RECORDS
Saturday, September 3, 2022
tHe ObSerVer — A5
UNION COUNTY SENIOR
CENTER LUNCH MENU
From shovels to operating rooms
LA GRANDE —
Lunch is served at the
Union County Senior
Center, 1504 N. Albany
St., La Grande, on week-
days. The meals are open
to the public.
Dine-in meals are
served from 11:30 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m.; suggested
donation is $4 for age 60
and older, $7 for all others.
Takeout meals are avail-
able 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 senior center will
be closed Monday, Sept. 5,
for Labor Day. The menu
for the rest of week is:
Tuesday: beef bour-
guignon over noodles,
salad greens, fresh fruit,
cookie.
Wednesday: chicken
cordon bleu, rice pilaf,
steamed winter blend veg-
etables, cucumber salad,
cake.
Thursday: chicken
potpie, salad greens, cot-
tage cheese, fruit, lemon
sorbet.
Friday: sloppy joes,
steak fries, coleslaw, fresh
fruit, cookie.
Karrine brogoitti/The Observer
Grande Ronde Hospital officials, local dignitaries and representatives of the project’s design and construction teams pose at a groundbreaking
ceremony for the hospital’s surgical facilities expansion on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. The $72.6 million project will add a 98,000-square-foot
surgical services building at the hospital campus in La Grande and is expected to be completed in 2024.
When it’s all been said before
Author and wilderness advocate Amy
Irvine to lead online writing workshop
The Observer
ENTERPRISE — Wil-
derness advocate Amy Irvine
will lead “Writing to Cap-
tivate When It’s All Been
Said Before,” an four-session
online writing workshop pre-
sented by Fishtrap, beginning
Tuesday, Sept. 13.
As noted in a press
release from Fishtrap, “In
this time of viral memes
and recycled sound bytes,
it can be hard to find fresh
stories, new words — the
kind that persuade more
than the choir, that transcend
today’s cultural and political
divisions, But stories have
always changed and unified
the world in its darkest hours
— if only we can arrest the
attentions of the distracted,
the harried.”
In this workshop, each
participant will develop a
short work of fiction, nonfic-
tion, poetry, or even a letter
to the editor that addresses a
social and/or ecological con-
cern. Emphasis will be on
learning how to avoid recy-
cled and predictable lan-
guage, scenes and ideas with
the goal of discovering “how
to surprise and compel (even
ourselves!) so our words
seize readers anew.”
The online sessions will
Fishtrap/Contributed Photo
Amy Irvine, author and
wilderness advocate, will lead
“Writing to Captivate When It’s
All Been Said Before,” an online
writing workshop beginning
Tuesday, Sept. 13. See full details
and register at www.fishtrap.org.
be held on Tuesdays, Sept. 13
to Oct. 4, from 5-7 p.m.
Registration is $240, or
$215 for Fishtrappers. Reg-
ister online at www.fishtrap.
regfox.com/irvinesept. Call
Fishtrap for further informa-
tion at 541-426-3623.
Irvine is a wilderness
advocate, a sixth-genera-
tion Utahn, a feminist and
a “descendant of notorious
Mormons,” according to the
release.
Irvine’s memoir “Tres-
pass: Living at the Edge of
the Promised Land” received
the Orion Book Award,
the Ellen Meloy Desert
Writers Award and the Col-
orado Book Award. She is
also the author of “Desert
Cabal: A New Season in
the Wilderness,” a femi-
nist response to western
wilderness icon Edward
Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire,”
and of “Air Mail: Letters
of Politics, Pandemics, and
Place,” co-written with Pam
Houston. Learn more at
www.amyirvine.com.
UPCOMING
SERVICES
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.
Sept. 17 — ROBERTA WITHERSPOON: 2 p.m.
celebration of life and potluck, Elgin Community
Center (casual dress preferred; bring a side dish or des-
sert if you wish).
Out-of-area services
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.
Sept. 30 — JOHN FARRAR SR.: 9:30 a.m.
memorial service, Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600
SE 240th St., Kent, Washington.
— Calendar courtesy of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31
11:10 a.m. — A La Grande police officer responded to the 1600
block of Portland Street for a disturbance. The officer cited two
people.
1:54 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 2000 block of
Fourth Street on a report of a person with mental illness. Police
arrested a 37-year-old woman for second-degree disorderly con-
duct and criminal trespass.
5:30 p.m. — A caller in Elgin made a complaint about a dog bite.
A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded and took a report.
11:50 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about loud
music on the 3200 block of Alder Street. An officer checked the
area but heard no music.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
1 p.m. — A caller reported livestock was on the loose on Lower
Cove Road, Cove. An animal enforcement officer checked but did
not find any livestock.
2:40 p.m. — La Grande police on a follow-up arrested Jenni-
fer Stewart, 40, of La Grande, for fourth-degree domestic violence
assault.
4:53 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about iden-
Roberta Jean (Pierce) Witherspoon
July 10, 1951 - August 25, 2022
Roberta
Jean
(Pierce)
Witherspoon, 71, of Elgin, passed
away peacefully on Thursday, Aug.
25, 2022, surrounded by her family.
A celebration of life will be held at
the Elgin Community Center on
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at 2 p.m.,
with a potluck lunch. (The family
will provide the main dish.) Please
dress casually and bring a dish to
share if you wish.
Roberta was born on July 10, 1951, in Fowler,
California, to Artie G. and Pearl Irene Pierce. She was
sister to two brothers, Artie and Lindsey Pierce, and
one stepbrother, Ray Morrison. On Sept. 13, 1969,
Roberta married Dale Ray Witherspoon. They had three
children, Keara Lerae, Trista Michele and Kelby Sean
Witherspoon, and raised one grandchild, Lerae Nichole
Ruck.
Roberta was a loving and compassionate woman
who cared for others with her whole heart. She taught
us all how to persevere and complete a task without
“ruffling any feathers.” She enjoyed traveling with her
best friend, Janice (Wells) Becker, and riding her bike to
see new countries. She had a passion for adventure and
shared her love for learning new things.
After a successful career of 48 years, Roberta
retired from Boise Cascade, Elgin Complex, as the
weighmaster. She was very passionate about her job
and looked forward to seeing her “kids” each day and
bringing Christmas goodies each year. Each of them
was loved as a friend by Roberta.
Roberta is survived by her husband of 53 years,
Dale Witherspoon; her children, Keara Witherspoon
of Eugene, Oregon, Trista Svoboda of Walla Walla,
Washington, and Kelby Witherspoon of Baker, Oregon;
her brother, Artie Pierce of Tillamook, Oregon; her
five grandchildren, Lerae Nichole Ruck, Aaron Hunter
Johnson, and Aubrey Grace, Landen Rhett and Annalise
Paige Witherspoon; and many cousins, nieces, nephews,
and family friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations
in Roberta’s name be made to either the Shriners
Children’s Hospital, 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road,
Portland, OR 97239-3095, or St. Jude’s Children’s
Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN
38105.
Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.
tity theft. An officer provided options.
8:23 p.m. — La Grande police responded to JC Woodworks,
1415 Jefferson Ave., on a report of a disturbance. Officers warned a
person for disorderly conduct.
10:05 p.m. — A La Grande resident on the 600 block of 12th
Street reported harassment. An officer made contact and explained
options.
Norman Keith Titus
May 6, 1934 - August 11, 2022
Norman Keith Titus, age 88, passed away Aug. 11,
2022, from underlying complications of COVID-19, at
Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue, Kauai.
Norman was born May 6, 1934, in Haines, Oregon,
to Marvin and Gertrude (Schuetz) Titus. He spent his
youth in Union. Norman graduated in 1953 from Union
High School, Union, Oregon.
On May 20, 1956, Norman married the love of his
life, Carol Phillips. Norman and Carol had two children.
Norman and his family also lived in Pendleton, Oregon;
Boardman, Oregon; and Nampa, Idaho; before moving
to Lihue, Kauai.
Norm was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin
and Gertrude (Schutz) Titus; brother, Richard Titus;
sister-in-law, Jill (Hermanson) Titus; and sister, Willora
(Titus) George.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carol
(Phillips) Titus; son, Gray (Mary Lou Mindoro) Titus of
Lihue, Kauai; daughter, Gayle Titus Westfall of Nampa,
Idaho; five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and
three great-great-grandchildren; brother, Ron (Dorothy)
Titus of Union, Oregon; sister, Cinda Titus Petersen of
Newberg, Oregon; and numerous nieces, nephews and
cousins.
Ralph Eugene Giuffre
January 11, 1937 - August 24, 2022
Ralph Eugene Giuffre passed away after a short
illness in Corvallis, Oregon, on Wednesday, Aug. 24,
2022, surrounded by his loving family. He was born
Jan. 11, 1937, to Giuseppi and Adeline Giuffre in San
Francisco, California.
Ralph is survived by his loving and devoted wife of
34 years, Charlene Giuffre; his daughter, Tracy Witty
(Steve); and stepsons, Steve George (Cathy Law) and
Rick George (Kathleen). Ralph was so very proud of his
grandchildren, Kyle, Jered, Chad, Sebastian, Maggie,
Dylan, Noah and Sean.
Ralph was a devoted and lifelong Beaver fan,
graduating from Oregon State College in 1963 with a
BS degree in forest engineering. He worked for 33 years
for Boise Cascade in La Grande, and Elgin, Oregon, as
a forest engineer, designing roads and bridges all over
Northeastern Oregon.
Hobbies included a lifelong love of all things golf
and tennis. When he no longer could play the games
himself, tennis and golf were always on his big-screen
TV. He was also an avid hunter and fisherman and very
proud of the first steelhead he caught, in the Grande
Ronde River in beautiful downtown Troy, Oregon.
At his request there will not be a formal service.
Cremation was provided by DeMoss-Durdan Funeral
Home & Crematory, Corvallis.
Katherine “Kate” Ann (Flanagan) Moore
April 21, 1938 - August 23, 2022
Katherine
“Kate”
Ann
(Flanagan) Moore, 84, of La
Grande, passed away on Tuesday,
Aug. 23, 2022, at OHSU Hospital
in Portland, Oregon. A funeral
service will be held at Loveland
Funeral Chapel on Saturday, Sept.
17, at 10 a.m.
Kate was born April 21, 1938,
in Wilbur, Washington, to Aaron
B. and Bessie M. (Schiebner) Flanagan. She graduated
from La Grande High School with a 3.93 GPA. She
married Ralph Edward Moore, and they had seven
children. Kate resided in Santa Ana and Los Angeles,
California, and in La Grande, Oregon.
Kate and Ralph moved to Southern California shortly
after the birth of their second child, to further Ralph’s
artistic education. While living in south-central Los
Angeles, she worked for Union Bank as a teller. Kate
would walk to ride the bus to work and back home, and
she was always on time. Living in California, they had
many visitors, Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, Sea World
... but mostly to see Kate and her family.
Kate, Ralph and the kids moved back to La Grande
for a better life and to be closer to family. Another
example of Kate’s work ethic - Kate and her family
initially lived with her mother at the foot of Mount
Emily, and she was employed by Terry Trailers. That
winter, it snowed very heavily. She had to walk down
a 3/4-mile lane with snow up to her thighs and shovel
out the car that the snowplow had plowed in, before she
could drive to work. You had to clock in on time all
week to get your weekly bonus. Kate was always on
time and never missed a bonus her entire time working
at Terry Trailers. She also worked for Grande Ronde
Sign Co. as the bookkeeper and Grande Ronde Hospital
in the sewing department.
Kate enjoyed gardening. She once won Garden of
the Month in La Grande. She enjoyed traveling and
visited Germany, Italy, Amsterdam, Ireland, England
and Belgium. Kate also enjoyed cooking, listening to
music and attending concerts, viewing and creating art,
reading, playing cards, her dogs and feeding the birds.
Her greatest joy was spending time with her family.
Kate was a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother and
great-grandmother. She was someone you could always
depend on, and she had a great sense of humor and a
great sense of style. Her home and flower gardens were
always beautiful. Kate cared for her mother and brother
in her own home, she also took in foster children, and
she believed in people.
Kate could have been anything in life, but what she
wanted most of all was what she had: a family who
loved her deeply. In her last days she was asked, “Do
you know how much you are loved?” She nodded
“YES” without hesitation.
Kate is survived by her husband, Ralph E. Moore;
her children, Katherine Moore of Beaverton, Oregon,
Stephen (Tanna) Moore of Hayden, Idaho, David
(Helen) Moore of Union, Oregon, Don (Elizabeth)
Moore of Tacoma, Washington, Ruben Moore of La
Grande, Oregon, and Larry (Virginia) Moore of Nyssa,
Oregon; her sister, June Wood of La Grande, Oregon;
daughter-in-law, Nancy Moore; 15 grandchildren; 14
great-grandchildren; and 18 nieces and nephews. She
was preceded in death by her parents, Aaron and Bessie
(Schiebner) Flanagan; her son, Ralph M. Moore; and
her two brothers, Keith and Larry Moore.
Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.