A2
RECORDS
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Bath tub installed in the county jail
OUT OF THE PAST
Compiled by Cheryl Jenkins
100 YEARS AGO
Feb. 2, 2022
After a great deal of dis-
cussion, a bath tub has been
installed in the county jail. It
will at least save bed cloth-
ing, a great deal of which
has been found necessary
to burn after prisoners had
served their terms.
William Ault, now in
his senior year at the U. S.
Naval academy at Annapo-
lis, is keeping up his gait as
the fastest and strongest bas-
ket ball player in the school,
and one of the very best in
the entire east. He is cap-
tain and center of his team,
which is referred to by the
academy publication, “The
Log”, as “Bill Ault’s gang”.
The Gotter Hotel has
been sold this week to John
Frawley of Union county.
The hotel was opened in
1919 and contains 31 rooms.
75 YEARS AGO
Feb. 6, 1947
Glenn and Clebert Alford,
returned vets, have bought
Jerry’s shine shop and pop-
corn stand from Gerald Per-
ren, who has operated it for
several months. It is situated
on Main street just west of
Church’s variety store and
studio.
The Enterprise chamber
of commerce voted to under-
write the purchase of a new
athletic fi eld for the school
at an estimate of around
$1,600 with additional sums
needed for improvements.
The school has been need-
ing an athletic fi eld, football
being held on the airport or
golf grounds.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wer-
gen and Mr. and Mrs. W. S.
Strickler were on their way
to La Grande when they met
with an auto accident which
badly damaged the Wergens’
new Oldsmobile. No one was
Gail Marie Swart
April 30, 1936 - January 28, 2022
Gail Marie Swart, 85, passed away
peacefully on Friday, January 28, 2022,
surrounded by family members and her
dear friend, Gail Johnson, at her Wallowa
Lake home due to complica-
tions of breast cancer.
Gail Swart was born on
April 30, 1936, in Downers
Grove, Illinois, to Gwen
Tappan Coffin and Glad-
ys Crowder Coffin. They
moved to Enterprise, Ore., in
1941, when Gail was 5 years
old. She began playing pi-
ano at the age of 5 and was
playing the piano and organ
at her church by the age of
12. She continued playing
piano until the last week of
her life.
She attended school in Enterprise from
grades 1-12 and graduated from Enterprise
High School as salutatorian of her class in
1953. She enrolled at Eastern Oregon Col-
lege in La Grande where she studied mu-
sic and elementary education and earned a
bachelor’s degree in 1957.
While attending college at EOC Gail
met and fell in love with Donald Lee Swart
and performed with him in a quartet that
played at dance venues around eastern Or-
egon. They were married in 1956, and in
1957 the first of their five children, who
were the light of Gail’s life, arrived. Al-
though they later divorced, they remained
friends and shared many family and com-
munity events, along with Don’s wife, Ev-
elyn.
In 1958, while Donald was deployed
overseas, Gail returned to Enterprise and
moved in with her parents and began her
first job, teaching second grade at Enter-
prise Elementary School.
At this time, then-superintendent Al
Haberly offered Gail her next job with the
Enterprise School District, teaching a split
third-fourth grade class.
She later briefly accepted a similar as-
signment teaching a split third-fourth grade
in Lostine, Ore. Shortly after that assign-
ment, Enterprise school superintendent
H.J. “Jim” Courtney invited Mrs. Swart to
return to the Enterprise school district to
start a music program. She accepted that
assignment with some trepidation about
her ability to effectively teach junior high
school students, having only taught the
younger, elementary students previously.
That led to the rise of her signature
music program - the junior high school
operetta - a musical play that she con-
ducted every year for the next 40 years of
her teaching career at Enterprise. She lat-
er confessed her strategy was, “I wanted
them to learn by having fun” with titles
like “Mississippi Melody” (the story of
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn), “Hee
haw Hayride,” and “The Lion, the Witch,
and the Wardrobe.”
Mrs. Swart’s long career spanned
enough years that she had almost every
student who attended school at Enterprise
in her classroom at one time or another.
Along the way she had the opportunity to
share her love of music not only with her
students but also her students’ children and
grandchildren, including her own. She was
often referred to as an icon and “Wallowa
County’s Music Teacher.”
The pinnacle of her career as a music
teacher may have been in 2017 in Seattle,
Wash., when she was invited to the stage
of Benaroya Hall for a solo performance of
“The Lord’s Prayer” for a capacity crowd
during the 10 Grands Concert. This event
featured 10 of the world’s top pianists play-
ing on grand pianos, a fundraising event
dedicated that year to supporting music ed-
ucation programs around the United States
that were getting slashed from school
curricula. Her on-stage rendition of The
Lord’s Prayer received a standing ovation
from the 2,500 attendees, which included
her children and grandchildren. Her life-
time of dedication to music education was
recognized by the emcee at the 10 Grands
Concert.
Back home at Wallowa Lake, Gail
Swart was better known as the nice lady
playing piano music for the enjoyment of
people dining at Wallowa Lake Lodge,
especially those who attended her annual
Christmas caroling program at that loca-
tion, which showcased top Wallowa Coun-
ty musicians.
She was frequently called upon to play
for weddings, funerals, church ceremo-
nies and school choir concerts and music
programs. She also played the piano and
organ for her own church - the Enterprise
Community Congregational
Church - nearly her entire
life.
Though Gail Swart offi-
cially retired from teaching
music at Enterprise school
in 1996 she continued on for
several years after that as a
volunteer when the school
started cutting back on fund-
ing for its music program.
She also taught piano lessons
to gifted piano students at
her home at Wallowa Lake.
She also volunteered her
time in the community. She worked at the
Wallowa County Soroptimist’s thrift store.
She served as a board member of the Wal-
lowa County Health Care Foundation from
1996 through 2020, and she served on the
board of Wallowa Lake Lodge for many
years. She was inducted into PEO at the
age of 19 and participated in that organiza-
tion for 67 years.
She received numerous awards for her
contributions to the community, including
the Wallowa County Chamber of Com-
merce’s Educator of the Year and Unsung
Hero awards. And in 2020, she was named
as Oregon Volunteer of the Year by the Or-
egon chapter of the American Association
of Retired People (AARP.)
While she appreciated the accolades,
she kept things in perspective: “It was nev-
er about me, it was about the music. It was
a gift I was given, and it was incumbent
upon me to share that gift.”
Despite her many achievements and
honors, there was another side to Gail
Swart - the mother, grandmother, foster
mother, and rabid Enterprise sports fan.
She had a reputation for relentlessly heck-
ling referees and umpires at her kids’ and
grandkids’ sporting events, and one time
was even threatened by officials with a
technical foul for her comments from the
bleachers at an Enterprise High School
basketball game.
In her last days Gail Swart received
outpourings of love from her beloved Wal-
lowa County community of friends, fami-
ly, and former students. She was profound-
ly grateful for the love she was shown.
This outpouring included a group of car-
olers who showed up outside her bedroom
to sing to her on the traditional night of
her Christmas program at Wallowa Lake
Lodge, which she was unable to attend due
to her failing health.
“I was blessed beyond anything I could
ever imagine,” she said recently.
Gail Swart was preceded in death by her
parents, Gwen and Gladys Coffin, sister
Nancy (Evans) Ormandy, and her longtime
companion, Larry Wishart.
She is survived by her brother Bill Cof-
fin of Enterprise, Ore., son Rick Swart,
and wife Liysa of Eagle Creek, Ore., son
Donald L. Swart Jr., and wife Sherrol of
Enterprise, Ore., daughter Jennifer (Swart)
Kirkeide and husband John of Missoula,
Mont., son David Swart and wife Stacy of
Shelton, Wash., and daughter Lisa (Swart)
Phillips, and husband Keith of Fox Island,
Wash.
She is also survived by her grandchil-
dren and great grandchildren: Adam Swart
and wife LindsayLee, and their children
Wyatt and Elijah; Craig, and wife Stacy
Swart, and children Lincoln, Kepler and
Ruby; Tony Swart and wife Anna, and
children Beau and Gwen; Josh Martin and
wife Lauren; Justin Stenkamp and wife
Whitney and their children Dahlia and
Garret; grandchildren Sam Kirkeide, Han-
nah (Kirkeide) Bymaster and her husband,
Ben; Michael Swart, Carson Swart, Jake
Phillips and his wife Lauren, and Rachel
Phillips. Additionally, she is survived by
many dear friends, colleagues, former stu-
dents, and foster children whom she con-
sidered family.
The family will have a private memo-
rial service Saturday, Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. The
service will also be livestreamed on a pub-
lic Facebook page called “Gail Swart Me-
morial Service.”
Those who wish, may make donations
in her name to the Wallowa County Health
Care Foundation or Enterprise Education
Foundation.
injured, but Bill’s car will
need lots of repairing.
50 YEARS AGO
Feb. 3, 1972
Truman Poulson of Crow
Creek reported that a herd
of about fi fteen elk broke
through his fence and into his
barn. The big game animals
seemed quite pleased with
the hay dinner awaiting them
in the barn. Game biologists
were called out to chase the
animals away.
Gail Aschenbrenner, Wal-
lowa County’s Junior Miss,
participated in the Oregon
Junior Miss contest and was
voted by her fellow contes-
tants as the “Spirit of Junior
Miss”, an award similar to
Miss Congeniality in the
Miss America Pageant.
Bonnie Gorbett, 31, died
following an accident while
she and her husband, Leo,
were feeding their cattle,
about 3 miles west of Lostine
on the old Davidson ranch.
She was driving their fl at-
bed truck while Leo walked
behind to pull bales off . She
apparently got out of the
truck but left it in a very low
gear when she stumbled and
was run over.
25 YEARS AGO
Jan. 30, 1997
Wallowa County Court
received word this week that
Wallowa County has been
included on President Clin-
ton’s Major Disaster Decla-
ration list for Oregon, good
news for those in the Imnaha
area who suff ered losses
during the New Year’s Day
fl oods.
Jessie Morgan, daughter
of Randy and Becky Mor-
gan of Enterprise, made 19
of 25 free throws to win the
8-9 year old District Cham-
pionship at the Oregon State
Elks District Hoop Shoot
in Hermiston. She now
advances to the State Hoop
Shoot at Keizer.
Some 125 persons turned
out to buy pies, listen to music
and raise $3,047.80 for the
victims of the Imnaha fl ood.
The funds were turned over
to the American Red Cross,
which has already provided
over $8,000 worth of aid to
fl ood victims. The event was
organized by Charles Trump
of Wallowa, the county’s old-
time fi ddling champion.
Benjamin Robert Stein
10/13/1980 - 10/24/2020
The oldest of three children, Ben was a gift
from the Lord given to Mike and Sandy at
21 months old. Sandy’s sister, Michelle was
killed in a car accident when Ben was 7
weeks old. He was a big brother to Joel &
Jessica, a sweet, gentle and kind soul.
Ben loved playing the guitar, drawing
(cartooning), reading, snowboarding and
finding solitude in the woods. Ben was
in the Marine Corps for nine years serving in
Iraq and Afghanistan. We were very proud
of him and his absence leaves such a big
hole in our hearts. He was a son, brother,
friend, uncle, husband and also a father to
five children. He is missed every day,
we love you Ben!
You don’t just lose someone once,
you lose them every day, for a lifetime.
See lyrics:
Spoken For by MercyMe
Scars in Heaven by Casting Crowns
Howard Lee Edwards
June 10, 1931 - January 26, 2022
Howard Lee Edwards died January 26,
2022, at the age of 90 in Salt Lake City, UT.
Howard was born June 10, 1931, in Baker
City, OR, and considered Enterprise, OR,
their hometown. Howard
passed away peacefully due
to causes related to Alzhei-
mer’s disease and age. His
sons Mitchell and Paul were
by his side.
Howard was born in
Baker City, OR, and grew
up in the beautiful Wallowa
Valley of rural Northeastern
Oregon during the Great
Depression. The only son
of Elmer and Bernice Ed-
wards, who divorced when
he was 3 years old, Howard,
and his older sister, Joan, grew up with his
mother and his maternal grandparents, Lu-
ther and Eliza Stringham. Howard seldom
saw his father after Elmer’s job transferred
him hundreds of miles away. Instead, his
grandfather Luther taught Howard to milk
cows, cut hay and build fence, instilling a
lifelong work ethic.
When Howard was 10, the U.S. entered
WWII, and his mother Bernice married
Walt Astwood. By the time Howard was
11, his stepfather was away in the Navy,
and Howard and Joan were joined by baby
sister Lynne Astwood. During the war,
Howard earned his own money by mow-
ing lawns, sweeping floors at JCPenney
and playing trumpet in swing dance bands.
An excellent student, Howard won a
scholarship and was headed to the Univer-
sity of Oregon in 1949, when his grand-
mother Eliza expressed a dying wish that
Howard attend Brigham Young Universi-
ty instead. Just days before classes start-
ed, Howard opted for BYU, which led to
serving a mission for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in the East-
ern Canadian Mission. Most importantly,
when Howard returned to BYU, he met
and courted the love of his life, Carolyn
Bagley of Koosharem, UT. They married
and welcomed their first son, Bryant, their
senior year.
After college, Howard worked his way
through three law schools (Stanford, Utah
and George Washington), welcoming sons
McKay and Mitchell before graduating
and Paul a few years later. Howard enjoyed
a rewarding legal career, which began at
the U.S. Department of the Interior, moved
to private practice at Van Cott Bagley, and
then in-house with the Anaconda Mining
Company, which was later acquired by
ARCO. He worked in Washington D.C.,
Salt Lake City, New York City, Denver,
Anchorage and Los Angeles. Among oth-
er things, Howard helped develop the Park
City mining district into a ski resort, ne-
gotiated compensation for mines seized in
Chile and helped evacuate employees from
Iran after the revolution. He was an active
member of the Council on Foreign Rela-
tions and the American Mining Congress.
Howard was a life-long member of the
LDS Church, serving in numerous callings,
including several bishoprics
and high councils. He devot-
ed himself to educational and
charitable causes that includ-
ed, among others, serving as
President of the BYU Alum-
ni Association, Chair of the
Dixie State College National
Advisory Council, Chair of
the LDS Hospital Heart and
Lung Institute Community
Advisory Council, Trustee
of the Utah Valley Univer-
sity Foundation and board
member of the Utah Sym-
phony. He was active in Rotary, NCCJ and
the Boy Scouts of America.
Howard and Carolyn retired to Park
City, UT, in 1996, where they devoted
themselves to their family, friends and
community. Howard organized numerous
family get-togethers and reunions as well
as over a dozen bicycle trips with friends.
Howard was beloved by all who knew
him for his warmth, generosity, kindness,
intelligence, wisdom and humility. He en-
joyed gardening, travel, art, music, skiing,
running, biking, and keeping current on
events. But most of all, he loved people.
Howard is survived by his son Bryant
and wife Linda Edwards of London, En-
gland; his son McKay and wife Pamela
Edwards of Salt Lake City, UT; his son
Mitchell Edwards of Henderson, NV; his
son Paul and wife Margo Edwards of Pro-
vo, UT; his grandchildren: Chelsea and
husband Jonathan Hunt of Los Angeles,
CA; Nick Edwards of Burlington, VT; Der-
ek and wife Liv Edwards of Silverton, CO;
Thomas Edwards and partner Ellen Hayes
of Seattle, WA; Hannah and husband Ryan
Rust of Noblesville, IN; Cameron Edwards
of Park City, UT; Halle Edwards of Salt
Lake City, UT; Brendan Edwards of Provo,
UT; Tess Edwards and fiancé Seth Fichtel-
berg of Stoneham, MA; Atticus Edwards
of Salt Lake City, UT; Miriam and hus-
band Spencer Hunsicker of La Jolla, CA;
Blythe Edwards of Cambridge, MA; and
Baron Edwards of Henderson, NV; three
great-grandchildren; and his half-sister
Lynne and husband Mike Harlow of Chub-
buck, ID. Howard was predeceased by his
beloved wife Carolyn Bagley Edwards in
2013, and by his parents, his sister Joan Di-
eterle and his half-sister, Iris Saari.
Howard will be laid to rest beside Car-
olyn in the Park City Cemetery in a pri-
vate service. A larger memorial celebrating
Howard’s life will be scheduled later in
2022. The family asks that in lieu of send-
ing flowers or making a donation, you con-
sider visiting an elderly friend or relative
in the next month. Larkin Mortuary is in
charge of arrangements.