SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016
OBITUARIES
RUSSELL—Karen Jane
Russell, 53, of Florence, passed
away Jan.,
18, 2016, at
home sur-
rounded by
her family.
She died
of a brain
tumor that
she coura-
Karen Russell g e o u s l y
fought for
five years.
Karen was born April 28,
1962, to Byron and Reta
Pengra. She was the youngest
of their five children.
Born and raised in Florence,
she attended school and gradu-
ated from Siuslaw High School
in 1980.
After high school, she
attended Oregon Institute of
Technology in Klamath Falls,
where she pursued a diploma in
medical sciences.
She returned to Portland,
Ore., after college and worked
in the dental field. She also
worked in Eugene. Eighteen
years after leaving Florence,
Karen and her family moved
back to Florence to be closer to
friends and family.
Throughout her life, she
worked in the care and service
to others. She worked in the
dental field, medical field, as a
Certified Nursing Assistant and
as a teaching assistant in the
Siuslaw School District.
Karen was kind and loved
fiercely and deeply. She was
quick-witted, funny and knew
how to have a good time.
Karen’s laugh was conta-
gious and she laughed easily.
She was a great cook and an
avid sports fan. Her devotion to
the Oregon Ducks and the
Denver Broncos was intense.
She had a life-size standup
poster board of John Elway in
her entryway at one time.
What a fan!
If asked, Karen would tell
you that the best thing she did
in her life was being a mother
to her daughter, Kelcee, and
her son, Justin. She did every-
thing she could to allow them
to succeed in life. She loved
them unconditionally and
understood the trials of grow-
ing up.
She always wanted them to
learn from her mistakes and
was honest in sharing her feel-
ings and concerns with them.
Karen is survived by her
daughter, Kelcee Pengra; son
Justin Russell; sisters: Sue
Scarberry and husband Dan,
Joyce Rines and husband Eric,
and Teresa Anderson; her
brother, Bob Pengra and his
wife, Lyn; and many nieces and
nephews.
She is also survived by spe-
cial friends Tim Mcginnis and
Debbie and Kip Mckay.
A celebration of life will be
held today, Jan. 30, from 2 to 4
p.m., at The Riverside
Restaurant, 1340 Bay St..
Burns’s Riverside Chapel
Florence Funeral Home was in
charge of all arrangements.
JACKSON—A celebration
of life for longtime resident
and author Bob Jackson will be
held Sunday, Jan. 31, begin-
ning at 1 p.m., at the Florence
Events Center.
The public is invited to
attend.
DI GIORGIO—John Di
Giorgio, 91, formerly of
John Di Giorgio
Florence, died Jan. 22, 2016.
He was born Jan. 14, 1925,
in the family home in
Somerville, Mass., the son of
Joseph Anthony Di Giorgio
and Josephine (Brescia) Di
Giorgio of Boston.
A 1943 graduate of
Somerville High School in
Boston, John served 24 months
in the European Theater with
the U.S. Army. He landed on
Utah Beach, Normandy, on D-
Day +11.
He served across France and
Germany
and
was
in
Czechoslovakia at war’s end.
Returning to the U.S., his
ship was nearly sunk in a North
Atlantic hurricane Christmas,
1945. His crippled ship limped
into the Azores, and eventually
the men were transferred to the
aircraft carrier Enterprise for
the voyage to New York City.
The entire return trip, sched-
uled to take eight days, lasted
exactly one month.
One of John’s strongest
memories of World War II was
of war-weary vets on the ship
crying, feeling certain they
would not survive the storm.
This likely explains John’s
lifelong refusal to take a pleas-
ure cruise!
Discharged January 1946, by
March he began 16 years of
studies in biochemistry that
included a bachelor of science
in chemistry, with minors in
math and physics, from
Northeastern University; mas-
ters and doctorates in
Biochemistry from University
of Buffalo and post-doctoral
work in clinical chemistry at
the University of Washington.
He also had research posi-
tions at Washington State
College (now university),
Boston University School of
Medicine and two stints at the
Department of Nutrition,
Harvard School of Public
Health.
Entering the industry in
1966, John spent 15 years with
Dow
Chemical
Health
Sciences, developing blood
chemistry tests and reagent
sets, helping to set up the
Diagnostic Products group at
Dow Lepetit in Milan, Italy,
and researching hemodialysis
therapy for patients with kid-
ney failure.
He later performed research
at two venture capital-funded
COURTS
Florence Municipal Court
Jan. 19
Byron Leroy Barnett plead-
ed guilty to criminal trespass.
He was sentenced to nine days
in Florence City Jail. He must
pay $50 in fines.
Jan. 26
Nickolas Wayne Burch
pleaded guilty to carrying a
concealed
weapon
and
attempting
to
possess
methamphetamine. He was
sentenced to six days in
Florence City Jail. He must
pay $525 in fines.
Joseph Ryan Coldiron
pleaded guilty to carrying a
concealed weapon and unlaw-
fully entering a motor vehicle.
He was sentenced to five days
in Florence City Jail. He must
pay $1,131 in fines and not
contact or be in or about the
residence or place of employ-
ment of the victim.
Aaron Solomona Teo plead-
ed no contest to theft, harass-
ment and resisting arrest.
He was sentenced to seven
days in Florence City Jail
and must report to Emergence
Addiction and Mental Health
Services. He must pay $525
in fines and not contact or be
in or about the premises or
place of employment of the
victim.
Jessica Nicole Daggs plead-
ed no contest to resisting
arrest. She was sentenced to
two days in Florence City Jail.
She must pay $825 in fines.
Tanner Glen Mace pleaded
guilty to theft. He was sen-
tenced to six days in Florence
City Jail. He must pay $525 in
fines and not contact or be in
or about the residence or place
of employment of the victim.
Melvin Bruce Lytle pleaded
no contest to harassment. He
was sentenced to six days in
Florence City Jail and must
report
to
Emergence
Addiction and Mental Health
Services
and
Siuslaw
Batterer’s Intervention Pro-
gram. He must pay $505 in
fines and not contact or be in
or about the residence or place
of employment of the victim.
companies before spending
eight fulfilling years in public
service at the State of
California Genetic Disease
Laboratory for newborn
babies in Berkeley.
Following retirement, John
and Barbara settled in
Florence for 22 wonderful
years.
John greatly enjoyed play-
ing saxophone and clarinet
with many bands including the
Yachats Big Band, the
Florence Saxophone Quartet
and the Florence Community
Concert Band, as well as in the
pit orchestra of many musi-
cals.
He and Barbara were active
volunteers for the Florence
Events Center and treasured
the dear friendships they devel-
oped through the Presbyterian
Church of the Siuslaw and
Florence Rotary Club.
Declining health forced a
move back to California in
June 2015, where he passed
away at home with Barbara
and his sons at his side.
He is the beloved husband
of 58 years to Barbara Ann Di
Giorgio; father of Marlene
(d.1972), Carl of Lafayette,
Calif., and Brian of Oakland,
Calif.; father-in-law to Mary
Di Giorgio and Elizabeth
Southwick Adam; “Papa” to
grandsons Evan and Connor
Di Giorgio; beloved uncle of
Joanne Bryanos and Janet
Taylor, both of Nahant, Mass.;
and loved by the Di Giorgio
families
throughout
the
Boston area.
A memorial service is
scheduled for 3 p.m. on
Saturday, Feb. 6, at Grace
Presbyterian Church, Walnut
Creek, Calif.
The family will also hold a
service in Florence in the
spring.
BIRTH
JOHNSON—Odin Nikias
Johnson, a boy weighing 7
lbs., 9 ozs., was born to Daryl
Chante Wood and Jacob
Michael Johnson of Florence
on Jan. 23, 2016, at 5:49
p.m., at PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor Medical Center.
Kiwanis to begin offering
See’s Candy for sweethearts
The Florence Kiwanis Club
is once again selling See’s
Candy.
The Kiwanis will set up its
candy display beginning
Monday, Feb. 1, in the
Florence Sears Showroom at
Sixth Street and Highway
101,
Monday
through
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m., and Sundays from noon
to 3 p.m.
The drive will continue
until the candy is sold out.
This year’s candy selection
includes Valentine specialties
and discounted one- and two-
pound boxes of assorted
chocolates, nuts and chews
and dark chocolates.
The See’s Candy sale is a
fundraiser for the Florence
Kiwanis Club.
All proceeds from the sale
support programs for children
and youth in the community.
For more information, call
541-997-3455.
CITY LIGHTS CINEMAS
1930 Hwy 101 • Florence, OR 97439
TIMES BELOW ARE ONLY VALID
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
$9 Regular/$8 Senior or Student/$7.50 Matinee/$7 Child/$6.50
Member | Performing Arts $19/$15/$10
NO SURCHARGE FOR 3D – GLASSES TO KEEP $2
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Daily: 12:20, 6:20
NEW: The Finest Hours 3D – With more advanced and thrilling effects than The Perfect Storm.
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Wed: 12:00, 3:10 | Thu: 12:00, 3:10, 6:10
Special Events:
Jane Eyre - 180 min – Encore of this fantastic National Theatre Live production
Sat: 11:00am – The Bronte classic brought to theatrical life with unique staging and gorgeous music
A Ballerina's Tale – True Story Tuesdays returns!
Tue: 11:00am, 5:45 – The rise of ballerina Misty Copeland and her return a devastating injury.
Bolshoi Ballet: The Lady Of The Camellias (NR) – Our 1 st Bolshoi! Join us.
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