.
Sept. 10 — THORVAL BURROWS: 1 p.m. cele-
bration of life and dinner, Wallowa Senior Center.
Out-of-area service
Sept. 2 — DAN HAMRE: 11 a.m. service with
military honors, Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100
N. Horseshoe Bend Road, Boise; noon to 3 p.m. memo-
rial gathering, VFW Capitol City Post 63, 8931 W.
Ardene St., Boise.
— Calendar courtesy of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
www.eomediagroup.com
Marjorie
Woodell Jarvis
BIRTHS
GRANDE RONDE HOSPITAL, LA GRANDE
BOLTON: Sterling James Bolton, born Aug. 18,
2022, to Jessica Rayne Bolton and Austin Sterling
Bolton, of La Grande.
CRUZ: Waylon Redmon Cruz, born Aug. 17, 2022,
to Aleasha Ann McIntosh and David Allen Cruz, of La
Grande.
O’GRADY: Laurel Christine O’Grady, born Aug.
19, 2022, to Brittany Nicole Meeks and Tanner Joseph
O’Grady, of La Grande.
Join us for a
memorial on
September 4th at
3 PM at
“The Barn at
Tamarack Springs”
69695 Craig Loop
Summerville, OR
Kathleen Jarvis
Hatton
&
Joan Kendall
Jarvis
Follow us on
Facebook!
Thorval Ray Burrows
June 30, 1930 - July 23, 2022
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24
THURSDAY, AUG. 25
7:29 a.m. — GRH Urgent
Care, 10303 S. Walton Road,
island City, reported a patient
with a dog bite. The Union
County
Sheriff’s
Office
responded and took a report.
11:51 a.m. — A caller on the
500 block of Fifth Street, Imbler,
reported an injured dog. An
animal enforcement officer
responded and took the dog
to the Animal Health Center, La
Grande.
11:52 a.m. — A caller
reported cattle on the loose
in the area of 59800 Glass Hill
Road, La Grande. An animal
enforcement officer contacted
the caller and attempted to find
the owner of the cows.
12:50 p.m. — A caller on the
2900 block of Union Street, La
Grande, reported a transient
camp.
4:13 p.m. — Police and med-
ics responded to the 2000 block
of Gekeler Lane, La Grande, for
a person experiencing a mental
or emotional crisis.
7:50 p.m. — Union County
Sheriff’s Office received a
report of animal cruelty at Wolf
Creek Reservoir, North Powder.
8:36 a.m. — A caller on the
400 block of Adams Avenue,
La Grande, reported a tran-
sient trespassing. An officer
responded, and the person
agreed to leave the area.
2:27 p.m. — The Union
County Sheriff’s Office received
a report of an abandoned
motor home in the area of Clark
Creek and Cemetery roads,
Elgin. A deputy responded and
took a report.
2:42 p.m. — A caller on the
2000 block of Gekeler Lane, La
Grande, reported a neglected
animal. An animal enforcement
officer responded and took a
dog to the shelter.
5:13 p.m. — La Grande
police received a report of
fraud on the 1800 block of
Fourth Street. An officer made
contact and explained options.
9:38 p.m. — Union County
Sheriff’s Office received a
request for assistance at Sum-
merville Road and Dry Creek
Lane, Summerville. A deputy
responded and gave assistance.
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Catherine Marie (Peckham) Waxbom
April 1, 1933 - August 21, 2022
Catherine Waxbom, 89, died Sunday evening, Aug.
21, at her home near Elgin. A service will be announced
at a later date when information is available. Arrange-
ments are entrusted to Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Crema-
tion & Life Celebration Center of La Grande.
Catherine Marie was born on April 1, 1933, in Pas-
co, Washington, the daughter of Charles Monroe and
Mariella Marie (Hardy) Peckham. She was educated in
Pasco public schools.
On Aug. 22, 1949, Catherine married Neil Leroy
Waxbom in Pendleton. In 1952 they moved to Elgin,
where Neil worked for Boise Cascade and Catherine
kept their home, raised their family and worked as a
clerk in the grocery store.
They were members of the Elgin Ward of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and her hus-
band later belonged to the Indian Valley Good Sam
Club.
Surviving relatives include her children, Roy Wax-
bom of Elgin and Jerry Waxbom of Boise, Idaho;
two grandsons, Gary Waxbom and Jared Waxbom;
six great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris Boatwright of
Hermiston; and other relatives.
Besides her parents, Catherine was preceded in death
by her husband, Neil, on May 20, 1997; a son, Gary, on
June 1, 2015; and a sister, Hazel.
Contributions in memory of Catherine Marie Wax-
bom may be made to the Diabetes Association or the
Dogs for the Deaf.
The family of Duane Zander would like to thank first and foremost all
our family and friends who helped us this last year and a half during Duane’s
declining health.
We are very grateful for the cards, flowers, food, and people who called or
stopped during these difficult weeks after Duane’s passing.
Grande Ronde hospital, Heart & Home hospice, Grande Ronde Hospital physi-
cal therapy (Lisa), for all the visits we had,
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Zee Koza for the
beautiful funeral service, Island City Deli & Market
for the food and the American Legion lodge here
in La Grande for allowing us to rent the facility on
short notice.
We would like to name everyone individually but know
we would leave someone out as the outpouring of love
and generosity has been more than we ever thought
possible.
Thank you all for all the love and support,
Gay Zander & Valerie Smith
Thorval Ray Burrows, 92, passed away at home
in Wallowa, Oregon, surrounded by his family on
Saturday, July 23, 2022.
Thorval was born on June 16, 1930, in Milton-
Freewater, Oregon. He was the only child of (David)
Lee and Myrtle Elizabeth (Sasser) Burrows. Thorval
attended early elementary school in Milton-Freewater,
Oregon. Later his family moved to Enterprise, Oregon,
where he attended school through his freshman high
school year. Upon his parents’ move to Wallowa, he
graduated high school in 1949.
A lifelong resident of Oregon, his only time living
outside of the state was during his service in the U.S.
Air Force. He married Mary Ann McCrae in 1953 and
together raised their family in Ontario, Oregon.
Dad tried a few different occupations in his early
days. One was digging ditch after the Air Force,
prompting him to attend barber school. After a few
years of barbering in Portland and Baker, he found his
career with the Oregon State Police in 1960, retiring in
1986 from the State Police in Ontario.
Dad was also in the Oregon Army National Guard
and retired with 20 years of service in 1992. During
his time in Ontario, he honed his driving and shooting
skills, for sure one of the best in both disciplines.
Dad obtained his private pilot license in 1967, with
flights to Mexico, the Alvord Desert and, not to be
forgotten, the Lake Owyhee runway. His flying days
ended on a hot day out on Powwatka, where he crashed
a plane. In his words, “I knew I had completed the
circle - fly, crash, survive.”
Dad was an avid elk hunter, and he could smell the
elk. He had many great stories of elk camp.
After retirement, he moved back to Wallowa in
1992, staying active until the last months of his life.
He did this his way and was still planning the next
project or trip up to the end. His true calling was that
of a grandparent. The grandkids and great-grandkids
brought him endless joy. Dad was incredibly proud of
his family.
Thorval is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; children,
David Lee (Carolyn) Burrows, Patricia Rae (Rex)
Maag, Bradley Thorval (Sandra) Burrows, and Penny
Elizabeth (Ron) Lancaster; 12 grandchildren and 19
great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Jimmy Sasser;
numerous close cousins; and other relatives and many
lifelong friends.
A family graveside service and interment will be
held at the Wallowa Cemetery. A celebration of life and
dinner for family and friends will follow on Saturday,
Sept. 10, 2022, at 1 p.m. at the Wallowa Senior Center.