2 Spring 2017 Applegater
OBITUARIES
Remembering Chuck Guches Richard “Dutch” Offenbacher
April 29, 1930 - December 2, 2016
One of the first
sounds of spring for
the past 40 years
has been that of
Chuck Guches’s
tractor chugging up
Thompson Creek
Road in Applegate
to a neighbor’s
house where he
would find a garden
to be rototilled.
When our
family moved here
40 years ago, the woman we bought
our farm from told us, “When you need
help, call Chuck.” And it was true. And
we did. Chuck prepared our garden for
us for about 38 years. Now, we, as well as
many other families in the valley, wonder
who will ever take his place.
Chuck and Bev Guches were
married for 60 years. They met right
here in Applegate when Bev’s family
managed the first Applegate Store on the
corner of North Applegate and Highway
238. Chuck’s family moved to Applegate
from Medford, where Chuck and his two
brothers, Ralph and Richard, and his
sister, Verna Williams, were born. Chuck
attended Provolt School until the eighth
grade and then went on to high school.
Chuck was born April 29, 1930, the
son of Vernon R. Guches and Viola E.
Guches (Meadows). He was in the US
Army from 1952 until 1954. He and Bev
were married on November 23, 1956.
Chuck worked for several timber
companies until he found Timber
Products, where he worked for 32 years
until retiring. He never stopped working,
though. After he retired, he began taking
on local jobs with his tractor, and, when
word got around the valley that he was
for hire for mowing and rototilling, he
had more work than he could handle.
The trick was to get on his list early
enough in the spring so that he could
make it to your house in time for the
crops to be planted. His rule was, “Don’t
plant until Memorial Day weekend.”
He knew the climate well enough to
understand that anything could happen
during those spring months, and a frost
could hit anytime.
Chuck and Bev have one son, Roy,
who lives next door to Bev. When I asked
Bev if Roy would take Chuck’s place with
the tractor work, she just smiled and
shrugged her shoulders. “Roy bought
that tractor for Chuck, so it’s his now.”
But that didn’t really answer my question,
“Who is going to take Chuck’s place?”
That will be a hard place to fill.
Joan Peterson
541-846-6988
January 26, 1932 - January 23, 2017
Richard Leroy “Dutch” Offenbacher,
84, passed away on January 23, 2017,
peacefully and in his own bed, next to
his high school sweetheart and wife of
65 years. He was born January 26, 1932,
“on the Applegate,” to Leon and Lola
Offenbacher.
Dutch was a fourth-generation
Applegate Valley cattle rancher and spent
his early years working on his father’s
ranch. The Offenbacher family came
from Bellheim, Germany, in the 1880s
and were related to the Orth family in
Jacksonville.
Dutch graduated from Jacksonville
High School in 1949, where he lettered
in all sports and played on the 1948
Class B State Championship Basketball
team. Dutch married Ann Killingsworth
in 1951 and enjoyed their life together
thereafter.
Leroy, as his mom called him,
enlisted in the navy and served from
1950 to 1954, based primarily in San
Francisco; he hitchhiked from base
to home many times when on leave.
Dutchy, as his friends called him, came
back to the Applegate, bought a cattle
ranch on the Applegate River (now Red
Lily Vineyards), and raised registered
Hereford cows. He also raised a daughter,
Dana Lynne Schefstrom, and a son, Carl
Ray Offenbacher.
Richard, as no one ever called
him, was a past president of the Jackson
County Stockman’s Association and the
Applegate School Board. He was also
a Shriner and member of the Masonic
Lodge No. 10. After selling the ranch,
“Dutchman” (as Bruce Matheny called
him) went to work for the Grange Co-op,
and later for the Oregon Department of
Forestry as a forest practices officer until
retirement in 1989.
Dutch and Ann traveled from
Anchorage, Alaska, to Key West, Florida,
and to Australia in their retirement years
and had many great trips with good
friends. They also enjoyed their family
and watching the Applegate River from
their kitchen table.
His name was “Grandpa” to Rachel,
Annie, and Joe. He was called Great-
grandpa by Zakiya, Silas, Zavin, Kaysen,
Azaria, and Justice. He was preceded in
death by his parents and his brother,
Elvis Offenbacher.
A small family service will be held at
the Jacksonville Cemetery. Please direct
any donations to Applegate Valley Fire
District No. 9, 1095 Upper Applegate
Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530.
as chief of multiple surgical residency
programs and was a fellow and member
of many other professional organizations.
In 1987 he earned a master of science in
health services administration, retiring
from private practice to spend a year
applying experience and knowledge as
medical director of Mercy Care Plan.
He twice led a Project Esperanza surgical
team in Brazil.
After becoming Air Force Deputy
Surgeon General for Reserve Affairs, he
was awarded the rank of major general
in 1988. Dave and Elaine moved to
Washington, DC, so he could combine
medical and military experiences working
in a civilian position as dean of the
Military Medicine Education Institute
and vice president of Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences.
In 1993 Dave and Elaine moved
to the Applegate Valley in Oregon. He
joined Grants Pass Rotary Club, in
which he was chairman of the District
Rotary World Community Service
Committee and traveled to administer
polio vaccinations and apply hand
prostheses in India and Africa. Dave
was elected to the Board of Education
of Rogue Community College and was
a member of the Board of Directors of
Southern Oregon Adolescent Study and
Treatment Center (now Kairos). He
received Rogue Community College’s
Outstanding Citizen Award in 2011.
Dr. Trump is survived by his wife,
Elaine; his brother, Richard; daughters
Patty Bell (Lee) and Susan Felstiner
(Paul); son Jeff (Kimberly); and seven
grandchildren: Kawika Bell, Makanani
Bell, Carl Felstiner, Alden Felstiner,
Jack Trump, Sam Trump, and Michael
Trump. A Celebration of Life will be held
at Calvary Lutheran Church on Friday,
March 3, at 11 am. Military Honors will
follow at Eagle Point National Cemetery
at 3 pm. Remembrances may be made
to the Alzheimer’s Association (PO Box
96011, Washington, DC 20090), The
Rotary Foundation (PO Box 1201,
Grants Pass, OR 97528), or Calvary
Lutheran Church (909 NE A Street,
Grants Pass, OR 97526).
Major General David S. Trump
1933 - 2017
Major General (Dr.) David S.
Trump, 83, of Grants Pass, Oregon,
passed away at home on January 24,
2017. Dave, along with wife Elaine,
owned and managed Silver Star Vineyard
on Kubli Road for 24 years.
Dr. Trump was born in Cleveland,
Ohio, to Dr. Frank and Mary Trump
in 1933. Dave attended Michigan State
University and Ohio State University
medical school, where he graduated
cum laude. After an internship at the
University of Colorado, he completed
a four-year general surgery residency at
Marquette University and was awarded
a master of science in 1964. He then
entered a three-year pediatric surgical
fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital.
During the last year of this program
he served as chief surgical resident
and instructor in surgery at Harvard
University. Simultaneously, he joined the
Air Force Reserve Medical Corps.
Dave’s medical career took him and
his first wife, Judith Bean, and their three
children to Phoenix, Arizona, where he
practiced pediatric general, urologic, and
cardiac surgery for 20 years. In 1977 he
married Elaine Olness, who was by his
side in the operating room and beyond
for the next 39 years.
Understanding the fears parent
and child face when a child undergoes
surgery, Dave authored the book, Once
Upon an Operation, in which each patient
starred as the main character. Seeing
the importance of a dedicated pediatric
hospital, he was instrumental in founding
Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he
served as chief of surgery. He also served
National celebration to
welcome home all veterans
who served during the period
of the Vietnam War.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017 • 10 am to 2 pm
A barbecue lunch, service providers, and guests speakers will be at the event.
Please come and show your support. All are welcome!
Riverside Park Trevillian Pavilion • 304 SE Park Street • Grants Pass, OR
Grants Pass Vet Center • 541-479-6912