FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion / Local
— Editorial —
A no-brainer
There are some issues that cross the
conservative-liberal political aisle en-
tirely, and shouldn’t be politicized at
all if a person has any common sense.
Sadly, such issues often are anyway.
The removal of 54 jobs from Baker
County is one of those issues.
No matter which way you analyze
the situation, whether in terms of
performance or services offered to
taxpayers, or in cost savings for those
same taxpayers, moving jobs from
the private sector in a rural area where
they are vitally needed into the already
bloated public sector in Salem, makes
no sense.
Unless your goal is to expand gov-
ernment.
Or to unionize more positions.
Both of which have just been
achieved by taking those 54 posi-
tions away from Chaves Consulting’s
Oregon Health Plan (OHP) call center
and moving them west.
Those positions will now be in-
creased in number and filled at double
the cost.
In addition, those same positions
were set up with full benefits in the
private sector here in Baker City. Now
that those former employees here are
uninsured and without income, where
will that expense fall? To taxpayers
just as soon as those folks have to ap-
ply to the Oregon Health Plan them-
selves. That’s another added layer of
expense we haven’t seen addressed
elsewhere. The irony ...
While Brown had OHP had no legal
obligation to extend the Chaves’ con-
tract, we believe an obligation to do so
was most certainly there to tax-paying
constituents all over Oregon.
“We must bust open the doors of
opportunity so that individuals can
find good paying jobs right where
they live,” is the oft-quoted line from
Brown’s inauguration speech.
We dare you to match your actions
to your words, Governor Brown.
Sadly, we don’t see that happening.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Contact Us —
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
The Baker County Press
President Donald Trump
PO Box 567
Baker City, Ore. 97814
202.456.2461 fax
Open Monday-Thursday for calls
9 AM - 4 PM
Open 24/7 for emails
202.456.1414
Whitehouse.gov/contact
US Sen. Jeff Merkley
503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
Phone: 541.519.0572
TheBakerCountyPress.com
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
Kerry McQuisten, Publisher
Editor@TheBakerCountyPress.com
US Rep. Greg Walden
Wendee Morrissey, Advertising and Sales
Wendee@TheBakerCountyPress.com
541.624.2402 fax
David Conn, Advertising and Sales
David@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Published weekly every Friday.
Subscription rates per year are $29.95 all areas,
e-mail delivery. $39.95 print issue, home delivery,
Baker City city limits only. $49.95 print issue,
mail delivery, outside Baker City city limits only.
Payment in advance.
A division of
Black Lyon Publishing, LLC
541.624.2400
Walden.House.gov
Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Bruce Nichols
541.523.8200
Copyright © 2014 -2017
541.523.8201
— Obituaries —
David “Grant” Young
Baker City, 1956-2017
David
‘Grant’
Young, age
60, died Jan.
25, 2017, at
his home in
Richland,
Grant
Oregon,
Young
surrounded
by his loving
family and devoted friends.
A Funeral service will be
held February 18, 2017 at
2:00 p.m. at the Nazarene
Church in Baker City, im-
mediately followed by a
reception at the Baker City
Elks Lodge. Pastor Katy
Nicole and Gene Bunyard
will officiate.
Grant Young entered this
world of deep lakes and
happy hunting grounds on
June 7, 1956, in Moscow
Idaho.
He was the first of three
children born to his par-
ents, David Wayne Young
and Judith Ann McCanse.
Grant graced Haines Ele-
mentary and Baker middle
and high schools with his
many antics; graduating in
1974. He earned his Bach-
elor of Arts in Geography
from Eastern Washington
State College in 1978.
Grant met and fell in
love with his wife, Carol
Lee Yeoumans, in January
1984. They were mar-
ried on the bridge over the
outlet stream at Anthony
Lakes on July 28th the
same year. Together they
raised one child, Brandon
Allen Young. In October,
2009, they welcomed their
beloved daughter-in-law,
Jessica Brooke Ewing, to
their family. They were
blessed with little Emmet
Walker Young on October
26th, 2014, and their joy
knew no bounds.
Grant’s professional life
was spent at two vocations,
Farming and Land Use
Planning.
Many of his happiest
early years were spent
farming in the Haines and
North Powder regions of
Eastern Oregon; a labor
of love for Grant. He
transitioned to Land Use
Planning in 1993; working
for Coos, Baker, and Curry
Counties, the City of On-
tario and finally the State
of Oregon. Grant served
as a Director of The Union
County SCS and President
of The Wheat Growers
League during his farming
years.
Grant had many loves;
his family, hunting, fishing
and the great outdoors.
He was a loving and de-
voted husband, father and
grand-father.
He passed his hunting
prowess on to his son, and
others who expressed an
interest in learning. Grant
was a fisherman of extraor-
dinary skill and patience
and spent endless hours on
rivers and streams attend-
ing the great church of
nature God provided.
Grant was an avid reader
and faithful follower of
war documentaries and
Fox News; his knowl-
edge of which he would
generously share at 5 a.m.
with guests sleeping over
in his living room. Grant
was an animated joker and
storyteller, punctuating the
facts with his well-known
laugh and racy language,
for emphasis.
The Grant Young family
lived in many communi-
ties in Oregon but always
considered Eastern Oregon
their home.
They purchased their re-
tirement home in Richland,
Oregon, the summer of
2015 and looked forward
to many years watching
game and enjoying beauti-
ful sunrises and sunsets
from their sunroom in the
Eagle Valley.
Grant was preceded in
death by his grandparents
and parents.
Grant is survived by his
wife, Carol Lee, son and
daughter-in-law, Brandon
and Jessica Young, his
only grandchild, Emmett
Walker Young, siblings
Mark and Bonnie and
their families, numerous
extended family members
and, lastly, his faithful Yor-
kie companions, Maximus
and Odysseus.
Memorial contributions
may be made to Youth
Hunter Education Chal-
lenge (YHEC) through
Gray’s West and Co. Pio-
neer Chapel, 1500 Dewey
Ave., Baker City, OR
97814. To light a candle
for Grant or leave a condo-
lence for the family, please
visit: www.grayswestco.
com.
SEE OBITS PAGE 12
— Obituaries —
Annie Perkins
Baker City, 1932-2017
Annie
Perkins,
84, passed
away Sunday
morning,
February
12, 2017 at
Annie
her home on
Perkins
Chandler’s
Lane, Baker
City, Oregon. She had
requested to not have a ser-
vice or memorial.
Annie was born in the
town of Komiza, on the is-
land of Vis, off of the coast
of Croatia on December
16th, 1932 (Croatia was
previously within the
country of Yugoslavia).
Her birth name was Anka
Felanda. Her father was
Frane (Frank) Felanda and
mother was Anka Stano-
jevic. The family immi-
grated to the Los Angeles
area prior to WWII (her
father) and following
the war (her mother, her
brother, and herself).
Annie graduated high
school in San Pedro,
California. This is a large
Croatian community and
was immigrated to by
her father and his family
(Felanda was changed to
Felando) because of com-
mercial fishing opportuni-
ties including sardines,
tuna and any types of fish
that were caught by sein-
ing nets. San Pedro was
heavily into this industry
with dozens of boats and
canneries close by. In fact,
the town of Komiza has a
world wide reputation for
fishermen and their skills
to use nets in shallow wa-
ter where other fisherman
are fearful of losing and/or
damaging their equipment.
One of the fishing families
from Komiza (with a small
population of only a few
hundred people) started the
Star Kist cannery in the
San Pedro area.
Her future husband,
Eugene Brent Perkins, Jr,
was stationed at the Army
base in San Pedro (Fort
McCarther) during the
Korean War. He and some
of his Army buddies were
very fond of dancing and
started attending weekend
dance clubs. Annie also
loved dancing and was in
a dance group that loved
both modern dancing along
with folk dancing from
her Croatian culture. Her
Croatian group and other
friends attended the same
dance club where she met
Eugene. He started to
dance with her and became
an exclusive dance partner-
ship when both were at
the club. Their dancing
became a life-long passion.
They were married
January 18th, 1953 in San
Pedro. Eugene’s discharge
from the Army was at the
same time and he brought
her back to the Perkins
homestead ranch (started
in 1874) near Baker City
after the wedding. In her
honor, the ranch was incor-
porated in 2004 with the
name of Komiza Ranch.
Her legacy is primarily
in the providing, protec-
tion, and love of her fam-
ily. She was particularly
skilled in the art of cook-
ing. She learned to cook
almost any kind of cuisine
just by her ability to detect
the techniques and spices
necessary for each type of
culture. In other words, she
did not use recipes. She
could put a complete meal
together within a matter
of an hour or two and for
any number of guests. Her
skills were verified by hav-
ing people remind her of a
meal that they might have
had over 30 years earlier
and could even remember
what was served. Eugene
and Annie also amazed
many people with their
graceful and skilled danc-
ing for over 50 years.
Annie is survived by four
children: Gary, Shirley
(Dinger), Frank, and Steve
Perkins, 10 grandchildren:
Nathan, Nicole (Lyon), Re-
becca, and Mathew Ding-
er; Alisa (Perkins) Boulter,
Steven Perkins; Natalie
and Brian Perkins; Jeffrey
Perkins; Logan Perkins;
and 9 great grandchildren:
Maxwell and McKenzie
Lyon, Charlie, Bentley,
and Jacob Boulter, Brynn
Dinger, Sawyer, Ruby, and
Joel Perkins . Annie was
preceded in death by her
husband Eugene (March
2011), both of her parents,
her brother in 1968, and
one granddaughter, Jessica
Perkins in 2008.
She will be missed by
friends from all walks
of life, relatives (Euro-
pean and USA), children,
grandchildren, great
grandchildren, etc. Her
giving nature, Annie child-
hood stories and incredible
meals will always remain
in people’s memory.
Online condolences may
be shared at www.tamispi-
nevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Charles “Chuck” Allen
Rohner
Baker City, 1937-2017
Charles
“Chuck” Al-
len Rohner,
79, died
February 11,
2017 at St.
Alphonsus
Medical Cen- Chuck
Rohner
ter, in Baker
City.
There will be a celebra-
tion of life at the Eagles
Lodge – 2935 H St, Baker
City, OR on Saturday, Feb-
ruary 18 at 2 p.m. Please
bring your best story to
share.
Chuck was born March
4, 1937 to Charles F. and
Charlotte “Lottie” M.
Rohner in Baker, Oregon.
He lived in Baker City all
of his life except when
he was 8 years old and
the family moved to Port
Orford, Oregon. He lived
with his uncle & cousins
and stayed at the fishing
lodge “The Castaway”
that they owned for a year.
He attended the Wing-
ville School until it was
closed and then attended
the Baker schools until he
graduated in 1955.
Chuck married Roberta
Graham and together they
had 3 daughters. After
13 years, they divorced.
He later married Brenda
“Cookie” Shankle and
together they share a
daughter.
They also divorced after
Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker
County Press reserves the right not to pub-
lish letters containing factual falsehoods or
incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or
detracting from specific for-profit business-
es will not be published. Word limit is 375
words per letter. Letters are limited to one
every other week per author. Letters should
be submitted to Editor@TheBakerCounty-
Press.com.
Advertising and Opinion Page Dis-
claimer: Opinions submitted as Guest
13 years. He found his
true love when he met
Wilma Shankle and her 3
boys. Though they never
married, they had been
together for 35 years and
were still going strong. He
always said “why ruin a
good thing?”
Chuck’s life revolved
around the petroleum
industry. He worked at the
truck stop on the S.E. Side
of Baker and then bought
the service station “Phil-
lips 66.”
He later bought the Bulk
Plant until he sold them
both and then went to work
at Humbles until he retired
in 1999.
He was a lifetime
member of the Elks Lodge
and was a member of the
Eagles since 1972. He also
belonged to the Wingville
Grange until it closed and
then transferred to the
Haines Grange.
Chuck was happiest
when he was out in his
wood shop building furni-
ture, cars, toys and signs of
all kinds.
If he had a Cheshire cat
grin on his face you knew
that he was up to no good
or some silly raunchy joke
was going to pop out of
his mouth. He loved to
see the embarrassment
on your face. He loved to
play Shuffleboard, dance
– which all of the women
loved to dance with him,
and visit with his many
friends.
He was in the National
Guard in Baker for 8 years.
He loved to play marbles,
(aggravation) he always
had to have the black ones
and loved to kick your
butt.
He was never really en-
thused that he lost, but he
took losing in stride.
Chuck is survived by
his lifetime friend and
partner of 35 years Wilma
Shankle, his daughters
Cheryl Guzman of Baker
City, Lynnette Hazzard of
Pasco, Wa, Dawna Cara
of The Dalles, Or and his
stepson Randy Shankle,
10 grand children, Gro-
ver White of Riverside,
Ca, Miguel Guzman of
Baker City, Cody Brown,
Brittney Hazzard, and
Beau Hazzard of Pasco,
Wa, Trevor Shankle, Alan
Shankle, Kayla Davis,
Sarah Shankle, Janelle
Shankle and Chelsy Groat
of Baker City, Shara Pow-
ers and Christie Postema
of The Dalles, Ore. and 13
great grandchildren.
He was preceded in
death by his parents-
Charles and Charlotte
Rohner, Brother - Orville
Rohner, three sisters –
Doris Hunt, Bonnie Gard,
and Fannie Jacobson;
Sons Rod Shankle, Rick
Shankle and his daughter-
Debra Rohner.
For those who would like
to make a memorial dona-
tion in memory of Chuck
the family suggests the
(Eagles) Max Baer Heart
Fund through Tami’s Pine
Valley Funeral Home and
Cremation Services PO
Box 543 Halfway Oregon,
97834. Online Condolenc-
es may be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
Opinions or Letters to the Editor express
the opinions of their authors, and have not
been authored by and are not necessarily
the opinions of The Baker County Press, any
of our staff, management, independent
contractors or affiliates. Advertisements
placed by political groups, candidates,
businesses, etc., are printed as a paid
service, which does not constitute an
endorsement of or fulfillment obligation
by this newspaper for the products or
services advertised.