2A | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS
On The Record
OBITUARIES
MCKNIGHT—Phyllis
Catherine Schwarz McK-
night, 89, of Florence,
passed on May 21, 2020.
Phyllis was born July
27, 1930, in Fargo, ND.
She
at-
tended
Washing-
ton State
University,
where she
met
the
love of her
life, Rob-
Phyllis
ert “Bob”
McKnight
McKnight
( w h o
passed Dec. 24, 2013.)
They married on April
5, 1952, and moved to
Florence, Ore., in 1954
and opened Bob’s veteri-
narian practice.
Phyllis was the right-
hand assistant and chief
employee to their grow-
ing veterinarian practice,
as well as homemaker to
their family.
Together, they are sur-
vived by their children:
Jon McKnight (Karen),
Brett McKnight (Jan),
Mary Kay McKnight
Rude (Nate), Kent McK-
night (Tonya), nine
grandchildren and seven
great-grandchildren.
Phyllis was active in the
Florence community and
with her family. She vol-
unteered as Room Moth-
er, Cub Scout leader, Job’s
Daughter, Brownie lead-
er, Florence Booster Club
member, Delta Gamma
Sorority member, at the
community soup kitchen
and numerous other vol-
unteer activities.
She loved chocolate;
she loved her family; she
loved life.
Phyllis was always
there to support the ones
she loved in the best ways
she knew how.
During the past year,
Phyllis experienced de-
clining health yet always
kept a positive outlook
on life.
On May 21, Phyllis
passed in the loving care
of the Hubbard Retreat,
located at 5253 Heceta
Beach Rd. in Florence.
A private service was
conducted at Burns’s Riv-
erside Chapel and Funer-
al Home on May 22.
Phyllis and Bob were
longtime members of the
Lutheran Church and at-
tended the New Life Lu-
theran Church at 2100
Spruce St. in Florence.
Person’s wishing to
contribute on behalf
of Phyllis McKnight
can send donations to
the New Life Lutheran
Church on Spruce Street,
or to the Hubbard Retreat
on Heceta Beach Rd.
Phyllis blessed those
around her with love,
amazing cooking and her
infectious laugh.
We were blessed and
she will be missed.
WILLS —Duane C.
Wills, born Nov. 27,
1946, passed away June
2, 2020.
It is very difficult to
put into words just how
extraordinary this man
was.
He never met anyone
who he couldn’t strike
up an immediate con-
versation with, leaving
someone — usually his
wife — wondering what
the hell was taking him
so long in the store.
Duane had an enor-
mous love of adventure.
We’re pretty sure if there
was an unknown path
anywhere
in
the
c o u n t r y,
he found
it — and
we were
almost al-
ways for-
tunate to
Duane
be on that
Wills
journey
with him.
His adventures took us
to every state and several
countries. He was partic-
ularly fond of Alaska. His
job took him there pretty
often.
We are convinced that
many of his meetings
could have taken place
via video or phone, but
he would say “Nope, got-
ta be there in person.”
That 10 minute meet-
ing would usually take
him a week and he would
come back with hun-
dreds of photos; he loved
taking photos of abso-
lutely everything and ev-
eryone.
Duane created count-
less memories for us to
cherish forever. He took
a picture of a particular
rock in Denali while on
an adventure in Alas-
ka with his grandson,
Dylan, and told him he
wanted some of his ashes
spread there.
It looks like we will
be planning a trip in the
spring to find this rock,
in a 6-million-acre park,
risking life and limb
in the presence of who
knows what type of lurk-
ing wildlife.
Duane loved his family
so very much. There was
nothing he wouldn’t do
for us.
Need something?
Pop was there in no
time.
He truly was amaz-
ing and we can’t wait for
the day that he meets us,
wherever that is.
Duane is survived
by his wife of nearly 55
years, Janet; his daugh-
ter April Wills Harris;
son-in-law Casey Harris;
grandsons Dylan Wills
and Casey Jr.; grand-
daughter Cheyenne Har-
ris; brothers Monte Wills
and Dean Wills; sister-in-
law Mary Henry; many
nieces, including Janette
Henry, Rhonda Killmer
and Angela Holden, who
he loved dearly; many
nephews and countless
friends, including Caren
and Don Rogers.
We know that Pop is
looking for his new ad-
venture.
Whatcha doing up
help Oregonians under-
stand the fireworks that are
legal to use in Oregon with-
out a permit, where they
are permitted to be used,
and the important safety
steps to take when using
fireworks. The OSFM is
asking Oregonians to share
this information with their
friends, families and neigh-
bors.
The OSFM encourages
everyone to use the four Bs
of safe fireworks use:
• Be prepared before
lighting fireworks: keep wa-
ter available by using a gar-
den hose or bucket.
• Be safe when lighting
fireworks: keep children
and pets away from fire-
works.
• Be responsible after
lighting fireworks: never
relight a dud. Wait 15 to 20
minutes, then soak it in a
bucket of water before dis-
posal.
• Be aware: use only le-
gal fireworks and use them
only in legal places.
In Oregon, officials may
seize illegal fireworks and
charge offenders with a
For more information on
class B misdemeanor, which
could result in a fine of up fireworks in Oregon, visit
to $2,500 per violation and the OSFM website.
a civil penalty of up to $500.
Those who misuse fire-
works or allow fireworks to
cause damage are liable and
may be required to pay fire
suppression costs or other
damage. Parents are also
liable for fireworks damage
caused by their children.
Despite their regulated
sale and use, fireworks in
Oregon continue to cause
public safety and health
threats every year. In 2020,
the Oregon fire service
faces additional burdens
of protecting their per-
sonnel from exposure to
COVID-19 and serving the
public with the disease in
circulation.
For the last reported five
years through 2019, there
were 1,173 reported fire-
works-related fires in Ore-
gon, resulting in more than
$4.9 million in property
loss and contents damage.
During that same period,
fires resulting from fire-
works resulted one death
and 37 injuries.
DENTURE SERVICES INC.
serving Florence and the surrounding area
“ Our Family,
Serving Your
Family”
Burial & Cremation Service • Onsite Crematory
Columnbarium Spaces • Pre-need Planning
Open 4 days a week!
Here to serve your denture needs:
Monday-Thursday
10am - 2 pm
524 Laurel St.
541-997-6054
Serving Lane, Douglas and Coos County
Dunes Memorial Chapel
2300 Frontage Road, Reedsport, Oregon 97467 • 541-271-2822
LifeMed ~ An
Investment in Our
Community
$65
Per Year
Join
Now!
W
ith LifeMed, every dollar of your membership fee goes back into the Emergency
Medical Services system in our area. We provide rapid response, high quality
rescue and medical equipment, and advanced training for our Emergency Medical
Technicians, Paramedics, and Quick Response Teams to our community.
What are your LifeMed dollars doing for you?
• Providing pre-hospital care and ground transportation
• Freedom from paperwork, claim forms, and insurance billing
• Continuing education & current training for our Emergency Medical Service personnel
and Quick Response Teams (QRT’s)
• Low cost CPR and First Aid classes for the community and related public education
materials
• SafeKids Programs which include Bicycle Helmets for Children, Car Seat Clinics, Water
Safety and more
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Dentures
Partial Dentures
Immediate Dentures
Implant Dentures
Relines & Repairs Same Day
KRUEGER — R ay -
mond Krueger, of Flor-
ence, passed away June 5,
2020.
Private Cremation was
held through Burns’s
Riverside Chapel Flor-
ence Funeral Home.
Dunes Memorial Chapel
State Fire Marshal asks Oregonians to keep fireworks legal, safe
The Office of State Fire
Marshal, Oregon fire ser-
vice, natural resource
agencies, Oregon licensed
fireworks wholesalers, and
health and safety experts
want to encourage Orego-
nians to “keep it legal and
keep it safe” when using le-
gal fireworks.
The 2020 Oregon fire-
works retail sales season
opens June 23 and runs
through July 6.
“Oregonians can help
each other and especial-
ly our first responders by
keeping all fireworks use
safe and legal, especially
now with greater risks of
wildfire this fire season and
the stresses that COVID-19
is putting on our systems,”
said Mark Johnston, as-
sistant chief deputy fire
marshal. “Our office’s fire-
works safety and educa-
tion materials reinforce
these important messages
to help prevent unwanted
fires, wildfires, and calls to
responders or visits to our
medical facilities.”
The OSFM is providing
downloadable items that
there Pop? In his words,
“Livin’ the dream.”
B u r n s ’s R i v e r s i d e
Chapel Florence Funeral
Home was in charge of
arrangements.
William Foster LD
Sherry, Offi ce Manager
“As a denture wearer myself,
I can answer your
questions and address
your denture concerns.”
~ William Foster, LD
Financing: Citi Health Card
12 Month no Interest
You can obtain brochure at the following locations:
Peace Harbor Hospital
Siuslaw Valley Fire & Rescue Offi ce
McKenzie Care Associates
Several of the PeaceHealth Buildings
Renewal Applications are in the mail and can be dropped
off at one of two secure locations:
• 2625 Highway 101
• 410 Ninth Street
For Questions or an Application
Call 541-997-9614 or Visit: WesternLaneAmbulance.com
W