Wednesday, December 7, 2016
RECORDS
East Oregonian
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES
MONDAY
Ray Lewis Clark
Robert A. ‘Bob’ DeSpain
Pendleton
September 25, 1952-December 2, 2016
Heppner
Feb. 8, 1924-Dec. 5, 2016
5:37 a.m. - An Oregon State Police officer pursued a vehicle
driving around 125 mph while turning its headlights on and off
eastbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 218. The driver then
pulled the emergency brake and came to an uncontrolled stop
against a fence off the shoulder of the freeway and fled from the
vehicle on foot. While the officer waited for backup, he observed
a naked female walking back to the vehicle and detained her,
eventually identifying her as the driver. The woman was taken
by ambulance to St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton, where she
was determined to be in a mental crisis; she agreed to being
placed in the Lifeways Treatment Center in Pendleton for further
treatment. Lifeways later called Pendleton police to report the
woman had walked away from the center.
6:49 a.m. - Milton-Freewater police received a report of a
car stolen from a residence in the 500 block of North Elizabeth
Street.
7:15 a.m. - A yellow 1970 Trail 90 motorcycle was reported
stolen sometime during the previous night from Starlight
Imaging, 109 N.E. Ellis Ave., Pendleton.
7:36 a.m. - A Stanfield resident on West Harding Avenue
requested Stanfield police remove her son from the home after
he “came home high and yelling at nothing and acting crazy.”
8:20 a.m. - A resident of Fifth Street, Umatilla, complained to
Umatilla police that his neighbors are running a business out of
their home and are dispatching trucks at 3 a.m. and blocking the
driveways.
8:46 a.m. - The manager at Knights Inn, 310 S.E. Dorion
Ave., reported a domestic altercation.
9:15 a.m. - A Milton-Freewater resident contacted Milton-
Freewater police after a seat was stolen from his vehicle while
it was parked in the 1100 block of North Columbia Street. The
caller said he purchased the vehicle about a year ago and the
man who stole the seat is now trying to sell it back to him but is
not returning messages.
11:49 a.m. - An Irrigon man who recovered his stolen wallet
reported to the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office that his Social
Security card is still missing. The case is under investigation.
12:00 p.m. - A Subrosa bicycle valued at $450 was reported
stolen from a residence on East Beebe Avenue, Hermiston. The
caller requested a call from a Hermiston police officer.
2:08 p.m. - The manager of Shady Rest Mobile Home
Court, 28716 Highway 730, Umatilla, requested contact from a
Umatilla County sheriff’s deputy concerning a couple living at
the park that have “frequent altercations.” The caller said she is
concerned for the woman and for other residents of the park, as
the man has been seen chasing his wife with a knife.
2:40 p.m. - Umatilla County sheriff’s deputies responded to a
residence on East Loop Road, Hermiston, after a woman called
concerning something she discovered in a bucket, wrapped in
plastic, in the front seat of a vehicle that has been abandoned
on her property.
2:50 p.m. - A resident of East Highway 730, Irrigon, reported
a 40-foot ladder was taken from his backyard about a week ago.
Morrow County sheriff’s deputies took a theft report.
2:53 p.m. - Pendleton police were called after packages
valued at more than $500 were stolen from a front porch on
Northwest Seventh Street.
3:02 p.m. - A Frito Lay employee working at Safeway, 990 S.
Highway 395, Hermiston, reported her jacket was stolen while
she was stocking shelves and the keys to the company truck
were in the jacket.
3:39 p.m. - The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office took a
report of mail theft from pedestal mailboxes on Southeast 14th
Street and Southeast Hurd Place, Irrigon, including at least one
package.
4:19 p.m. - A resident of Northeast Hebron Drive, Pendleton,
reported a possible burglary. The caller said the locks in the
downstairs basement area have been unlocked and a freezer
was left open, spoiling the meat inside. He requested a
Pendleton police officer meet him at the house.
4:20 p.m. - New residents of Northeast Second Place,
Hermiston, called Hermiston police to report they are being
harassed by the neighbors. The caller said the neighbors are
threatening to “call immigration about her parents.”
5:40 p.m. - A burglary was reported at a residence on
Sunquist Road, Milton-Freewater. Umatilla County sheriff’s
deputies took a theft report.
6:43 p.m. - An employee at Motel 6, 655 N. First St.,
Hermiston, reported a customer advised him he heard what may
have been gun shots near the hotel. Hermiston police took a
report.
8:14 p.m. - A vehicle traveling southbound at a high rate
of speed on Highway 11 outside Milton-Freewater rear-ended
another vehicle near milepost 33, damaging both cars. Both
drivers were taken to St. Mary Medical Center, Walla Walla, with
injuries. The driver who rear-ended the other vehicle was found
to have a blood alcohol content of 0.24 percent after showing
indicators of impairment during an Oregon State Police interview
at the hospital. Multiple charges are pending.
8:18 p.m. - A man walked into the Umatilla County Jail,
Pendleton, and attempted to turn himself in because he thought
there was an arrest warrant issued for him. He became verbally
abusive and threatened to do something to get arrested when
he found out he was not wanted by Oregon police.
ARRESTS, CITATIONS
•Milton-Freewater police arrested Ricky Lyle Cheesman, 52,
transient, for possession of methamphetamine and harassment
constituting domestic violence.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7
HERMISTON BREAKFAST
KIWANIS CLUB, 6:30 a.m.,
Umatilla-Morrow Head Start,
110 N.E. Fourth St., Hermiston.
WILLOW RUN LADIES
GOLF CLUB, 8 a.m., Willow
Run Golf Course, 78873 Toms
Camp Road, Boardman. Rain or
shine. Need not be a member to
play. (541-481-4381)
NIMBLE THIMBLES QUIL-
TERS, 10 a.m., Aunty Ida’s Quilt
Shop, 425 W. Hermiston Ave.,
Hermiston. (541-567-2726)
HERMISTON LIONS CLUB,
12 p.m., Desert Lanes Bowling
Alley, 1545 N. First St., Herm-
iston.
RETIRED ST. ANTHONY
HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES, 12
p.m., Sunridge Retirement Com-
munity, 3234 S.W. Nye Ave.,
Pendleton. Luncheon $3.50 per
person, reservations requested.
(Edith 541-276-8622)
CAY-UMA-WA
TOAST-
MASTERS, 12-1 p.m., Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, 46510
Wildhorse Blvd, Pendleton.
Everyone welcome. (Jeannette
Taylor 541-276-9492)
ALTRUSA INTERNATION-
AL OF PENDLETON, 12 p.m.,
Red Lion Inn, 304 S.E. Nye Ave.,
Pendleton.
GREENFIELD
GRANGE
GWA, 1 p.m., Greenfield
Grange 579, 209 N.W. First St.,
Boardman. (541-481-7397)
HERMISTON ELKS DIN-
NER, 5:30-8 p.m., Hermiston
Elks Lodge, 480 E. Main St.,
Hermiston. (541-567-6923)
OREGON GRASS ROOTS
CRIBBAGE CLUB NO. 2, 6:30
p.m., Desert Lanes Bowling Al-
ley, 1545 N. First St., Hermiston.
All levels of players welcome.
(541-567-6594)
BUE MOUNTAIN A’S MOD-
EL A FORD CLUB, 7 p.m.,
Pendleton City Hall community
room, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave.,
Pendleton. Anyone interested in
learning about the Model A Ford
is welcome. (Jim Smootz 541-
276-2858)
THURSDAY, DEC. 8
TUMBLEWEED
TOAST-
MASTERS, 6:30 a.m., Eastern
Oregon Higher Education Cen-
ter, 980 S.E. Columbia Drive,
Hermiston. Visitors welcome.
(541-567-3360)
PENDLETON
KIWANIS
CLUB, 7 a.m., Roosters Restau-
rant, 1515 Southgate, Pendle-
ton. Guests welcome. (541-278-
5785)
ARTS AND CRAFTS FROM
THE DRY SIDE, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Hermiston Assembly of God
Church, 730 E. Hurlburt Ave.,
Hermiston. Use Seventh Street
entrance. Monthly business
meeting at noon. (541-567-
4446)
GOOD SHEPHERD MED-
ICAL CENTER AUXILIARY,
9:30 a.m., Good Shepherd Med-
ical Center conference rooms 1
and 2, 610 N.W. 11th St., Herm-
iston. New members and junior
auxiliary members welcome.
(Cindy Schaan 541-667-3690)
NARFE CHAPTER 2115,
11:30 a.m., Shari’s Restaurant,
319 S.E. Nye Ave., Pendleton.
(Janet 541-980-3268)
PENDLETON
LIONS
CLUB, 12 p.m., Roosters
Restaurant, 1515 Southgate,
Pendleton.
UMATILLA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, 12 p.m., Desert
River Inn, 705 Willamette St.,
Umatilla. RSVP three days prior
to meeting. (541-922-4825)
ALTRUSA INTERNATION-
AL OF HERMISTON, 12 p.m.,
ARC Umatilla County, 215 W.
Orchard Ave., Hermiston.
HERMISTON
ROTARY
CLUB, 12-1 p.m., Trinity Luther-
an Church, 485 W. Locust Ave.,
Hermiston. (541-379-2338)
DESERT BELLES GAR-
DEN CLUB, 1 p.m., location
varies, location varies, Hermis-
ton. (541-567-8019)
HERMISTON
HORSE-
SHOE CLUB, 5 p.m., Hermiston
High School Weber Field, 600 S.
First St., Hermiston. (Rick Reb-
man 541-720-6402)
PENDLETON TEA PAR-
TY PATRIOTS, 5:30 p.m., The
Saddle Restaurant, 2220 S.E.
Court Ave., Pendleton. 5:30 p.m.
social, 6 p.m. meeting. Everyone
welcome. (KaSandra Williams
541-310-1312)
PENDLETON
EAGLES
BURGERS AND KARAOKE, 6
p.m., Pendleton Eagles Lodge,
428 S. Main St., Pendleton.
Members and guests welcome.
(541-278-2828)
INLAND
NORTHWEST
ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL,
6:30 p.m., Harris Jr. Academy
gymnasium, 3121 S.W. Hailey
Ave., Pendleton. (RaNiel Dunn
541-289-4696)
Ray Lewis Clark, 64, a
resident of Pendleton, died
Friday, December 2, 2016, at
his home.
Ray was born September
25, 1952, at Tri State Hospital
in Clarkston, Washington,
to William and
June Clark. He was
raised in Orofino,
Idaho. He played
football and gradu-
ated from Orofino
High School with
the class of 1970.
Ray loved to
hunt, fish and
anything that put
him in the moun-
tains. His first Clark
job was fighting
fire for CPTA at the age
of 16. He soon started his
career in logging. He worked
all aspects of the logging
industry from driving log
truck, heavy machinery and
working as a faller.
On December 31, 2000,
he married Trudy Lay in
Pendleton, Oregon.
Ray is survived by his
wife of 16 years, Trudy
Clark; children Shawn
Hoerner, Christopher Clark,
Damion Clark, David Clark,
Alan
Cronan,
Martine
Desler,
Shawn
Desler,
Crystal
Harsin,
Chad Harsin and
B.J. Harsin; brother
Steve Clark; sister
Sharon Waterhouse
and brother-in-law
Kim Waterhouse;
a niece, Raichelle
Steiner Barton and
family; 23 grand-
children and four
great-grandchildren.
No services will be held.
Burns
Mortuary
of
Pendleton is in charge of
arrangements.
Ray will be remembered
for his kindness and patience.
He will be extremely missed.
UPCOMING SERVICES
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7
No services scheduled.
THURSDAY, DEC. 8
BRUCK, LOWELL — Graveside service at 10 a.m. at
Olney Cemetery, Pendleton.
SMITH, DIANE — Mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s
Catholic Church, 800 S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton, with a
luncheon following in the church basement. A burial cemetery
will follow the luncheon at Olney Cemetery, Pendleton.
OBITUARY POLICY
The East Oregonian publishes paid obituaries. The obituary can in-
clude small photos and, for veterans, a flag symbol at no charge.
Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper punctuation and style.
Expanded death notices will be published at no charge. These in-
clude information about services.
Obituaries and notices can be submitted online at www.eastorego-
nian.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@eastoregonian.com, by fax
to 541-276-8314, placed via the funeral home or in person at the East
Oregonian office.
For more information, call 541-966-0818 or 1-800-522-0255, ext. 221.
Page 5A
Robert A. “Bob” DeSpain, 92, of Heppner died Monday,
Dec. 5, 2016, at his home. He was born Feb. 8, 1924.
Arrangements are pending at Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner.
Darrell ‘D.O.’ Smith
Hermiston
Nov. 5, 1934-Dec. 5, 2016
Darrell “D.O.” Smith, 82, of Hermiston died Monday,
Dec. 5, 2016, at his home. He was born Nov. 5, 1934,
in Wenatchee, Wash. Services are pending with Burns
Mortuary of Hermiston. Sign the online condolence book at
burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
Wanda Ilene (Johnson) Van Riper
Middleton, Idaho
Jan. 24, 1930-Dec. 5, 2016
Wanda Ilene (Johnson) Van Riper, 86, of McCall, Idaho,
died Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, in Middleton, Idaho. She was
born Jan. 24, 1930, in Ronan, Mont. Graveside services will
be held Saturday, Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. through the Heikkila
Funeral Chapel, 155 S. Samson Trail, McCall, Idaho (208-
634-2220).
MEETINGS
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7
MORROW COUNTY COURT,
9 a.m., Bartholomew Govern-
ment Building upper conference
room, 110 N. Court St., Heppner.
(541-676-9061)
UMATILLA
COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSION-
ERS, 9 a.m., Umatilla County
Courthouse, 216 S.E. Fourth St.,
Pendleton. (Doug Olsen 541-
278-6208)
HERMISTON AIRPORT AD-
VISORY COMMITTEE, 4 p.m.,
Hermiston Airport lounge, 1600
Airport Way, Hermiston. (541-
567-5521)
BLUE MOUNTAIN BOARD
OF EDUCATION, 6 p.m., Pio-
neer Hall boardroom, 2411 N.W.
Carden Ave., Pendleton. Decem-
ber meeting: executive session
will meet at 5 p.m. in the Betty
Feves Memorial Gallery. Regu-
lar board meeting follows in the
boardroom. (Shannon Franklin
541-278-5951)
CONDON CITY COUNCIL,
7 p.m., Condon City Hall, 128
S. Main St., Condon. (541-384-
2711)
UMATILLA RURAL FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT, 7
p.m., Umatilla Fire Department,
305 Willamette St., Umatilla.
(541-922-2770)
THURSDAY, DEC. 8
U M AT I L L A - M O R R O W
COUNTY FARM BUREAU, 12
p.m., TBA, TBA, Pendleton. (Ju-
lie Spratling 541-457-8045)
BOARDMAN RURAL FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT, 1
p.m., Boardman Fire Department,
300 S. Wilson Lane, Boardman.
(541-481-3473)
HERMISTON PARKS &
RECREATION COMMISSION,
5:30 p.m., Hermiston City Hall,
180 N.E. Second St., Hermiston.
(541-567-5521)
ATHENA CITY COUNCIL,
6:30 p.m., Athena City Hall, 215
S. Third St., Athena. (541-566-
3862)
UMATILLA SCHOOL DIS-
TRICT, 7 p.m., Umatilla School
District office, 1001 Sixth St.,
Umatilla. (541-922-6500)
FRIDAY, DEC. 9
EASTERN OREGON TRADE
& EVENT CENTER AUTHORI-
TY, 7 a.m., EOTEC main building,
1705 E. Airport Road, Hermiston.
(541-289-9800)
The race to free 226 Christian hostages in Syria
By LORI HINNANT
Associated Press
SAARLOUIS, Germany
— Deep inside Syria, a
bishop worked secretly to
save the lives of 226 members
of his flock from the Islamic
State group — by amassing
millions of dollars from his
community around the world
to buy their freedom.
The Assyrian Christians
were seized from the Khabur
River valley in northern Syria,
among the last holdouts of a
minority that had been chased
across the Mideast for gener-
ations. On Feb. 23, 2015, IS
fighters attacked 35 Christian
towns
simultaneously,
sweeping up scores of people.
It took more than a year,
and videotaped killings of
three captives, before all the
rest were freed.
Paying ransoms is illegal
in the United States and most
of the West, and the idea of
giving money to the Islamic
State group is morally fraught,
even for those who saw no
alternative.
“You look at it from the
moral side and I get it. If we
give them money we’re just
feeding into it, and they’re
going to kill using that
money,” said Aneki Nissan,
who helped raise funds in
Canada. But “to us, we’re
such a small minority that we
have to help each other.”
The Khabur families trace
their heritage to the earliest
days of Christianity. To this
day, they speak a dialect of
Aramaic, believed to be the
native language of Jesus.
When the villages were
attacked, fleeing residents
phoned cousins, sons, daugh-
ters, friends — Assyrians who
had left the region in waves
for the West. In the chaos, no
one was sure how many were
taken captive — but everyone
was certain they were going
to die.
As days stretched into a
week, it became clear IS had
other plans.
The group told the 17 men
captured from one village,
Tal Goran, they could have
their freedom but with a
catch. Four female captives
would remain, and one of
the men had to deliver a
message to their bishop in the
town of Hassakeh about 40
miles away, and return with
an answer. The extremists
demanded $50,000 per person
for the whole group.
Abdo Marza reluctantly
agreed.
His
6-year-old
daughter was one of the
AP Photo/Michael Probst
Zammo Marza, Sherineh Marza, Charli Kanoun and
Abdo Marza, from left, kneel at the grave of Marza Mar-
za in Saarlouis, Germany in this Nov. 7 photo. The Mar-
za family were among 226 Assyrian Christians taken
captive by the Islamic State group in a February 2015
attack on their villages in Syria’s Khabur River valley.
captives.
It took the bishop, Mar
Afram Athneil, three days
to make a decision, as he
consulted with members of
the church around the world
on what to do. Then he gave
Marza a sealed envelope, with
no explanation.
When Marza handed it
over, the IS extremist broke
into a smile. “Your bishop is
a very smart man.” With that,
his daughter and three old
women were freed.
Athneil began secret
negotiations for the remaining
captives.
In California, Assyrian
filmmaker Sargon Saadi
packed his gear, hoping to
learn what had happened to
the Khabur villages. He found
them almost deserted.
“We didn’t know why they
took them, we didn’t know
where they took them, what
they wanted to do with them,”
Saadi said.
When word filtered down
about the ransom, the price
was daunting. IS’s starting
demand of $50,000 a person
would mean more than $11
million for the remaining
captives.
“There’s no easy way to
give them money. It’s very
dangerous, it’s also illegal in
many countries,” Saadi said.
The calls for donations
went out across social
media. In Germany, Assyrian
entrepreneur Charli Kanoun
persuaded the government to
accept the Tal Goran hostages,
and then he began fundraising
for the others. Outside
London, Andy Darmoo also
fundraised while running his
chandelier business.
On May 26, two women
were freed. On June 16,
one man was released. On
Aug. 11, 22 more people
were liberated. Many in the
diaspora hoped the ordeal was
nearly over.
Then in September 2015
came the video showing
three Khabur men, dressed in
orange, being shot to death.
“When that happened,
everybody went crazy and
money started flying in from
all over,” Saadi said. “Assyr-
ians don’t have an army to go
rescue them. They don’t have
SWAT teams, they don’t have
SEAL 6. The only option they
have is to pay ransom.”
The Islamic State group
has made a fortune off the
desperation of hostages. A
United Nations resolution
from December 2015 called
on governments “to prevent
kidnapping and hostage-
taking committed by terrorist
groups and to secure the safe
release of hostages without
ransom payments or political
concessions.”
But while no government
appeared to stop the fund-
raising, the Assyrians say no
country stepped in to free the
LOTTERY
captives either.
Brokered by the bishop,
Athneil, negotiations resumed
in mid-fall. The money went
into an account in Irbil, Iraq.
From November, releases
took place every few weeks.
On Feb. 22, 2016, a final
list of 43 names was sent to
the bishop. The last Khabur
captives were on their way
out.
But when the bus arrived
in Hassakeh, only 42 hostages
were on board. Sixteen-
year-old Maryam David
Talya had been pulled off at
the last checkpoint by an IS
guard, Kanoun said.
After another agonizing
month
of
negotiations,
Maryam stumbled into the
arms of her parents.
How much was ultimately
paid remains a mystery. The
bishop, the only person with
a full accounting, declined
to speak to The Associated
Press.
Those involved credit him
for saving the lives not just of
the hostages but of hundreds
of other Assyrians who fled
the war zone. The Khabur
valley is now all but empty of
its Christians.
“Honestly, this man should
go down as a saint, the things
that he’s done, the sacrifices
he’s made to help these
people,” Nissan said. “He’s
refusing to leave Syria until
all his flock is secured.”
12/7/16
Cineplex Show Times
$5 Classic Movie
12:00
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Fantastic Beasts and
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3D 4:00 10:00
Monday, Dec. 5
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Tuesday, Dec. 6
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1 p.m.: 8-5-7-5
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4:40 6:40 9:30
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wildhorseresort.com
541-966-1850
Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216