2A • COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • AUGUST 15, 2018
RECORDS
OBITUARIES
CROOKS—Billie Crooks,
67, of Creswell, Ore., passed
away Aug.
4, 2018,
surround-
ed by her
family.
She was
born to
Orville
(Pete)
and Alice
Billie Crooks
Peterson
in Cottage Grove on Oct. 17,
1950. She married Darryl
Crooks on July 8, 1972.
She is survived by her hus-
band; her son, Darin, of Cre-
swell; grandsons Derek of
Creswell and Brad of Cottage
Grove; adopted son Mykael
McMahan of Creswell; sis-
ter Bonnie Settera of Spring-
fi eld; niece and nephew Terisa
and Tim Settera of Spring-
fi eld; and brother-in-law Rod
Crooks of Cottage Grove.
At her request, no service
will be held. Th ere will be a
celebration of her life TBA.
Memorial
contributions
can be made to the Oregon
Cancer Foundation.
WELCH—Leota M. Welch,
91, of Cottage Grove, Ore.,
passed away Aug. 3, 2018.
She was born in Pampa,
Texas on Aug. 1, 1927, to Lee
and Effi e (Vaughn) Horton.
Leota married Chester
Welch and had three chil-
dren: Linda, Karen and James;
six grandchildren and 10
great-grandchildren.
S h e
enjoyed
reading
and her
two cats.
She was
pre c e d e d
in death
by
her
Leota Welch
husband
and son and is survived by her
daughters and two brothers,
Don and Ed Horton.
A celebration of her life will
be held Aug. 18, at 11 a.m., at
City Life Church located on
Row River Road in Cottage
Grove.
TOW N SE N D — D e n n i s
James Townsend, 65, of Cre-
swell, Ore., passed away July
11, 2018.
He was born June 1, 1953,
in Cottage
Grove to
Clement
and
Ll-
dean (Ad-
amson)
Townsend.
Dennis
graduated
Dennis Townsend
from Cot-
tage Grove High School. He
was a diesel mechanic, did
asphalt paving and worked on
heavy equipment.
Dennis enjoyed car racing
and wood working. He was
a member of the Creswell
Church of Christ.
Dennis married Diana Bo-
nilla on July 19, 1994, in the
Church of Christ, Cottage
Grove, Ore.
He is survived by his wife,
Diana Townsend of Creswell;
son Brian (Debra) of Spo-
kane, Wash.; son Sandivar (Ji)
of Huntington Beach, Calif.;
daughter Jane (Spencer) of
Vancouver, Wahs.; daugh-
ter Kristel of Cottage Grove;
daughter Roxanne of Cre-
swell; son Jeremy (Marci) of
Cottage Grove; 11 grandchil-
dren, four great-grandchil-
dren and numerous nieces
and nephews.
He was preceded in death
by his brother, Douglas
Townsend.
A memorial and pot luck
reception will be held at noon
on Saturday, Aug. 25, at Cre-
swell Church of Christ.
Arrangements by Smith-
Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel.
KEERAN—Billie
Beebe
(Wilson) Keeran, 92, passed
peacefully Saturday, Aug. 4,
2018, in Elma, Wash., with
family members by her side.
Born Jan. 11, 1926, in Chil-
dress, Texas, she was the el-
dest daughter of Sam and
Ruth Wilson.
Billie Wilson grew up in
Pomona, Calif., in a strong
Christian
house-
hold and
attend-
ed
the
Church of
God.
It was
there she
Billie Keeran
met Eli H.
Keeran, whom she married
on March 28, 1947. Billie and
Eli both graduated from Ore-
gon State College with educa-
tion degrees and, aft er a stint
teaching in Brazil, they moved
in 1952 to Cottage Grove,
where they lived, worked and
raised their family.
Th ey were active members
of the Riverside Church of
God. In 2001, Billie and Eli
moved to Elma, Wash., to be
closer to family members.
Billie enjoyed bird watch-
ing, gardening, crossword
puzzles, reading, bookkeep-
ing and listening to music.
She loved her family, was a
lifelong Church of God mem-
ber, enjoyed working in her
community and faithfully
supported many Christian
Police log
August 5
• Illegal camping reported
near Village Center.
• A man said his bull dog
was attacked by a neighbor’s
pit bull.
• Cigarette pack found
in the grandstands at CG
Speedway reported as hav-
ing crystal meth inside.
August 6
• Woman reported the
possibility of transients
moving into a home that
should be vacant near Jef-
ferson Ave.
• Suitcase found at the
Community Center.
• Sprinklers at Harrison
Elementary reported as be-
ing operational for 48 hours.
• Two dogs reported as
being distressed in a vehi-
cle, windows partially rolled
down.
• A man reported that a
parrot fl ew into his yard and
was killed by his dog. Con-
cerned the owner may not
be aware the bird was miss-
ing and now, deceased.
• Caller reported “lots of
drug activity going on” on
Main St.
August 7
• Two individuals report-
ed looking into vehicles
on Main St. and carrying a
plastic tote.
August 8
Mary Lou Teel
1932-2018
Mary Lou Teel, was born October 20,
1932, to parents Adlore and Marie (Bren-
ner) Crevier on the family farm in Millers-
burg, Michigan. She grew up an outdoors
girl and remained so all her life. In 1951
she met and married Harold Barber, the handsome Air Force
man. They were transferred to Fairbanks, Alaska, and her ad-
ventures there began. She hunted and fi shed and was comfort-
able wearing a 357 pistol on her hip when we’d go berry pick-
ing. She gardened, canned, and was an excellent seamstress.
She discovered gold mining and it quickly became a loved pas-
sion. Mary Lou never met a stranger, and was always there with
a helping hand. Her caring and compassion was felt by all. She
had been active in Alaska Women in Mining, Relay for Life,
and Alaska Pioneers organizations. She retired as a secretary
from the Alaska Department of Highways. Due to illnesses, she
moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 2012, where she passed on
August 4, 2018. Mary Lou, or “Nana” to most family members,
is survived by her two children, Kathy Jo and Russell Gene;
grand-children, Tonya LeClair, Joshua Uutela, Deanna Uutela,
and Jason Barber; great-grandchildren, Myranda LeClair, Evan
Uutela, Hannah Uutela, Riley Scofi eld, and Lillian Fraser; and
great-great grandchild, Maddison Barnett. Mary Lou was one
of fi ve children herself, and is survived by her sister, Jenny
Sawyer. Her friends are too numerous to count and the love felt
for her too enormous to measure. Arrangements are in the care
of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel in Cottage Grove.
• $600 cash was reported
lost between the bank and
BiMart
August 8
• Possible armed subject
reported at the skate park.
Individual was taking an air
rifl e to his sister’s house for
storage.
August 9
• Suspicious car report-
ed parked in same spot for
three days. Additionally,
someone on the roof of
nearby house, took some
wires.
• Two roommates report-
ed in a dispute over a towel
near K St.
• Caller reported shots
fi red, thinks it’s a cannon.
Call forwarded to Lane
County Sheriff ’s Offi ce.
Fern Faye Dixon
May 6, 1918 – August 5, 2018
Fern Faye Dixon, 100, of Albany,
passed away Sunday, August 5, 2018 at
her home.
Fern was born in Drain, Oregon to
Howard and Opal (Krewson) Tracy. She
grew up in Drain on the family ranch
and moved to Cottage Grove, graduating
from Cottage Grove High School in 1936. She married Boone
E. “Dick” Dixon in 1942 in Vancouver, Washington. When Dick
went to serve in the Army in World War II, Fern went to work at
First National Bank in Cottage Grove.
Upon Dick’s return, they lived in Portland until his employ-
ment took them to Albany.
Fern continued her banking career at First National Bank in
Albany; as well as Citizen’s Valley Bank and Key Bank and also
kept books for Dick’s tire company, Dixon Tire Co. in Halsey.
Fern loved music and playing the piano, as well as traveling
and growing fl owers.
She is survived by her niece, Virginia Sherwood of Cottage
Grove and nephew, Joe Tracy of Anchor Point, Alaska.
Fern was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dick;
and brother, Herschel Tracy.
A viewing will be from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, Wednesday,
August 15, 2018 at Fisher Funeral Home. A memorial service
will be at 10:30am, Friday, August 17, 2018 at the First Christian
Church in Albany, followed by a graveside at 2:00pm at Rest Ha-
ven Memorial Park in Eugene.
Memorial contributions to the First Christian Church or
Albany Boys and Girls Club may be sent in care of Fisher Funer-
al Home, 306 Washington St. SW, Albany, OR 97321.
Condolences may be posted online at
www.fi sherfuneralhome.com.
Charities.
Billie is preceded in death
by her husband Eli Keeran
(2005); and a brother, Bob
Wilson.
She is survived by a sister,
Patricia Van Der Veur; three
sons: Kent Keeran (Nancy),
Charles Keeran (Mary Lou)
and David Keeran (Lisa);
seven grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren.
A burial service will be held
at a future date.
GARDNER— Susie MFN
Gardner, 54, passed Th ursday,
Aug. 2, 2018, in Dorena, Ore.
Susie was born Oct. 2, 1963,
in Hanford, Calif., to the late
Donald MFN Gardner, Sr.
and Marilyn MFN Gardner.
She was the middle child of
three born between her sis-
ter Lynell MFN Gardner and
Donnie MFN Gardner, Jr.,
both of which survived her.
In life, Susie loved to go fast
and play hard. She was pas-
sionate about painting and
artwork, she loved playing
the poker machines at Jasper’s
Deli and the Pub, and enjoyed
spending time with her two
sons, Timothy MFN Lowrey
and Joey MFN Lowrey; her
grandchildren; her dogs: Bud-
dy MFN Gardner and Odis
MFN Gardner; her nieces and
nephews; and her wild bunch
of friends up river and around
Cottage Grove.
As her children, we will
fondly remember our mother
for instilling in us a fearless
strength, courage, resolve and
confi dence; we will remember
her laughter and smile; her
witty intelligence and most of
all her irreplaceable, uncon-
ditional love and motherly
pride.
In celebration of our moth-
er’s life we ask that her family,
friends and those that loved
her attend the memorial to be
held at the Dorena Grange —
34360 Row River Rd, Cottage
Grove, Ore., 97424 — on Aug.
18, from 2 p.m. to whenever.
Leonard Bailey Waitman
1922-2018
Leonard Bailey Waitman of Cottage
Grove, OR died on July 29, 2018 at
the age of 95.
He was born in San Bernardino, CA
on August 8, 1922, to parents Her-
man Bailey Waitman and Dollie Iva
Arnold. He attended San Bernardi-
no High School in 1940-42 before
transferring to Grant Union High
School in Sacramento, CA., where
he graduated. War was declared in
his senior year, and the entire class of seniors went down to join
the service. He received his diploma while in training. Leonard
served with the United States Army Air Corps. He participated
in 3 major invasions: Africa, Sicily, and Italy. In addition, he
aided in preparing for Col. Doolittle’s fi rst raid on Tokyo while
in the States prior to going overseas. He shipped out on the
Queen Elizabeth to England and was with the fi rst contingence
to form the 8 th Air Force in England before invading Oran,
North Africa. During the war in Europe, Leonard received the
Legion of Merit, the American Defense Medal, European-Mid-
dle Eastern Campaign with 7 stars, the Army Expeditionary
Force Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory
Medal, and a Presidential Unit Citation with OLC. He also had
3 years Overseas Bars. He had the rare view of being under
Mt. Vesuvius when it erupted during the war. And on a special
occasion he was privileged to be blessed by Pope Pious the 12 th .
Leonard was discharged at the end of the war, and went on to
attend San Bernardino Valley College, where he received his
Associates Degree. He then attended the elite academic of the
University of the Redlands, where he received his Bachelor’s
Degree and Master’s Degree. After teaching for 12 years he re-
ceived his PHD from the University of South Asia. In addition
to teaching for 32 years, Dr. Waitman authored several books
and articles on Desert Indians and Desert forts. He served as
the President of Bethesda Bible College in Wenatchee, WA
from 1978-80. He held 5 life credentials at all levels in Ed-
ucation and Administration. Leonard was recognized for his
historical research in Volume VI in the Dictionary of Interna-
tional Biography (1969) and in the Book, Two Thousand Men
of Achievement in 1971. He was awarded a place of note in The
Personalities of the West and Midwest. Leonard lived with his
lovely wife of 49 years, Patricia Jo Worley, whom he married
in 1969. He is survived by a son, David F. Isaak; a daughter,
Amber Harold; and 2 grandchildren, Avi and Stephanie. He was
preceded in death by a daughter, Joanna Lynn Waitman, who
died at the age of 4. Leonard’s body will be transported to the
Riverside National Cemetery in California, where he will be in-
terred in the Arlington section. He was always a strong believer
in God and the Lord Jesus, and he leaves with our blessings. A
Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, Au-
gust 25, 2018 at Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove, 1447 N Pacifi c
Hwy., Cottage Grove, OR followed by Reception at the VFW
Post #3473, 3160 Hillside Dr., Cottage Grove, OR. Arrange-
ments in the care of Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel, Cottage
Grove, OR.
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123 South 7th,
Cottage Grove, Oregon
th
123
South
7
,
Cottage
Grove, Oregon
541-942-0185 •www.smithlundmills.com
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