A6
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, MAy 30, 2019
OBITUARIES
Kenneth Ray Johnson
Patricia ‘Pat’ Eileen Thomas Anthony
Astoria
Sept. 29, 1943 — May 19, 2019
Creswell
Sept. 14, 1947 — Feb. 17, 2019
Kenneth Ray Johnson was born
sense of humor. Ken enjoyed his
Sept. 29, 1943, in Astoria, Oregon,
motorcycle, motor home, water
to parents Ed and Thelma Johnson,
skiing with his boat and old cars.
joining his brother, Charles.
He was a hard worker, but did
Ken graduated from Seaside
retire in 2005, moving to Nevada.
High School with the Class of
He enjoyed the rest of his life
1961. He then entered the Army
with his dear companion, Virginia
and was stationed in Germany.
Stitch, and her son, Ralph. They
He married Cindee Emerson,
traveled and enjoyed a home in
and they had a son, Kenneth Jr.
Nevada.
Kenneth Johnson
They were married for six years.
Ken is survived by his three
Ken married Tamie Holmes,
sons, Kenneth Jr., Kasey and Troy,
from Elsie, Oregon. They were married 31 and his grandchildren. He is also survived
years, and they had two sons, Kasey and Troy. by his brother, Chuck, and his sister-in-law,
Ken was a log truck owner-operator, and Ruth; his niece, Gayle Johnson; and his dear
was well-known for his promptness and companion, Virginia.
We remember in a thousand
was passionate about life, and all
different ways. In the morning,
the experiences within it. Oh, the
stories she could tell.
afternoon and into the night. A
She had a special love for the
song on the radio, a smell in the
Seattle Seahawks, traveling, mov-
air, vibrant colorful clothing or a
ies, celebrity lives, reading, ear-
place we often go. Time changes
rings, flags, yard ornaments and
nothing, the memories will always
hanging out by the fire under a star-
bring a smile to our faces, even the
filled sky! She lived an incredible,
times when tears must also fall.
joyous, happy and fun-filled life.
Patricia “Pat” Eileen Thomas
Patricia Anthony
She will be truly missed.
Anthony graduated to a higher
Pat’s greatest love was for
plane the morning of Feb. 17,
2019, at home in Creswell, Oregon, sur- family and friends. Her life was touched
rounded by the love of family and friends.
deeply by all those whose life she also
She was preceded in death by her beloved deeply touched. Unconditional love is where
Nancy Ann Bingaman; parents, Beatrice and she came from, and is now where she has
George Thomas; and brother, Lew Thomas. returned.
There is no greater grief like the grief
She is survived by her sister, Kathleen
Ann Thomas Borges; her brother, Brother we endure when someone we love dearly
Daniel (Michael) Thomas, Order of Preach- passes; the loss is truly unmeasurable, and so
ers ; and many nieces and nephews.
is the love that is left behind. For everyone
Pat touched the lives of so many people who loved her, she forever remains a part of
here in Clatsop County, and among the com- each of us.
A celebration of life for Pat Anthony will
munities she lived over the years. Her smile
and laugh was infectious, her heart truly as be held June 29, 2019, between 1 and 4 p.m.
at the Elks Lodge in Astoria, Oregon. Please
big as the ocean.
Pat loved life, and she embraced it with come and share your memories and stories,
great enthusiasm and energy! She loved in honor of our beloved sister and friend.
With brave wings, she flies. All the love
being spontaneous for adventure and explor-
ing, no matter what time of day or night! She my heart can hold.
Lynn Maree (Green) Van Bladeren
St. Joseph, Michigan
Nov. 6, 1955 — May 21, 2019
Lynn Maree (Green) Van Bla-
Twin Cities Area Newcomers
deren, 63, of St. Joseph, Michi-
Club. She was awarded the New-
comer of the Year Award for 1995-
gan, passed away Tuesday, May
1996. She took immense pride
21, 2019.
A celebration of life service
in being present in her children’s
was held at 1 p.m. Wednesday,
lives, never missing a beat.
May 29, at Starks & Menchinger
In 1999, Lynn returned to the
Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St.
workforce, first as a substitute
Joseph, with Pastor Chris Spit-
teacher and then as an executive
ters officiating. Friends visited the
assistant at JohnsonRauhoff. She
Lynn (Green)
family from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at
retired in 2016 to focus on her
Van Bladeren
the funeral home.
health and passions; knitting, sew-
ing and spending time with her
Memorial donations in Lynn’s
name may be made to PEO, a women’s edu- loved ones.
cational organization near and dear to her
Lynn was very active in the Philanthropic
heart, at bit.ly/PEOdonate (Chapter DG).
Educational Organization (PEO) sisterhood,
Those wishing to sign Lynn’s Memory and in 2006 was very proud to co-chair the
Book online may do so at starks-menchinger. Michigan State Convention.
com
Lynn was a devoted wife, present mom,
Lynn grew up near the Oregon Coast loyal friend and boasting nana. She is greatly
in Knappa, Oregon. She graduated from missed.
Knappa High School and Oregon State Uni-
Lynn is survived by her husband of 34
versity with a bachelor’s degree in home years, Gary; her children, Christopher Van
economics education.
Bladeren, of South Bend, Indiana, and Lisa
On Jan. 26, 1985, she married Gary Van (Steve Koich) Van Bladeren, of St. Joseph;
Bladeren, and they established a home in two grandchildren, Caleb and Daphne Van
Portland, Oregon. They soon welcomed two Bladeren; her mother, Claire Green, of
children, Christopher and Lisa. In 1988, the Knappa, Oregon; two sisters, Teri (Jerry)
family relocated to Longview, Washington, Arguello, of Klamath Falls, Oregon and
and later, in 1993, to southwest Michigan.
Tami (Ben) Gardner, of Gresham, Oregon;
Lynn seamlessly adapted to the new life her brother, Scott Green, of Knappa, Ore-
and frigid climate of Michigan, joining the gon; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Melissa Nicole Hancey
Astoria
Aug. 23, 1981 — May 23, 2019
Melissa Nicole Hancey, age 37,
forward to special get-togethers.
of Astoria, passed away on May
She was a long-term employee
23, 2019, in Portland, Oregon, fol-
at Fred Meyer in Warrenton, and
lowing a brief illness.
felt a special attachment to her
She was born Aug. 23, 1981,
co-workers.
in Salem, Oregon, to Brian and
Melissa is survived by her par-
ents; her stepmother, Brenda Mor-
Annette Birkholz Hancey. Melissa
gan Hancey; grandmother, Nellie
grew up in the Astoria and Seaside
Morgan; and half-siblings, Saman-
area, and enjoyed spending time at
tha Jo Holliday (Layne), David
the beach. Her animals held a spe-
cial place in her heart. She attended
Melissa Hancey
Orlo Hancey (Jessie Kimminau)
school in Warrenton and Jewel.
and Benjamin Kelley.
She loved her family and always looked
A private family memorial will be held.
Irene Harrowitz
Seaside
June 11, 1924 — May 3, 2019
Our beloved mother, Irene Har-
She leaves behind her daugh-
rowitz, passed away suddenly and
ters, Sharon Crapko, of Seaside,
and Nancy Harrowitz, of Bos-
peacefully on May 3, 2019.
ton; a son-in-law, August Watters,
Born Irene Subotnick in Port-
land, she received her bachelor’s
of Boston; grandchildren, Barb
degree at the University of Wash-
Close, of Los Angeles, and Hannah
ington, married Irwin Harrowitz,
and Joseph Haller, of Boston; as
well as many cousins in Portland.
and then settled in Portland. A few
She was preceded in death by
years ago, she happily made her
Irwin Harrowitz (1919-2002); and
in-laws’ home in Seaside her per-
manent residence.
Irene Harrowitz
by her son, Michael Harrowitz
(1951-1986).
She made many friends in the
One of a kind, her humor and her zest for
world of her favorite game, bridge. She was
vibrant, witty and outgoing all of her life, up life will not soon be forgotten. May her mem-
ory be for a blessing.
until her last moments on this earth.
Emily Nelson
Sunset Beach
March 5, 1936 — May 20, 2019
Emily Nelson passed peace-
Saturday, June 1, at 2 p.m., at the
fully, with her family at her side,
Eastmoreland Golf Course, 2425
due to complications after a
S.E. Bybee Boulevard in Portland,
Oregon.
craniotomy.
On Aug. 17, we’ll host a cel-
Beloved wife, mother, sister,
ebration of life at her beloved
aunt and grandmother, she will be
Camp Kiwanilong in Warrenton,
greatly missed by her four daugh-
Oregon. Please go to emilynel-
ters and their families: Lisa (Si)
sonhome.wordpress.com for more
Newland and their children, Geo
details, or to share your memories
and Spencer; Jana (John) Robert-
Emily Nelson
of Emily.
son and their children, Mitchell,
In lieu of flowers, donations
Isabelle and Will; Kristina (Carl)
Perkins and their children, Emily and Lily; may be made to the groups she volunteered
and Britta Nelson (Emeric Hagens). She will with: Camp Kiwanilong (campkiwan-
also be missed by her extremely wide fan ilong.org/campkiwanilong_donate.html) or
Friends of the Seaside Library (seasideli-
base of friends that spanned the globe.
Please join us to celebrate Emily’s life on brary.org/friends-seaside-library).
Trade war: ‘This is real jobs and real impact’
Continued from Page A1
In his summary of the pro-
posed 2019-20 budget, Jim
Knight, the Port’s executive
director, said the agency will
cut employment by the equiv-
alent of three positions.
“This decrease will neces-
sitate a reorganization of our
staff to account for reduced
revenues,” Knight said at a
recent budget hearing. “Exist-
ing staff will be wearing mul-
tiple hats to maintain quality
customer service for our ten-
ants and customers.”
Connaway called on Port
staff to make a formal com-
plaint to the federal govern-
ment about the impact of the
trade war.
“This is real jobs and real
impact,” he said.
Astoria Forest Products
recently struck a deal with
Southport Lumber Co. in
North Bend to ship logs on
barges to the Port of Coos
Bay for milling. But the busi-
ness represents a fraction of
the revenue from Chinese
exports.
“There is good work hap-
pening behind the scenes
with Astoria Forest Products
in seeking new partnerships,”
Knight said. “If it’s success-
ful, that will have an impact,
but it isn’t something we
should count on at this point.”
It’s the company’s intent
to find ways to increase log
exports from Astoria, Knight
said. But one of the ideas for
making more money appears
to be getting out of the local
Colin Murphey/The Astorian
An attendant booth at the Astoria Forest Products facility at Pier 3 of the Port of Astoria sits empty amid a decline in production.
log business.
Niedermeyer confirmed
that the company’s leadership
has been looking — even
before the trade war — to sell
Astoria Forest Products.
“They want to invest their
money elsewhere, where they
think they can get a better
return,” he said.
Astoria Forest Products
was formed in 2014 under
Murphy Overseas USA, a
company owned by the fam-
ily of Dennis Murphy, a for-
mer shareholder in Eugene-
based timber giant Murphy
Co. The company stepped
in to resolve the legal prob-
lems of Westerlund Log Han-
dlers, a smaller company
that returned log exports to
the Port in 2010 but became
embroiled in a lawsuit with
its Chinese customers.
Westerlund and Murphy
later became involved in their
own lawsuit over the transi-
tion before settling last year.
Astoria Forest Products
received an award last year
from Clatsop Economic
Development Resources for
its economic impact on the
region.