Polk County News
6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 28, 2016
Taylor’s Building going back in time with ‘complete renovation’
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE —
Layer by layer, Bodie Bem-
rose is stripping off the new
and restoring the old at the
Taylor’s building at the cor-
ner of Monmouth and Main
streets.
“I’m doing a complete
renovation of the building to
bring it back to what it
would have looked like in
the late 1890s,” Bemrose
said. “The building is over
130 years old, and had un-
dergone many remodels
over the years. It was very
tired and in desperate need
to be repaired and renovat-
ed.”
He has to be careful re-
moving the layers of remodel.
“Not just because you
could accidentally knock the
building down, but because
of all the historic clues the
building reveals about what
went on and at what decade
that is important so you
achieve the correct look,” he
said. “The wood and steel
has to go in one way — the
way they did it 100 years
ago — not how you ‘think’
they did it.”
The job is extensive — in
some ways, more so than
Bemrose’s recently complet-
ed work at the Cooper Build-
ing down the street from
Taylor’s.
“Everything is being ad-
dressed at the site — howev-
er with a careful eye to the
details — and to be histori-
cally accurate,” he said. “For
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
A careful restoration is underway at Taylor’s Building.
example, the ceilings will go
back to their original height
at 16 feet, and the old mez-
zanine level in the back that
was covered up from the
1960s dropped ceiling will
now be exposed and utilized
again. The brick will be ex-
posed on the inside of the
building as well.”
Bemrose is also restoring
an old storefront on Mon-
mouth Street that had been
covered up for decades.
“That is a potential small-
er retail space,” he said.
“However, we’re trying to
find the right business – one
that is quality and reminis-
cent of Taylor’s. One that will
make for a busy corner for
the downtown again, like
Taylor’s was for so many
decades.”
Bemrose’s attention to de-
tail when it comes to restor-
ing old buildings was ac-
knowledged with awards
from the state, including a
Diamonds in the Rough
Grant and an Oregon Her-
itage Excellence Award from
the Oregon Heritage Muse-
um.
Most recently, he was
given the Outstanding His-
toric Renovation Project
from Oregon Main Street on
Sept. 15.
Bemrose said he enjoys
the before-and-after stories
after completing massive
renovation projects on his-
toric buildings.
“Seeing buildings that
look impossible to save, and
seeing what they look like
completely renovated with
new life in them that the
community can enjoy and
be part of,” he said. “It’s not
for the money, I can tell you
that. There are easier ways
to make money.”
OBITUARIES
John Errol Phelps
March 9, 1926 – Sept. 1, 2016
John Errol Phelps, 90, for-
merly of Dallas, recently of
Salem, died Sept. 1.
He was born in East
Beaver to Bernard and Pearl
Phelps. He
was one of
11 chil-
d r e n ;
s e v e n
brothers
and three
sisters pre-
ceded him
in death.
In his early
years, he
worked
the farm,
the “green”
house on
Deer Creek, north of Otis,
with his brothers.
The Phelps family was so
large that they had their own
Boy Scout Troop. As a Boy
Scout, John and his brothers
hiked the forests of North
Lincoln County and Cascade
Head. John attended Taft
High School in Lincoln City.
John enlisted in the U.S.
Navy one day before his
18th birthday. He served in
the invasion of France dur-
ing World War II, aboard a
Tank Landing Ship, USS LST
692 and later served on USS
LST 561. During his tour his
travels included France,
Italy, Greece, and Oran.
In January 1948, John
married Joanna Jean Larson,
whom he had met at Taft
High School. He and his wife
settled in Tualatin and
began their family. They
moved from Tualatin to
McMinnville and after a
number of years they settled
in Dallas.
John operated trucks
most of his career. He was
known as “Farmer John” to
those in the logging busi-
ness and he owned and op-
erated his own log truck. He
enjoyed working on his 1938
Ford with his sons, car
shows, square dancing,
country and gospel music,
hunting, gardening, the Ore-
gon coast and his many
pets.
John is survived by wife of
68 years, Joanna; sons,
Steven Phelps and Ronald
Phelps; daughter, Tamara
Inman; two grandsons; one
granddaughter and a great-
grandson.
Memorial Service will be
held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 8 at
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center, 287 SW Washington
St., Dallas.
A private interment serv-
ice will be held for family.
In lieu of flowers, family
asks that donations be made
to the Alzheimer’s Associa-
tion.
To leave a message or a
memory for the family go to
www.dallastribute.com. The
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments.
Lee Kroeker
Nov. 29, 1927 – Sept. 19, 2016
Lee Kroeker, 88, of Dallas,
died on Sept. 19.
He was born in Dallas to
Henry and Lydia Fast Kroek-
er. Lee attended Dallas High
School and Biola Bible Col-
lege. He
married
V e r d a
Neufeld on
Jan. 13,
1950. He
worked in
lumber
mills all of
his life, re-
tiring as a certified grader
from the Fort Hill Lumber
Company.
He is survived by sons,
Mike ( Jackie) and Mark
(Amy), all of Dallas, Steve
(Terri), of Salem; daughter,
Debi Laughlin, of Dallas; 10
grandchildren; and nine
great-grandchildren. He is
preceded in death by his
wife, Verda, and grandson,
Matthew Kroeker.
Services were held. To
leave an online tribute:
www.dallastribute.com. Dal-
las Mortuary Tribute Center
handled arrangements.
Allan M. Dowler
Oct. 23, 1938 – Sept. 13, 2016
Allan Masamer Dowler,
77, of Dallas, died on Sept.
13.
He was born to Robert
Allan Dowler and Doris
Maurine Dowler (Mass-
more). He graduated from
the United States Merchant
Marine Academy in 1961,
and married Mary Lou on
April 20, 1968, in Poplar
Springs, Md. Allan was an
engineer and educator in
the American Merchant Ma-
rine. After retirement, he
spent his time working
around the house and re-
pairing old clocks and
watches. He was a member
of the local watch and clock
club for many years.
Allan is survived by wife,
Mary Lou Dowler; son, Todd
A Dowler, of Montesano,
Wash.; daughter, Candice A.
D. Smith, of Portland; and
four grandchildren.
Leatha June Jetton
(Fleming)
June 22, 1938 – Sept. 19, 2016
Leatha “June” Jetton
(Fleming), 78, died Sept. 19,
2016 in Salem.
She was born in Carmen-
by-the-sea, Calif. on June 22,
1938 to Ben and Lucille
Fleming.
June and husband Dave
Jetton, who preceded her in
death in 2010, had five chil-
dren in 6 ½ years. Sue Wet-
zel, of Sheridan; David Jr.,
who died in 1997; Martin of
Portland, James of Sacra-
mento, Calif.; and Gypsie of
Port Orchard, Wash. They
moved from Northern Cali-
fornia in the early 1970s in
their unique double decker
blue trailer
t o Sh e r i -
dan to help
w i t h
D a v e ' s
m o m ' s
dairy farm
in Gopher
Valley.
June graduated from Lin-
field College in 1985 after a
20-year hiatus from college
to raise their children. June
was part of a few churches
in the Sheridan area and do-
nated to many organizations
she believed in — FFA, Local
Historical Society. She was
generous to those who
needed help when neces-
sary.
She believed that what
goes around comes around.
She helped many young and
old persons get their GEDs
and understand math and
algebra problems. She will
be missed by her many
friends and family, her chil-
dren and their spouses and
her 11 grandchildren and
two great-grandchildren.
A celebration of her life
will be held Oct. 15 at noon
at the Wetzel Farm or Buell
Grange if weather prevents
an outdoor gathering.
Donald Antone
‘Coach’ Spinas
Aug. 12, 1933 – Sept. 22, 2016
Donald Antone ‘Coach’
Spinas, 83, died Thursday.
He was born Aug. 12, 1933
to the parents of Sebastian
Antone ‘Tony’ and Gladys
Louise Robinson-Spinas in
Grants Pass - Selma, Oregon.
Don ran track at Universi-
ty of Oregon under Bill Bow-
erman,
and ran the
400 meter
hurdles at
t
h
e
Olympic
Trials. Don took his passion
for track and field to his first
teaching and coaching job
at Central Point Junior High.
In 1958, he served in the
U.S. Army in El Paso, Texas.
After his military services,
he continued teaching and
coaching at Central Point.
From Central Point, he
taught at Milwaukie High
School until 1967 before ac-
cepting the head coaching
position at Oregon College
of Education, and later to
become Western Oregon
State College (now Western
Oregon University).
Don went on to lead his
track teams to four consecu-
tive conference and district
championships.
The 1972 team was the
best team in the history of
the small college track and
field and cross country in
the Pacific Nor thwest.
Coach Spinas re-wrote the
O.C.E record book.
His teams won nine NAIA
District 2 titles, and he
served as an assistant meet
director at two Olympic Tri-
als. Don retired from WOSC
in 1988, and was inducted
into the NAIA National Hall
of Fame and the WOSC Hall
of Fame.
Don’s influence is still felt
through his numerous stu-
dents that have become
teachers and coaches over
the years.
Retirement provided him
the opportunity to explore
the Northwest and focus on
fishing and hunting again.
He is survived by his wife
Sharon, his daughter
Kathryn Lynn Katon, his son
Michael Antone Spinas and
his two step-children Tami
Gilbreath and Shawn Mon-
son. He is also survived by
four grandchildren, one
great grandchild, and two
step-grand-children. He is
also survived by his brothers
Ronald Luther and Howard
Edwin Spinas.
A celebration of life will
be held at a later date. The
family requests that in lieu
of flowers, a donation be
made to Western Oregon
University Athletic Track and
Field and Cross Country
scholarship fund in the
name of Coach Spinas.
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Daniel “Danny”
Lowe Jr.
Dec. 23, 1967- Sept. 11, 2016
Daniel “Danny” Lowe Jr.,
48, of Monmouth, died un-
expectedly in Providence
Hospital in Everett, Wash-
i n g t o n
while on a
fishing trip.
Danny
was bor n
on Dec. 23,
1967 in
Salem, the
son
of
Daniel and
Jan Lucas
L o w e .
D a n n y
grew up in
M o n -
mouth and graduated from
Central High School in 1986.
After graduation he joined
the U.S. Navy serving in San
Diego, Calif. and served on a
Destroyer at Norfolk Virginia
Naval Station.
Upon completing his
Naval service, he came back
to Monmouth. Danny then
worked for 10 years in Alas-
ka as a commercial salmon
and halibut fisherman from
March through October.
Danny then settled back in
Monmouth where he man-
aged Lowe’s Family Trophy
Shop.
He worked with his moth-
er and they engraved
plaques, trophies and name
badges for the area schools
and community. They also
engraved name badges na-
tionally and locally for the
Benevolent and Protective
Order of the Elks.
Danny was a 29-year
member of the local B.P.O.E
Independence Elks Lodge
#1950. Danny loved the out-
doors and fishing was his
passion.
Danny was a volunteer in-
structor with Project Healing
Waters for Veterans in
Salem. He taught fly tying
and most recently fly rod
building.
He is survived by his par-
ents, Dan and Jan Lowe of
Monmouth, sister Ronda
(Chris) Bellamy of Dallas
along with Brittanie (Hugh)
McFall, Corrie Bellamy and
Ian Bellamy and numerous
aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A Celebration of Danny’s
Life will be held on Oct. 23 at
2 p.m. at the Independence
Elks Lodge.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the OHSU
Oregon Elks Children’s Eye
Clinic Building Program or
Project Healing Waters for
Veterans in care of Bollman
Funeral Home, 694 Main
Street Dallas, Oregon 97338
who is caring for the family.
To leave an online condo-
lence or share a memory for
the family go to www.dallas-
tribute.com