A2 Announcements wallowa.com March 8, 2017 Wallowa County Chieftain O BITUARIES Linda Lee (Boschee) October 5, 1947 – March 1, 2017 James Bryce (Butch) Wicklander June 20, 1940 – February 17, 2017 Austin Barton March 14, 1927–February 27, 2017 Linda Lee (Boschee) Kni- fong, 69, died March 1, 2017 at her home in Enterprise. Linda was born October 5, 1947 in Walla Walla, WA to the late William & Shirley Boschee. She and her sister Jenice (Boschee) Gibson attended grade schools in Pilot Rock, OR and graduated from Mc- Loughlin Union High School in Milton-Freewater. She earned a certifi cate in bookkeeping from Kinman Business Institute in Spokane, WA. In 1966, she married Ernie Knifong in Milton-Freewater, OR. They had two sons, Michael (deceased), and Kenneth. They then moved to Enterprise, OR. Linda was the book-keeper for the family business of Ern’s Electric until the time of their divorce. She then ran her own janitorial business, ”Star Janitorial.” Linda was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Enterprise, the Hurricane Creek grange, and the Wallowa Mountain Quilter’s Guild. She had a passion for quilting, en- joyed attending her grandson’s athletic events, loved black- berry picking, camping on the Snake River, cooking with her grange friends, watching westerns with her son, Mike, and playing computer games. Survivors include son Ken, (Colby), daughter-in-law, Mi- chelle, sister Jenice Gibson & 4 grandchildren, Kennisen, Kel- lan, Emily, & Erika and numerous aunts and uncles. She was predeceased in death by her son Mike. The Hurricane Creek Grange (82930 Airport Ln, Joseph, Or 97846) will be hosting a memorial ceremony at their monthly meeting on March 15, 2017. It is a potluck at 6:00 PM and memorial at 7:00. All who knew Linda are invited. A second service will be held at the First Baptist Church in Enterprise at a later date that will be posted in the Chieftain. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hurricane Creek Grange Education Committee 82930 Airport Ln, Joseph Or. 97846. James Bryce (Butch) Wicklander, 76, died Friday, February 17, 2017 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital. He leaves his wife of 49 years, Joyce Darlene (Richard) Wick- lander, his son Wendell Craig (Beau) Wicklander, son James Keith Miller, daughter Belin- da Gayle Buswell, sister Moo- nyeen Loftus and her husband Kenneth Loftus, 5 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Butch was preceded in death by his grandmother Jesse Greene, Mother Blanche Mitchell, Stepfather Bill Mitchell, Father Hector Wicklander, Sister Patricia Kirkpatrick, Broth- ers Charles and Weldon (Monk) Wicklander, daughter Cha- risse Darnell Miller, nephew Kurt Wicklander, and nephew Greg Loftus. Butch was born in Elgin, Oregon and later moved with his family to Joseph where he graduated from JHS. He loved sports and played for the EW Shrine game along with some of his friends. He served 2 years in the army where He re- ceived the rifl e sharpshooter award and the Outstanding At- tached E.M. for AADT award. He served in the reserves for another 2 years. Butch loved spending time with his family fi shing, hunting, camping, swimming and water skiing. His love of the outdoors was a trait he handed down to his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and teach- ing them to hunt and fi sh. He loved to learn and enjoyed a good word challenge. Butch was an avid reader and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of reloading and hunting with many others that would stop by to learn the trade. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday June 24, 2017. Details of the time and place will be provided later near the date. In lieu of fl owers, due to health condition and allergies, an account has been set up for the family at Com- munity Bank. The family would like to thank everyone for their support and consideration during this trying time. Austin Barton was born the 7th son on March 14, 1927, to Everett and Laura Barton, at his grandmother’s home in Port- land, Oregon. The family trans- ported the 3-week old Austin on the back of a pack mule to their homestead deep in Hells Canyon, near Joseph Oregon. He grew up a ranch hand, breaking horses, raising cattle and putting up loose haystacks. Austin would recount feeding livestock by pitchfork, “from loose stack to horse-drawn wagon, then offl oading to the cattle. Paid a dollar per day” He told a story of climbing on an “ornery, barren mare” in the barn. She had taken a mind to buck him off; soon they broke through the back wall of the barn. He sums the experience up say- ing, “that hurt.” Austin went to grade school and high school in Joseph, Oregon up to the eleventh grade. While there he played on the football and basketball teams and was a golden-gloves boxer in the Valley. He said, “My Joseph high school class size was about large enough to make the football team.” After a stint working in an aircraft factory in Portland in the early days of World War II, Austin served from November 1944 to August 1946 in the Navy on board ship as a Radioman Third Class, receiving an Asiatic Pacifi c Area Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. Finishing his service on the island of Guam, he recalled, “because of all of the critters running around, any food not in cans had to be suspended from the ceiling on strings.” After coming home from the War, Austin started a family in Joseph, Oregon while working various jobs, including driving a creamery truck, selling bibles, fi ghting fi res, as a barber, bus driver and as a carpenter during construction of the Hells Canyon dams. A severe back injury while working on the dams at the age of 29, forced him to seek a career change. As a child, Austin exhibited a natural talent for drawing and sketching, doodling small fi gures around the perimeter of his school papers, invoking the ire of his teachers. It was this talent that provided Austin the path to his new career in commercial art and eventually sculpting. His loving wife, Shirley, supported him in his efforts while they raised their eight children and working together, they eventually achieved international recognition producing fi ne western bronze art. Austin’s imagination was inspired by those early years on ranches in the backcountry of the Blue Mountains. Those simple moments of his youth are still alive in his art. Surrounded by family and art works in progress, Austin passed on to his late wife Shir- ley’s arms at home 15 days short of his 90th birthday. Austin is survived by; Al Barton, Tim Ryerse, Debby Groth, Teresa Ryerse, Janet Clements, Jim Barton, Louella Bennett & Gayle Ryerse. Austin will be laid to rest Wednesday March 8th, 2017 1:00pm at Prairie Creek Cemetery. About Obituaries News obituaries are a free service of the Wallowa County Chieftain. The paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information sub- mitted is subject to editing. Send obitu- aries by e-mail, obits@wallowa.com; fax, 541-426-3921; or mail, PO Box 338, En- terprise, OR 97828. The deadline to sub- mit an obituary is 2 p.m. Monday for the Wednesday paper. For more information, or to inquire about a paid memorial, call 541-426-4567. FIGHT THE FRIGID COLD 201 East Hwy 82 541-426-0320 Enterprise, OR 82 97828 201 E. Hwy 541.426.0320 Enterprise, OR New postmaster a good fi t When it comes Heating Comfort to your home & Convenience or business, for every lifestyle the Safe Way • Stoves Fireplaces • is the • Best Way! • Fireplace Inserts • By Kathleen Ellyn Wallowa County Chieftain • Ductless Heaters • Call NOW for information about Energysaver® Direct Vent Wall Furnaces. ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL & WATER SYSTEM CONTRACTOR PUMPS • IRRIGATION HARDWARE• APPLIANCE PARTS 208 S. RIVER ST. • ENTERPRISE, OR www.jbbane.com • 541-426-3344 Nancy Ralls ought to fi t right into Wallowa County. The new Enterprise post- master lives on a 42-acre ranch in Wallowa, was a 4-H leader for 17 years, and hails from a small Oregon town. “We’re fi nding we really fi t,” said Ralls. “Though Mike Warner (former postmas- ter) was here the other day and was teasing me because I locked my offi ce door. He said, ‘What, are you from the big city?’” As for the post offi ce, it’s not much of an adjustment for a woman who has been post- master of both a larger and a smaller post offi ce. And, she’s still got most of the same crew that Warner had. “I can’t see anybody in this offi ce that is planning on leav- ing in the near future,” Nancy said Ralls hails from Dexter, in Douglas County. She served as postmaster of Junction City for 10 years before moving back to Dexter to serve as postmas- ter for Junction City. She and her husband Lynn have purchased Bud Stone’s farm in Wallowa, Her father Clyde lives with the family. Lynn has been retired for several years and enjoys be- ing a stay-at- home rancher dad to the cou- ple’s 10-year- old son, Dako- Ralls ta. The Ralls had three other children, all grown now, and all rural kids who raised pigs and steers. Two of her grown children, along with other relatives from both sides of the family live in the Eastern Oregon/Western Idaho area, so the Ralls are much closer to extended fami- ly out here in Wallowa County. The Ralls’ Wallowa farm supports crossbred cattle. Weather Forecast Courtesy of Weather Underground. www.wunderground.com High Low Conditions March 9 46 40 Rain March 10 48 33 Rain March 11 49 33 Rain March 12 46 46 Rain March 13 48 38 Rain March 14 45 33 Rain Phases of the moon March 12 March 20 March 27 Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon April 3 1st Quarter WALLOWA COUNTY SUNRISE AND SUNSET MARCH 9-15 (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) THUR March 9 6:12 a.m. 5:48 p.m. FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED March 10 6:10 a.m. 5:49 p.m. March 11 6:08 a.m. 5:50 p.m. March 12 6:07 a.m. 5:52 p.m. March 13 6:05 a.m. 5:53 p.m. March 14 6:03 a.m. 5:54 p.m. March 15 6:01 a.m. 5:56 p.m.