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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 2015)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, January 28, 2015 Life in the Valley of Riches By DAN MANCUSO, Publisher Last Sunday was the end of goose season. Since my dog died I have had little interest in hunting birds. Without my faithful companion Winston, it just doesn’t seem the same. On the pond near our house we have had a pair of geese and a larger gaggle of geese hanging around. Because geese mate for life, as a loose rule I try not to shoot at pairs unless I know both will be dropped, singles are my preference. I was outside and I heard what sounded like a single goose flying in my direction. I headed back into the house and grabbed my gun and put one shell in it. My instincts proved true and a single goose flew over the garage heading to the pond. I took my shot then headed to retrieve my dinner. For the past two mornings I have had one goose out by the pond honking. Honking like it was looking for someone. This morning it hit me that the single I hit was probably one of the pair that had been visiting. It made me feel sad. Not because I killed a bird, I have killed hundreds if not thousands of birds in my life, but rather that I had taken the bird’s life mate. Maybe its time to quit hunting, I’m getting old and soft. Speaking of losing a mate, last weekend the Valley lost another amazing person in Leslie Johnson. If you had met Leslie you would understand. Recently she shouldered the loss of a son, mother and her dog. While the pain in side must have been unbearable, she was all smiles. Lori, Levi and Lonnie Johnson my heart goes out to you. Thank you for picking up this weeks paper, enjoy! ~ djm A moment with Mary: By Mary Halvorsen It was a couple weeks before Christmas when twenty-five mile per hour winds, with 40 mile per hour gusts blew in. At 7:30 a.m. the lights dimmed twice, then went out. The rum- bling of the clothes dryer ceased and a whin- ing complaint from the furnace moaned up the hallway. Out the window, the tallest pines swayed forty-five degrees, and strong gusts threatened to send a pop-up shade tent airborne, requiring a dash out between blasts to collapse it. The power company was notified and the spouse texted. Lamp oil and two lanterns were set out, along with a flashlight, matches, and a five gal- lon jug of water. A full kettle was placed on the wood stove, and the realization that the one- cup, drip cone for coffee, was in a camping box in the shed, brought silent swearing. The thirty minutes required to accom- modate the loss of electricity brought a great weariness, and a trip to the couch, adjacent to a tall window facing the back woods, was next. Reclining, feet resting on a pile of throw pil- lows, I watched, as oaks and firs whipped and blew. I observed that the forest floor’s thick layer of leaves remained still. The madrones barely moved, their smooth tawny trunks only stretching in the wind, the sky white beyond their branches. Another gust bore down, sound- ing like the now silenced furnace rumbling into action. The state of Oregon’s emergency manage- ment plan advises that, “…storms with hurri- cane force winds occur somewhere in Oregon nearly every year…” and as this one roared across the hillside, it seemed that power, which is defined with the words, “…energy, force, momentum…” had little to do with lights, heat, internet and coffee coming on with the flick of a switch. It seemed more to do with trees being blown, bent, pulled and uprooted by an unseen force. Closing my eyes, I ceased caring about any of it, the wind, the electricity, the list of things to do, the appointments that needed to be kept. I thought back a few days, of driving ten miles up a one lane, gravel road towards the Oregon caves, scanning the hillsides and mead- ows for the perfect Christmas tree. It was a land of hardwoods, softwoods, evergreens, co- nifers, and little else, the energy of the forest murmuring, as wind sighed through tree tops and branches. Earlier in the week, heading towards town, I had spotted a blue light shining in the distance, from a few blocks up Caves Highway. It glowed atop a towering cedar, lights draping its length like neon strands of red, yellow, and green hard candy. It was the evening the illumination of the town Christmas tree had taken place, and dozens had gathered to watch. Cruising by, I considered the importance of community. It had been a month of searching for the perfect tree, a month in which a bushy ever- green growing in a dirt lot became a beacon for the town, and the fall of yet another tree, onto a transmission line, silenced the hum of life for a few hours. It was an exhibition unattainable with the push of a button, an energy found only when storms and quiet come calling, to remind us of another kind of power. Obituaries Barbara A. Eldred (Patterson), age 73 , of Cave Junction, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015 at her home. Barbara was born Aug. 6, 1941 in Benham, Kentucky to Allen F. Patterson & Lona (Sizemore) Patterson. At age three, she moved with her family to Grants Pass in 1944. In 1960 she graduated from Grants Pass High School. On Dec. 27, 1960 she married James Jessie Eldred who preceded her in death on Sept. 5, 1995. She lived her last years with her daughter, Barbara (Barbie) and son-in-law Mark Gates. Barbara enjoyed family get togethers, picnics, driving in the mountains, games shows and puzzle books. Survivors include five children, Wanda Rattray (Eldred), Charles Eldred, Barbara Gates (Eldred), Benny Eldred and Sa- brina Kemp (Eldred); a sister, Charlyne Johnson (Patterson) of Grants Pass; a brother, Patrick Patterson of Lyle, Washington; 11 grandchildren, Carrie, Heather, Kendra, Jessica, Charles, Joshua, Janel, Erica, Tara, Amanda, and Christopher; 26 great-grandchil- dren; three stepsons and many step-grandchildren. She had many nieces, nephews, friends, and grandchildren who adored her. A gathering of family and friends will be at 2 p.m., Satur- day, Jan. 31, 2015 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors with Chap- lain Patt Herdklotz officiating. Please sign the family guest book at www.since1928hull. com. Bette J. Hesse, age 83 , of Cave Junction, died Sat- urday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Highland House Nursing & Rehabilita- tion Center. No services are planned. Illinois Valley Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements. Bette was born March 5, 1931 in Sebastopol, California to Carl & Magdelaina Hoffmeyer. She grew up and attended school in Sebastopol. On Oct. 23, 1949 in Santa Rosa, Cali- fornia she married Walter H. Hesse. They lived and worked in Northern California until moving from Santa Rosa to Cave Junc- tion 25 years ago. Bette volunteered at the Illinois Valley Library, Illinois Val- ley Visitor’s Center and at Evergreen School during recess. Bette and Walter traveled every state (except Hawaii) and Canada in their RV. Survivors include her husband, Walter Hesse of Cave Junc- tion; a son, Raimond Hesse of Forestville, California; two daugh- ters, Martha Dawking of Fortuna, California and Karen Hesse of Georgia; and her grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. I llInoIs V alley F uneral D Irectors www.since1928Hull.com 541-592-4110 Save The Date For more listings go to www.ivcalendar.org Jan. 28 IVHS Girls Varsity Basketball Game at home versus Glendale High School at 5:30 p.m. IVHS Boys Varsity Basketball Game at home versus Glendale High School at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 IVHS Speech/Debate Varsity Tour- nament Away versus South Medford High School at 4 p.m. Jan. 30 IVHS Girls JV Basketball game at Home versus Lakeview High School at 1 p.m. IVHS Boys JV Basketball game at Home versus Lakeview High School at 2:30 p.m. Illinois Valley News Published weekly by W.H. Alltheway, LLC Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher IVHS Girls Varsity Basketball game at Home versus Lakeview High School at 4 p.m. IVHS Boys Varsity Basketball game at Home versus Lakeview High School at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 31 IVHS Wrestling Varsity Tournament Away versus Crater High School at 9 a.m. Feb. 2 Learn about Sleep Apnea at the “Se- nior Talk,” Feb. 2 at noon at the I.V. Senior Center, 520 E. River St. The presentation is free and open to the public. An expert from the V.A. will discuss risk factors like high blood pressure, diagnosis and treat- ment and will demonstrate a CPAP ma- POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction OR 97523 Illinois Valley News is published at 221 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Telephone (541) 592-2541 FAX (541) 592-4330 Since 1937 periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction OR 97523 P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820 SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $30.50 One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $32.50 One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $39.00 Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions. Remainder of subscription will be donated to the charity of your choice. chine. Information: 541-592-6888. Feb. 5 The 2nd annual Securing our Safety auction will be held Feb. 5, 2015, 6 p.m. at Roux 26, corner of H and 5th Streets in Grants Pass. Troon, Bridgeview and Schmidt Wineries will do tasting as well as Frank N Stene’s Brewery. A variety of appetizer will be served by Roux 26. Over 30 art items will be offered for auction, donated by local artists. Tickets will be $25 and are available at the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce, 1995 NW Vine Street, Platinum Financial at 752 NW 56th Street andhttp://securingoursafety. org/sos-art-auction. Feb. 18 “Don’t let me blow my top” every- thing you always wanted to know about pressure canning vegetables, meat, poul- try and fish. Master Food Preservers will conduct this class on Feb. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the RCC/Belt Building, 24311 Redwood Hwy. Call Jennie 541-592- 0327 to register, registration closes Feb. 16. March 7 SOS Run For The Law, A Commu- nity United! 10k Run or 5k Walk/Run & Kid’s Dash For details and registration see this page: http://securingoursafety. org/run-for-the-law-a-county-united/ For more information contact: Holly Lidey (541) 660-8186. News - Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Circulation - Kimberly Potter office@illinois-valley-news.com Advertising / Composition Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Mailroom - Millie Watkins Office Manager-Laura Mancuso laura@illinois-valley-news.com DEADLINES: News, Classified and Display Ads, Announce- ments and Letters 4 P.M. FRIDAYS POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ encour- ages letters to the editor pro- vided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All let- ters must be signed, including name, address and telephone number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. Letters are used at the discre- tion of the publisher.
