RECORDS
Tuesday, sepTember 6, 2022
THe ObserVer — A5
DEATH & SERVICE NOTICES
Stepping out with pride
Elburn L. Cooper
La Grande
Elburn L. Cooper, 98, of La Grande, died Sept. 5,
2022, at a local care facility. Arrangements are by Love-
land Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Lavon C. Elliott
Redmond
Lavon Carol Elliott, 77, of Redmond, died May 8,
2022. A celebration of her life will be held Sept. 13 at
noon at the South Fork Grange, Lostine.
Vivian A. Grams
Imbler
Vivian Ann Grams, 83, of Imbler, died Sept. 4, 2022,
at Grande Ronde Hospital. Arrangements are by Love-
land Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Isabella Crowley/The Observer
Greenwood Elementary School students kick off the new school year with enthusiasm during the all-school Greenwood Pride Parade on Friday,
Sept. 2, 2022. Accompanied by the La Grande High School marching band, Union County Sheriff’s Office and La Grande Fire Department, the
students paraded with homemade banners and signs around the neighborhood, beginning and ending at the school on Spruce Street. The
parade has become an annual tradition, giving the children an opportunity to express pride for their school and for themselves.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
BRIEFS
RSVP for Women’s
Connection fall lunch
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande Women’s Connection
Reunion Program Fall Festival
Luncheon is planned for Friday,
Sept. 9, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
at the Urban Vine, 10107 W.
First St. (Island Avenue), Island
City. For full details and to
RSVP, call Tanja at 541-910-
1909 by Sept. 7. Those who
bring a first-time guest will be
entered into a drawing to win a
free lunch.
Film festival holds
sneak peek party Sept. 7
LA GRANDE — For a sneak
peek at the 2022 Eastern Oregon
Film Festival’s features and short
films, come to HQ, 112 Depot
St., La Grande, on Wednesday,
Sept. 7, from 7-9 p.m. The event
also includes food provided by
Mamacita’s International Grill,
savory drinks, and a raffle fea-
turing art, treats, tools and more.
This event marks the begin-
ning of the sprint to #EOFF2022
and is the last chance to take
advantage of early-bird prices.
The cover charge for non-pass
holders is $15 — or buy a fes-
tival pass at the door for free
admission and one free raffle
ticket. Get full details for the
Oct. 20-22 festival at www.
eofilmfest.com.
MEETINGS
• HERMISTON — A reg-
ular session of the InterMoun-
tain Education Service District
Board of Directors is slated for
Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 5 p.m. at
the Hermiston Punkin Center
building, 290 W. Punkin Center
Road, Hermiston. The agenda
and Zoom access information is
available at www.imesd.k12.or.us.
• LA GRANDE — The La
Grande Landmarks Commission
will meet Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022,
at 6 p.m. The meeting is avail-
able for viewing on Facebook
Live, at www.facebook.com/
LaGrandeCityManager. The
meeting will include a public
hearing on the historical appro-
priateness application submitted
by Remax (Randy and Shawna
McKinnis). A work session fol-
lows the regular session.
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
FRIDAY, SEPT. 2
12:52 a.m. — Union County
Sheriff’s Office at the Historic
Union Hotel, 326 N. Main St.,
Union, arrested Adam McGriff,
33, for disorderly conduct,
harassment, criminal mischief
and resisting arrest.
2:12 a.m. — La Grande
police received reports of the
repossession of two vehicles,
one on the 800 block of Adams
Avenue and one on the 2100
block of Adams Avenue.
8:27 a.m. — La Grande
police responded to the 1400
block of Adams Avenue on a
report of a suspicious person.
Officers arrested a 22-year-old
woman for disorderly conduct.
3:33 p.m. — La Grande
police responded to Eastern
Oregon University, 1 University
Blvd., on a call about an assault.
An officer took information.
9:42 p.m. — A caller
reported animal abuse on the
2100 block of Adams Avenue,
La Grande.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
1:22 a.m. — A La Grande
police officer responded to a
call for a person experiencing
a mental or emotional crisis.
Police referred the situation to
the Center for Human Devel-
opment crisis staff.
3:10 a.m. — La Grande
police responded to the 2000
block of Cedar Street for a juve-
nile involved in a disturbance.
An officer warned the juvenile
for criminal mischief.
9:59 a.m. — A caller
reported a possible shooting
in a closed area about 4 miles
north of La Grande. A Union
County sheriff’s deputy made
contact and provided options.
5 p.m. — A caller reported a
dead cow on Lower Cove Road,
Cove.
7:21 p.m.
—
Grande
Ronde Hospital, 900 Sunset
Drive, La Grande, reported
a patient with a dog bite. A
Union County sheriff’s deputy
responded and took a report.
10:58 p.m. — A caller
reported a vehicle theft
on Interstate 84 near mile-
post 253, La Grande. A Union
County sheriff’s deputy made
contact and took a report.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 4
7:45 a.m. — La Grande
police received a report of van-
dalism at La Grande Middle
School, 1108 Fourth St.
2:03 p.m. — A caller
reported animal abuse at a res-
idence on the 1600 block of
Seventh Street, La Grande.
7 p.m. — Local law enforce-
ment responded to the 1600
block of Russell Avenue, La
Grande, on a call about a suspi-
cious person. A Union County
sheriff’s deputy arrested a
57-year-old woman for harass-
ment and on a Umatilla
County warrant for violating
probation.
10:07 p.m. — A caller
reported an illegal campfire
at the Pilcher Creek Reservoir
Campground. A Union County
sheriff’s deputy responded
and found the situation was
resolved before arrival.
11:42 p.m. — The Union
County
Sheriff’s
Office
received a report of an assault
on the 700 block of North Bell-
wood Street, Union. A deputy
responded and will follow up.
Joseph restaurants
help feed firefighters
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
JOSEPH — Two local restaurants took it
upon themselves to help battle the wildfires in
Wallowa County, but not on the fire line — by
feeding some 300 firefighters.
Teresa Sajonia, owner of Embers Brew
House and Pub, fed the firefighters a tri-tip
dinner “with all the fixings” Thursday, Sept.
1, and planned sack lunches for Sept. 2, with
sandwiches, chips, nuts and “everything
the Forest Service requires” for their crews.
“There’s good stuff going out to them.”
The Cheyenne Cafe provided breakfast, said
owner Kara Meyers, who said she had to get up
at midnight to prepare the meal that’ll be ready
by 5 a.m. The menu included bacon, eggs, pan-
cakes and biscuits and gravy.
Sajonia and Meyers each had three
employees helping out.
They said they’ve done this chore in the past.
“I’m very happy to be able to help,” Meyers
said. “When they called, I thought, ‘How am I
going to be able to do this? But we’ll figure it
out.’”
Sajonia, too, has done this before. “I’ve done
fire meals for well over 30 years,” she said.
A catering truck was onsite for the Sept. 2
dinner, relieving both restaurants of the need
for a further herculean effort.
UPCOMING
SERVICES
Donald Stephens
Imbler
Donald Stephens, 93, of Imbler, died Sept. 4, 2022,
at his residence. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Retha M. (Kirkpatrick) Walker
Wallowa Lake
Retha Mae Walker, 91, of Wallowa Lake, died Aug.
30, 2022, at Grande Ronde Hospital. A celebration of
her life will be held Sept. 17 from 2-4 p.m. at Hurricane
Creek Grange, Joseph. Arrangements are by Bollman
Funeral Home, Enterprise.
Tammy L. Youren
La Grande
Tammy L. Youren, 63, of La Grande, died Sept. 2,
2022, at Grande Ronde Hospital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
OBITUARY AND DEATH NOTICE POLICY
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Thomas Bernhardt
May 25, 1961 - August 19, 2022
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. 13 — LAVON ELLIOTT: noon celebration
of life, South Fork Grange, Lostine.
Sept. 17 — KATE MOORE: 10 a.m. funeral,
Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande.
Sept. 17 — RETHA WALKER: 2-4 p.m. celebra-
tion of life, Hurricane Creek Grange, Joseph.
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).
Sept. 24 — TOM BERNHARDT: 3 p.m. celebra-
tion of life, Smith Mountain, Wallowa.
Out-of-area services
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
Thomas Hall Bernhardt, 61,
formerly of Wallowa, Oregon,
passed away Aug. 19, 2022 at his
home in St. Paul, Oregon.
Tom was born in La Grande,
Oregon, on May 25, 1961 to
Johnny and Edna Mae (Burress)
Bernhardt.
He was a 1979 graduate of La
Grande High School, where his
larger-than-life personality made him a standout in
the classroom, in athletics and as a friend to all. Tom
excelled on the football field. His hard-hitting, never-
quit playing earned him a place on the 1979 Shriner’s
football team.
Tom loved the outdoors from an early age and spent
most of his youth and adult years planning the next
hunt, many times with lifelong friends.
A year after graduating, Tom moved to the Grand
Junction/Fruita, Colorado area, with a group of close
friends to work on the pipeline. After returning home,
he worked in logging and various mill jobs to purchase
land and cattle, a lifelong dream. Tom settled in Wallowa
County, cowboying for local ranchers and adding cattle
to his herd year by year.
Tom was a cowboy at heart and his time in the saddle
on Smith Mountain found him at The Hill Top House,
when the boys were in town. That’s where he first met
the McKillip Family. Never one to shy away from a
good time, that big personality soon became a regular
with the hunting crew, where he noticed a picture from
that summer. They said that’s our sister. Oh...you never
told me you had a sister!
Off to the St. Paul Rodeo, the fun-loving single guy
went, where he met the love of his life, Shelly McKillip,
in 1993. They married in 1997, built a home on Diamond
Prairie and had their only son, Will, in 1999.
In 2015, they sold their ranch and moved to Saint
Paul, Oregon, to get the help they needed with his
early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and be closer to their
grandchildren.
Tommy loved thunderstorms, fireworks and a
beautiful sunset. His roaring laugh and teasing nature
will be remembered by all, especially his hospice gals,
Heidi and Malia.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents and a
sister, Brenda Bomberger.
He is survived by his wife and son, Shelly and Will
Bernhardt of Saint Paul, Oregon; daughters Jayme Fair
of Newberg, Oregon, Stacie Price of Saint Paul, Oregon
and Katy (Miles) Baker of Newberg, Oregon; nine
grandchildren, Alexa, Tristan (Paige), Jezzie, Jillian,
Camden, Johnny, Chloe, Natalie and Isabele (his partner
in crime); and many, many nieces, nephews, cousins,
extended family and close friends.
A Celebration of Life will be Sept. 24, 2022, at 3
p.m. on Smith Mountain in Wallowa, Oregon, where he
married his bride 25 years ago.
Donations in Tom’s name can be sent to Wallowa
School District, PO Box 425, Wallowa, OR 97885 for
help with the recent hailstorm recovery for victims/
students or Brighton Hospice, 8050 SW Warm Springs
St., Ste. 205, Tualatin, OR 97062.
Arrangements are by Attrell’s Funeral Chapel.