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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
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One year in all other
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Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions.
Remainder of subscription will be donated to the
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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
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