M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 6 • 1 09 T H R HO D OD EN DR ON F ES TI VA L P R OG R AM
T ERNYIK
NAMED PARADE GRAND MARSHAL
ormer Florence
Mayor Wilbur
Ternyik has been
named grand marshal for
this year’s 109th
Rhododendron Festival. He
will lead the Grand Floral
Parade on Sunday, May 22,
as it heads down Highway
101 towards Old Town.
SIUSLAW NEWS FILE PHOTOS
Ternyik was instrumen-
Wilbur Ternyik
tal in shaping laws affecting the
now, and as
City of Florence, the Port of
a
young man
Siuslaw and the surrounding
in 1961
areas. The former Florence mayor,
port commissioner and founder of Lewis and
the Oregon Coastal Conservation
Clark and the
and Development Commission
Corps of
served 16 years on the city coun-
Discovery. He felt close ties with
cil and 29 years on the Port of
nature and worked to preserve the
Siuslaw board.
Oregon coast and its denizens.
Ternyik, 90, was raised by his
Ternyik and his wife Joyce
grandparents in Clatsop County.
cared for wounded and orphaned
He was a direct descendent of
animals, such as seals, baby bears
Chief Coboway, who greeted
and a raccoon named Patty. They
F
5
also gardened and maintained the
landscaping along the intersection
of Highways 126 and 101.
Last year, Ternyik assisted the
2015 Rhody Court with a commu-
nity service project with Kiwanis
Club of Florence.
In 2006, Ternyik was honored
with a bronze bust depicting him-
self wearing his iconic Cree jacket
and carrying a tomahawk, which
he used as a gavel as chairman of
the coastal commission and as
mayor.
“No single person ever accom-
plished anything by himself. It’s
impossible,” Ternyik said.
His wife, Joyce, said, “He’s
quite a guy. I’m very proud of
him.”
Train Your Dog to Rescue You
with the
Family Disaster Dogs Book
and children's book
My Puppy Can Find Me
by
Amber Higgins
Books & Free Lessons
at www.familydisasterdogs.net