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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2011)
obituaries Oliver E Smith Jr., 1946 - 2011 gloria Wiggins Dies at 54 O liver (Ollie) Elgie Smith Jr. died Nov. 23, 2011. Services are scheduled Friday, Dec. 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Hill Foursquare Church Youth Center, 50 NW 5th Gresham. Smith was born May 8, 1946, to Oliver E Smith Sr. and Alise Smith. He attended school at St Lawrence Elementary and Mt Angel Seminary and graduated from Lincoln High School. He received a Political Science degree from PSU. Smith and Oretha were married Dec 26, 1997. Smith worked for KGW 1966-1972; at John Deere 1972-1979; Western Electric 1979-1983. He was an aide to Mayor Bud Clark from 1985-1989 and worked for Express-It Courier Service from 1992- 1997. He was owner of Gresham Courier from 1997-2007 and Spicers Paper Driver from 2002-2011. Smith was a member of the Teamsters Local 162 and IBEW Local 48. His community service included serv- ing as a Head-Start board member; a member of American Leadership Forum Class 6; Billy Webb Lodge #1050- mem- ber and exalted ruler; and Smith was an African American Men’s Club member. He was preceded in death by his father Oliver E Smith and mother Alise Smith, his eldest son Oliver Smith III and grand- son Andray Minnieweather. Smith leaves to mourn his passing Oretha Smith, Brother Calvin Smith of Seattle WA., daughter Alicia Jean Smith of Oakland Ca, son Casey Alan Smith of Beaverton OR, granddaughter Ayanna Smith of Beaverton, OR. Ollie became POPS to Archie Jr., Jerry, Michael, Sherron, Russell, Audray, and Tracey Minnieweather. Ollie was POPS, and helped raise grandsons; Craig, Randy, and Shaun Lambert, adopted by Oretha prior to their marriage. Grand-children Terrell, Tykiya, Shakiya, Meyaka, Naelyn, Michael Jr., Madison, Russell Jr., Aderia, DaVante’ Minnieweather, Devin Cherry, and Najee Burkes. Nephews Calvin Jr., David, Stephan, Lucas, Phillip, and Tony Smith, Two great-grandsons Randy Jr. and Quincy Lambert. G loria Wiggins died on Dec. 1, 2011, at the age of 54. She leaves behind an exemplary legacy of dedicated service to the Latino community in Oregon. The Rosary was held on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at St. Henry’s Catholic Church. Funeral services were Dec. 7, at St. Henry’s Catholic Church. Daily Novena will take place at 5:30 p.m. at El Programa Hispano beginning Dec. 8. In lieu of flowers, donations of toys for El Programa Hispano’s Las Posadas Christmas event may be delivered to 138 N.E. 3rd Street in Gresham Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. before Dec. 22, 2011. Ms. Wiggins was a leader within the Latino community and an advocate for low- income families and children at risk. She began working for Catholic Charities El Programa Hispano in 2000 as a Case Worker and became Division Manager of El Programa Hispano in 2002. Ms. Wiggins worked tirelessly to expand and enhance the organization’s outreach and services to the Latino community in Multnomah County, lobbying especially for policy changes to promote minority aca- demic performance and to assist victims of domestic violence. In addition to her community work on behalf of the Latino community, Ms. Wiggins worked in partnership with diverse communities to reduce disparities based on race and ethnicity. She was a founding member of the Coalition of Communities of Color, and volunteered with numerous community groups, such as the Rockwood Urban Renewal Committee, the Gresham Safety Blue Ribbon Task Force, and Multnomah County’s Fatality Review Committee. In recognition of her outstanding work, the Multnomah County Citizen Involvement Committee honored Ms. Wiggins with the Gladys McCoy Award for lifetime volunteer achievement in 2010 and the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce with its Latino Community Service Award in 2011. www. theskanner. com page 8 The Portland Skanner December 7, 2011 COME EXPLORE
