2A | APRIL 29, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
On The Record
Man arrested on murder charges in Cottage Grove
By Damien Sherwood
dsherwood@cgsentinel.
com
Police have arrested
James Edward Brown, 63,
on the charges of Murder in
the Second Degree follow-
ing a death investigation at
96 Palmer Ave. in Cottage
Grove.
Just before midnight on
April 22, Brown called 911
to report his girlfriend was
dead in the living quarters
on the second floor of the
location.
Cottage Grove Police De-
partment (CGPD) officers
arrived on scene and found
a female victim deceased.
The name of the victim
has not yet been released.
Brown was detained and
later transported to the
CGPD, where he provided
a brief statement and later
invoked his right to speak
to an attorney.
CGPD
immediately
treated the case as a homi-
cide as a death investigation
was launched.
“Officers found the cir-
cumstances
suspicious,”
blunt force trauma.
Based on evidence and
interviews, Brown was ar-
rested and charged with
Murder in the Second De-
gree.
He was then transport-
ed and lodged at the Lane
County Adult Corrections
Facility on the charges.
Because this is an on-
going investigation and
more evidence must be
examined, CGPD stated
GARY MANLY/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
in a press release that ad-
Just before midnight on April 22, James Brown
ditional information may
called 911 to report his girlfriend was dead.
be released in the coming
said CGPD Chief Scott victim died as the result of weeks.
Shepherd. “Any time there
is a death that is not readi- Harriett “Eileen” (Harpole) Burkeen
ly explained, we treat it as a 1927-2021
homicide.”
Christ at 6th and Gibbs having
The Oregon Police Fo-
served many years as a Sunday
rensics Lab and Lane
School Teacher, youth group
County District Attorney’s
leader, choir member, church
secretary, and treasurer. For
office provided resources
several years she had served on
in the investigation and the
the board of the Cottage Grove
Eugene Police Department
Museum and was a volunteer
assisted with digital imag-
at the Cottage Grove Hospital.
ing.
Her interests included working
at her church, hunting, fi sh-
Through investigations
ing, traveling, square dancing,
of the scene, area video
spectator sports, but most of
surveillance and forensic
all Eileen’s main interest was
evidence collected, it was
Harriett “Eileen” (Harpole) spending time with her family.
determined that the female
Burkeen, 93, passed away April Eileen is survived by three chil-
Congratulations!
to our
Employee of the Month
Sue Miller
Resident of the Month
Donna Dick
For the month of April, 2021
1425 Daugherty Ave. • Cottage Grove • 541-942-0054
17, 2021. Eileen was born July
6, 1927 in Elmira, Oregon to
Marvon and Rosetta (Marsh)
Harpole who both preceded
her in death. When only three
months old the family, includ-
ing a brother, Howard, moved
to the Cottage Grove area
where she lived until her death.
She attended local schools and
graduated from Cottage Grove
High School in 1945. She later
returned to that school to work
as a secretary and bookkeeper
where she retired aft er 25 years,
in 1986. She previously worked
for several years at a local bank.
Eileen was married to Charles
(Chuck) Burkeen who passed
away in 1991. She was an ac-
tive member of the Church of
Don’t Forget Mother’s Day!
Sunday, May 9th
at
Shady Oaks
Plants & Produce
It’s the Place to Be!!!
We have a beautiful selection of
Flowers
Perennials
Garden starts
Annuals
Largest selection of hanging
Baskets in town
Home Baked goodies
Gift Certificates
A great place to bring mom
Kiddie Clinic
Sign up only
May 8th
11am-3pm
located at 77380 Hwy, 99 S
www.shadyoaksplantandproduce.com
dren and their spouses; daugh-
ter Leanne (Wayne) Cherry of
Eugene, OR; son Brent (Lisa)
Witherspoon of Springfi eld,
OR; son Wade (Jere) With-
erspoon of Lafayette, OR; six
grandchildren Nathan and Bri-
an Cherry, Rani Conley, Bren-
na Witherspoon, Kalie McNel-
ly and Jesse Witherspoon and
13 great grandchildren. Also
special to her were four nieces,
one nephew and their families.
She is preceded in death by her
husband and brother Howard
Harpole. A funeral will be held
Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 2:00
PM at Smith-Lund-Mills Fu-
neral Chapel, Cottage Grove,
OR. Interment at West Lawn
Memorial Park in Eugene, OR.
Robert “Bob” Wilson
1954-2021
On the evening of April 13,
2021 Robert “Bob” Wilson at
his home in Cottage Grove,
succumbed to his seven-year
battle with cancer, with his
loving wife by his side. Bob
(Bobby to his close friends)
was born October 29, 1954 in
Murphy, North Carolina to
Lytle and Irene (Hogsed) Wil-
son. Bob held a special place in
his heart for his Aunt Barbara
Maney who took care of him
until he turned two. At that
time, the family plus three old-
er brothers moved across the
country to Culp Creek, OR.,
settling in Dorena, OR.
Aft er high school he worked
in the woods for Bohemia,
then Bohemia and Weyerhae-
user mills. C-2 Utility Contrac-
tors in Coburg was his last em-
ployer. He married Victoria L.
Larson in June 1980. He loved
to make people laugh, being
with family, hunting and deep-
sea fi shing. He volunteered be-
ing a soccer coach for his chil-
dren, also volunteering for his
children and grandchildren’s
school. Bobby is survived by
his wife Victoria, his daugh-
ter Amanda Ronan (James),
grandchildren Ella and Trev-
or of Cottage Grove, OR; son
Bryce Wilson, Portland, OR;
daughter Nicole Bittick (Bo),
grandchildren Rex, Max, Da-
kota, and Travis of Soldotna,
AK. A celebration of life is
pending because of Covid re-
strictions. Arrangements in the
care of Smith-Lund-Mills Fu-
neral Chapel, Cottage Grove,
OR.
Why Pre-Plan?
Pre-Planning makes matters easier for those
you love.
Pre-Planning allows you to provide guidance
to your family after your death.
Pre-Planning allows you to control potential
expenses of a funeral and disposition.
Pre-Planning provides an advanced
opportunity to assemble life data.
(541) 942-0185
123 S. 7th St., Cottage Grove
Visit smithlundmills.com for more information.
To my loving Granny Betty Ann Hutchinson, I
dedicate this letter
by Seth Harris
I want to start by telling you how much I love you, God loves you, the
whole family loves you. You have been a blessing to all of us, a blessing
from God. I am a true believer in our lord, and I know you are. Some-
times we just have to be reminded of his grace, his love our ultimate des-
tination in Heaven. You have been the best Granny in the whole world
to all of us kids, more than we could have asked for. Taking care of us
from the time we were all little babies till becoming big babies, feeding
us, cleaning up after us, bathing us and being there for us. Stacey, little
precious, Gracie and I have all the respect for you, we know nothing is easy in this life, so
thank you for everything Granny. Thank you for your love and compassion.
I want this to be a comforting letter for you so what we must remember is that God is
number one. He crafted us to know him as lord and friend simultaneously. He died for
us, our sins to set us free, to live free in him. The father, the son, the holy spirit is as one.
Granny, I believe in all of these facts. I have read the scriptures, bible verses for years now
and I have experienced so many good and wonderful things that lead me to places I never
imagined. I have discovered the reality of the lord’s presence, he exists, he is closer that we
ever imagined. Heaven is both present and future all we have to do is have faith, open our
hearts and receive the lord’s peace and love in full measure. As we walk on this earth with
Jesus in our hearts and the Holy Spirit to guide us step by step we are already in touch with
the essence of heaven. This all hard, but if we can trust in the lord, have faith, have eyes
that can really see, then the door will be opened to us.
Power of prayer is a powerful weapon. Stacey, Gracie and I have been praying for a
healing for you and mom and pa and others too. We all have to be strong and hang in there
praying for the best remembering that with god anything is possible, by the power of the
Holy Spirit invested in me, I believe in miracles and I know others so we just have to open
our hearts and mind and let god do his work, doing what is best for us. Little Gracie was the
biggest miracle in our lives, with no doubt that she was born, it was gods will.
Scriptures and bible verses from Jesus calling, rest with me awhile, you have journeyed
up a steep, rugged path in recent days. The way ahead is shrouded in uncertainty. Look
neither behind you nor before you. Instead focus your attention on me, your constant com-
panion. Trust that I will equip you fully for whatever awaits you in your journey. I designed
time to be a protection for you. You couldn’t bear to see all life at once. Though I am unlim-
ited by time, it is in the present moment that I await you. Refresh yourself in my company,
breathing in deep thoughts of my presence. The highest level of trust is to enjoy me moment
by moment. I am with you, watching over you wherever you go. Psalm 143:8
Relax in my healing, holy presence. Be still while I transform your heart and mind. Let
go of cares and worries so that you can receive my peace. Cease striving and know that I am
God. It is through knowing me intimately that you become like me. This requires spending
time alone with me. Let go, relax, be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 John 3:2
I, the creator of the universe, am with you and for you. What more could you need?
When you feel some lack, it is because you are not connecting with me at a deep level. I
offer abundant life; your part is to trust me, refusing to worry about anything. It is not so
much adverse events that make you anxious as it is your thoughts about those events. Your
mind engages in efforts to take control of a situation to bring about the result you desire.
Your thoughts close in on the problem like ravenous wolves. Determined to make things
go your way, you forget that I am in charge of your life. The only remedy is to switch your
focus from the problem to my presence. Stop all your striving and watch to see what I will
do. I am the Lord! Romans 8:31-32; Micah 7:7
I am the way, the truth, and the life. In me you have everything you need, both for this
life and for the life yet to come. Don’t let the impact of the world shatter your thinking or
draw you away from focusing on me. The ultimate challenge is to keep fi xing your eyes on
me, no matter what is going on around you. When I am central in your thinking, you are
able to view circumstances from my perspective. Peter 5:6 John 14:6
Granny, Stacey, Gracie and I love you very much, and no matter what happens we will
always be together. Everyone loves you; you are a very wonderful person. Trust in the Lord
and don’t be afraid for he is our strength and shield.
Love Stacey, Gracie and Seth