Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 14, 2015 9A
Polk County News
OBITUARIES
Delpha Jane
O’Harra Daniel
Kelly M. Wheeler
Sept. 22, 1950 – Dec. 29, 2014
Kelly M. Wheeler, 57, of In-
dependence died Jan. 5 in
Independence.
Kelly was born in Boise,
Idaho, to Ira Dee Wheeler
and Virginia Arlene Wheeler
(Peckham).
He lived most of his life in
Idaho and Oregon. He loved
to go fishing and camping.
One of his greatest joys was
spending time with his
grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife
and best friend, Cathy; sib-
lings, Ira, Don, Candace,
Rodney and Emma; chil-
dren, Erica, Cat, John,
Matthew, Amanda and
Aaron; and 10 grandchil-
dren.
Celebration of life was Sat-
urday at Independence Ma-
sonic Lodge.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to the American Cancer
Society.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.FarnstromMor-
turary.com.
Delpha Jane O’Harra
Daniel, 64, of Falls City died
Dec. 29 in Falls City.
She was born to Marion
Edward and Muriel Isabell
Schumacher O’Harra.
Delpha graduated from
high school in Santa Clara,
Calif. She was briefly mar-
ried to John Daniel in Santa
Cruz, Calif.
She had
worked as
a model,
window
designer
and gro-
c e r y
cashier-
c h e c k e r.
She retired after working 35
years with Blue Lake Produc-
ers (later Agripac and Chiq-
uita Processed Foods) as a
lead supervisor.
Delpha’s love for animals
was exceptional; she volun-
teered at the Salem Cat
Coalition and walked dogs
daily in Falls City. She also
volunteered at the Dallas
Food Bank. One of her great
joys was paper crafting,
which she enjoyed with her
sister and nieces.
She was preceded in
death by her four brothers.
Survivors include her com-
panion of more than 35 years,
Les Weigel of Falls City; sister,
Dalene Cobine of Independ-
ence; and extended family.
An open house and
potluck will be held to cele-
brate her life on Feb. 7 from
1 to 4 p.m. in Independence.
For directions, contact Dal-
las Mortuary Tribute Center,
which handled arrange-
ments, at 503-623-2325.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to the Salem Cat Coalition
or any other animal-related
foundation.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.dallastribute.com.
Cherri Ann Smith
Nov. 17, 1941 – Jan. 4, 2015
Cherri Ann Smith, 73, of
Independence died Jan. 4.
She was born in Pendle-
ton to Paul and Jean Smith.
Celebra-
tion of her
life
is
We d n e s -
d
a
y
(today)
from 10
a.m. to 1
p.m. at her
home, 510
S. 12th St., Independence.
Graveside service was Mon-
day at Smith Cemetery in
Monmouth.
Farnstrom Mortuary, In-
dependence, handled
arrangements. To send an
online condolence:
www.FarnstromMortuary.com.
Jan. 5, 2014
Jackwelyn L.
Nastari
Sept. 6, 1931 – Jan. 7, 2014
Jackwelyn L. Nastari, 83, of
Dallas died Jan. 7 in Dallas.
She was born in Norfolk,
Neb., to Jack and Dixie
Atkins Yenter.
Her family moved from
Nebraska
to Califor-
nia, where
she met
her future
husband
after his
violin con-
cert. On
June 3,
1951, in Stockton, Calif., she
married A. John Nastari.
Jackie was the quintessen-
tial pastor’s wife and mother.
She kept the household run-
ning while John was pastor-
ing and involved in the com-
munity. Her family was the
most important thing to her.
Jackie and John moved
from Redmond to Dallas
eight years ago.
She did beautiful stained
glass work and was a mem-
b e r o f D a l l a s Un i t e d
Methodist Church.
She was preceded in
death by three sisters.
Survivors include her hus-
band, John of Dallas; sons,
Michael of West Linn, Mark
of Clackamas and Paul of
Dallas; daughter, Lynn of
Eagle Crest; sister, Luella
Kipp of Ontario, Calif.; and
four grandchildren.
Memorial service was Sat-
urday at Dallas United
Methodist Church. Private
interment will be at Red-
mond Memorial Cemetery.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to the donor’s local
church or to the Alzheimer’s
Association.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
Robert Leroy
Rogers
at 1 p.m. at McMinnville Ma-
sonic Cemetery.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to the National Parkin-
son’s Foundation.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
Cornelia ‘Corkie’
Colen
Dec. 16, 1941 – Dec. 10, 2014
Robert Leroy Rogers, 72, of
Dallas died Dec. 10.
Private family service was
held.
Farnstrom Mortuary, Inde-
pendence, handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
condolence: www.farnstrom-
mortuary.com.
William ‘Buck’
Martin Tharp Sr.
Oct. 17, 1935 – Jan. 6, 2015
William “Buck” Martin
Tharp Sr., 79, of Dallas died
Jan. 6 after a long battle with
Parkinson’s disease.
He was born in McMinn-
ville to
Hazel and
To m m y
Tharp.
B i l l
spent his
younger
days in the
N o r t h
Bend area
working in the family mill.
There, he met Shirlie Prosa;
they had three children to-
gether and later divorced.
Bill moved to the Dallas area
with his three children. He
met and married Jolene
Hansen, who had two small
children that he raised as his
own. Bill and Jolene had
three children together. After
many years of marriage, they
divorced.
Bill was a logger for many
years in the area. In his later
years he was a janitor at
LaCreole Middle School in
Dallas and retired from
there.
“Buck,” as he was affec-
tionately known by his fami-
ly and friends, was a quiet,
kind and gentle country boy
at heart. He loved the out-
doors, hunting, leatherwork
and animals — especially
horses and mules. He loved
rodeo and participated in
team-roping events. He was
a talented self-taught master
leatherman and made beau-
tiful saddles, bridles, purses
and belts. He was an ex-
tremely hardworking family
man who never sat idle, as
there was always something
to do or fix. He was a kind
and talented father, friend
and a true cowboy at heart.
He was preceded in death
by a daughter, Dianne, and
son, Bill Jr.
Survivors include his chil-
dren, Cindy Beck, Nickie
(Doug) Inman, Randy
(Sherie) Ball, Brad Tharp, Kel-
ley (Dan) Detzel and Craig
Tharp; sister, Mary Phillips;
brother, Steve Tharp; and
many grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Graveside service is Friday
Nov. 3, 1932 – Jan. 3, 2015
Cornelia “Corkie” Colen,
82, of Bend, former longtime
Monmouth and Independ-
ence resident, died Jan. 3 in
Bend of complications from
Alzheimer’s.
She was
born in
Marshfield
and gradu-
ated from
the Univer-
sity of Ore-
gon with a
teaching
degree.
She spent many years rais-
ing her children before re-
turning to Oregon College of
Education (now Western
Oregon University) to obtain
her master’s degree to work
as a media specialist for the
Salem-Keizer School District.
Corkie had lived in the
Monmouth and Independ-
ence area for more than 50
years before moving to Bend.
She had been a member of
the Central School District
Board, Polk County Mental
Health and many other civic
organizations. She had been
an active member of St.
Hilda’s Episcopal Church and
Philanthropic Educational
Organization.
Survivors include her chil-
dren, Eric Oppliger of Bend;
Leslie Byrne of San Leandro,
Calif., and David Oppliger of
Monrovia, Calif.; and several
grandchildren and great-
grandchildren.
Memorial service is April
11 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church in Salem.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to the Alzheimer’s Associ-
ation, St. Hilda’s Church or
Friends of the Monmouth Li-
brary.
Margo Read
Nov. 29, 1953 – Nov. 21, 2014
Margo Read, 60, of Dallas
died Nov. 21 in Dallas from
the early onset of Alzheimer’s
disease.
She was
born and
raised in
Salem.
Margo
attended
Willamette
University
in Salem
as a music major. Playing the
flute for her children was an
enriching lifelong offering.
Around this time, Margo
began her 25-year career as a
hospital phlebotomist,
working at Salem Hospital,
but mostly at Valley Commu-
nity in Dallas.
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In 1975, Margo met Bob
on a Maui, Hawaii, beach;
they were together from that
day until her death. Her two
children, Ian and Kelly, were
born in their home on their
acreage in the Oregon forest
just outside of Dallas.
Margo had many pursuits,
including sewing, gardening,
cooking and being in the great
outdoors. She was a prolific
reader and lover of music, but
it was Margo’s character that
most bears witnessing. Margo
was a wonderful mother,
great friend, loving sister and
dedicated partner to Bob. She
lived a genuine life imbued
with grace and humility.
She had been chosen as the
h o n o r e e f o r N e l s o n’s
Alzheimer’s Walk for Memo-
ries in Nelson, British Colum-
bia, Canada, on Jan. 25. The
family asks that you walk with
them wherever you are on that
day to raise awareness of the
disease that touches so many.
A gathering to celebrate
Margo’s life is Feb. 28 from 2 to
5 p.m. at Redhawk Vineyard
and Winery in West Salem.
LaVern Howard
Siewert
Jan. 9, 2015
LaVern Howard Siewert,
83, of Monmouth died
Thursday in Monmouth.
He was born in a small
farmhouse in Neotsu to
William Howard Siewert and
Norma May Branch Siewert.
LaVern graduated from
Taft High School in Lincoln
City (Taft)
in 1951
and from
Oregon In-
stitute of
Technolo-
gy in Kla-
math Falls
in 1953. He
graduated
from Sig-
nal Corps
School
with the
Army in
1954 at Camp Gordon, Ga.,
and served during the Kore-
an War in the Panama Canal
area at Fort Gulick, Panama.
He was employed as a
power technician with the
telephone company for 37
years and never missed a day
at work.
LaVern loved to make
things with wood and metal;
each was a masterpiece
when completed. He was ac-
tive in the Lord’s work most
of his life. He enjoyed help-
ing people and was truly a
good neighbor.
He was preceded in death
by a grandson, Scott Falleur.
Survivors include his wife
of 61 years, Joan; sons,
Thomas and Ted, both of
Salem, and Terry of Mon-
mouth; daughter, Jane (Siew-
ert) Falleur of Neotsu; one
granddaughter; and one
great-granddaughter.
Service is Friday at 11 a.m.
at Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center. Visitation is Thurs-
day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
the mortuary.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to Samaritan Heart & Vas-
cular Institute, 3600 NW
Samaritan Drive, Suite E-
350, Corvallis, OR 97330.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.dallastribute.com.
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Salem
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Salem, OR 97301
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Joanne Carol
(Ross) Melius
Feb. 9, 1947 – Jan. 7, 2015
Joanne Carol (Ross) Melius,
67, died in Portland on Jan. 7.
She was born in Dallas to
Eugene A. Ross and Eliza-
beth J. (Kathriner) Ross.
Survivors include her hus-
band, Roger L. Melius; son,
Anthony S. Melius (Delie
Payne); daughter, Barbara A.
(Melius) Pennington (Randy);
sisters, Bonnie Overholser
and Alice McAllister; 10
grandchildren; and nine
great-grandchildren.
Celebration of her life is
Friday at 1 p.m. at Rickreall
Grange in Rickreall.
Ruth Turner Berger
April 6, 1925 – Jan. 7, 2015
Ruth Turner Berger, 89, of
Salem, died Jan. 7 at Capital
Manor.
She was born in Port of
Spain, British West Indies, to
D o n a l d D. a n d Fa i t h
Hollingsworth Turner.
Ruth met William Robert
Berger in Santa Cruz, Calif.,
and they were married on
July 15, 1945, in El Monte,
Calif. They returned to Ken-
tucky to live and were home
missionaries for several years
under the Southern Baptist
Convention in Louisville, Ky.
Ruth received a master’s
degree and had worked to-
ward a doctorate degree in
psychology. She taught in
public schools for 18 years.
She felt very strongly about
quality education and began
working with home-
schooled students, which she
did for many years. Ruth re-
tired in 1983.
She was a member of Salt
Creek Baptist Church and
Evangelical Bible Church,
both in Dallas, as well as
Wycliffe Bible Translators As-
sociation and Gideon Auxil-
iary. She was a Kentucky
Colonel of the Honorable
Order of Kentucky Colonels.
She enjoyed family, friends,
church, Sunday school, and
especially rose gardening.
She was preceded in
death by her husband, Bill,
on Aug. 11, 2011.
Survivors include her
daughter, Carol (Jonathan)
Gilbert of Beaverton; sons,
David (Athena) Berger of
Lebanon, Don (Georgiann)
Berger of Salem, and the Rev.
Daniel Berger (Glenda) of
Redding, Calif.; brother, Glen
(Jeannie) Turner of Waxhaw,
N.C.; sisters, Joy Tuggy of
Batesburg S.C., and Lucille
(Dick) Cole of DeKalb, Ill.; six
grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren.
Memorial service is Thurs-
day at 2 p.m. at the Capital
Manor Chapel. Private fami-
ly interment will be at Salt
Creek Cemetery.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to Hand in Hand Farm in
Lebanon or to the Wycliffe
Bible Translators in care of
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center, which handled
arrangements.
To send an online condo-
lence: www.dallastribute.com.
Patricia Mae
Tilgner
June 20, 1931 – Jan. 4, 2015
Patricia Mae Tilgner, 83, of
Dallas died Jan. 4.
She was born to Donald
and Bessie Rickard in Water-
town, S.D., and moved to
Oregon at age 11.
A celebration of her life
will be held at a later date.
Contributions are suggest-
ed to Willamette Valley Hos-
pice.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments. To send an online
message: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
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Itemizer-Observer