SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015
OBITUARY
HAYNES—Ronald Eugene
“Gene” Haynes, 87, formerly
of Florence, departed this plan-
et on March 4, 2015, in
Newport, Ore., from complica-
tions of age.
Gene led an active and col-
orful life.
Born Nov. 20, 1927, to
Robert Haynes and Frances
Wright in Des Moines, Iowa,
Gene was raised in Hollywood,
Calif., by his mother (he never
knew his father) and graduated
from Hollywood High School
in 1946.
His main love of track and
field started at HHS, where he
held for his lifetime an award
never to be surpassed —
an undefeated high school
record in track. His letter
sweater can be found in
the high school’s memorial
room.
Gene continued his track
through a stint with San Jose
State and the U.S. Navy. While
in Hawaii with the Navy, he
uplifted the track and field pro-
gram. His final race for the
Navy was in distance medley
relay.
Afterwards he had a short
stint with Westinghouse, where
he contributed to the design of
the Tuliahoma, Tenn., wind
project.
In 1952, he joined Varian
Associates of Palo Alto, Calif.
(in those days you were not an
“employee,” you were an
“associate”), a career that last-
ed until 1979.
Also in 1952, he married
Laura Hurlbutt and together
they raised a family of four
children: Deborah Luane,
Laura Elizabeth (Beth) (Dana),
Stephen Eugene (Meg) and
Paul Ronald (Jonnie), all of
whom survive their father/
father-in-law.
While at Varian, he became
an original member of the
Radiation Division and con-
tributed many significant
advances in the field of linear
accelerators, which are used in
the treatment of cancer and
non-destructive instrumenta-
tion. Gene’s most significant
contribution in this field was
the development of brazed
guide technology. He was
instrumental in the initial
design of the isocentric therapy
unit (Clinac-6). Gene was
extremely instrumental as a
team member of many
projects taken on by this
Division.
COURTS
In 1982, Gene and his sec-
ond wife Dorothy (Dottie)
formed their own company,
HRL Inc., which developed the
RAD II therapy-attached simu-
lator of Gene’s design. This
verified that the oncologist was
at the correct area for treat-
ment. To date, more than 100
units are in active use through-
out the world. His son,
Stephen, has been in control of
HRL since 1990.
Gene’s final achievement to
the field of cancer therapy
was the initial concept of
Intraop Medical Inc. as one of
the original four founders.
In 1978, he met and married
his travel agent, Dottie and
they were married for 34 years
until Dottie’s death.
Both retired from their jobs,
bought a 33-foot sailboat and
lived aboard and sailed for 10
years. Gene’s sailing included a
single-handed race in 1980 to
Hawaii, where Dottie met him
and accompanied him on the
return trip. He was honored to
become the SSS’s Commodore
for several years.
Gene lived in Newport for
two years “to be near the
water” after he and Dottie had
lived in the mountains of
California and the islands of
San Juan, Wash.
He was active for a short
period in the Viewfinders
Club and for his entire
Florence life was with
the Florence Radio Con-
trolled Aircraft Association,
building and flying model air-
planes.
In addition to his four chil-
dren, Gene is survived by eight
grandchildren; 12 great-grand-
children (of Oregon, Ohio and
California); two step-daugh-
ters; three step-grandchildren;
and two step-great-grandchil-
dren.
Gene will also be remem-
bered by scores of friends,
business colleagues, the mem-
bers of his Young People
Mountaineering group, and his
running group at Stanford U,
the Angell Field Ancients.
At his request, there will be
no service. Gene wants to be
cremated and his ashes scat-
tered in San Francisco Bay
along with those of his wife,
Dottie, where their cherished
home was located for many
years prior to Florence.
Burns’ Riverside Chapel
Florence Funeral Home is in
charge of all arrangements.
Sneddons continue tradition at Rotary Auction
When Blair and Bob
Sneddon take to the stage at
Rotary’s annual auction today,
March 14, at 5 p.m. at
Florence
Events
Center
(FEC). There’s guaranteed to
be a lot of clowning around.
That’s because the whole thing
started with “Stanley the
Clown” more than 45 years
ago.
“It was in the Quonset hut
that was the gym behind the
old grade school,” Blair
recalled. “Jess Young asked
me to appear as ‘Stanley the
Clown.’ There was an auction
going on to raise money for
Rotary and I thought it looked
like fun.”
And the rest, as they say, is
history.
And quite a history it is.
Blair’s wife, Gerry, got in on
the act and was joined by their
son, Bob, 1989. According to
their stories, the auction has
been almost everywhere in
Florence since and sold almost
everything imaginable in the
process.
It started on the back of a
flatbed truck in the lumber-
yard parking lot, moved to a
vacant drug store building,
and then to a tent near the 7-
11. It was a tent that nearly
blew away in a typical Oregon
rainstorm during one year’s
auction.
It’s been in the old high
school, and in the building
that currently houses Habitat
for Humanity.
“It really used to be more
like a garage sale,” Blair said.
“We had everything from old
tools and books to kids’ toys.
The IGA used to donate books
of Gold Bond stamps. We’ve
auctioned off llamas, oysters
and a side of beef.”
In 1990, it moved to the
Elks Lodge and began to trend
toward a more elegant, gala-
style event. There was one
really down year, Blair
recalled, when they decided to
have a dance instead of an
auction.
The results were disap-
pointing but the auction lived
on.
“We moved into the FEC as
soon as it was finished,” Bob
said, “and that was when
things really took off. Nobody
knows how to put on an auc-
tion like Rotary, that’s for
sure.”
And the Sneddons are not
just auctioneers — they some-
times get in on the bidding
while, but they always show
back up again, somehow.”
There probably won’t be
any ballet dancing statues at
the FEC tonight, but there will
be exotic trips, power tools,
elegant jewelry, one-of-a-kind
paintings and lots of other
excitement — all presented in
the traditional Sneddon style.
And all for the good cause
of funding the college and
career dreams of Florence area
young people.
Florence Municipal Court
March 10
Alex Brady Railsback
pleaded guilty to criminal
trespass. He must pay $675 in
fines and not contact or be
in or about the premises or
place of employment of the
victim.
Theresa Marie Williams
pleaded no contest to assault
and strangulation. She was
sentenced to five days in
Florence City Jail and must
report to Options Counseling
Services of Oregon, Inc. She
must pay $425 in fines and
not contact or be in or about
the residence or place of
employment of the victim.
Meet Florence City
Manager Erin Reynolds
The Florence community
will have a chance to meet its
newly
appointed
City
Manager Erin Reynolds dur-
ing a special “meet and greet”
at the Florence Events Center
on Tuesday, March 17, from 4
to 6 p.m.
At that time, Reynolds will
be available to answer ques-
tions and meet community
members during a casual
gathering that is free and open
to the pub-
lic.
“I
am
looking
forward to
the chance
to meet the
SIUSLAW NEWS
people
I
FILE PHOTO
will
be Erin Reynolds
serving and
representing within the Flo-
rence community,” said
Reynolds.
Celebration of Life
Sherrill Warren
1929-2015
2pm March 21
Presbyterian
Church of the Siuslaw
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COURTESY PHOTO
!
g
n
i
r
Sp
Blair Sneddon as Stanley the Clown
themselves. Bob recalled a
particularly attractive statue of
ballet dancers that was offered
one year, and he decided
to buy it for his mom’s birth-
day.
Perhaps Gerry was a little
less than thrilled, because the
statue never stays in one place
for long.
“Those ballet dancers are
still making the rounds of
Sneddon family events,” Bob
said. “They disappear for a
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Still Alice - 101 min (PG-13) – More than likely, last week.
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The Duchess of Malfi - 180 min - Sat: 12:00 –
Globe on Screen Returns
Matisse: The Cut-Outs - 90 min - Sun: 1:00 – DOC–
Visit the Tate without leaving Florence
Antarctica: A Year on Ice - 91 min (PG) - Tue: 6:00 –
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