Thursday, December 17, 2020
RECORDS
East Oregonian
A5
OBITUARIES
Vaughn Craig Hamby
James F. (Jim) Godier
Pendleton
October 29, 1981 — December 10, 2020
Hermiston
February 6, 1939 — December 12, 2020
Vaughn Craig
Hamby;
daugh-
Hamby was born
ters, Zila Horn and
Oct. 29, 1981, in
Tessa Collier all of
Anaconda, Mon-
Pendleton; his par-
tana, to Bill and
ents, Bill and Julia
Julia
Hamby.
Hamby of Pend-
leton; his sisters,
Vaughn attended
Stacey of Idaho,
Sherwood
and
Fawn of Washing-
Hawthorne grade
ton, Alissa of Mon-
schools in Pendle-
tana;
numerous
ton and Pendleton
aunts and uncles
High School, grad-
uating in 2000.
and nieces and
He joined the
nephews.
Army in August
He is preceded
Hamby
of 2000 where
in death by his
he spent time at
grandparents, Bob
Ft. Knox, Kentucky and Ft. and Christine Hamby and
Sill Oklahoma until 2003. Dewey and Julia Francisco.
He married Diane Verdin in
A special thanks goes to
July 2010, later divorcing in the Pendleton Police, Glen
November 2019.
Hamby and Kelly Lumber for
He worked for Kelly Lum- all there help during the fam-
ber where they became his ily’s time of need. A celebra-
family and friends. Vaugh tion of life will be held Satur-
enjoyed hunting, fishing, day Jan 2, 2021, at 1 p.m. at
camping, actually anything the Hamby Ranch Shop on
outdoors and also bowling. 395 S. through Pilot Rock
But his greatest achievement (big shop on the right across
and joy was his children. He from Yellow Jacket Road).
enjoyed spending time with Masks can be worn at per-
his son, Dalton, doing exper- sonal discretion. Memorial
iments and playing video contributions can be made in
games. He enjoyed anything his memory to his son Dal-
about family and friends, ton’s trust in care of Kelly
which a special thanks goes Lumber or his parents, Bill
out to his neighbor and loyal and Julia Hamby.
Burns Mortuary of Pend-
friend, Travis. He will always
be remembered as the best leton is in charge of the
arrangements. Sign the
father and son in the world.
He is survived by his sons, online guestbook at www.
Kacyn and Dalton Craig burnsmortuary.com.
R. Grady Hickey
Pendleton
July 24, 1941 — December 10, 2020
Robert Grady
leton, Marc (Karen
Hickey was born
“Bowman”)
July 24, 1941, in
Hickey of Ritzville,
Morenci, Arizona,
Washington, Tara
to Jay and Della
Hickey of St. Hel-
ens, Oregon, and
Hickey. He grad-
uated from Herm-
Carla Hickey of
iston High School
Pendleton, Oregon;
in 1960 where he
his siblings, Jerolee
enjoyed
playing
(Kay) Hickey of
football and track.
Starbuck, Wash-
ington,
Enoch
He then served with
Hickey of Pendle-
the Marines from
ton, Oregon, Sha-
1960 to 1964.
ron (Ron) Waters
Grady
mar-
ried Judith (Judy)
Hickey
of Lyons, Oregon,
Woodward in 1965
and Virginia “Gin-
ger” (Gary) Watson
until they sepa-
rated in 2014 but
of Salem, Oregon;
remained
good
three grandchildren
friends. He retired
and several nieces
after 23 years with
and nephews. He is
the Pendleton Fire
preceded in death
Department
as
by his parents, Jay
a firefighter and
and Della Hickey;
EMT.
and brother, Phillip
Grady enjoyed
Hickey.
being a karate Instructor, trips
Services will be held Sat-
to the coast and to see family, urday, April 24, 2021, location
wood whittling, playing his pending check for updates at
guitar and singing with fam- www.burnsmortuary.com.
ily and friends, taking care of Memorial contributions in
his yard and camping. He will his memory to Toby Keith-
always be remembered for Wounded Warrior Project,
his heroism as a Marine and or American Diabetes Asso-
ciation. Burns Mortuary of
Pendleton EMT/firefighter.
Grady is survived by his Pendleton is in charge of
wife, Judith E. Hickey of Ritz- arrangements. Sign the online
ville, Washington; his chil- guestbook at www.burnsmor-
dren, Derald Hickey of Pend- tuary.com.
James F. (Jim) Godier was
born on Feb. 6, 1939, to Frank
and Agnes Wood Godier in
Ste Geneviève, Missouri. Jim
left this world on Dec. 12,
2020, surrounded by the fam-
ily he loved at the age of 81.
Agnes told stories of a
young Jim, how when some-
thing was unknown to him,
he would work until he mas-
tered it. The family had a big
Philco radio that young Jim
longed to understand. She
said she came home from
shopping one day and 6-year-
old Jimmy had a blanket in
the kitchen, with every part
of the radio dismantled on
it. By suppertime he had the
radio rebuilt, then knew how
it worked, inside and out.
He was born with a drive to
understand and solve, and
mechanics were his passion.
Jim’s drive to solve related
to every aspect of life, begin-
ning with his life partner. He
met and earned the love and
devotion of a good woman
that lasted a lifetime. Jim
married the love of his life,
Elaine Doney, on July 12,
1958, in Hermiston, Ore-
gon. Together, they loved
and raised three children,
12 grandchildren and 12
great-grandchildren.
The first 10 years of Jim
and Elaine’s marriage, he
worked as a union iron-
worker in Oregon, Washing-
ton, Arizona and Idaho, and
the young family moved a lot.
When the children became
school age they returned to
Hermiston, where they made
their home a lifelong fixture
on Hartley Avenue.
Jim’s welding and iron-
working career came in his love for horses into
handy when he purchased becoming an admired and
Hermiston’s Shell Station, respected horseman. He was
working as owner and shop not raised with horses, and
mechanic. Jim had the abil- his drive to understand led
ity to simply read
him to legend-
ary horse train-
a manual and com-
ers Elwin Hall and
pletely
rebuild
Harry Noble, who
anything, from a
he learned from,
VW Bug to a D-8
and became life-
Cat, including any
long friends with.
structural welding
His brief foray into
repairs.
the rodeo world
When his kids
led him to a cham-
were grown, he
pionship
Wild
Godier
returned to iron-
working, with the
Horse Race buckle
years before retirement spent at the Pendleton Round-Up
at the Hanford, WA Nuclear in 1972, as he did nothing
site. Upon his retirement, half-assed.
Hanford site engineers wrote
Jim was a woodcutter of
testimonials of his capabili- biblical proportion. His wood
ties, and how all their train- obsession began with a fire-
ing still left them depending place addition on the fam-
on his advice and approval ily home, that he fed 15 to 20
before beginning million-dol- cord of wood a winter. The
lar builds. His voracious cutting, hauling, splitting
mind catapulted his humble and stacking became a fam-
background and education ily affair, and his mechanical
far beyond normal expecta- capabilities came in handy,
tion, in anything he was pas- with countless saws and
sionate about. He called this hand-built splitters burned
savvy and knowhow, and he through. His labor crew, or
had it in abundance.
children, rejoiced when he
Jim was a lifelong elk and finally built an air-tight insert
deer hunter. He hunted as for the fireplace, making it
a young man with Elaine’s efficient, and cutting con-
family, learning from them, sumption in half. Unfortu-
and passed that passion and nately, this is around the time
skill down to his children, he decided to sell firewood,
grandchildren and countless just for fun, so his slave labor
friends. Because of him, the had to move away to quit.
Jim was always a teacher.
younger generations of his
family consider themselves He loved nothing more than
avid sportsmen and have to share his knowledge and
great respect for the land and understanding with those
our country. He believed very around him. He took great
strongly in always support- pride in always being capa-
ing America.
ble and making capable peo-
Along the way, he crafted ple out of those he touched.
Lynn ‘Gus’ Marion Wahner
Stanfield
August 19, 1948 — December 12, 2020
Lynn “Gus” Marion
Wahner, was born in Pendle-
ton, Oregon, 19 Aug. 1948, to
Patricia Joan Finch and Royce
Eldon Wahner.
He passed or as we say
“Graduated off earth” Satur-
day, 12 Dec. 2020, at his home
in Stanfield, Oregon, at the
age of 72 years.
He is survived by his wife
of 35 years, Shannon Meree
McDonald Wahner; aunt,
Fran Coppinger; cousins,
Chuck Higganbotham, Sandi
Greene and Suzi Thompson;
and many longtime friends.
Gus served on the Umatilla
County Soil and Water Con-
servation District board for
more than 15 years, promot-
ing regenerative agriculture,
improving soil biology, imple-
menting soil health measures,
and promoting local small
farmers.
Gus lived on the family
farm on the Umatilla River
since he was 11 years old. He
moved away briefly to expand
his knowledge of locally pro-
duced whole foods in Pullman,
Portland and Aptos (Santa
Gus met Shannon the first
Cruz area of California). He day of June 1985 in Stanfield
attended school in Stanfield and they were married 7 Dec.
in the early years and finished 1985, in Hermiston which
at Hermiston High School in solidified his life. They trav-
eled to Portland and
1967, where he was
in 1989 to the Santa
a standout wres-
tler and football
Cruz area to learn
center and middle
more about the eco-
nomics of grow-
linebacker. He was
ing and marketing
selected to the all-
organic
sustain-
star football team
able produce from
and played in the
Cabrillo
Junior
all-star game in
College. Gus was
Portland in 1967.
Wahner
baptized and joined
He recalls it was
the Church of Jesus
hot and they prac-
ticed three times per day.
Christ of Latter-day Saints in
He received an athletic 2004. He and Shannon were
scholarship to Washington sealed in the Columbia River
State University where he Temple in Richland, Wash-
studied animal science and ington, 7 Dec. 2005.
Upon moving back to the
pledged to the Sigma Chi fra-
ternity. He reflects that he met Stanfield area, Gus and Shan-
some great people and found non started their own small
this to be an excellent learning farm business called Way
experience despite adversities of Life Farms, implement-
which led him to leave school ing many of the sustainable
early. “Adversities in my early farming practices and mar-
years helped prepare me to get keting they learned on their
through more difficult adver- travels. Gus, with a group of
sities later in life.”
other local small sustainable
Margaret Elizabeth Blahm
David Richard DeMayo
Hermiston
June 17, 1955 — December 7, 2020
Heppner
February 20, 1948 — December 15, 2020
Margaret
Elizabeth thrift stores and garage sales
Blahm of Hermiston was looking for treasures. She
born June 17, 1955, in Herm- also enjoyed collecting mem-
iston, the daughter of Ray- orabilia from the Bee Gee’s
mond and Vara (Tolar) as well as dalmatians.
Blahm. She passed
She is survived
away in Hermiston
by her daugh-
ter, Jessica (Chris)
on Monday, Dec.
Mueller; brothers,
7, 2020 at the age
Danny,
Steven,
of 65.
Margaret grew
Dennis and Chuck;
up and attended
and a sister, Mel-
anie; and many
school in Herm-
iston, graduating
extended family
from Hermiston
members.
Blahm
High School in the
A private fam-
ily interment will
class of 1973. After
high school, she lived and be in the Echo Cemetery.
worked on the family ranch Burns Mortuary of Hermis-
for many years. She lived in ton is in care of arrangements.
To leave an online condo-
Pendleton for a short time
where she owned and oper- lence for the family, please
ated “Toys N’ More.”
go to www.burnsmortuary-
Margaret enjoyed going to hermiston.com.
UPCOMING SERVICES
THURSDAY, DEC. 17
No services scheduled
FRIDAY, DEC. 18
PIKE, LINNIE JO — Graveside service at 1 p.m. at the
Weston Cemetery in Weston. (Service is limited to 50 peo-
ple and face masks are required).
SATURDAY, DEC. 19
DEMAYO, DAVID — Graveside service at 11 a.m. at
Heppner Masonic Cemetery. (Face masks and social dis-
tancing observed).
WAHNER, GUS — Graveside funeral service at 1 p.m.
at the Hermiston Cemetery.
He believed in hard work
and above all else, extend-
ing a helping hand to those in
need. He belonged to many
organizations over the years
to donate his time and skills
to. He loved to work with the
Boy Scouts, FFA and was
a lifetime member of the
Masons and Shriners. He had
a special passion for help-
ing children, participating in
countless parades and food
caravans for the Masonic
Lodge and Shriners Chil-
dren’s Hospital.
Jim’s family has every
confidence that he has now
been in heaven long enough
to get the lights turned out,
the doors all shut, and every-
one’s hat off inside.
He is survived by his
wife of 62 years, Elaine
Doney Godier; daughters,
Jamie (James) Jundt, and
Julie (Steve) Later; son, John
Godier; grandchildren, Ryan
James Jundt, Joe (Beth) Jundt,
Garrett (Chelsey) Later, Kylie
(Allen) Baker, Taylor Godier,
Summer Godier, Dezi (Tyler)
Schwirse, Shasta Jundt,
Macy Jundt, Nathaniel Jundt,
Angie Jundt, and Luke Jundt;
and 12 great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death
by his parents, and his two
younger brothers, Robert and
William Godier.
A private family burial
will be held at the Hermis-
ton Cemetery, Hermiston,
Oregon.
Please share memories of
Jim with his family at burns-
mortuaryhermiston.com
Burns Mortuary of Herm-
iston, Oregon is in care of
arrangements.
David Richard DeMayo
of Heppner was born Feb. 20,
1948, in Geneva, New York,
the son of Kenneth and Bev-
erly (Clust) DeMayo. He went
to be with his Lord on Dec.
15, 2020, in Heppner at the
age of 72, after injuries stem-
ming from a Parkinson’s-re-
lated fall.
Dave spent his childhood
in Painted Post, New York,
where he graduated from
high school in 1966. He then
enlisted in the U.S. Navy and
saw the world, seeing action
in Vietnam. His home base
was in Hawaii, with many
R & R times spent in Hong
Kong and in the Philippines.
He had fond memories of
times spent in Hong Kong
where he sponsored a boy at
a Roof Top school. He was
honorably discharged after 4
years of active duty.
Upon reentry to the civil-
ian world he pursued his edu-
cation. He attended Mon-
roe Community College,
then travelled to the Mis-
souri Ozarks to attend Bap-
tist Bible College, where he
met and married his wife
of 47 years, Neva
Cheyenne Randall.
After receiving a
BA in theology, he
attended Missouri
State in Springfield, attaining
a BS in Geology. He grad-
uated with honors and is a
member of PHI KAPPA PHI.
He also was a member of
the Pershing Rifle Club, as a
part of his ROTC commit-
ment. This launched phase
two of his military career,
which comprised 16 years
of active duty with the U.S.
Army as a part of its Engi-
neer Corps. This career
allowed him to experience
more of his own country,
being assigned to Forts Leon-
ard Wood (MO), Bragg (N.
Carolina), Belvoir (VA), and
Wainwright (AK). He also
had a three-year tour in Wild-
flicken, W. Germany, and
was a recruiting commander
in Boise, Idaho. While in
the military, he did graduate
studies at Ohio State Univer-
sity, and Webster, where he
received his master’s in pub-
lic administration. He retired
with the rank of O4E (Major
with prior enlisted
time).
As a civilian,
he first settled in
Boise, Idaho, work-
ing for five years with Micron
Technology. Being the rest-
less person he was, it was
time to move on. He decided
to put his master’s degree to
use finding employment as
a city manager, first in Vale,
Oregon, for five years, then in
Heppner, Oregon, for another
five years.
The troubles in Iraq trig-
gered yet a Phase 3 of Dave’s
military career. At the age of
60, he was called up to active
duty in 2008 as a part of Iraqi
Freedom. He used his skills to
help rebuild a war-torn coun-
try, helping to rebuild schools,
hospitals, and roads, as well
as teaching them how to set
up good city governments in
their region. He learned to
speak Arabic while there.
David’s hobbies included
rockhounding,
birdwatch-
ing, reading, and Bible study,
especially the Old Testament.
He was preceded in
death by his father, Ken-
farmers, started the Pendleton
Farmers Market which sus-
tains today. Gus is an educa-
tor and mentor to other farm-
ers and interns assisting them
in establishing their own
small farms and marketing
their produce at farmers mar-
kets or direct sale. In his pass-
ing, Gus is hopeful that all
those he mentored will con-
tinue to make the soil great
and grow healthy food for
themselves, families, and our
communities.
Gus was preceded in death
by his parents.
A graveside funeral ser-
vice will be held on Saturday,
Dec. 19, 2020, at 1 p.m. at the
Hermiston Cemetery, Herm-
iston, Oregon.
In lieu of flowers, contri-
butions in Gus’ name may be
made to Vange John Memo-
rial Hospice Education Fund.
Please share memories of
Gus with his family at burns-
mortuaryhermiston.com
Burns Mortuary of Herm-
iston, Oregon, is in care of
arrangements.
neth DeMayo; mother, Bev-
erly Burnside; and a beloved
stepfather, Robert Burn-
side; as well as several cats
who meant the world to
him. He is survived by his
wife Neva; brothers, Steve
DeMayo (Rochester N.Y.),
Robert Burnside (Rochester),
and Scott Burnside (Watkins
Glen, N.Y.); three nephews,
one niece, and Max the cat.
David will be laid to rest
Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at
11 a.m. at Heppner Masonic
Cemetery. Due to COVID,
there will only be a graveside
service, with face masks and
social distancing observed.
Sweeney Mortuary of Hep-
pner is in care of arrange-
ments. You may sign the
online condolence book at
www.sweeneymortuary.com.
Memorials may be sent to
local Humane Society organi-
zations, or to Lutheran World
Relief, P.O. Box 17061, Balti-
more MD 21298-9832.
Sweeney Mortuary of
Heppner is in care of arrange-
ments. You may sign the
online condolence book at
www.sweeneymortuary.com.
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