Polk County News
6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 2, 2016
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Continued from Page 4A
Yes to Falls City’s
bond; yes to kids
We support the bond
measure to build a
gym/cafeteria for Falls City
students.
There is currently no gym
at the elementary/middle
school for recess or PE, plus
classroom space and an ad-
equate cafeteria are critical
needs.
This is a $2 million bond
with a matching state grant.
The grant will be spent no
matter how we vote, either
in our community, or for
students elsewhere.
A yes vote has a $2 mil-
lion impact, not $4 million.
Let’s take this opportunity
to build a $4 million facility
for half that price.
Vote yes to support the
children of Falls City.
Steve and Kay Dixon
Falls City
Nearman stands
tall for principles
When asked why he
switched parties, Jim
Thompson stated, “Republi-
can party has gone so far to
the right, vindictive. …”
Mike Nearman stands for
the principles which he was
elected by the people to
stand for — sanctity of life,
marriage, and small govern-
ment.
We are not interested in
reaching across the aisle if it
sacrifices our values.
Nearman is a representa-
tive who will hold firm on
our positions.
We can trust that Near-
man will stand strong for the
people he represents on seri-
ous issues that shape our
community, our families,
and our businesses. That is
why he will get our vote.
Jon and Kris Golly
Dallas
Thompson ideal for
people of HD 23
For 30 years, I was pre-
vented from building a
house on my farm due to
land use laws.
I was out of options, but
Jim Thompson found some-
thing he could do.
He passed a bill unani-
mously to change outdated
land use laws, and helped
me and other land users
utilize our farms.
Jim embodies the ideal
representative.
A person who works si-
multaneously on large state
matters, but ensures the
people in his district are
taken care of and protected.
Jim stands by his con-
stituents, and I will stand by
him.
Pat Wildman
Dallas
County lucky with
sheriff choices
Not too often do we as
voters feel that we have a
really good candidate to
vote for.
Not this time.
In the race for sheriff, we
have two qualified candi-
dates to choose from.
In a way, that makes it
harder, but it is so refresh-
ing to see a campaign that
has not had negative re-
marks made by either can-
didate.
It is nice to feel that
whichever candidate is
elected, we will have a per-
son that really cares and will
do a good job.
Thank you for a clean
campaign.
Linda Morris
Dallas
Political ad is
misleading
I received a political ad
from the "Real Mike Near-
man" PAC. It claimed Mike
was arrested for a DUII,
cited for driving with a sus-
pended license. While these
claims are true, the ad is
misleading. These violations
happened in early 1990s, not
in 2014 as the ad implies.
Should we support people
who have turned their lives
around or tear them down for
poor choices made over 20
years ago? Before placing
your vote for District 23 repre-
sentative, think carefully. Do
you vote for Mike Nearman
who stands true to his values
or his opponent who sup-
ports tearing people down?
Dana Hatch
Dallas
See LETTERS, Page 15A
OBITUARIES
Elva Buhler
Shorack
1925 – 2016
Almost 91 years ago, Elva
Buhler Shorack was born to
Cornelius and Martha Buh-
ler on what is now her fami-
ly’s Century Farm in the
community of Salt Creek,
Oregon.
She was the fourth of
seven children who all
walked a mile-and-a-half to
the Salt Creek one-room
schoolhouse.
After graduation from
Dallas High School, Elva
took the pre-nursing course
at Willamette University.
Then she
earned her
B.S.R.N. at
t h e Un i -
versity of
Oregon
Medical
S c h o o l ’s
nursing
program.
Elva’s first job was in the
Student Health Service at
the Oregon College of Edu-
cation in Monmouth, where
she met and married Ted
Shorack Jr. of Elmira.
The Korean War had
begun and the draft was in
effect, so after graduation in
June 1951, Ted enlisted in
the Air Force.
In Elva’s words, “Thus
began the 16 best years of
my life — the thrill of travel,
seeing new countries, meet-
ing new people, starting a
family, living overseas. …
Our children were born each
in a different country.” After
living in Japan, Germany,
and France, in 1961, the
family settled in Geneva,
New York, where Ted was an
ROTC Instructor at Hobart
College before serving in the
Vietnam War.
Elva was at home with
their four children when she
received word that her hus-
band, an A1-E pilot, had
been killed while on a search
and rescue mission.
Eugene, Oregon, became
home in 1966, when Elva
moved the family to be close
to Ted’s parents.
Through her active mem-
bership in Emerald Baptist
Church, Elva made many
friends and welcomed nu-
merous refugees and inter-
national students to this
community.
She expressed her deep
faith in Christ by serving
others with a quiet sense of
joy.
She cared for the elderly,
both professionally, as a
nurse, and personally, for
many friends and relatives.
In addition to helping oth-
ers, Elva loved to play card
games, sew clothes and cre-
ate costumes, and do cart
wheels, handstands, and
chin-ups.
Thirty-five years after los-
ing her husband there, Elva
traveled to Vietnam to help
her daughter Candace adopt
a daughter from the Hanoi
area.
Elva was a wonderful
mother and grandmother
who leaves Candace, Kath-
leen ( Walt Petty), Todd
(Karie Lott), and John (Birgit
Funck) and eight grandchil-
dren, plus extended family
in Oregon, Washington, and
California.
Elva’s memorial service
will be held at 10 a.m. on
Dec. 27, 2016, at Emerald
Community Fellowship in
Eugene.
Gordon Clarke
May 1, 1923 – Sept. 1, 2016
Gordon Clarke, most re-
cently of Phoenix, Ariz.,
passed away Sept. 1, 2016.
He was 93 years old.
Gordon and his wife Vir-
ginia moved to Oregon in
1950, where he had accept-
ed a teaching position at
Eastern Oregon College in
La Grande.
He taught there for 18
years and then moved with
his family to Monmouth,
where he taught at Western
Oregon State College until
his retirement in 1979.
Gordon was preceded in
death by his loving wife Vir-
ginia, in 2013.
They are survived by their
three sons, five grandchil-
dren and three great-grand-
children.
Irene Mikkelson
Chipps
Feb. 24, 1926 – Oct. 27, 2016
Irene Mikkelson Chipps
left us on Oct. 27, 2016.
Born Feb. 24, 1926, in
Windham, Mont., to Albie
and Clifford Mikkelson, she
spent her childhood in
Montana.
Irene moved with family
to Dallas, Oregon, in 1941,
where she graduated from
high school.
Irene married William
Crockett at age 18 and al-
most immediately left for
post-World War II Germany,
where Bill was assigned by
the Air Force.
It was there Irene began a
career in government work,
from which she retired in
1987, after almost 30 years
of service.
Among her greatest
achievements was being
mother of two boys — Rod-
ney and Randy, and her
passion in life was family.
She came from a family of
six children and maintained
a loving relationship with
sisters, brothers, nieces,
nephews and cousins.
In recent years, Irene
hosted two family reunions
which were attended by
family from as far away as
Norway.
Another passion was
quilting. Irene belonged to
several quilting groups and
m a d e
quilts for
many fam-
ily mem-
bers and
friends.
She took
great pride
in raising
her sons,
and they lived in various
states, as well as Japan, Ger-
many, and Newfoundland.
After a number of years of
this nomadic life, Irene and
Bill divorced and she moved
back to Dallas. She married
Grant Chipps in 1974, and
they lived most of their 37
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years together in San Diego,
Portland, and Vancouver.
Grant passed in 2012.
Irene is survived by Rod-
ney Crockett and wife Carol,
of Hillsboro, Randy Crockett
and wife Terry, of Vancouver,
six grandchildren, and seven
adorable great-grandchil-
dren, whom she doted on.
Kenneth Herman
Kahler
Jan. 20, 1928 – Oct. 26, 2016
Kenneth Herman Kahler,
88, of Dallas, died Oct. 26, at
his home.
He is survived by his wife,
Betty Kahler, of Dallas;
daughter, Roxanna (Dennis)
Buchholz, of Dallas; sons,
Bradley (Diane) Kahler, of
Crescent Lake, and Bruce
(Kris) Kahler, of Keizer;
seven grandchildren; nine
great-grandchildren; two
great-great-grandchildren;
and sister, Shirley Mehl, of
Gualala, Calif. He was pre-
ceded in death by sister,
Betty Lou Adams, and
brother, Melvin Kahler.
Services were held. To
leave an online tribute:
www.dallastribute.com.
Jules A. Hill
April 17, 1935 – Oct. 26, 2016
Jules A. Hill, a resident of
Dallas, Oregon died on Sat-
urday. He was born on April
17, 1935, in Dayton to Gor-
don and Phyllis Rash Hill.
Ju l e s a t -
tended
schools at
Grand Is-
land and
Dayton.
He at-
tended his
f re s h m a n
and sopho-
more year
at Amity
H i g h
School.
The fam-
ily moved
to Detroit,
Oregon
where Jules
graduated
from De-
troit High
School in
1953.
Jules had worked at the
Idanha mill.
He later served in the
United States Navy. Jules
married Shirley Spady on
Salem
412 Lancaster Drive NE
Salem, OR 97301
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Simple Direct Burial
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Caskets, Urns and
other Memorial items.
Privately owned
cremation facility.
Locally owned and operated
by Oregon families.
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May 26, 1962, in Portland.
They lived in Detroit, where
Jules owned and operated
the only gas station, Hill’s
Shell Service Station and
Towing Co.
This was an important
part of the community and
the last stop for gasoline
until reaching Sisters.
They lived there from
1962 until settling in Dallas
in 1977.
Jules worked for the Ore-
gon Department of Trans-
portation as a heavy-duty
mechanic until he retired.
He enjoyed the outdoors,
including freshwater fishing,
hunting ducks and geese.
Ju l e s e n j oy e d b ow l i n g
leagues as well.
After retirement, Jules and
Shirley traveled to all 50
states and throughout Cana-
da which they enjoyed.
He is survived by his wife
Shirley; sons David (Shel)
Hill of Dallas, and Phillip
Hill, of Portland; daughter,
Julia Hill, of Portland;
grandsons, Taylor and Joey
Hill; mother, Phyllis Hill, of
Independence; and broth-
er, Larry (Suzie), of Cave
Junction, along with sever-
al nieces and nephews. He
was preceded in death by
brother, Grady Hill.
A Celebration of Jules Life
will on Monday, Nov. 7 at
1:30 p.m. at the Dallas First
Christian Church. Visitation
will be on Friday, Nov. 4 and
Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10
a.m. until 6 p.m. at Dallas
Mortuary Tribute Center.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the
Willamette Humane Society
in care of Dallas Mortuary
Tribute Center, who is caring
for the family.
To leave an online condo-
lence for the family go to
www.dallastribute.com
Obituary
Information
Obituary information must
be submitted by 4 p.m. on the
Monday before publication to
be included in the newspaper.
Obituaries cost $8 per 25
words (about one column
inch) and include photos, and
flags for veterans. Obituaries
submitted directly by family
members must be prepaid.
Most funeral homes handle
obituary information. Howev-
er, information can also be
submitted directly by family
members.
Photos will be published in
black and white. The Itemizer-
Observer uses a flag logo in the
obituaries of those who served
in the U.S. 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.
For more information: Emily
Mentzer, 503-623-2373, ext.
117.