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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2017
OBITUARIES
EKSTROM—Robert James
Ekstrom, Sr., 93, of Florence,
passed away peacefully on July
26, 2017,
while sur-
rounded by
his
four
children.
Bob (or
Bobby as he
was more
commonly
known) was
Robert
born Jan.
Ekstrom
30, 1924, in
the old rail-
road hospital in Anchorage, the
youngest child of Nancy Stephan
Hedburg Ekstrom and the only
child of James “Jim” Pete
Ekstrom.
His father raised him.
Jim fished commercially at
Granite Point during the summer
and always took his little boy
with him. They slept in a tent,
continually tormented by curious
black bears; a nightmare for
Bobby. He often was awakened
with a paw coming through the
canvas or returning with his
father to a destroyed camp. He
never understood why his father
had no fear of bears.
Bobby, a bright child, was
enrolled at age 5 in Central,
located in downtown Anchorage,
the only school at that time. He
was bilingual as he had learned
to speak Swedish and English
simultaneously prior to attending
school. He excelled scholastical-
ly; played saxophone in the band
and hockey on the city team (the
school didn’t have a team).
After Bobby graduated from
ninth grade, his father forced
him to quit school and go to
work. During the winter, Jim
traveled, working as a pile driv-
er, constructing docks, bridges
and buildings in various parts of
Alaska.
Bobby’s sisters, Lillie, Alice
and Gladys, and his two broth-
ers, John and Elmer, looked in
on him but often he was left
alone at the 2nd Avenue house
his father owned in Anchorage.
This was difficult enough, but at
8 years old Bobby was aban-
doned by a caregiver during the
winter. At the time, he was in a
full body cast from a broken hip.
He was found barely alive but
survived.
The rough times were instru-
mental in developing Bobby’s
strength of character and outlook
on life. From that point forward
he was known for his charisma,
independence, personal pride,
delightful sense of humor and
endearing charm.
Dunes City accepting
input for public hearing
Dunes City is accepting cit-
izen input relating to marijua-
na grow sites in Dunes City.
Anyone interested in pro-
viding comments that will be
included in the record of a
public hearing of the Dunes
City Council on Wednesday,
Sept. 13, is invited to submit
comments in writing to Dunes
City Hall.
Written comments can be
mailed or delivered to Dunes
City Hall, 82877 Spruce St.,
Westlake, Ore., 97493, or
emailed to recorder@dunesci-
tyor.com.
Comments should be sub-
mitted by 4 p.m. Monday,
Sept. 11, to allow ample time
for City Councilors to review
them before the public hear-
ing.
Clarification
He was a survivor in every
way, always enjoying life in a
lively and often somewhat noisy
way.
As a young man, Bobby
worked with his dad during the
winter. More than once he got
fired by his dad just to get
rehired the next day. When he
got older, he worked on the
Alaska Highway, but always left
permanent employment to return
to Granite Point for the fishing
season.
During WWII, Bobby enlisted
in the U.S. Army with several of
his lifelong friends, including
Isam Hillary. He was initially
transported to Seattle, then to
several other bases in the South.
It was then onto Attu and the
Philippines. He loved recounting
all the crazy jokes he and his
Army buddies played on each
other, including sneaking out of
the barracks to go into town to
party and chase girls.
After the war, Bobby was
working up in Folger when he
met his first wife, Grace Konig.
They married within a year and
in time had five children:
Roberta, Carol Ann, Robert Jr.,
Georgia and Pete. They lost
Carol Ann when she was 2 years
old. During those early years,
Bobby worked for Arctic Oil
Fuel delivering heating oil and
fishing during the summer.
When Grace and Bobby
divorced, like his father he raised
the children.
It was quite unusual in those
days. Catholic Charities and
State of Alaska Social Services
more than once tried to influence
him to give up his children.
In 1954, Shirley Rae Mack
had relocated to Anchorage from
Oregon, and was working at Fort
Richardson when they met. She
and Bobby hit it off but an emer-
gency forced her to return to
Oregon. Several years later, with
a lame excuse, she called him.
He asked her to come back to
Anchorage and she did within
three days. He was the love of
her life.
Within months they married
and so their 45 years of life
together began.
The family continued to
reside in Anchorage until the late
1960s, when Bobby and Shirley
permanently relocated to Granite
Point. This was an enormous
change for Shirley, who was city
girl. Without hesitation she
accepted the challenge of living
in the bush in a fish camp with
almost nothing.
There was no electricity, run-
ning water, sewer or septic, tele-
phone, roads or any borough
services. At first, they just had an
old undependable truck but no
winter roads between Granite
Point and Tyonek or any place
else.
In the 1970s, Bobby and
Shirley established Trading Bay
Catering. The first restaurant, the
“Cook Shack,” was nothing
more than a converted shed. Old
ATCO trailers were purchased
and upgraded for sleeping quar-
ters for seismic crews.
The business really took off
when Bobby and Shirley built
their home. Building materials
were transported by dory from
Anchorage. Bobby, Shirley and
three friends constructed the
3,000-square-foot home all by
themselves.
They then built a restaurant
better known as “Shirleyville.”
Bobby had an astounding knack
for drumming up business.
Shirley, a bookkeeper, was a fan-
tastic cook. Bobby was the
breakfast chef with sleepy crews
coming in at 6 a.m., ending up
singing along with Bobby
instead of Mitch.
Shirley and Bobby were quite
the pair.
In addition, he bought the
Pelican, a WWII modified land-
ing craft. Unknown to most of
the fisherman, Bobby contacted
fish processors year after year to
insure the Cook Inlet Northern
District setnettters had a buyer
for their fish.
The Pelican tendered salmon
delivering
the
catch
to
Anchorage and/or Kenai proces-
sors until he retired.
Shirley passed away in 1999.
Bobby had health issues of his
own and, at age 76, sold
Shirleyville to the Native Village
of Tyonek and another partner.
The patronage from Native
Village of Tyonek (many friends
and family) had greatly con-
tributed to the financial success
of Shirleyville. Bobby was glad
to see the village buy the busi-
ness with hopes it would contin-
ue to be a place to gather for
good food and good company.
Bobby
relocated
to
Washington State, residing with
his daughter, Roberta, and her
husband until his health failed.
He then moved to a care facility.
The Regency was only blocks
from Roberta’s home, so he
came home for visits during the
day plus enjoyed visits from
family and friends at the facility.
The Regency staff loved him.
His wit and humor never let him
down. Caregivers never knew
what he might come up with to
challenge and entertain them.
Bobby is survived by his four
children: Roberta Hallam,
Robert James Ekstrom Jr.,
Georgia Dieringer and Pete
Ekstrom;
eight grand-
children and
many great-
grandchil-
dren.
B u r n s ’s
Riverside
C h a p e l
Florence
Funeral
Eula Fish
Home was
in charge of arrangements.
FISH—Eula Dixie Fish
passed peacefully Aug. 8, 2017.
She was born in Hot Springs,
N.M., on Dec. 31, 1937. She is
survived by her four children
and their spouses; 12 grandchil-
dren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Eula moved to the state of
Washington as a baby and then
to Florence at age 10. She went
through high school and then
met her first husband, Ray
Bishop, on the stage of the
Florence Civic Theatre in a pro-
duction of “You can't take it
With You.”
They married and raised four
children: Angela, Desiree,
Christian and Don.
Eula volunteered in her chil-
dren’s classrooms as an art
instructor and teacher’s aid.
After the children were
teenagers, Eula went on to col-
lege and received a nursing
degree. She met her second hus-
band, Robert Fish, during that
time. They married in 1980 and
enjoyed their time together until
his death in 2010.
Eula volunteered for the
Florence Events Center, Meals
on Wheels, as well as being a
counselor for the Women’s
Center.
Eula was an artist who loved
to paint and draw in many medi-
ums. Animals, the outdoors and
her family were her favorite sub-
jects. She was prolific in jewelry
making, clay sculpting, basket
weaving and tiny bears.
Eula had a huge green thumb
and would beautify wherever she
lived with amazing gardens. She
could create a perfect oasis for
everyone to enjoy, including for
birds, squirrels, her cats and the
neighbors.
Eula was very spiritual and a
good listener. She could make
you feel so much better with a
listen and a hug. If you wanted
counsel she would give it,
encouraging you to solve and
work through your worries in
your own time.
She loved wildlife and had a
great respect for nature. Eula had
connection with animals which
she shared with her children and
grandchildren.
Eula loved to dance, wear
bright colors, laugh, read, walk
in the woods, nurture and most
of all, she loved her family.
We will all miss her very
much.
JAMES—Gini M. James, 81,
of Florence, passed away Sept.
5, 2017.
Arrangements are being held
through Burns’s Riverside
Chapel Florence Funeral Home.
In the Wednesday, Sept. 6 edition of Siuslaw News, in the
front-page story “Eye on the Future,” which reported on Siuslaw
High School’s graduation rates, the 2015-16 rate of 74.83 “being
the fourth worst” in the nation was referring to the state of
Oregon, not Siuslaw High School.
Siuslaw News regrets any confusion that may have resulted.
R E-CORNER
Dave’s
Most people have heard of the
3Rs of environmentally
friendly behavior-
REDUCE is to use less of something.
Use less water, turn off lights,
use both sides of a paper.
REUSE is to use an item again. Refi ll a water bottle, reuse a
container and buy reusable bags.
RECYCLE is to make new items from old ones; recycle
bottles, glass, paper, cans, plastic, cardboard & more.
T ip
SEPARATE TRASH
One of the main reasons people feel like
they can’t recycle is because it’s an extra
step in their already busy day. Keeping
a cardboard box or large container right
next to the trash can for all recyclable
goods makes recycling a whole lot easier.
Then, all your waste is ready when your
disposal service comes to pick it up.
Q uiz
Answer to Previous Quiz: C: Recycling
Health Care Town Hall
Join us for the third in a series of town hall
events for an update on provider recruitment
and to hear more about upcoming healthcare
initiatives within the community.
If you make a new basket from an old ice cream bucket you are…
A) reducing. B) reusing. C) recycling.
Wednesday, Sept. 13
7 - 8 a.m.
D id you Know?
to 1:30 p.m.
(Choose one of the two sessions to attend)
Florence Events Center
715 Quince St., Florence, OR 97439
Come to the town hall for an
opportunity to ask your questions
in person. Or, share your questions
in advance of the event:
facebook.com/peaceharbor
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Visit us online for the latest
information about the event and
PeaceHealth’s provider recruiting
efforts.
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People in the U.S. make up 5% of the world’s
population but use 25% of the world’s
resources and generate 30% of its garbage.*
noon
GOT QUESTIONS?
E W I TH A S
peacehealth.org/WeCare
Thanks to our partner, the City of Florence, for working with us to host this event.