Senior Stars: Sally Harrison
By Karen Miller
community
july10
2012
13
Sally remembers that from got off the bus and threw every last Junction into Portland. Well, always
around the age of nine she would candy into the thorn bushes along the thinking Sally would pocket the
Sally Harrison came into this go berry picking—long hours and road. Then she wrote her own note: money and thumb a ride instead.
world with a bit of flair, arriving on hard work I bet! Sally made fifty “Dear Miss Keyser. I punished Sally. Now I hardly believe a 50’s beauty
Christmas Eve 1940. And her life cents per flat--$30 to $40 dollars a Sincerely Yours, Mrs. Biggs.” And like Sally had any trouble getting the
has been full of flair ever since.
day with her partner in crime (as she gave it to her teacher.
passing truck drivers to hit the brakes
Sally had a younger sister
Apparently Miss Keyser and help her reach her destination.
Charlotte and brother Johnny. All
figured out the truth. As a result,
Back to the Vernonia beauty
three children were taken in by their
Sally’s mother made Sally retrieve shop. One day Sally was closing up
birth mother’s sister Ruth; Sally and
every last candy from the thorn when two gentlemen were leaving
Johnny were later adopted by Charlie
bushes and made her eat every last the tavern next door at the same
and Freda Biggs. Sally didn’t see her
one. And to this day Sally hates time. One was telling the other how
sister Charlotte again until both were
chocolate.
he “hates Vernonia.” Sally promptly
in their mid-twenties, Unfortunately
Well kudos to you Sally— broke into the conversation, telling
Charlotte met an untimely death in a
you went on to win the 8 th grade him, “...if you don’t like Vernonia,
car accident in San Diego in 1967.
principal Paul Gordon Outstanding then get the hell out!” I don’t know
Here’s a little bit of history
Student Award for the girls---Bill what happened to that guy, but the
from Sally about the early days around
Howard won the award for the boys other--well before the evening was
Vernonia: Sally’s real Grandma
that year. Sally remembers that out Sally had cut his hair and within
Lee, her birth mother’s mother, and
Principal Paul Gordon was shot one month and six days they were
husband Shorty, collected milk for
and killed in a hunting accident in married.
a living from farmers around the
the early 1950’s.
Sally and Del Harrison were
region in the 1930’s. The Lee’s lived
Sally
graduated
from married for over forty-nine years.
on Lone Pine Road. During that time
high school in 1959—Sally Del was a timber faller from Astoria
the Klu Klux Klan had a presence in
was Memolog Editor, Dance and, Sally proudly boasts, a trophy
Vernonia. The KKK were a far right
Committee Chair, and Class winner at the Vernonia Jamboree.
Sally Harrison, age 5.
supremacy group who historically
President. Flair indeed!
Sally’s beloved Del passed away in
had expressed themselves through describes it) Rosie McCoy. Rosy, do
Sally went on to study at 2010.
terrorism and were known for their you remember you and Sally rolling beauty school in Portland for two
Some of you will remember
white costumes, robes and masks around in poison oak hoping to get years and opened a beauty shop back vibrant Sally, always one for flair,
designed to be outlandish and out of berry picking? Maybe Sally here in Vernonia, behind where Shay starring in Vernonia’s melodramas
terrifying and to hide their identities. was just tired of eating
in the 1970’s. One
Grandma Lee also worked to hide those tuna sandwiches her
of Sally’s personal
HER identity when she crossed the mother made for her—
favorite performances:
Nehalem River at night to a KKK every day!
“Aunties Absentee”
occupied field and removed material
Sally
fondly
with Caroline Keasey
from their crosses, brought them remembers that she loved
as the heroine and Sally
home and made clothing for her school, even with her Miss
as the Old Grandma.
children. Sounds like a plot from a Keyser memories. I bet
In that one, Sally’s
first rate suspense movie!
everyone who went to
chair tipped over
Times were tough living on school around that time
backwards. One of the
North Street for Sally around the has their “Miss Keyser
other performers, Sam
age of five. She recalls some big Memories.” Like this:
Poetter’s father, tried to
apartments where she remembers Apparently, at least in
help her up and pulled
margarine in bags where you Sally’s eye, Miss Keyser
her wig right off her
squeezed color into the margarine, wasn’t very nice--actually
head.
bottled sour milk, and one bare light she was mean to one of
How many of you
bulb hanging down. Due to these Sally’s classmates, Phyllis
readers have fond
living conditions, the local welfare Meyer. To try to appease
memories of those days
came and dispensed the children. Miss Keyser, Sally stole
with Sally?
The Biggs, who were in their forties, (with good intentions we
Of Sally’s other life
adopted Sally and Johnny, Ruth kept see) two dollars out of
accomplishments she
Charlotte.
her father’s billfold and
notes that she was
Sally with brother Johnny, and Freda and Charlie Biggs.
Charlie Biggs was a navy bought a box of heart
Mayor of Vernonia
veteran of WW I. Sally remembers candy to give to her. When Sally gave Park now stands. More on that shop from 2005- 2011 and survived both
that Charlie’s mother Ruby Biggs her the candy, Miss HEARTLESS later.
floods in 1996 and 2007. Sally
wasn’t much in the cooking gave it back to her, telling Sally to
While going to beauty school, recalls that when she took over as
department, but boy could she ever go home and tell her mother what she Sally’s mother would give her the Mayor she and the City staff helped
bake sugar cookies!
had done. Sally, with hurt feelings, $1.38 to take the bus from Staley’s
continued on page 14
Need more room?
See us for the lowest prices
GUARANTEED!
Debit/Credit now accepted
5x10 $39
10x10 $69
10x20 $99
RV Storage $149
Outside storage available
Totally fenced and gated
Padlocks Available
Authorized
U-Haul Dealer
Boxes and Supplies Available
We can make your reservation
Pick up here or anywhere
58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
(503) 429-7867
10-6 Tue-Sat
12-4 Sun
