Polk County News
6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • October 18, 2017
Summerfest: Changes come to festivals
Continued from Page 1A
Each person will be focused
on a part of the event, such as
entertainment, food and bev-
erages, and the parade.
Kahl said she wants to
draw in more youth to the
festival with plans to host
baking and art contests for
children in kindergarten
through high school. She’s
also joining forces with Dal-
las High School social stud-
ies classes to get idea on re-
branding the festival from
students’ perspective.
“Kids in the class will pos-
sibly come up with a new
name, come up with
themes, come up with
things they would like to see
at Summerfest,” Kahl said.
At least to begin with, the
retooled event will be cut to
two days, Friday and Saturday.
“Thursday kind of gets
overlooked,” Kahl said. “It’s
seen as a set-up day. If we
can do it really, really well on
Friday and Saturday, I would
like to see that happen.”
Expanding on the success
of last year’s Prince tribute
group Erotic City concert at
the amphitheater, Kahl said
the two days will feature four
concerts, complete with
food vendors and a beer gar-
den. On the schedule already
is Erotic City and Port-a-
Party, which performs dance
hits from the ’70s and ’90s.
Continuing with the com-
munity vibe, the 2018 theme
is simply “Orange & Black,”
DHS’ school colors. Kahl
noted it’s broad enough to
allow people to be creative
with parade floats.
“It more interpretive, so
they can do something fun,”
Kahl said. “They can do
Dra g o n s ; t h e y c a n d o
Beavers; they can do Hal-
loween, even, in July.”
Kahl said she’s open to
more ideas for events and
changes as the new Sum-
merfest takes shape.
“I welcome feedback,” she
said. “I can’t do this on my
own, so any help or any
feedback would be great.”
Contact Ashley Kahl at:
503-623-2564 or ashley@dal-
lasoregon.org.
Group takes on 2018 summer events
DALLAS — From the perspective of city and business leaders in Dallas, summer 2017 —
highlighted by the solar eclipse — was like a downtown revival.
Locals and people from afar filled the city’s core during the eclipse events, city-sponsored
Tuesdays on the Square grew and downtown businesses took part in a successful wine walk.
A group originally formed to help connect organizers of eclipse events decided that energy
and success shouldn’t end just because there isn’t another eclipse on the horizon.
“It seems to me that this past summer, more than any time in the 15 years that I’ve lived here,
we actually started to develop the beginning of something you could call momentum,” said
David Shein, the chairman of the Dallas Urban Renewal District Advisory Committee. “Let’s not
let anything happen to that.”
The group is renamed Dallas Summer Events 2018 Community Forum and it meets on the
second Monday of the month at Pressed Coffee & Wine Bar. It had its first meeting on Oct. 10.
While not an official planning group, it serves as connection point for organizations and
businesses sponsoring events and a forum to offer ideas and marketing strategies. Anyone in-
terested is welcome to join.
Events on the group’s radar are: Summerfest, Tuesdays on the Square, Sounds of Summer,
and Freedomfest. The forum will offer support and ideas for two events introduced last sum-
mer, May’s Wine Down and Lunar Bash, the concert series staged near Pressed Coffee & Wine
Bar during the eclipse.
— Jolene Guzman
OBITUARIES
Wanda Jean
Thiessen
Sept. 29, 1936 – Oct. 9, 2017
Wanda Jean Thiessen
passed into the arms of her
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
on Oct. 9, 2017. Wanda was
born to William and Nettie
Martens on Sept. 29, 1936, in
Lustre, Mont.
About two years later, the
f a m i l y
moved to
Dallas,
w h e r e
Wa n d a
grew up
and lived
until her
death.
She at-
tended Dallas schools and
graduated from Dallas High
in 1954.
She was a member of the
first graduating class in the
current high school.
She and her classmates
helped with moving day
using their personal vehi-
cles.
After graduation, she
went to work at Oregon
Farm Bureau as a punch
card operator.
Shortly before graduating
from high school, Wanda
met the love of her life,
Eldon Thiessen, who looked
dashing in his Coast Guard
uniform.
They were married on July
20, 1956, and raised three
children together.
Wanda worked as the
bookkeeper for Dallas Auto-
Salem
412 Lancaster Drive NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 581-6265
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Simple Direct Cremation $595
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$2,275
Discount priced
Caskets, Urns and
other Memorial items.
Privately owned
cremation facility.
Locally owned and operated
by Oregon families.
www.ANewTradition.com
motive Service as well as
Heating Efficiency Service,
businesses which she and
Eldon owned and operated
together.
Wanda was an active
member of the Dallas Men-
nonite Brethren Church for
over 60 years.
She invested much time
and energy in her children,
her family and her home.
She was active in local
church ministries and also
volunteered with a number
of Christian ministries in-
cluding Village Missions
(Dallas), Wycliffe Bible
Translators (Dallas, Texas,
and Orlando, Fla.) and the
Haggai Institute (Hawaii).
Wanda loved quilting,
board games, and reading
her Bible.
She was inventive and a
very clever problem solver.
She was always coming up
with a better way of doing
everyday tasks.
Wanda and Eldon were
avid RV’ers. Among their fa-
vorite places to visit were
the Oregon Coast, Detroit
Lake and the Oregon Cas-
cades.
The bakery in Sisters was
on speed dial so Mom could
call ahead and reserve a
couple of apple fritters for
them to pick up later in the
day.
Wanda is survived by her
husband Eldon; son Phillip
(Shelly) Thiessen; daughters
Patricia (Steve) Trent, and
Traci (Dan) Treanor; sister,
Ruby Rickson; seven grand-
children; and four great-
grandchildren.
Join us in celebrating
Wanda’s life at the Evangeli-
cal Bible Church on Satur-
day, Oct. 21, at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions
may be made to Weekday
School of the Bible, in care
of Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center, who is caring for the
family.
Gott ist die liebe
Nick (Richard)
Jones
Nov. 16, 1944 – Oct. 12, 2017
“They saw you getting
tired, and a cure was not to
be.
So he put his arms around
you and whispered, ‘come
with me.’
With tearful eyes we
watched you slowly fade
away.
Although we loved you
dearly, we would not make
you stay.
A golden heart stopped
beating, your hard-working
hands put
to rest,
God broke
our hearts
to prove to
us he only
takes the
best.”
Richard
“Ni c k”
Jones was
born to
Perry and
Pauline
Jo n e s o n
Nov. 16, 1944, in Tonasket,
Wash.
The family moved to Ore-
gon, living in Newport and
Dallas. Nick graduated from
Dallas High School in 1963
(Go Dragons).
He proudly served his
country in Vietnam, dis-
charging as a sergeant with
several medals including a
Bronze Star.
Nick and his first wife Bar-
bara (Hilts) settled in Eu-
gene with their three chil-
dren Rick, Kim and Torrey.
Nick was a store manager
and district manager for
Fred Meyer, where he met
the love of his life Barb
(Brock).
They were married for 31
years living in Tualatin and
Dundee. They worked to-
gether owning a printing
company in Tigard for 25
years. In 2013, Nick retired
and spent as many days as
there were in a week playing
golf in King City and in Sun
City, Ariz., where they have a
winter home.
Nick leaves his loving
family, wife Barb; father
Perry; brothers Mike and
Brian (Janelle); and children
Rick, Kim (Frankie), and Tor-
rey (Audra). He had five
g ra n d c h i l d re n t h a t h e
adored Kasey, Katelyn and
Jennifer Crutsinger, and An-
thony and Tyler Jones; one
great-granddaughter, Brook-
lyn; and many nieces,
nephews and cousins, who
were all so special to him.
There are too many friends
to mention; his life was very
full.
He lived his life to the
fullest and left without re-
grets.
Graveside service will be
held at Restlawn Memory
Gardens in Salem on Satur-
day, Oct. 21, at 11 a.m.,
where he will be reunited
with his mother Pauline and
brother Craig.
www.restlawnfh.com.
Katherine Gregory
Overstreet
April 9, 1933 – Oct. 7, 2017
Katherine Overstreet, 84,
of Salem, died Oct. 7, 2017.
Katherine was born April
9, 1933, in Oklahoma City.
Daughter of Norman H. and
Katherine Wilson Gregory,
she grew up on several Indi-
an reservations, including
Pine Ridge, S.D., as her par-
ents were teachers with the
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Katherine graduated from
the University of North
Dakota with a degree in so-
cial work, and was a mem-
ber of Phi Beta Kappa. She
earned her master’s of social
work from the University of
Denver in 1961, and served
as a caseworker in Minneso-
ta and in the state of Wash-
ington over a career of more
than 46 years, during which
she touched countless lives.
In 1965, she married
Stephen H. Overstreet, and
they lived in Vancouver,
B.C. — where their two chil-
dren, Greg and April, were
born — until settling in
Mount Vernon, Wash., where
they lived for over 40 years.
Katherine’s generous and
loving spirit was treasured
by all who knew her. She en-
joyed tending her rose gar-
den and spending time with
family and friends.
Katherine is survived by
h e r h u s b a n d , St e p h e n
Harold Overstreet; son
Stephen Harold Gregory
Overstreet, of Sequim,
Wash.; and daughter April
Ann Overstreet; along with
three grandchildren, Alexa
Jane Overstreet, Jackson
Cole Overstreet and Zula
Skye Overstreet. Also surviv-
ing is a beloved sister, Ree
Gregory Greenwood, of
Atchison, Kan.
A memorial service was
held at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
Oct. 14, in the Salt Creek
Baptist Church in Dallas.
Gifts in her memory can be
made to the University of
North Dakota Noah and
Gregory Fund, in care of the
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center, 287 Washington St.,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Tamera Laurie
Jones
Aug. 7, 1958 – Oct. 7, 2017
Tamera Laurie Jones, 59, a
resident of Keizer, died Sat-
urday, Oct. 7, 2017, at Salem
Health Hospital after a 10-
month battle with lung can-
cer. She was born Aug. 7,
1958, in Myrtle Point, the
daughter of Brooks and San-
dra Wagner
(Boice).
Ta m m y
spent her
first two
years in
Port Orford
and Cor -
vallis while
Brooks and Sandra complet-
ed college at Oregon State
University. The next seven
years were in Seaside living a
couple blocks from the
ocean, where her sandbox
was the Oregon Coast, and
her love of the beach and
sea took hold.
The family moved to Dal-
las in 1967. There were fre-
quent trips to visit family on
the Southern Oregon Coast
for vacations and holidays,
often where four genera-
tions would be gathered for
dinner and celebrations.
Growing up held times of
camping in central Oregon
and on the Rogue River, hav-
ing fun with friends, picking
berries and being annoyed
by her little brother. In jun-
ior high, Tammy became in-
volved with the Internation-
al Order of Rainbow for Girls
and attained the highest of-
fice of Worthy Advisor. Also
during this time, she found
her voice, literally, and start-
ed to sing in the school
choirs, something she truly
enjoyed and continued
while attending Dallas Sen-
ior High, where she graduat-
ed in 1976.
Also during high school,
Tammy started her first job
as a nurse’s aide at the Dal-
las Retirement home.
After high school, she
worked in a law office in
Salem for a few years, and
then with NW Farm Bureau.
Tammy married Warren
Jones, and together had
their daughter Kaylan in
1988 when she started her
favorite career as a stay-at-
home mom.
In 2003, she went to work
for SharpCorp where she
worked as an office manager
until earlier this year.
Tammy is survived by her
parents Sandra and Dennis
Tiernan, and Brooks and
Donna Wagner; daughter
Kaylan Jones; sister Rise”
Cuellar and brother-in-law
Raz; brother Brian Wagner
and sister-in-law Linda;
brother Don Tiernan and
sister-in-law Patricia; sister
Julie Chase and brother-in-
law Mark; uncles, aunts,
cousins, nieces, nephews,
and many dear friends.
The family would like to
extend our sincere thanks to
Dr. Bud Pierce and his staff,
along with a special thanks
to the nurses of the Salem
Health ICU and IMCU for
their care, love and prayers.
Charitable gifts in lieu of
flowers can be given in
Tammy’s name to the Can-
cer Action Network of the
American Cancer Society.
A memorial service will
begin at 11 a.m., Saturday
Oct. 21 at the Dallas Mortu-
ary Tribute Center, 287 SW
Washington St, Dallas, OR.
There will be a gathering
and fellowship at St. Philip
Catholic Church, 825 SW
Mill St.,Dallas, immediately
following the memorial. To
leave a message or memory
for the family, please go to
www.dallastribute.com.
Gale Carruthers
April 30, 1925 – Oct. 2, 2017
On Oct. 2, 2017, Gale Car-
ruthers left this world to be
with Betty, the love of his
life, his wife of 54 years, who
departed in 2011.
Gale leaves three children,
nine grandchildren, and 14
great-grandchildren.
Gale was born April 30,
1925, in
Rockville
Center,
Long Is-
land, N.Y.
When he
was an in-
fant, his family moved to
Sacramento, Calif., where he
attended public schools.
Early in 1943, Gale enlisted
in the U.S. Navy, where he
served in the Naval Am-
phibious Forces and partici-
pated in the Normandy In-
vasion.
Gale held undergraduate
and graduate degrees from
California State University of
Northridge. He was a teacher.
Adan Reyes-
Santiago
Oct. 16, 2017
Arrangements are pend-
ing by Farnstrom Mortuary,
503-838-1414.
Obituary
Information
Obituaries cost $8 per col-
umn inch (25 words) and in-
clude a photo and a flag for
veterans.
Obituary information must
be submitted by 4 p.m. on the
Monday before publication.
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.
Death notices 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.