may 21.2004'
irrTTTîTTWScTSi news
PHOTO BY
Baptist Church be
cause it was the only
place large enough to
hold the crowd. Five
professional people
spoke, including two
doctors from Coos
Bay and a professor
from Southwestern
Oregon Community
College. All five
spoke of the incredi
ble love between
Jones and Swearin
gen, a true and pas
sionate affair that
had lasted 41 years.
“I was publicly
outed for the first
time at his memori
al service,” Jones
Jones and his partner, Nader, attend a M ultnom ah C ounty Commission
says simply.
hearing to testify in favor of same-sex marriage M arch 25
H e was obviously
the structure— which had been built by the
worried as to what would happen next. But after
Brown family, the tow n’s namesake— had “no
the service, as acquaintances gathered at the
foundation, very little of a roof, and it had not
farm for a dinner, a good friend who worked as a
been painted in over 50 years.”
logger and a farmer pulled Jones aside and
The ground at the time was leased out to
placed his hands on both shoulders.
another farmer, so the couple used the money
“He told me, ‘I have never understcxxl, and
from the lease and their full-time jobs to reroof now I do,’ ” Jones says. “A nd he also told me
the house, install new gutters, put on a fresh
that he approved. W hat I found was that people
coat of paint and begin working on the founda shared what they had never shared before. It
tion. It wasn’t much, but they were able to make
allowed us to communicate.
it habitable for the next 13 years.
“It took me six years to get over Jack’s death,”
“W hen the wind blew, the wallpaper actually
says Jones, who credits his friends in Brownsville
moved,” Jones recalls with a glimmer in his eye.
for standing by him and encouraging him as he
“But Jack said we wouldn’t do anything more to
struggled through his grief. “But there finally
the house until we could do the whole thing.”
came a point where I knew it was time get on
In the 1960s, after the lease was up, the men
with my life. I knew that would be what Jack
began farming. In the latter part of that decade
would have wanted me to do.”
they were able to get irrigation from the
Shortly before Swearingens death, the cou
Calap<x)ia River and began growing Oregon Blue
ple formed a partnership with a man who
Lake Pole Beans on 60 acres. T he nonfarmers
opened what has become a highly successful
found they had a wonderful knack for cultivating
tethnological business in the Hcxxl River Val
crops from the land. “I think we still hold the
ley. Jones is still actively involved with that
record for the largest number of tons of the high-
company, and about six years ago he sold his
est-quality beans grown in Oregon,” Jones says.
farm and moved to Portland. He was free to be
Each summer, when it came time for harvest,
an openly gay man and get involved as such, and
the two would employee hundreds of young peo he wasted no time. He became chairman of the
ple and their parents. They
Eastside Esplanade Project
Advisory Committee, a mem
grew to become one of the
" / m ^ / / y fg j g g
ber of th e mayor’s River
largest seasonal employers tn
i
.
i .
•
Renaissance Com m ittee and a
the area. Along with the beans wlldt ¡5 taking plQCB....
they also raised hay and cattle. ’
i I
a
board member of a theater
By 1972 the men finally had
» " ° P e UiBgOll
company. He also sponsors a
the funds available to renovate
play each year in Ashland.
the house. They took nine
A nd he has found love
months, pouring in hundreds of
again. T x lay he com m utes
thousands of dollars, to reno
betw een his art-filled S o u th
— Nelson L. Jones east Portland tow nhouse and
vate the home to the strictest of
historical landmark standards.
M arin C ounty, Calif., where
They also created a stunning, parklike garden,
his partner, Nader, lives. T h e pair plan on
purchasing a new house soon and calling Port
and today the new owners of the home use it as
a bed and breakfast.
land home.
Swearingen, who had left U of O during the
Looking back on his long life, Jones marvels
1960s, eventually began teaching at Southwest at society’s growing acceptance of gay people.
ern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay.
“I lived in fear for so many years,” he says,
The couple later purchased a home in that town
reflecting on his time w ith Swearingen. “We
both could have lost our jobs had anyone
as well, commuting between their two residences.
Jones says Swearingen was the quiet one who
found out. I am thrilled to see what is taking
place. It is amazing to see w hat the courts are
preferred to stay in the background. He, on the
doing. I hope O regon continues to go down
other hand, was outgoing and played many roles
the right path. I think we will. W hen more
in the Brownsville community. He was a mem
ber of the Junior Cham ber of Commerce, char and more people see th at being gay does no t
make a difference in how people a re ...it will
ter chairman of the new community library and
master of ceremonies at various events.
only get better.”
There is a soft and quiet silence as Jones
Obviously they were known by everyone in
thinks about his words. It is clear as he glances
Brownsville, yet the “gay issue” was never raised.
across the room at old photographs that the past
Jones suspects some people might have figured it
is still very much alive. |T1
out, but nothing was ever said— until one of the
worst moments of his life.
In April 1992, Swearingen passed away after T o m STEVENSON is a Portland free-lance writer
and a full-tim e student at Portland State U niversity.
suffering a massive heart attack. He was 70. The
H e can be reached at ruraltom @ yahoo.com .
memorial service was held at Brownsville First
continues to go down
the right path.
Lippman Co
yowt pcvtty, ôtoxe
omce 1948
SHOW YOUP PPIOE
with eur exciting selection of
Beads, Boas & Balloons!
Check out our new Central Eastside location!
Just 6 blocks north o f OMSI a t Water Avenue
50 S E Yamhill Street
•
Portland, OR 9 7 2 1 4
503.239.7007
Open Monday-Friday 9 :0 0 -6 :0 0 & Saturday 9 :0 0 -5 :0 0
7
JVeed a apace to. panty in?
ÍDxap (uf <£ take a took a t
O cea n
y
TEN
EVENT
SPACE
AT T H E
LIPPMAN
CO.
fy e
PRICE: $375,000
W Bk
■’’W
Garibaldi B&B
W onderful 1920s ocean retreat in the crook o f Tillamook Bay.
Ideal for B&B, retreats or family comfort. Suites w / sitting areas
w / views. Country kitchen, huge enclosed wrap-around porch.
Private landscaped lot, koi pond, hot tub, park for 4 /6 Located
near quaint fishing village $375,000
• 4 Bedrooms, 5 Baths
• 2960 Square Feet
• Taxes: $1511
• Schools: G aribaldi, Neah-kah-ne
• M LS *3070753
Ik aim
TTTT
H A SSO N !
"The Sign of Experience"
The Hasson Com pany Realtors
2 5 N W 23rd Place
Portland, O R 97210
O ffic e :503-228-9801
Email: am icoj&hasson com
www. joanamico. com
Offered by:
Joan Amico
Broker
Office: 503-802-6443
www.joanamico.com
“FmJVVAILABLE,,,
when you are!
Careful a n d energetic h an dlin g o f
a ll you r home fin a n cin g needs
//A
MORTGAGE
Advocates
6700 SW 105th Ave., Suite 200 Beaverton, OR 97005
1. >11 Free (877) 8269900 Fax (503) 297-0824
E-Mail: colleenw<imtgarhTKates.com www.mtgadvr x'ates.ccxn
Colleen Weed
< Xlicc 503»297»9900
cu ll
5<)>780» 15<> I
15