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OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES
June (McNair) Miller
Joan Arlene Nelson
Pilot Rock
May 23, 1933 — January 7, 2019
Pendleton
July 4, 1936 — Jan. 15, 2019
June (McNair) Miller,
age 85, of Pilot Rock, died
on January 7, 2019, at Suttle
Care & Retirement Home in
Pendleton, Oregon.
June
was
born on May 23,
1933, in Pend-
leton, and was
adopted by James
McNair and Lela
Roach
McNair.
They
owned
and operated a
plumbing
busi-
ness in Pendleton
for many years. Miller
June attended the
schools in Pendleton and
graduated with the class of
1951.
As a young teenager
she was hired to work at
the Rivoli Theater, being
promoted to candy counter
girl within a year. It was
while working there that she
met a young farmer named
James Miller. He became a
very good customer of the
candy counter from the day
he sighted June, eventually
working up the courage to
ask her for a date. They were
married March 8, 1952, and
“city girl” June went to live
on the “ranch.”
Moving to the country
was completely novel! She
was scared of the cows and
worried that she would not
be a good “farm wife.” She
didn’t know the first thing
about canning, planting
and harvesting! Neighbors
listened, encouraged and
helped June with this transi-
tion and they would become
her lifelong friends.
In April 1960 her son,
Glen, was born. In September
1962 her daughter, Krista,
joined the family. In 1963,
June was able to locate
her birth parents and there
was an excited reunion.
The Millers expanded the
family circle to include the
Hyer branch, now living in
Spokane, Washington.
June had always loved
horses and longed to ride
them, but the ranch only had
heavy draft work horses.
Jim bought her several
riding horses, including a
well-trained Arabian stal-
lion named Zadee. June
became a regular in Pend-
leton parades, cattle drives
and trail rides for pleasure
in the Blue Mountains. She
served as a pennant bearer
for the Round-Up parade
and raised gentle and well-
trained Arabians to sell.
June was a member and
chairman of the Pilot Rock
Home Extension Group and
served as a member of the
Advisory Committee for
Extension. She carried peti-
tions for various causes, and
served the Red Cross on
the telephone committee to
stir people to donate to the
blood drives. She and Jim
volunteered time, talent and
antiques for the new Pend-
leton Underground. They
specifically enjoyed the roles
of Jim being
a “wayward”
husband and
June irritably
tracking him
down near the
brothel!
Jim
and
June were able
to travel after
their
chil-
dren married
and
settled.
They visited Germany,
where Glen was stationed
in the Air Force. Next
came Turkey, then a second
trip to Turkey and eventu-
ally a third trip! Imagine
these two friendly country
farmers engaging with
locals, visiting mosques,
castles and markets. They
brought gifts, pictures and
lots of memories back.
They joined a travel group
to speak of their adven-
tures and the welcoming
people they met. Traveling
then took a back seat to the
arrival of grandkids and the
ranch bustled once more
with youngsters.
June
continued
to
contribute her time and
energy. She volunteered at
the St. Anthony gift shop
and was secretary of the
Pendleton Prostate Cancer
support group for nearly
nine years. She was a fixture
on Main Street, solic-
iting donations to support
veterans, the Red Cross,
Shriners Hospital and the
construction of the Pend-
leton Skate Park. She had
a booth at the Friday Farm-
er’s Market to raise dona-
tions and to speak to people
candidly about the signs
of cancer to watch for. She
loved life and people; this
showed in her causes and
where she spent her time.
June was recognized
everywhere for her colorful
homemade hats and has over
35 of them in her summer
collection. She was fondly
known as “the hat lady”
wherever she went, even at
the mall in the Tri-Cities,
where she loved to shop.
Survivors
include
her son, Glen (Sherry)
Miller; daughter Krista
(Joseph) Hunter; eight
grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the Shri-
ners Hospital for Crippled
Children.
A memorial service shall
be held for June Miller on
the 16th of February, 2019,
at 2:00 p.m. at the Berean
Baptist Church, 8 N.W.
Ninth Street, Pendleton, OR
97801.
Ailing federal worker says
she’ll get back lapsed insurance
during the shutdown. Tool’s
situation was unusual but
shows the unexpected ways
SALEM — An ailing U.S. the shutdown can affect
Fish and Wildlife Service people.
worker in Oregon who was
Democratic U.S. Sen.
running out of a treatment to Ron Wyden of Oregon had
keep her alive and could not pointed to Tool’s plight to call
reach her employer
for an end to the four-
during the govern-
week-long shutdown.
ment shutdown said
“How can it be
Friday that she will
that a country as
get back her feder-
rich and powerful as
ally paid insurance
ours fails Jasmine
coverage that lapsed
in such a shameful
months ago.
way?” Wyden said
Jasmine Tool said
Tool
on the Senate floor
she only had enough
this week. “There is
of a nutrient formula that only one immediate solution.
she gets through a feeding The shutdown must end, and
tube to last through Friday. it must end now.”
She said she had been unable
Tool can’t eat by mouth
to learn why her insurance and said the provider of the
lapsed or how to get it back nutrients that keep her alive
because the shutdown meant would not send more without
no one was answering her a home health care worker.
calls.
The worker would not come
Tool, who has a paralyzed unless Tool was covered by
stomach and brain tumor, insurance or she paid for it
was elated after a regional herself, which she said she
office of the Fish and Wild- can’t afford.
life Service told her she
“If don’t get more, I will
would have coverage again.
begin to starve,” she said
“My insurance is set to Thursday.
be reinstated Monday!” the
Tool has an inoperable
30-year-old said in an email. but benign brain tumor that’s
The U.S. government has slowly growing and a para-
said employees with active lyzed stomach from a condi-
insurance will not lose it tion called gastroparesis.
By ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Joan Arlene Nelson, 82, of Pendleton, died Tuesday, Jan.
15, 2019, in Pendleton. She was born July 4, 1936. Visitation
will be held Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. followed by a memo-
rial service at 1:30 p.m. at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton.
Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements.
Leave online condolences for family at burnsmortuary.com
Nita C. Mills
Stanfield
April 8, 1929 — Jan. 13, 2019
Nita C. Mills, 89, of Stanfield, died Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019,
in Yuma, Ariz. She was born April 8, 1929, in Portland. A
funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. at
Burns Mortuary chapel in Hermiston. Burial will follow at
the Pleasant View Cemetery, Stanfield. Burns Mortuary of
Hermiston is in care of arrangements. Leave online condo-
lences for the family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
UPCOMING SERVICES
BAUM, PERCY — Services at 11 a.m. at The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1821 S. Second Ave.,
Walla Walla. Interment will follow at 2 p.m. at Skyview
Memorial Park, 70116 S. Highway 395, Pendleton.
PULLEN, GAIL — Celebration of life at 1 p.m. at Life
Tributes (Mueller’s), 314 W. First Ave., Kennewick, Wash. A
luncheon will be served.
SCHRODER, KATY — Celebration service at 2 p.m.
at the United Church of Christ, 110 S. Church St., Condon.
SUNDAY, JAN. 20
STURZA, PETE — Viewing from 10 a.m. to noon
in the chapel at Burns Mortuary, 685 W. Hermiston Ave.,
Hermiston.
MONDAY, JAN. 21
NORTON, BEVERLY — Funeral service at 11 a.m. at
Community Bible Church, 150 A St., Lexington.
STURZA, PETE — Viewing from noon to 12:30 p.m.
at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 150 E. First St., Prineville.
Recitation of the rosary will begin at 12:30 p.m., followed
by a funeral mass at 1 p.m. at the church.
TUESDAY, JAN. 22
NELSON, JOAN — Visitation at 10 a.m. followed by a
memorial service at 1:30 p.m. at Burns Mortuary, 336 S.W.
Dorion Ave., Pendleton.
STURZA, PETE — Interment at 10 a.m. at Juniper
Haven Cemetery, Prineville.
MEETINGS
MONDAY, JAN. 21
ECHO SCHOOL DISTRICT, 6 p.m., Echo Community School,
600 Gerone St., Echo. Budget meeting will be followed by the
regular meeting. (541-376-8436)
HELIX CITY COUNCIL, 7 p.m., Helix City Hall, 119 Columbia St.,
Helix. (541-457-2521)
PENDLETON YOUTH COMMISSION, 7 p.m., Intermountain
ESD office, 2001 S.W. Nye Ave., Pendleton. (541-276-6711)
TUESDAY, JAN. 22
EAST IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP AND BOARD
OF DIRECTORS MEETING, 8 a.m., IRZ conference room, 500 N.
First St., Hermiston. (Matthew Vickery 509-820-3234)
IONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, 3:30 p.m., Ione Community School,
445 Spring St., Ione. Work session at 3:30 p.m., regular board
meeting at 4:30 p.m. (Kim Thul 541-422-7131)
MORROW COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, 7 p.m.,
Bartholomew Government Building upper conference room, 110
N. Court St., Heppner. (541-922-4624)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23
BUTTER CREEK IRRIGATION DISTRICT, 8 a.m., River Point
Farms conference room, 28790 Westport Lane, Hermiston. (Bonnie
Kyger 509-820-3202)
ECHO IRRIGATION DISTRICT, 8:30 a.m., River Point Farms
conference room, 28790 Westport Lane, Hermiston. (Bonnie Kyger
509-820-3202)
MORROW COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, 9 a.m.,
Bartholomew Government Building upper conference room, 110
N. Court St., Heppner. (Roberta Lutcher 541-676-9061)
HERMISTON LIBRARY BOARD, 4 p.m., Hermiston Public
Library, 235 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston. (541-567-2882)
THURSDAY, JAN. 24
WEST EXTENSION IRRIGATION DISTRICT, 9 a.m., Irrigon
Fire Department, 705 N.E. Main St., Irrigon. Annual organizational
meeting and regular monthly meeting includes a discussion of the
2019 budget. (Lisa Baum 541-922-3814)
SALVATION ARMY ADVISORY BOARD, 12 p.m., Salvation
Army, 150 S.E. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton. (541-276-3369)
MILTON-FREEWATER LIBRARY BOARD, 4 p.m., Milton-Free-
water Public Library, 8 S.W. Eighth Ave., Milton-Freewater.
(541-938-5531)
UMATILLA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, 6:30 p.m.,
Umatilla County Justice Center, 4700 N.W. Pioneer Place, Pend-
leton. (541-278-6252)
PENDLETON PLANNING COMMISSION, 7 p.m., Pendleton
City Hall, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton. (Jutta Haliewicz
541-966-0240)
FRIDAY, JAN. 25
UMATILLA MORROW RADIO & DATA DISTRICT, 2 p.m.,
Umatilla Fire Department Station 2, 305 Willamette St., Umatilla.
(Shawn Halsey 541-966-3774)
OBITUARY POLICY
The East Oregonian publishes paid obituaries. The obituary can include
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 include
information about services. Obituaries and notices can be submitted
online at EastOregonian.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@
eastoregonian.com.
LOTTERY
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019
Lucky Lines
02-07-10-15-FREE-17-21-
25-29
Estimated jackpot: $19,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 0-6-4-8
4 p.m.: 2-0-4-6
7 p.m.: 2-4-6-3
10 p.m.: 2-2-8-7
Friday, Jan. 18, 2019
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 8-9-7-7
Juan Oliphant via AP
Ocean Ramsey, a shark researcher and advocate, swims
Tuesday with a large great white shark off the shore of
Oahu.
Researchers come
face to face with
great white shark
Using encounter
to push for
legislation that
would protect
sharks in Hawaii
By CALEB JONES
Associated Press
HALEIWA,
Hawaii
— Two shark researchers
who came face to face with
what could be one of the
largest great whites ever
recorded are using their
encounter as an opportu-
nity to push for legislation
that would protect sharks
in Hawaii.
Ocean Ramsey, a shark
researcher and conserva-
tionist, told The Associ-
ated Press that she encoun-
tered the 20-foot shark
Tuesday near a dead sperm
whale off Oahu.
The event was docu-
mented and shared on
social media by her fiancé
and business partner Juan
Oliphant.
The Hawaii Depart-
ment of Land and Natural
Resources said it was
aware of photos of the
great white and that tiger
sharks also have been
feeding on the whale.
Oliphant, who photo-
graphed the now-viral
images, said it’s unclear
if the shark is the famed
Deep Blue, believed to be
the largest great white ever
recorded.
“She looks the part
right now,” Oliphant said
about the shark spotted
Tuesday. “Maybe even
more exciting that there
is another massive, you
know, super-size great
white shark out there.
Because their populations
are so dwindling.”
Ramsey, who operates
Oahu-based One Ocean
Diving and Research with
Oliphant, said she has been
pushing for several years
for a bill that would ban
the killing of sharks and
rays in Hawaii, and hopes
this year the measure will
become law.
She said the images
of her swimming next to
a huge great white shark
prove the predators should
be protected, not feared.
Still, the veteran shark
diver doesn’t think the
general public should reck-
lessly get into the water
with the giants, especially
around a food source like a
rotting whale carcass.
Ramsey said exten-
sive training and time
spent studying shark
behavior has kept her team
and customers safe. She
teaches people about how
to act and, more impor-
tantly, not act when they
encounter a shark in the
water.
Ramsey and her team
observe behavior, identify
and tag sharks and share
that data with researchers
as well as state and federal
officials. She said she
previously swam with the
huge shark on research
trips to Guadalupe Island,
Mexico.
She also leads cage-free
shark diving tours.
Unlike many marine
mammals, sharks are
not a federally protected
species, though there are
laws against the sale of
their fins.
“There’s not a lot of
sympathy
for
sharks
because of the way they’re
portrayed in media and they
don’t have the cute cuddly
appearance,” Ramsey said.
“You can’t hate them for
being predators. We need
them for healthy marine
ecosystems.”
Ramsey and Oliphant
want to make sure that
people realize that shark
bites are uncommon.
“The idea that they see
people as a food source,
that is rubbish and that
needs to go away because
really that’s ultimately
leading to the demise of
“ There’s not a lot
of sympathy for
sharks because of
the way they’re
portrayed in media
and they don’t have
the cute cuddly
appearance. ”
Ocean Ramsey,
Shark researcher
these animals,” Oliphant
said.
State
Sen.
Mike
Gabbard sponsored the
shark protection legisla-
tion last session and plans
to reintroduce it this year.
The bill died in the House
when it wasn’t heard
by the House Judiciary
Committee.
The Hawaii Depart-
ment of Land and Natural
Resources said the decom-
posing whale carcass had
drifted to about eight miles
south of Pearl Harbor
after being towed 15 miles
offshore days earlier.
Officials say there have
been reports that people
are climbing onto the
carcass to take its teeth
as souvenirs, which may
be a violation of state and
federal laws.
The agency’s Divi-
sion of Conservation and
Resources Enforcement
Chief Jason Redull said
people should stay out of
the water around the dead
whale.
“Understandably, some
people want to get into the
water either out of fascina-
tion or to get photographs,
but it is truly dangerous to
be around this carcass with
so much shark activity,” he
said.
Ramsey said it’s impres-
sive that the great white
has survived a “gauntlet of
human death traps.”
“I don’t know how old
she is,” Ramsey said. “But
for her to survive through
so many longline fisheries
and, you know, gill nets
and team nets and fish-
ermen who might just kill
her because they think that
she is a monster ... it’s very
special.”
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