RECORDS
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
East Oregonian
A5
OBITUARIES
Kathryn Marion Johnson (Camerotas, Custer, Cooper, McKinney)
Charles Linley Mitchell
Milton-Freewater
December 24, 1928 — November 29, 2019
Umatilla
May 21, 1946 — December 7, 2019
Kathryn (“Kay”) was
born to Milbra Hightower
Johnson and Herbert Cephus
Johnson in Vernon, Florida.
Her older brother, Herbert
C. Johnson Jr. (“Coot”), and
she were fortunate to have
hard-working, enterprising
parents and grandparents.
They lived next door to their
grandmother for a time, and
Kay had access to a piano
and piano lessons, which
her mother and father both
strongly supported. “Kay
Piano” was an incredibly
gifted, well-rounded pia-
nist and singer. She played
passionately until right up
to her death. Her love of
piano shaped her life and
her world.
Kay was very glamorous
and a natural entertainer.
She played piano and organ
(and several other instru-
ments, including ukulele
and accordion as well), sang
in churches, choirs, plays,
“senior follies” groups,
even the San Diego Chorale
Club, and many restaurants
and nightclubs. She met at
least two of her husbands
while playing in nightclubs.
Her fi rst husband was
Sam Camerotas, a man of
Greek heritage whose fam-
ily had various business
enterprises in the South,
including a restaurant. That
marriage was brief and did
not produce any children.
Kay
next
married
Prentice Jackson Custer
(“Jack”), a very handsome
career Navy pilot whom she
met in Pensacola. Jack was
raising his young daughter,
Pennee, only 2 years old,
when they met. Jack had
served as an aviator/navi-
gator in World War II. Kay
fell in love with both Jack
and his adorable daughter,
and they wed in 1950. Son
Prentice Jackson Custer Jr.
followed in 1951, daughter
Kittee Custer in 1952, son
Michael Steven Custer in
1954, and son Allen Rock-
ford Custer in 1957! The fi ve
children traveled around the
country with their mother
and father, following Jack
to duty stations in the south-
east in early days. Jack was
then assigned to duty at
Coronado, California, near
San Diego.
From Southern Califor-
nia Jack was transferred
to New Iberia, Louisiana,
where he trained jet pilots
and Kay joined the other
Navy wives and families
entertaining themselves and
the naval community with
plays and music. The fam-
ily lived on a small part (6
acres) of a large Southern
plantation and had lots of
dogs, cats, chickens, ducks,
and two ponies that were an
absolute dream come true
for daughter Kittee.
Marine Corps Air Station.
From there the family The Marine base provided
moved to Carlisle Barracks, a captive audience for the
Pennsylvania, where Jack glamorous torch singer. The
attended the Army War food and drinks were good,
College and was
the entertainment
commissioned a
was fabulous, and
commander
in
Kay was getting a
the Navy upon
lot of good press.
his graduation. As
She was soon
always, Kay was
hired to work in
the center of any
a few large hotels
musical undertak-
with piano bars in
ings at school or
Waikiki, includ-
among the mili-
ing the Ilikai
tary community,
Hotel’s
Grotto
which included
Lounge, and was
Army and Navy.
invited to guest
The
fam-
play at other piano
ily then returned
bars when she vis-
back to the same
ited them. With
house in San
her sewing talent
Diego, California,
as well, she made
where the children
striking
outfi ts
resumed their ear-
for her gigs in
lier friendships.
Waikiki, and she
The Beatles hit
enjoyed this very
the mainstream,
much.
and Kay appreci-
While working
ated the musician-
at Pinky’s Broiler,
ship of them and
Kay had met Joe
numerous other
Cooper. He was
rock bands. She
in the Air Force,
added the music
about to retire and
of the Sixties to
planning to work
her classical, jazz,
in Iran during the
Broadway,
and
oil boom there.
nightclub reper-
When Joe left,
Johnson
toire. During his
Kay sold her home
cruises, Jack had
in Hawaii to move
made numerous reel-to-reel back to Pensacola, where
tape recordings of dozens her parents were aging, so
of record albums of every she could spend much more
kind. These were played time with them. After she
for years and years in the arrived and settled there,
Custer home, giving some she and Joe divorced.
of the children a very large
Kay stayed in Pensacola
library of songs and lyrics 40 more years, taking care
for the rest of their lives.
of her parents until their
Finally, saving the best deaths, playing piano, and
for last, the family moved to working for Baroco Electric
what would be Jack’s fi nal Construction as a secretary.
duty station: Hawaii. Kay She met and married Les-
had always been a gifted ter (“Buddy”) McKinney,
seamstress and knitter, and whom she had met through
in Hawaii she indulged an offi ce friend. Unfortu-
her love of the very color- nately, Buddy had a chronic
ful local fashions by mak- illness, and after several
ing dozens and dozens of years they divorced. Along
aloha shirts, muumuus, gor- with her offi ce job, Kay
geous fl owered dresses, and continued with her music in
“jams,” a style of low-slung church and playing for two
shorts worn by everyone “senior follies” entertain-
who loved the Islands. The ment groups right up until
entire family was a walking she became incapacitated
garden of fl owered shirts at 89.
and clothing.
Kay’s son Mike had
After Jack retired from moved his family to Pensac-
the Navy, he and Kay ola when he learned he had
divorced. Kay immedi- cancer. Mike survived can-
ately applied her substantial cer for several years, long
musical talents to numer- enough to raise his chil-
ous positions, playing piano dren and settle his family in
and singing all over Oahu. a lovely home near Kay. As
She played at Shakey’s Kay aged into her 80s (still
Pizza in Kaneohe, which working two music jobs and
happened to be next door caring for her large house
to Honey’s Lounge, owned and rambling yard), she
by the mother of the very developed very close and
famous entertainer Don loving relationships with
Ho and where Don got his Mike’s widow Stacy and all
start. Kay also played and six of Mike’s children from
sang at Pinky’s Broiler, a two marriages.
local mid-size restaurant
Kay suddenly took ill in
just outside the Kaneohe early 2018. Son Jack imme-
diately fl ew to her side from
Kauai, and grandsons Jason,
Mike, and Nick helped take
care of her in her home in
Pensacola while she was
so sick. Kay survived but
did not completely recover.
At 89, after a brief hospi-
tal stay with a high fever,
she was no longer able to
live independently. Her kids
and grandkids helped her
move into a lovely assisted
living facility, Homestead
Village, near Pensacola,
where she had two pianos
to play! And play she did.
She happily found her own
brother, Coot Johnson, liv-
ing in the same facility with
his wife, and they had many
happy months together at
Homestead.
A year later, Kay’s
daughter, Kittee, found a
gorgeous assisted living
facility in her tiny town of
Milton-Freewater, Oregon,
just minutes from Kittee’s
offi ce and horse ranch. The
entire family assisted with
the planning and execution
of Kay’s move to Oregon. In
May 2019 Kay moved into
her new home and abso-
lutely loved it there. Again
she had two pianos to play!
She went home with Kittee
on weekends to stay at the
ranch and watch the horses
and other critters. She just
absolutely loved her home
and her visits to the ranch.
In October 2019 Kay
suddenly began complain-
ing of pain in her right
shoulder. In just a few short
weeks the pain became
excruciating, and the family
learned that Kay’s cancer of
decades ago had returned
and spread so far and fast
that there was nothing that
could be done. She imme-
diately started on hospice
care to ameliorate the pain.
Kay passed peacefully on
November 29, 2019.
Kay is survived by
daughters Pennee (now
Kuon Hunt, husband Dale)
and Kittee, and son Jack
(wife Maiko); grandchil-
dren Wendi Kuon, Ko’ae
Hart (Kuon’s children);
Kate Chastain, Rey Allen
(Kittee’s children), Lehua,
Kelly, and Karla Custer
(Jack’s children); Stacy
Custer, widow of Mike, and
their children Jason, Dawn,
Adam, Nicholas, and Jack
Custer; Michael Custer
Jr. (son of Sheri and Mike
Custer); and Kay’s brother,
Coot Johnson, and his beau-
tiful daughters Tani, Stacee,
and Christy. She was prede-
ceased by sons Michael and
Rocky Custer and by her
parents.
She will be buried next
to her beloved youngest son,
Rocky, in Pensacola, in the
spring of 2020.
Joanne J. (Cruey) Williams
Pendleton
January 19, 1934 — November 28, 2019
Joanne J. (Cruey) Williams
died comfortably at 85 in
Hermiston, Ore., on Thanks-
giving Day, November 28,
2019.
Joanne was born in Hun-
tington, West Virginia, on
January 19, 1934, to parents
William and Lillian Cruey.
As a young child, the fam-
ily moved to Miami, Fla., for
the warmer weather. It was
there she graduated from
Miami Edison High School
and would soon meet her life’s
love, John Williams.
John was stationed in
Miami for R&R after serving
in the Korean War. Spurred
by humor and attraction they
had a whirlwind romance, and
the two married on April 25,
1952. Joanne then followed
John back to his hometown of
Sandy, Ore., where he would 1960s. She then later managed
later become a state police a Gold Bond Stamp Store and
offi cer. After the academy, was on the assembly line for
John was stationed in Pend- Prowler Trailers. Later, after
leton, Ore., where
the death of her hus-
the two decided
band, she worked at
to settle down to
K-Mart, Rite-Aid,
raise their family
and Bi-Mart.
together. The cou-
During that time
ple had two sons,
Joanne remained
Larry D. Wil-
a visible mem-
liams and James
ber of her commu-
L. Williams. After
nity, offering her
many years of
volunteer services
Williams
raising children,
to clubs including
her beloved John
Main Street Cow-
suddenly passed away on boys, Emblem Club, Pendle-
July 9, 1983. She never fully ton Round-Up, Lion’s Club,
recovered.
and Umatilla County Child
Joanne tried her hand at Services. She felt this was
several jobs throughout her very much her life’s work.
life. When her boys were
Joanne’s true joy was
young, she ran a cafe in Pend- her
grandchildren
and
leton’s bowling alley, in the great grandchildren.
Joanne is preceded in
death by her husband, parents,
and fi ve of her siblings. She is
survived by her sons, Larry
(Julie) Williams of Athena,
Ore., and Jim (Leslee) Wil-
liams of Helix, Ore.; grand-
children Cory (Sarah) Wil-
liams, Haylee (Phil Patterson)
Williams, Lindsee (Trevor)
Hancock, Cheyenne (Lane)
Bailey, and Demee (Bryan)
Adams; and great-grandchil-
dren Finley, Blake, Whitley,
and Huxton.
As per her request, a grave-
side service will be at Olney
Cemetery on December 13 at
2 p.m.
Pendleton Pioneer Chapel
is in care of arrangements.
Share online condolences
with the family at www.pio-
neerchapel.com.
4 p.m.: 8-8-6-4
7 p.m.: 6-2-5-4
10 p.m.: 6-6-7-5
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2018
Powerball
18-42-53-62-66
Powerball: 25
Power Play: 3
Estimated jackpot: $130
million
Megabucks
01-05-07-28-30-47
Estimated jackpot: $7 million
Lucky Lines
03-08-09-13-18-24-28-31
Estimated jackpot: $20,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 8-0-6-0
4 p.m.: 3-1-9-5
7 p.m.: 6-6-8-5
10 p.m.: 0-3-7-5
Win for Life
21-47-73-74
Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019
retiring.
He enjoyed racing cars
and snowmobiles,
fi shing (especially
deep sea fi sh-
ing) and spend-
ing time with his
grandchildren.
He was preceded in death
by his mother; son Terry;
sisters Joyce and Billie June;
and brother Bill.
He is survived by his
wife, Marlene; daughter
Windi and husband Chris
Deiter; son Clark and spouse
Lance Kryistopher; daugh-
ters Cindy Tayloe, Michelle
and husband Mark Her-
burger, and Linsey and hus-
band Jason Hanna; niece
Tara and husband Steve
Lucas; 13 grandchildren and
four great-grandchildren;
and sister Alice Modena.
No
services
are
planned. Burns Mortuary
of Hermiston is in care of
arrangements.
Family suggest memo-
rial donations to Vange
John Memorial Hospice in
Hermiston.
To leave an online condo-
lence for the family please
go to www.burnsmortuary-
hermiston.com.
Annabelle Lee Lofton Jaeger
Woodburn
July 11, 1932 — December 3, 2019
Annabelle Lee Lof-
ton Jaeger, 87, died peace-
fully at Emerald Gardens
in Woodburn, Oregon, on
December 3, 2019, just 22
months after her beloved
husband, Bill.
Recitation of the Holy
Rosary will be said on
December 13, 2019, at
7 p.m. at St. John Catholic
Church in Condon. Funeral
Mass will be December 14,
2019, at 11 a.m. at St. John
Catholic Church. Graveside
service will follow at St.
Joseph Cemetery in Con-
don. There will be a pot-
luck luncheon and a time to
visit and enjoy one another’s
company.
Annabelle Lee Lofton
Jaeger was born on July 11,
1932, the fi fth child of Bert
and Alta (Born) Lofton.
They lived in Fox Valley
and she went to school there
and then Mount Vernon
and to Rock Creek School,
fi nally graduating from Gil-
liam County High School in
1951.
She met William (Bill)
Gustav Jaeger at the Mik-
kalo Grange and on June
16, 1951, they were married
and made their fi rst home in
Antone, Oregon. This union
lasted 66 years. Their fi rst
child, Dixie May, was born
while they lived in Antone.
Art and Kitty sold that prop-
erty and so Bill and Anna-
belle moved to the mouth of
Willow Creek near Arling-
ton where they grew hay for
the cattle on the home place.
Their second daughter,
Judy, was born while they
were living at the mouth of
Willow Creek.
They moved to the home
place and shortly thereaf-
ter Art and Kitty retired to
Woodburn, Oregon, and
Bill took over running the
farm. Annabelle kept the
books. While at the Condon
ranch, another daughter,
Catherine, and a son, Rob-
ert, were born.
She was a member of
St. John Catholic Church,
Catholic Daughters, St.
John Altar Society, Mik-
kalo Grange, The Sorority,
the Gilliam County His-
torical Society, the Wheat
League and the Lady Elks.
She is survived by a
daughter, Judy Thomsen
(Ted) of Condon, daugh-
ter Catherine Zollner (Ber-
nie) of Woodburn, and son
Robert Jaeger (Misty) of
Condon. She is also sur-
vived by 14 grandchildren,
36 great-grandchildren and
three great-great-grandchil-
dren. She was preceded in
death by her husband Bill
Jaeger, a daughter, Dixie
May Olson (Eldon), and
her parents Bert and Alta
Lofton.
Memorial contributions
may be made to Condon
Scholarship
Foundation,
P.O. Box 385, Condon, OR
97823 or St. John Church,
P.O. Box 485, Condon, OR
97823.
Sweeney
Mortuary
of Condon is in care of
arrangements. You may
sign the online condolence
book at www.sweeneymor-
tuary.com.
DEATH NOTICE
Myrna M. Pugsley
Pendleton
Jan. 24, 1942 — Dec. 7, 2019
Longtime Pendleton resident Myrna M. Pugsley, 77,
died Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019. She was born Jan. 24, 1942,
in Pendleton. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge or
arrangements. Sign the online guest book at www.burns-
mortuary.com.
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Friday, Dec. 6, 2019
Megamillions
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Megaball: 20
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Estimated jackpot: $285
million
Lucky Lines
02-07-11-14-19-23-26-32
Estimated jackpot: $19,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 9-0-6-0
Charles Linley Mitch-
ell of Umatilla was born
May 21, 1946,
in Santa Paula,
Calif., the son of
Lowana Dowling.
He passed away at
his home with his
family by his side on Satur-
day December 7, 2019, at the
age of 73 years.
Charles grew up and
attended school in Califor-
nia and Oklahoma, and later
moved to Oregon. He served
in the U.S. Army during the
Vietnam era. He married
Melba Reid in May of 1966
and from this union three
children were born: Windi,
Cindy and Terry. The cou-
ple later divorced. He later
married Marlene Yeigh Wal-
lis on March 23, 1978, in
Heppner. The couple lived
in Kinzua for a short time
before moving to Heppner
in 1979. They moved from
Heppner to Umatilla in 2005
where he has resided since.
Charles worked in saw-
mills throughout much of
his career in Kinzua, Hep-
pner and Pilot Rock. He then
became a saw representative
for Pacifi c Hoe and later for
Simonds International until
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1100 Southgate, Suite 2
Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone: 541-215-1564
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