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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2011)
Smoke Signals 17 APRIL 1,2011 Donald J. Quenelle Dec. 11, 1942 - March 12, 2011 Tribal Elder Donald James Quenelle, 68, a resident of Van couver, Wash., walked on Sun day, March 12, 2011, at Southwest Washington Regional Center in Vancouver. He was born on Dec. 11, 1942, in Salem, Ore., the son of Leonard and Lizette Warren Quenelle. He worked for many years on the rail road and light rail in Portland, Ore., and Sacramento, Calif. He retired as a foreman. He worked construction and as a mechanic, too. He married Rosenda "Deets" Marie Barkley in 1995 and she pre ceded him in death in 2000. Donnie was a big family man, always supporting them in all activities and desires. He even went to the powwows to watch his sons dance and his wife cook, when he would rather have been somewhere else. He always loved to be with his family because that is what meant the most to him. He enjoyed slot machines at casinos, hunting, wood cutting, NASCAR races and had a great sense of humor, even in ill health. He was the family and neighborhood mechanic and a good cook. He is survived by his sons, Anthony of Montgomery Creek, Calif., and Jesse, Donald Jr., Leonard and Fabian, all of Vancouver; daugh ter, Jitters of Portland, Ore.; seven grandchildren; and sisters Carol Williams and Toni Quenelle. He was preceded in death by sisters Charlotte Quenelle, Dee Ream and Ilene Grammer, and brothers Larry and Chuck. Funeral services were held Friday, March 18, at the Grand Ronde Tribal gymnasium with Pastor Ken Haller officiating. Dallas Mortu ary Tribute Center handled the arrangements. To leave an online condolence for the family, go to www.dallas-tribute.com. John Labonte July 31, 1970 - March 9, 2011 Tribal member John Clayton Labonte of Springfield walked on March 9 of heart failure. He was 40. He was born July 31, 1970, in Springfield, Ore., to Carolyn and Lester Labonte. He graduated from Chemawa Indian School in Salem in 1988. He worked as a cook at Carrow's Restaurant for 15 years. Survivors include his son, Timothy; mother, Carolyn Erwin, of LaPine; grandfather, Clayton Horn of Roseburg; sister, Michelle Dunigan of Springfield; and two stepsisters, Elaine Labonte of Newberg and Joline Labonte of Warm Springs. Visitation was held at Springfield Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home. A graveside service was held Wednesday, March 16, at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Cemetery in Grand Ronde. Winona Helen-Lehua Ani Dec. 10, 1963 - March 15, 2011 Tribal member Winona Helen Lehua Ani was born in San Ma teo, Calif., and was a longtime resident of Aloha, Ore. She re cently lived in Colorado. She was preceded in death by her mother, Tribal Elder Helen Virginia Davis Ani. She is survived by her sons, Ted (Krissy) Rempel and Army Sgt. Chris Rempel; daugther, April Michelle Rempel; brother, War ren (Jason) Lopaka Ani of Ocean Park, Wash.; sister, Monica (Erin) Ka-ui Ani of San Francisco; and father, Robert Ani Jr. of Portland, Ore. Services and cremation were held in Colorado. A member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, her ashes will be interred with her mother at the Grand Ronde Cemetery in Grand Ronde. For service information, call 503-957-2305. Mike Propes April 24, 1954 - March 19, 2011 Loving husband, father, son, brother and grandfather Mike Propes passed away at home. Mike was born in Puyallup, Wash., and moved to rural Polk County'at age 9, traveling up and down the West Coast while his father, Frank, worked in construction. He graduated from Willamina High School with a full football scholarship to Oregon State University. He was enrolled in general 1 1 pi l - ' ' -llllllWI):IHllrrttl T -' ' and construction engineering classes. Mike enrolled in Chemeketa Community College and graduated as Outstanding Forestry stu dent. He served on the Student Council. After graduation, Mike was appointed to the Chemeketa College Board of Directors where he served until elected to the Polk County Board of Commissioners in 1988. Mike worked on the family ranch, construction jobs, mill jobs and teaching forestry classes in Willamina. During that time, he received a great deal of experience in the local economy. He re ceived his Realtor broker's license working with Mountain Springs Realty. He had worked with many people in the forest and farming industries. He served on economic development projects. During this time, he met and worked with state and federal congressional representatives and their staffs. He had worked on many projects and with many agencies. He received many awards and recognitions for his work. He received an Outstanding Award for his Leadership Role for his work on the location of the federal prison in Sheridan. He received First Citizen of the Year from the Sheridan-Willamina Chamber of Commerce and Dallas Area Chamber in 1998. He also received Outstand ing Young Man of America among many others. He was listed in Chemeketa "Profiles in Success" 1990 Edition of Public Service. In 2002, he won the West Salem Business Association Community Partner Award. Mike, together with his mother, Alice Propes, and sister, Sheri Propes Ruegsegger, received the Exceptional Family Award from the Dallas Chamber in 2002. Because of Mike's consistent and extensive community involvement over the years, he gained the knowledge and experience of working with people from all levels of government and society. His leadership ability and influence on others led to a great number of people volun teering to work on projects for Polk County. He recognized the impor tance of volunteers working on many committees and commissions in helping government operate more efficiently and effectively. He married Pamela Fillible in 1974 and they celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary in August. Mike served on the following commissions and committees: Pri vate Industry Council; Board of Directors, Oregon and California Forest Lands; BLM Advisory Committee, Chair; County Forest Trust Lands Committee; Three Cities Economics Development Committee; Regional Water Supply Task Force, Chair and Vice Chair; Mid Willamette Valley Senior Services, Chair; Polk County Commission for Children and Families; member of the Dallas Kiwanis Club; West Salem High School Task Force; Highway 22 Corridor Safety Committee; Oregon State Drinking Water Advisory Committee and Department of Environmental Quality Livable Communities Committee; past chairman, Yamhill and Rickreall Watershed Basin Council; Willamette River Reclama tion Committee member; YMCA, Chairman for MI Youth Donor Drive; United Way Polk County, chairman; Board of Directors for Regional Transportation; Associated Oregon Counties; vice chair of the Oregon and California Railroad Lands Committee; Mid-Valley Area Commission on Transportation; a charter member of the Ad visory Committee to the Oregon Transportation Commission; and appointed to the Implementation Committee for the new Oregon Northwest State Forest Plan. He worked on various road projects for Polk County with other local, state and federal officials to obtain funds for many projects. He represented the Association of Oregon Counties in Wash ington, D.C., regarding federal funding for counties and school districts that were lost due to reduction of federal dollars to Oregon from timber receipts; Oregon Gardens, Forestry Education Project, working with Oregon counties, Oregon Forest Industry Council, obtaining private and foundation funds. Mike received the following awards along with many others: Outstanding Young Man of America Award; Mid-Willamette Val ley Senior Citizens; YMCA Youth Sponsor; Marion-Polk Small Woodlands; Oregon Department of Forestry; Dallas Area Chamber Junior Citizen of the Year; Willamina First Citizen Award; Coastal Oregon Productivity Enhancement 1989-99; Economic Development Award 1982-86; Mid Willamette Jobs Council 1983; Certificate of Appreciation Dallas Future Leaders Program 2001; Chemeketa Profiles in Success 1990 Edition for Public Service. All of the activities listed in addition to others not listed entailed many hours of involvement from early morning to late night meet ings. He also spent weekends, if necessary, helping on various county and community projects. He is survived by his wife, Pam, of Sheridan; son, Jason Propes of Sheridan; daughter, Amy Stanfield of Modiine, Israel, along with grandchildren Rachel, Jonathan, Eliyah, Yohai and Hallel; his mother, Alice Propes; and sisters, Sheri Ruegsegger and Betty Morey. A Celebration of Life service was held Saturday, March 26, in Faith Evangelical Free Church. Memorial contributions are sug gested to Family Building Blocks or the Diabetes Foundation in care of the Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center, 287 S.W. Washington St., Dallas, OR 97338.