Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086
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tering School Zone Slow to 20mph”?
What about using the techniques pi-
oneered by Mark Lakeman and his
group “City Repair” that proves that
art painted on the streets slows traffi c
down? – We’ve all seen those colorful,
painted mandalas in the intersection
between streets, why not paint one at
the center of Charleston and Lombard,
right by James John Elementary’s
playground? The St Johns Lombard
Plan itself tells us on page 86: “Spe-
cifi c design details still need to be de-
veloped through a design engineering
process with public involvement.” We
have had NO PBOT hearings, Town
halls sponsored by the City Council
etc.
Call your City Council today and tell
them what you want.
Yours sincerely,
Shae Uisna
www.SaveIvyIsland.weebly.com
Roosevelt High School Grad Nite Party needs
some help
The Parents of the Class of 2016 are throwing a Graduation party after the ceremony
on June 5 for any Graduates that want to come. “We are trying to fund the planning to
include everyone and are taking donations,” said Paula Sylvester.
The purpose for an organized Grad-Night gathering is to congratulate their accom-
plishments in a safe environment.
Sylvester said, “We remember the tragic loss of a young man on the rail tracks the
year there wasn’t a parent controlled setting and with all tragedies, lessons are learned.
Our North Portland & St. Johns community has a long tradition of supporting our
local High School. This Alumni & neighborhood support is what makes our area so
unique! The Roosevelt High School Student population with over 30 languages is the
future, so let’s send them off with a wonderful celebration.”
Donations can be sent to; RHS at: Grad-Night Party 6941 N. Central St. Portland,
OR 97203
“Thank you to our community for your support of our kids!!!”
Share Your St. Johns Memories:
St. Johns Main Street hosts event celebrating St. Johns
history & gathering stories from residents
On Saturday, Feb. 20th, St. Johns
Main Street (SJMS) will host “St.
Johns Speaks: Our Hearts, Our Histo-
ry,” an event celebrating the rich his-
tory of St. Johns, from 2-4pm at the
St. Johns Baha’i Center (historic St.
Johns Post Offi ce) at 8720 N. Ivanhoe
Street.
The event marks the launch of an
ongoing project to gather histories
Our History
and stories from St. Johns residents.
SJMS is proudly collaborating with
S. Renee Mitchell’s new Roosevelt
High School journalism class (Ur-
ban Griots) and local photographer,
Bobby Abrahamson, who has taken
more than 300 photos of St. Johns
residents over four years. Featured
performances will include Cathedral
Park Performing Arts Collective’s
Intergenerational Choir and Port-
land’s Youth Poet Laureate and
RHS student, Alexis Cannard.
There will be a variety of inter-
active ways for local residents to
write, tell, and share their stories.
SJMS will provide pie. Bring your
story to share, along with a baked
good, if you like!
By Marnie Maurina
St. Johns: Remembering the past . . . but embracing the future
S
till, after almost 70 years, driving
by the big white house on Lom-
bard Street, my feelings fl utter a lit-
tle. It is that house that represents my
childhood – all the aunts and uncles
and the cousins and my sisters, but,
especially Grandma. An Irish ma-
triarch, she ruled ‘all the land’ – she
wanted the best for her fi ve children
and their children. She made her ex-
pectations known to all of us – and
her prayers for all of us were evident
in her daily church attendance.
She (and grandpa) bought the house
in 1939 when they moved here from
North Dakota for grandpa to work in
the shipyards. Grandma managed the
house, with borders from the U of P
living upstairs. Of course that was
an off limits area – she constantly
squashed our hopes of playing up-
stairs and on the stairway up to those
private rooms. Did you ever slide
on your stomach down a long set of
stairs??
Do you remember the olden days –
when there was a bakery kitty-corner
from Park N Shop? Grandma would
send me to the bakery to get a half
of a white cake, no frosting – it was
35 cents! Do you remember The
Coronet dime store in downtown St.
Johns? The Evening in Paris cologne
that we got for our moms, for only
25 cents!
The bakery is now an offi ce near
Copy Pilot and Park n Shop is now
Auto Zone. (Hello to the former
owner and butcher who still lives
there.)
The Coronet is Children’s Relief
Nursery- only an antique storage unit
from the Coronet remains - at a well
known auto repair shop in deep St.
Johns - along with fond memories of
times gone by.
Did you swim at Columbia Park
pool when it was not yet covered?
Did you buy a piece of bubble gum
after swimming, for one penny? Did
you ever win a free ice cream sand-
wich at the Big Nickel?
Obituary:
ETHEL MCGILL
Ethel was born to James and Nettie
Barr in the St. Johns community of
Portland. She was the elder sister
of Betty and Gwendolyn and had an
older brother, Mossom, and a young-
er brother, Donald. The siblings all
preceded her in passing. She attend-
ed George Grade School and gradu-
ated from Roosevelt High in 1933.
She married Donald McGill in 1936.
While they moved to Beaverton in
1974, they continued to be active in
the St. Johns community.
Donald was owner of St. John Hard-
ware founded by his father, Charles
S. McGill, in 1908. Ethel worked
in the family business over the years
along with several of her children.
She was active in the community and
her church, having been a member of
the St. Johns Christian Church since
she was 10. She was on the Election
Page 5
Board, active in PTA, the St. Johns
Heritage, and twice, she and Don
were Grand Marshals of the annual
St. Johns Parade. Don passed away
at age 95 in June 2010 after a brief
illness. They enjoyed a lifetime of
trips to the Oregon and Washington
coasts, many cruises throughout the
world, rail and car trips throughout
Yes, things change – that is a
basic – we must accept it – and be
glad for it, and be forward think-
ing. I miss the olden days but also
look forward to improvements and
to the future.
Have you noticed the apartment
complexes – three stories high,
going up? Yes, things are hopping
and happening in St. Johns! Soon
we will be THE PLACE TO BE!!!
If you are new to St. Johns – wel-
come! And may you make long
and lasting memories in your home
and your surroundings – just like I
did at Grandma’s lovely home and
in my hometown.
Share your memories too.
Send them to:
reviewnewspaper@gmail.com
Don’t worry about grammar
or spelling, just write about
your special memories of the
North Portland area.
the US. Ethel celebrated her 100th
birthday in April 2015 in Beaverton
with family and friends.
Ethel and Don had one daugh-
ter, Pamela Van Laeken (Richard,
deceased), and three sons, Don Jr.
Jimmie, Robert, and Patrick. The
children all live in the greater Port-
land area. She had three grand-
daughters, Kristan Thorne, (Mike,)
Megan McGill, and Kelley McGill;
two step-grandchildren, Brad and
Brenda Van Laeken; one step-great-
grandchild, Ashton; as well as nu-
merous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held
on Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 1
p.m. at Skyline Memorial Gardens
Funeral Home followed by private
burial in Skyline Memorial Gar-
dens. In lieu of fl owers, please make
memorials to the charity of choice.
Please visit her online memorial and
guestbook at www.skylinememori-
algardens.com
Principal Hristic & VP Malone dishing up ice cream