REGION
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Saturday, December 10, 2016
For the love of the game
Avid Pendleton sports booster Dave Walters dies at age 68
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
The mood was somber at Dave’s
Chevron on Friday.
Shoppers glanced up at a banner
hanging from a snow-covered eave as they
approached the entrance, some glancing at
the words in surprise.
“In loving memory of our friend, Dave
Walters.”
Dave Walters, 68, was found dead
Thursday in Arizona where he had gone to
escape the chill of winter for a bit. Walters,
known to so many in Pendleton for his
support of youth softball and baseball, died
suddenly and unexpectedly. The cause and
exact time of death is so far undetermined.
His family and friends were still trying to
wrap their minds around the fact they will
never see him again.
Walters, a 1966 graduate of Pendleton
High School, went into business with
his father, Gurney Walters, who ran a
Chevron station on the southeast side of
town. In the mid-’90s, Dave, his wife and
son launched a convenience store near
Roy Raley Park that became a magnet
for those in search of ice cream, coffee,
gas or a quick bite to eat. Walters retired
several years ago and his wife, Toni, runs
the store.
Car washes, run by various sports
team, are a common sight in the Dave’s
parking lot during warm summer days.
Hanging inside above the entryway are
posters featuring five girls’ softball teams
that Walters sponsored last summer.
Kristan Garton, who co-coaches two of
the teams, said Walters often spent entire
days in the stands cheering on young
Pendleton softball players.
“He was their biggest fan,” Garton
said. “And they were his, too.”
The players called him “Papa Dave.”
When a team was having a rough time,
Walters had a ritual.
“If the team was struggling, down a
couple of runs, Dave would go get a hot
dog from the concession stand,” she said.
“Some games he had at least two hot dogs.
At some tournaments, where he watched
six to eight games a day, we weren’t the
only team he ate hot dogs for.”
Walters’ love of sports took root
in his own athletic competition. As a
12-year-old, Walters’ Little League team
won second in state. In high school, the
left-hander played first base. Later, he
found a niche playing men’s softball.
Dean Fouquette remembers being a
bat boy for one of Walters’ baseball teams
and later played slow pitch softball with
him on a men’s team. Walters, who also
coached, “was a quiet leader who let the
guys play.”
Fouquette expressed shock at Walters’
passing.
EO file photo
The Spout Sprint Ski Area will not open this year due
to concerns about public safety in the parking lot.
SKI: Spout Springs has been in
continuous operation since 1920s
Continued from 1A
said he recently met with
Murray to discuss safety
concerns in the parking lot.
Because it is a Sno-Park,
Rassbach said mixed uses
are allowed. That includes
providing a launch point for
snowmobiles to access trails
across the highway.
About two-thirds of the
Spout Springs lot is day use
only, Rassbach said, and the
remaining third is set aside
for trailers and overnight
parking.
“That’s how it has been
managed for quite some
time,” he said.
Rassbach said the forest
has good working relation-
ships with local snowmobile
groups, and they are trying
to make sure everyone plays
by the rules.
“Through
education
and enforcement, we hope
we can get people parking
where they’re supposed to
park,” Rassbach said.
But that’s not happening
now, according to Murray.
He said the lot is usually
inundated with snowmo-
biles and oversize trailers,
posing a safety risk to skiers
and children.
“I’m very unhappy about
this,” Murray said. “In my
opinion, we’ve just lost
control of the parking area.”
He’s not the only one
upset. Dave Byrd, director
of risk and regulatory affairs
for the National Ski Areas
Association in Denver,
said he is aware of the
situation and blasted the
Forest Service for failing to
consider safety first.
“Many other ski areas
on Forest Service land
throughout the West have
restricted public snowmo-
bile use across their permit
ares out of an effort to protect
guest safety,” Byrd said. “It’s
breathtaking that the Forest
Service in the Umatilla
Forest isn’t aware of these
well-established restrictions
at other ski areas, or isn’t
willing to allow Spout
Springs the same ability to
restrict snowmobiles.”
Dottie Carrell, secre-
tary for the Tollgate Trail
Finders snowmobile club,
said she was not aware
of any parking issues at
Spout Springs. Carrell said
there are three other large
Sno-Parks for snowmo-
bilers in the area, including
Morning Creek, Woodland
and Andies Prairie.
“Parking is not a problem
in the Tollgate area,” Carrell
said.
Larry Randall, recreation
program manager for the
Umatilla National Forest,
said their goal is to provide
balanced opportunities at
the Spout Springs Sno-Park,
while making sure safety is
the top consideration.
“It certainly is a chal-
lenge,” Randall said. “It’s
really unfortunate (Murray)
feels he can’t operate. We
want to see that ski area be
successful, absolutely.”
Spout Springs has been
in continuous operation
since the 1920s, including
the last 18 years under
Murray’s ownership. The
area was also a Nordic
training center for the United
States Olympic team and the
Norwegian jump team in the
1950s and 1960s.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A banner remembering the life of Dave Walters hangs over the entrance to
Dave’s Chevron on Friday in Pendleton.
“He really cared about
others. He looked at the
good side of people.”
— Tom Melton, former teammate
Contributed photo
Dave Walters beams as he poses
with Kirah McGlothan, Katie Bradt
and Aspen Garton after the USA
Explosion/DFM-Richards team won
the Valley Invite Softball Tourna-
ment in Portland last June. Walters,
who helped sponsor the Amateur
Softball Association team, watched
all five of the team’s games that
day and witnessed each girl hit a
home run.
“He was in great shape,” Fouquette
said. “He was lean and mean and took
good care of himself.”
Another former teammate, Tom
Melton, said he will miss Walters’ dry
sense of humor and positive take on life.
“He really cared about others,” Melton
said. “He looked at the good side of
people.”
As far as his ball playing abilities,
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and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
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REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
TODAY
SUNDAY
Snow and ice early
this morning
Mostly cloudy, a
shower; chilly
33° 29°
39° 29°
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Mostly cloudy with
a bit of snow
Colder with clouds
and sun
Mostly cloudy,
colder; p.m. snow
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
34° 17°
21°
8°
19°
6°
9°
21°
8°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
42° 29°
36° 30°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
22°
40°
65° (1933)
18°
27°
-9° (1972)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.21"
0.44"
0.41"
11.74"
9.07"
11.92"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
27°
22°
40°
28°
67° (1988) -10° (1932)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.10"
0.17"
0.48"
8.07"
6.17"
8.98"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Full
Last
Dec 13
Dec 20
25°
Seattle
44/39
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
36° 17°
New
7:25 a.m.
4:11 p.m.
2:16 p.m.
2:59 a.m.
First
Dec 28
Jan 5
Today
WEDNESDAY
Spokane
Wenatchee
29/27
30/23
Tacoma
Moses
44/36
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 29/26
33/29
46/40
42/37
34/21
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
44/41
35/29 Lewiston
34/30
Astoria
34/26
50/43
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
46/41
Pendleton 36/22
The Dalles 36/30
33/29
38/30
La Grande
Salem
38/27
48/42
Albany
Corvallis 48/42
48/42
John Day
39/31
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
36/23
48/40
38/29
Caldwell
Burns
39/27
39/19
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
50
34
38
50
39
36
48
38
36
39
43
38
36
49
49
52
36
33
33
46
38
48
29
36
45
35
34
Lo
43
16
29
42
19
22
40
31
30
31
24
27
27
36
42
44
23
25
29
41
26
42
27
27
42
29
21
W
sh
sn
pc
sh
sn
sn
sh
pc
pc
sn
pc
sn
sn
c
sh
sh
r
pc
sn
sh
pc
sh
sf
sf
sh
sn
pc
Hi
49
32
37
47
34
33
46
39
42
37
39
38
35
46
48
51
33
40
39
47
38
46
34
35
46
41
40
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Lo
19
65
44
38
48
16
42
43
21
67
39
W
s
pc
pc
r
pc
sf
pc
s
s
s
s
Lo
39
20
24
40
23
24
37
28
29
28
28
28
27
38
39
41
22
25
29
38
22
39
21
25
38
30
19
W
r
pc
sn
r
pc
c
r
c
sf
pc
c
c
c
r
r
r
pc
c
c
r
sn
r
sn
pc
r
sn
sn
Lo
30
67
44
37
47
10
37
49
23
69
40
W
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
sn
c
pc
s
pc
pc
WINDS
Medford
49/36
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
43/24
Boardman
Pendleton
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Variably cloudy today with
showers; breezy across the north. Showery
tonight.
Eastern and Central Oregon: A little icy mix today, up
to an inch across the north; snow in south and central
parts. Rain and drizzle in the upper Treasure Valley.
Western Washington: Rain at times today.
Mostly cloudy tonight with showers.
Eastern Washington: Mostly cloudy today;
fl urries near the Idaho border and in the
mountains.
Cascades: Periods of snow today, ac-
cumulating 2-4 inches. A little snow at times
tonight.
Northern California: Cloudy today. A bit of ice
in the morning, then a little snow and sleet in
the interior mountains; rain in central parts.
Today
Sunday
SSW 4-8
SSW 6-12
SW 7-14
SW 8-16
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
0
0
1
0
0
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
Sun.
Hi
43
74
55
50
71
19
52
62
40
79
50
NEWS
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fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com
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email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian.
com/community/announcements
• To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel
Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email
editor@eastoregonian.com.
• To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Sun.
WORLD CITIES
Hi
42
75
56
55
68
30
50
60
37
75
54
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Director: Marissa Williams
541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
• Terri Briggs
541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com
• Elizabeth Freemantle
541-278-2683 • efreemantle@eastoregonian.com
• Jeanne Jewett
541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com
• Chris McClellan
541-966-0827 • cmcclellan@eastoregonian.com
• Stephanie Newsom
541-278-2687 • snewsom@eastoregonian.com
• Dayle Stinson
541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com
• Audra Workman
541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
Melton was tongue-in-cheek.
“He was all glove and no hit,” he said.
“We teased him about that.”
Despite Walters’ ability to reach out
and encourage, he was something of an
introvert. Ric Walters said the upcoming
funeral will likely be the only one his
older brother ever attended.
“He loved visiting with people,” Ric
said, “but he was never comfortable with
large social events.”
High school friend Susan Corey, who
helps organize class reunions, said Dave
was a no-show.
“In all the years, Dave never attended a
single class reunion, but the day after the
reunion, I’d go get gas at Dave’s Chevron
and he’d pump me for information,”
Corey said. “He always bought a class
picture.”
She still can’t believe her friend, the
guy who taught her how to drive a stick
shift, is gone.
“Everybody liked David,” she said.
Pendleton’s softball players will miss
seeing him in the stands this spring. Coach
Kristan Garton remembers Papa Dave
with gratitude for his financial support and
his gift of time.
“He was such a generous man,” she
said. “He didn’t have to do any of this. He
did it for the love of the game. He did it for
the love of the kids.”
———
Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@
eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810.
0
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: As snow diminishes around the Great Lakes, snow will ramp up over
the northern Plains today. Rain will fall from northern Nevada to western Washington and
California, with snow over the interior Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 81° in Marathon, Fla.
Low -27° in Hohnholz Ranch, Colo.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
54
49
41
39
24
48
41
31
52
34
24
30
54
52
31
62
-8
3
80
55
31
60
38
62
44
67
Lo
36
31
28
23
7
30
26
23
32
20
21
22
48
30
21
41
-14
2
69
50
24
44
32
50
35
60
W
s
s
s
s
sn
s
r
s
s
pc
sn
sf
c
pc
c
pc
s
sn
c
c
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
c
Sun.
Hi
58
49
41
41
31
57
40
36
62
47
31
34
75
40
32
70
-7
16
80
75
37
73
42
65
57
67
Lo
34
42
35
34
5
48
28
30
50
41
24
32
44
16
26
43
-16
-3
68
65
33
57
19
47
46
55
Today
W
pc
pc
pc
c
sn
c
pc
pc
pc
c
sn
sn
pc
c
sn
s
s
sn
pc
c
sn
s
c
pc
r
pc
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
Washington, DC
Wichita
Hi
36
45
77
23
15
40
53
38
49
33
39
73
28
33
45
19
57
62
38
47
66
61
44
75
40
46
Lo
27
33
70
21
14
27
44
28
40
25
26
51
13
21
22
8
30
41
31
33
59
47
39
47
28
33
W
s
pc
c
sn
sn
s
s
s
pc
c
s
pc
pc
s
s
sf
r
sh
pc
r
c
r
sh
pc
s
pc
Sun.
Hi
45
56
79
32
24
53
68
37
63
34
37
73
31
37
51
29
53
55
44
43
65
55
45
74
42
48
Lo
42
51
73
24
9
47
59
35
29
14
35
51
21
30
39
12
29
38
30
31
55
45
37
48
37
23
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
r
r
sh
sn
sn
r
pc
sn
pc
sn
c
s
pc
pc
pc
c
pc
pc
r
c
pc
pc
c
s
c
c