Image provided by: Vernonia Public Library; Vernonia, OR
About Vernonia freedom. (Vernonia, Oregon) 1978-198? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1978)
Wednesday December 13,1978 Vernonia Freedom — Page 5 Lincoln School sing-in The students of Lincoln School will have a Sing-in of carols and music for the season during the afternoon of Wednesday, December. 20, at 1:45 p.m. in the basement of Lincoln School. The music classes will join together in several songs and readings. Parents who wish to attend are cordially invited to do so. The short program will last approximately 30-35 minutes. Mist School Christmas program The children of Mist Grade School will present their annual Christmas Program Thursday, December 21 at 10:30 a.m. in the school Gym. The program of songs, music and a* special play will feature all of the children in the six grades. Parents and friends are invited to the program. American Greetings Christmas Cards Joe Bowers photo Jenelle Wiggins Nehalem valley people Those who came Joe Bowers by Jenelle Wiggins Joe Bowers and his wife Harriette came to Vernonia in 1966. They first moved into a small house on Nehalem St. and later moved out Pebble Creek and into a house which had formerly been Crown Zellerbach’s old office. Joe set to work remodeling their new home and Harriette worked in Vernonia and built terrariums in her spare time. Ten years later they are the proud owners of “Harriette’s Garden”, shop where they sell everything from house ’ plants to dollhouses. The day I stopped by the garden shop Joe was minding the store and he chatted w#h me^abodF his life and interests and how they: came to live in Vernonia. “I grew up working in the coal mines in Oklahoma,” Joe tells me, ’’and then moved to the West coast in 1926. I worked in California for a time, went into the service, and then hired out with Weyerhauser in Longview. That was in 48. I worked there for 17, years setting up and feeding planers. It was a real highball outfit, and I watched six of my buddies drop dead of heart attacks. Then my turn came. The doctor told me if I didn’t quit my job he’d sign my death certificate right there on the spot. So I took his advice and I retired.” What Joe calls retired I call working overtime. Armed with a hammer, nails, skillsaw and planer, there is just no stopping him. Joe completely remodeled their home and garden shop and remodeled Ozzie Ray’s home. He helped build a house on Mist Drive, another on E Street and has built dozens of fireplaces for Oregon Home Builders. Joe claims he’s had no formal education in carpentry. “I think of myself as a Jack of all trades and master of none. You might say I’m stubborn headed. If I make my mind up to do something I do it. Like the time I built a house over in Rainier. I built it.from the ground up, put in the septic tank and wired it throughout. That was the first house I’d ever built and it passed state inspection.” Joe is building a different kind of house these days. He and Harriette design and build elaborate doll houses in their spare time. These minatures take from 5 weeks to 5 months to make and come completely furnished with a double bed, a bureau, vanity with real mirror, couches, stoves, and eyendclicate hand caned chairs to go around the little dining room table. One doll house had a neatly cedar shaked roof and the other was a log cabin made from cattail stalks which had been peeled and dried and cut into lengths. Just another of Joe’s many hobbies. “I first came to Vernonia to hunt back in 1948,” Joe tells me. “We like Vernonia and couldn’t move anywhere else and be satisfied like we are here. People have been real nice, and we are especially grateful to Bill Rhoades, who helped make our shop possible. It’s taken a lot of work but we’ve paid off our home, and our shop and now everything we have is ours. We pay cash or we do without. Yes, I would say Vernonia has treated us real good!” As I was leaving Joe told me his name wasn’t really Joe, it was Arthur. “In 1948 I was introduced to my sister-in-law in Longview. When she met me she exclaimed, ‘I can’t call you brother and I don’t like the name Arthur, so I guess I’ll just call you good old Joe,’ and I’ve been Joe ever since.” Gifts Prescriptions VERNONIA REXALLDRUG Hours: 9-6 Monday thru Saturday 929 Bridge St. or after hours 429-6254 GU (-Ikernontans and okurrounding (Yleigkbors: YSe wou U IL to wish everyone peace and love as another year slips by. QFor my family it has been most eventful especially because we have come to such a wonderful town io live. C^fn just a few months we have been fortunate enough to meet many of you and make many new friends, ofo we look forward to the new year and io the challenge of contributing oi ir energy io the expanding life in Q^ernonta. Shis holiday season will find our family m (Skicago to visit relatives while friends (Sari and ^ene will be minding ike kouse and animals. SApon our return we will be ready io start working wiik SS)eaver Shudders, your building problems are our business. Way ike joy and peace of ^fod be wiik you. C)/ CT / ¿jours C/ruly, S^lorman and SfPalti Jensen icca, and CAJrian New Construction Remodeling Residential Commercial BEAVER BUILDERS CONSTRUCTION P.O. Box 287 429-6321 Norman Jensen General Contractor TOWN "N" COUNTRY in Clatskanie across from Safeway THE EARTH STOVE Heats 2200 Sq. Ft. Burns Up to 14 Hours Weekend Special PRIME RIB — (Gary’s Specialty) • *695 Closed Dec. 24 Thru Jan. 1 Open January 2nd 10% discount on all pipe with purchase of stove Reg. $495.00 Now*399.00 728-2742 429-5981 hours monday-thursday • 6am 8pm today & Saturday • 6am-9pm closed sunday 866 Bridge Street 429-4743
