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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (July 6, 2016)
Polk County News 6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 6, 2016 Dallas Fire lights up the sky with show Department volunteer leads team of newly certified pyrotechnics to put on fireworks display By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Dallas volun- teer firefighter Kent Ras- mussen was feeling a little bit of pressure Monday evening. Rasmussen was leading Dallas Fire & EMS’ newly minted pyrotechnic crew through its first Fourth of July fireworks display. This is the third year that Dallas has had a display, but until Monday, Falls City Fire Department had been in charge of putting on the show. That fact was cause for more pressure. “Falls City didn’t do theirs (firework display), so people from Falls City are going to come out expecting a good show,” he said. “And we are trying to compete with Inde- pendence.” When he is not fighting fires with Dallas Fire, Ras- mussen works with Western Display Fireworks and has been putting on fireworks shows for 13 years. He joined the Dallas de- partment last year, making for perfect timing because Dallas was thinking of certi- fying its own pyrotechnics team for 2016. For his rookie crew, the idea of blowing stuff up was exciting. Renee Wilson, a captain on the volunteer support crew for the department, wasn’t able to get certified for the team, but she still had a job: timer. Her role was to make sure the crew was kept pace with putting on a 20- to 25- minute display. There’s an art to timing an entertaining show, and Wilson was happy to help, even if she couldn’t light anything. “We like to put out fires, but we also like to play with fire — in a good way,” Wilson said. Rasmussen smiled at the enthusiasm of the new py- rotechnicians. “For me it’s just another day,” Rasmussen said. “But I like to bring new people in because it’s fun to watch.” He may not admit it, but he was eager, too. Dallas started at 7:30 p.m. on Mon- day what will now be a new tradition in Dallas. The crew was going to light a shell every 30 minutes leading up to the show. Rasmussen volunteered himself to light the first fuse. Dressed in protective gear, he walked out to the first rack of fireworks shells and knelt down to light the fuse. As soon as he did, he quickly walked away point- ing his finger in the air as the shell blasted off in a cloud of smoke as if to call the neigh- bors. The explosion echoed all around LaCreole Middle School, dwarfing the noise of any other fireworks being set off. It worked like a charm. Minutes later, more people were gathering in the field around the school waiting for the show to begin. “Every year this show goes, it get bigger,” Rasmussen said. “We want everybody to have a good time and enjoy the Fourth of July.” JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Turnouts and safety gear is ready for Dallas’ fireworks display crew on Monday. Lecher Leon Dunigan Gentry Guida Corrections posts ‘most wanted’ JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Kent Rasmussen points to the sky after lighting a firework shell Monday in Dallas. DALLAS — Polk Coun- ty Community Corrections lists these individuals as “most wanted” for July. Citizens with information on the whereabouts of any of them can call Communi- ty Corrections at 503-623- 5226. • Guillermo Raya Leon, born May 29, 1995, 5-8, 170 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Charge: Possession of methamphetamine. • Andrew James Lecher, born Dec. 6, 1988, 6-1, 150 pounds, brown hair, green eyes. Charge: First-degree mistreatment. • Lisa Ann Dunigan, born June 26, 1977, 5-4, 160 pounds, brown hair, green eyes. Charge: Possession of a controlled substance, fail- ure to appear. • Elizabeth Lee Gentry, born April 1, 1965, 5-4, 145 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes. Charge: Possession of methamphetamine. • Frank Joseph Guida IV, born April 26, 1994, 5-5, 150 pounds, brown hair, hazel eyes. Charge: Failure to appear, unauthorized use of a vehicle. reers which included the Air Force, Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, Mayor of Williams, Calif., and owner of Yolo and C o l u s a County Ambulance Services. He then moved us to the Southern Oregon C o a s t where he worked for the Oregon State Parks. He then became an owner/operator truck driver. He and Verna then returned to Woodland to look after an ailing aunt while he finished out his ca- reer with the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Keith was lifetime mem- ber of the NRA and the Ore- gon Sheriff’s Association. He and Verna enjoyed re- tirement, being camp hosts at fish hatcheries in Oregon before permanently retiring. They spent many days up on the ranch out of Sweet Home enjoying the beauty, f a m i l y, and the domestic/wildlife critters. They also enjoyed going to grandkids’ sports functions. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Verna Culley; children, Richard (Teresa) Culley, Susan (Scott) Wenger, and Nancy (Dean) Rech; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; broth- er, Gary (Ina) Culley; sister Glenna (Les) Davis. He is preceded in death by broth- er, Larry Culley. A memorial service will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday in the Dallas Mor- tuary Tribute Center. To leave an online tribute: www.dallastribute.com. OBITUARIES Bernard ‘Roy’ Friesen Aug. 3, 1937 – June 14, 2016 Bernard “Roy” Friesen, 78, of Dallas, died June 14. He was born in Independence to Bern- hart and S u z y Friesen. He mar- ried Velma Stout in 1958. Roy was preceded in death by his parents and his brother John. He is survived by wife, Velma, of Dallas; sister, Marianne Fahey, of Dallas; sons, Rick and Keith, both of Dallas, Richard, of Ter- rebonne; five grandchil- dren; and one great- granddaughter. After retiring from the city of Dallas, Roy enjoyed re- pairing and selling used bi- cycles. He was always willing to negotiate the price so anyone could afford a bicy- cle for their child. He also cut wood with the help of his three sons, and kept many families warm during the winter months. Although Roy never hunt- ed or fished as a child, he made sure all three of his sons and his grandchildren learned how to catch a fish and bag a deer or elk. Services were held at Dal- las Cemetery, followed by a memorial held at Dallas City Park. Donald Cox Sr. May 11, 1952 – July 1, 2016 Donald Cox Sr., 64, of Dal- las, died Friday at Salem Hospital. He was born in Portland. He is survived by wife, Nancy, of Dallas; daughter, Terisha Mott, of Beaverton; son, Don Cox Jr., of Sheri- dan; two grandsons; sister, Janice Blanchfield, of Win- ston; and brothers, Marvin Cox Jr., of Canyonville, and Jerry Cox, of Portland. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on July 23 in the Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center. To leave an online tribute: www.dallastribute.com. Keith LeRoy Culley 1934 – July 1, 2016 Keith LeRoy Culley, 81, died on Friday after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Keith was born to Lizella and Glen Culley in 1934. Keith enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduation, and then married Verna May Abshier (Culley) in 1955. He was busy with his ca- Joyful Sound Hearing 312 Main Street • Dallas • Hearing Testing • Hearing Aids • Service Call today for your FREE Consultation Mark Sturtevant 503-623-0290 Personally involved and invested in the Dallas community Welcoming new patients. Most insurance health plans accepted. Also a Moda preferred provider. Salem 412 Lancaster Drive NE Salem, OR 97301 (503) 581-6265 Low Cost Cremation & Burial Funerals & Memorials Simple Direct Cremation $495 Simple Direct Burial $610 Traditional Funeral $2,175 Discount priced Caskets, Urns and other Memorial items. ~ Polk County’s ONLY Family Owned Funeral Homes ~ Privately owned cremation facility. Locally owned and operated by Oregon families. www.ANewTradition.com Obituary Information Obituary information must be submitted by 4 p.m. on the Monday before publication to be included in the newspaper. Most funeral homes handle obituary information and pro- vide it to the newspaper. How- ever, information can also be submitted directly from family members. Color and black-and-white photos can be submitted, but photos will only be published in black and white. The Itemiz- er-Observer uses a flag logo in the obituaries of people who served in the armed forces. Obituaries — like all infor- mation submitted to the news department — are subject to editing for style, content and length. Information can be brought or mailed to the Itemizer-Ob- server, 147 SE Court St., Dallas, OR 97338, or emailed to ionews@polkio.com.
