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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2015)
A6 Hood River News, Wednesday, May 13, 2015 O bituaries Paid notices William ‘Bill’ Bassham William “Bill” Bassham, 80, of Vacaville, Calif., peacefully went to be with his Lord and Savior, Satur- day morning, May 2, 2015. His wife Anita and his youngest son, Scotty B., were at his side. Bill was born March 25, 1935, in Santa Ana, Calif. He was the youngest of five chil- dren born to Ver non and L u c i l l e (Lambert) Bassham (both de- ceased). While most Bill Bassham of his youth was spent growing up in the Southern Califor nia area, he also spent time in Utah as well. He played football, basket- ball, and ran track while in school. His early work years were spent at Universal Sign Company in San Fran- cisco before working at Kaiser Steel in Napa, Calif. In 1954 Bill met the love of his life, Anita Sue Miller. On April 9, 1955, they eloped to Reno, Nev., with life-long friends JoAnne and Tom Percy. Last month marked t h e i r 6 0 t h a n n ive r s a r y. They made their first home in Vallejo, Calif., and nine months after they got mar- ried their first son, Keith Allen, was born. Two years later, a daughter, Terri Sue, was born followed by their youngest son, Brian Scott. Bill moved the family to Napa, Calif., in the summer of 1965 and he settled into a career at Mare Island Naval Shipyard working as a nu- clear pipe fitter and shop planner while Anita worked at Kaiser Hospital in Valle- jo, Calif., and Kaiser Clinic in Napa. As a family they spent summers camping at Lake Berryessa, Clear Lake and Whiskeytown Reservoir. He created g reat memories with trips to Disneyland, Universal Studios (before it was a theme park) and Yosemite National Park. Bill passed on his love for the San Francisco Giants by taking the family to count- less games at Candlestick Park where they watched Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, and Willie McCovey. On Sundays in the fall the Rams, Raiders or Forty-Niners football games were always on the tube. In the spring of 1965 Bill took oldest son Keith to a Little League tryout at Wil- son Park in Vallejo. He later found out that the team that Keith was placed on had no coaches so he volunteered to coach the “Hotshots” and thus began a 20-year career coaching Little League, Fly League, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio baseball teams. His 1967 Napa Fly League team, the Wasps (all the teams had insect names), won the South Division, winning a three-way playoff against the Termites and Scorpions. They went on to beat the Hornets (North Di- vision winners) in a best of three series to win the Napa City Championship. Bill coached All-Star teams at each level and served on the boards of each as well. He had a passion for kids and was a father figure to more than just his own children. While living in Napa, Bill and Anita’s kids were all ac- tive in baseball, softball, track, football, and wrestling, and if Bill wasn’t coaching they were hauling their kids and somebody else’s kids to a game or a practice. When the kids were in high school Bill and Anita very rarely missed a Vintage Crusher game and were active in the original Vintage Booster Club. Bill even painted the original Vintage Crusher sign that s t o o d ove r t h e Vi n t a g e dressing room at Memorial Stadium for many years. Bill started riding off- road motorcycles in 1967 and loved to spend week- ends riding with family and friends. A lifelong motor- sports enthusiast, he would take his kids and their friends to watch the drag races in Fremont, Calif., and motocross races in Liv- ermore. When his brother Paul raced hardtops on the dirt track in Vallejo, Bill would always bring his sons to watch their uncle speed around the quarter mile. The Indy 500 was a family event for all of his brothers and nephews as they watched on closed-circuit TV in Oakland during the ‘60s before it became tele- vised on the networks. After retiring from Mare Island in 1990 Bill and Anita moved to Rancho Tehema, Calif., where they “settled” for six years. Getting the urge to travel more and spend time with their oldest son and his family they moved to Hood River, Ore., where Bill worked at the Historic Columbia Gorge Hotel. Bill also helped out during Friday night football games as a spotter for the a n n o u n c e r. During wrestling season he helped out as a timer and score- board operator and worked many district, state, and re- gional tour naments. He also thoroughly enjoyed fol- lowing the athletic exploits of his g randchildren whether he was on the side- lines, in the stands or read- ing about it in the papers. In every venue that he worked or visited, he developed great and lasting friend- ships with the officials, the game or tournament staff and with the athletes as well. In 2000 Bill and Anita purchased a fifth-wheeler and started 12 years of trav- el to Yuma, Ariz., in the fall/winter and Troutdale, Ore., in spring/summer. T h e y a l s o t r ave l e d t o Salmon, Idaho, to visit daughter Terri and her fam- ily and spent time in Wash- ington, Idaho, Utah, Ari- zona and Nevada. Bill had to give up his motorcycle in order to travel so he took up the challenge from his sons Death Notices Steve Grebien-Samkow Steve Grebien-Samkow, 89, passed away on May 9, 2015, at his home in Hood River, Ore., surrounded by his loved ones. Steve was born Sept. 23, 1925. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000. Please visit andersonstrib- utecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for family. Louise Leininger Louise G. Leininger, 96, a longtime Mosier, Ore., resi- dent, died May 9, 2015, in Hood River, Ore. A funeral service will be held Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. at Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home, 1100 Kelly Ave., The Dalles, OR 97058; 541-296-3234. Private interment will be at the I.O.O.F. Mausoleum. and finally started playing the game of golf. Not only did he start playing but he also became a rabid fan and was an ardent supporter of any event that Phil Mickel- son played in. Bill particu- larly enjoyed the time with family and friends on the golf course and enjoyed helping his grandchildren learn the game. While in Yuma and Troutdale they developed many wonderful relationships and left be- hind a host of great friends. Bill and Anita moved back to Northern Califor- nia in April 2014 to be closer to Bill’s brother Paul and Anita’s sister MaryLee and h e r b r o t h e r D e Way n e. Again new friends, a new church, new Bible studies, and connections with old friends in Napa and Vallejo made for busy days until Bill’s health began to de- cline this past March. In the weeks before his death he was able to meet with many old friends and close rela- tives, recant old stories, laugh, cry, and watch the Giants sweep the Dodgers on TV. When he left us he was at peace with a life well-lived and friends and family well-loved. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather Shorty Lambert; stepmoth- er Marge Bassham; brother Bob Bassham; sisters Jeanie Wickard and Katie Colan; and grandson Lucas Williams. B i l l ’s w a r m g r i n a n d sometimes cranky de- meanor will be missed by a host of folks. He leaves be- hind his soulmate and chief referee of 60 years, Anita; c h i l d r e n : Ke i t h ( a n d C h av a l l a ) B a s s h a m , o f Hood River, Ore., Terri (and Kurt) Williams, of Salmon, Idaho, Brian Scott (and An- abela) Bassham, of Con- cord, Calif.; brother Paul (and Sharon) Bassham, of Clearlake, Calif.; grandchil- dren Levi (and Ashley) C l o u d , o f N ap a , C a l i f. , Jamie (and George) Polley, of Santa Rosa, Calif., Bo (and Denae) Wilson, of Nor- folk, Va., Nicole Williams, of Salmon, Idaho, Makenzie Bassham, of Hood River, Ore., Garret Williams, of Boise, Idaho; and three great-grandchildren: Levi Cloud Jr., Shelby Polley, and Riley Wilson. Please join his family for a Celebration of Bill’s Life service, which has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Satur- day, May 16, at Crosswalk Community Church, 2590 1st St., Napa, CA 94558. Arrangements are under the direction of Tulocay Cemetery Funeral Home and Crematory, 411 Coomb- sville Road, Napa, Calif. We ask that you wear any and all San Francisco Giant ap- parel and ask you to light a candle for Dad at tulo- caycemetery.org. Leda Prinzing L e d a Prinzing, 76, passed away T u e s d a y, May 5, 2015, at her home in Hood R ive r, O r e. Leda was b o r n Ju n e 25, 1938, in Palouse, Wash., to Au- Leda Prinzing g u s t e a n d Mary (Arrasmith) Lavoie. Leda had seven siblings. Her parents were fruit pick- ers and farmers. She was mar ried for 51 years to S t a n l e y P r i n z i n g , wh o worked for Union Pacific Railroad. They lived in Hood River and then Wasco, Ore., for many years. Leda g raduated high school then worked as a dishwasher and waitress, and then as a seamstress for Jantzen Sportswear. Later she worked for Char ter Cable Company, and as a catering director. Some of her hobbies included ce- ramics, painting, and play- ing Nintendo games. She was also a member of River of Life Assembly of God in Hood River. Leda had a great sense of humor and will be dearly missed. Leda had four children: D e bb i e, o f H o o d R ive r, Jeanette of The Dalles, Ore., Melissa who passed away in 2012, and a son who passed away in 1989. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Stanley. A memorial service with reception following will be held for Leda at 3 p.m. Sat- urday, May 16, at Ander- son’s Tribute Center. Inter- ment will follow at Moun- tain View Cemetery, 1235 Tucker Road, Hood River. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386- 1000. Please visit anderson- stributecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for family. Susan Hurliman “Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sor- rowful thoughts.” Proverbs Susan “Susie” Hurliman (Swing) died peacefully with all her ch i l d re n at her side on the morning o f M ay 1 , 2015, in Tillamook, Ore., at the age of 73. Bor n on Aug. 22, 1941, i n Ya k i m a , Wa s h . , to Louis W. and Priscilla Susan Swing, Susie Hurliman attended school in Por tland and g raduated f r o m Wa s h i n g t o n H i g h School. After high school she moved to California for a few years. Then she re- tur ned home to Ore gon where she met and married David Hurliman and settled on the Oregon coast. In 1971, Susie and Dave pur- chased a farm in Parkdale, Ore., to become orchardists and raise their family. A dedicated mother, Susie raised her four children while managing the farm and working in the local fruit-packing facilities to help make ends meet. She loved the outdoors and could often be found at the lake with a limit of trout, or in the woods with a bucket full of huckleberries. What Susie enjoyed most was spending time with family and friends, whether hav- ing picnics at the lake, cele- brating birthdays and holi- days, or just getting togeth- er for a game of cards. She was always laughing, jok- ing, and hugging. Susie is survived by her four children: Dave Hurli- man and his wife, Vickie, of Alberton, Mont., Jennie Meyers, of The Dalles, Kim- berly Falconer and her hus- band, Troy, of Corbett, and Joseph Hurliman and his wife, Katherine, of Port- land; her brother Louis “Bump” Swing; 10 grand- children and eight great- grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, David, and her brother Joseph. Susie will be buried at Rose City Cemetery on May 29 at 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend Susie’s Celebra- tion of Life at 2 p.m. on May 30 at the Kiawanda Commu- nity Center in Pacific City, Ore. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Kiawanda Community Cen- ter or a charity of the donor’s choice. The family would like to thank the staf f at the Tillamook County General Hospital for showing com- passion and grace while caring for Susie and her children during this diffi- cult time. In addition, they would like to express their gratitude for all the support from aunts, uncles, and friends who loved their mother. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Khalil Gibran Emil Decker Jr. Emil Geralda Decker Jr., 76, passed away May 7, 2015, in Min- e r a l We l l s, Te x a s. H e was bor n Nov. 18, 1938, in Seymour, Te x a s, t h e son of Emil Emil Decker Jr. G. S r. a n d Faye Fultz Decker. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Amer- ican Legion. Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Memory Gardens Ceme- tery. Emil is survived by his daughter Karla and her hus- b a n d , Ro n F r a n s e n , o f D a l l e s p o r t , Wa s h . ; s o n Jerry Decker and his fi- ancé, Stephanie, of Brent- wood, Calif.; and Gene and his wife, Sandra, of Odell, Ore., Marilyn Willey, of Dallesport, Wash.; grand- son Bryan Kelly, Wilming- ton, N.C., Brandon Decker, of Brentwood, Calif.; and granddaughter Chelsea Scarborough, of The Dalles, Ore.; two great-granddaugh- ters: Chloe and Quinn Kelly; brothers T homas Decker, of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Calvin and his wife, Martha, of Weather- ford, Texas; and sister Ema- gene Vincent, of Lubbock, Te x a s ; a n d d e a r f r i e n d Frances Brown, of Kansas City, Kansas. Emil is also survived by seven nephews and six nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Susan; his sister/brother in law, Mildred and David Wi l l i a m s ; a n d n e p h ew s Mark Vincent and Lloyd Myrtle White Richard “Rich” Carrol Cannon passed away May 9, 2015, at his home in Hood River, Ore., with family by his side. Services are pending with arrangements under the di- rection of Anderson’s Trib- ute Center (Funerals • Recep- tions • Cremations), 1401 Bel- mont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000. Please visit andersonstributecen- ter.com to leave a note of con- dolence for family. Myrtle Marie White, 95, passed away on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at Hawks Ridge Assisted Living in Hood River, Ore. Myrtle was born Sept. 16, 1919, in Speers Ferry, Va., to Zachariah F. and Amanda Dills. A funeral with reception following will be held for Myr tle at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, at An- derson’s Tribute Center. Fol- lowing the reception, inter- ment will be at Mountain View Cemetery, 1235 Tucker Road, Hood River. Myrtle’s family would like memorial donations to be given to Providence Hospice of the Gorge, 1630 Woods Court, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000. Please visit andersonstrib- utecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for family. Julia Scherf Julia G. Stearns Scherf died Friday, May 8, 2015, at 12 a.m. She was bor n Nov. 12, 1917, in Homedale, I d a h o, t h e second child of six girls of C h a rl e s A . Stief and Hazel E. Sample. Julia trav- eled to L o n g v i e w, Wa s h . , in 1922-23 in a c o v e r e d wagon from Julia Scherf I d a h o. S h e later traveled the U.S.A. from coast to coast, also vis- iting Alaska and Hawaii. She loved traveling, gar- dening, sewing, deep-sea fishing from Alaska to Mex- ico, and moose hunting and fishing in Canada. Above all she loved family gather- ings. Some of her most memorable outings were spent camping out Labor Day weekends with her church family. Julia was always busy, working at various times packing fruit; as owner and cook at restaurant in Neal Creek; as owner (with hus- band Roy) of Stearns Log- ging Company, Hood River; as waitress at the Y-Inn in Hood River; as owner (with s i s t e r H a z e l ) o f C row n Photo Studio in Longview, Wash.; as filbert orchard owner (with husband Lynn) in Oregon City; and in an apple orchard in Hood River to name a few. She always came back to Hood River, her favorite place. Julia was preceded in death by her parents; all her sisters; her first husband, Roy Stearns; second hus- band, Lynn Scherf; stepson, Jim Stear ns; and step- daughter, Margaret Dye. Within 16 days her sister Gladys (90) passed, followed by Hazel (92). Julia (97), was the last living sibling by two days. Julia is survived by her son Richard A. Stearns and his wife Roberta; stepson Ed Stearns; stepdaughter Dorothy Brown; four grand- children; 10 great-grand- children; and five great- great-grandchildren. Services for Julia are planned for 11 a.m. Satur- day, May 16, at the Hood R ive r C h u r c h o f t h e Nazarene, 2168 Belmont Ave., with her entombment to follow at Idlewilde Mau- soleum, 980 Tucker Road, Hood River. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386- 1000. Please visit anderson- stributecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for family. See OBITS, Page A9 WEEKLY SUDOKU ANSWER Sponsored by: Call 541-386-1234 to advertise here Service Announcement Richard ‘Rich’ Cannon Williams. Arrangements are under the direction of Baum-Car- lock-Bumgardner Funeral Home, P.O. Box 398, Mineral Wells, TX 76068; 940-325- 4422. Condolences may be left at bcbfuneralhome.com. ! 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