Polk County News
10A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 20, 2017
OBITUARIES
March 20, 1940 – Nov. 28, 2017
Raymond Kenneth
Watkins lived his life on his
own independent terms
through to his passing on
Nov. 28, 2017.
He was
born in
Arkansas,
but spent
most of his
years in
Oregon.
R a y -
mond was
one of five children to Cecil
and Lela Watkins, who are
all deceased now.
He is survived by his chil-
dren, Dennis Ray (57), Ivan
Cecil (52), Dean Martin (46),
and Angel Rayle Watkins
(24).
Raymond moved to
Killeen, Texas, in his retired
years to be near his oldest
son Dennis. Raymond had a
few jobs before and after his
primary occupation, which
was a musician.
Raymond performed as
Ray Concho with his bands
for nearly three decades
playing bass guitar and
singing all over Oregon and
the Midwest earning him a
comfortable living.
For five years from 1976 to
1982, Raymond’s oldest son
Dennis played drums for
him.
Raymond had recorded
one album back in the ’70s.
He has a copywritten Chris-
tian song that he wrote in
September of 2014, “Yes
Jesus Reigns.”
While here in Killeen,
Raymond became the oldest
student and person to begin
studying Comjuka-Kali Sys-
tems, a Filipino Combat
Martial Art.
Raymond’s hard work and
accomplishments was rec-
ognized when he were in-
ducted into the Filipino
Martial Arts Hall of Fame for
Outstanding Achievement of
the Year in July of 2017.
Sadly Raymond is gone
now, but was loved by many
and will live on in all our
hearts. We love you Pops.
Emmett E.
Staniford
Sept. 21, 1928 – Dec. 11, 2017
Emmett Staniford, 89, was
a man with many hobbies.
Hunting
and fish-
ing occu-
pied his
time when
he wasn’t
spending
it with his
beloved
family, or buying and selling
logging equipment.
Emmett believed in put-
ting his heart and appear-
ance into everything that he
did.
As his family would say,
he worked hard, played
hard, and looked good doing
it.
Born in Issaquah, Wash.,
to Edgar Staniford and
Mabel Russell, he had the
pleasure of growing up with
two brothers, Kenneth and
Virgil, and two sisters Betty
and Dorothy.
They later moved to Dal-
las, where he then stayed for
a majority of his life.
Emmett had the pleasure
of raising two sons, Emmett
L. Staniford Jr. and Alan
Staniford, and a daughter,
Joy (Bob) Kreuger.
Emmett’s family taught
him the values in life that he
passed on to his children
and grandchildren.
Having a strong work
ethic, knowing the differ-
ence between right and
wrong, taking pride in your
appearance when leaving
the house, and was always
grateful for having what he
had.
Emmett was preceded in
death by his brother Virgil
Staniford; and parents
Mabel and Edgar Staniford.
He is survived by his chil-
dren Joy (Bob) Kreuger, of
Salem, Emmett L. Staniford,
of Mt. Vernon, Wash., Alan
Staniford, of Sedro Woolley,
Wash.; his brother Kenneth
(Martha) Staniford, of Dal-
las; and his sisters Betty
(Harold) Wells, of Spring-
field, and Dorothy (Don)
Courter, of Dallas; along
with his seven grandchil-
dren and many other friends
and family.
There was a service held
at Restlawn Funeral Home
in Salem on Saturday, Dec.
16, 2017, at 2 p.m., with
viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 2
p.m.
Please visit our website at
www.restlawnfh.com.
George Charles
Wagner
Sept. 29, 1939 – Dec. 10, 2017
George C. Wagner passed
away peacefully at home on
Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. He
was 78.
George
was born
Sept. 29,
1939, in
Marshall-
t o w n ,
Iowa, to
Harry and
H e l e n
Switzer
Wagner.
George
was the
youngest
of six chil-
dren.
After graduation from
high school, he enlisted in
the United States Navy, and
served his country for 10
years.
He earned various medals
during his time of service,
including the Vietnam Serv-
ice Medal.
George married Patricia
C. Jacobson in Portland on
Oct. 29, 1960.
They were married for
over 57 years.
The couple had four chil-
dren and raised their family
in the Canby area.
He was employed as a
computer programmer in
the banking industry and
later for Oregon State Uni-
versity.
In 1993, George and Pat
relocated to Monmouth to
be closer to George’s work at
Oregon State University.
George and Patricia were
avid equestrians.
As members of the
Willamette Wranglers Horse
Club, they spent a lot of
their leisure time caring for
their horses and participat-
ing in various functions
with the Wranglers, includ-
ing participating in parades,
competitions and charity
events.
He also served as a volun-
teer for the Polk County His-
torical Society Museum for a
number of years and was a
member of the American
Legion Post 20.
While George was pas-
sionate about his horses and
volunteering for the histori-
cal society, George’s greatest
love was for his family.
Always happiest when he
was surrounded by family,
he began an annual family
campout in the 1970s.
As the family expanded
and grew over the years, the
once small campout had
over 75 family members at-
tending last year.
He will be remembered as
a kind, generous thoughtful
person and family man
whose unconditional love
for his family and friends
was evident in all that he did
and said.
George was preceded in
death by his parents and his
siblings.
He is survived by his
beloved wife of 57 years, Pa-
tricia; children Kenneth
(Lisa), of Powell Butte,
Karen, of Bend, John (Paris),
of Salem, and Joel (Rachel),
of Dallas; 18 grandchildren
and 11 great-grandchildren
(with one on the way).
In lieu of flowers, the fam-
ily requests donations in
George’s name be made to
the ALS Association of Ore-
gon, 700 NE Multnomah St.
No. 210, Portland, OR 97232.
A funeral service was held
Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Mt.
Scott Funeral Home 4205 SE
59th Ave., Portland, OR
97206. A graveside service
with full military honors fol-
lowed at Willamette Nation-
al Cemetery.
Assisting the family is Vir-
gil T. Golden Funeral Serv-
ice.
Donna Gail Wilson
April 24, 1934 – Dec. 10, 2017
Donna Gail Wilson was
born in Ontario on April 24,
1934, to Jule H. and Grace E.
Houston.
“Do you hear what I hear?”
Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year!
Thanks for letting us serve you.
She went to be with her
heavenly father on Dec. 10,
2017.
She married Ronald R.
Wilson Dec. 29, 1952, in On-
tario.
Donna
went to
beauty
school in
Payette,
I d a h o,
while still
in high
School.
After graduating high
school, she completed her
beauty schooling and mar-
ried Ron.
They moved to Madras
and started their family.
She enjoyed hair styling
and worked many years as a
beautician.
Ron and Donna lived in
several locations throughout
Oregon including Prineville,
Hermiston and Medford be-
fore settling in Dallas.
Donna enjoyed golfing,
shopping, traveling in their
motorhome and taking
cruises.
She sang with the VA
Medical Musical Group and
toured through China,
Spain, Greece, Prague and
Vienna, singing as a soprano
with the group.
Donna was most impor-
tantly a homemaker, wife,
mother, grandmother and
friend to many.
Donna is survived by her
husband of 65 years, Ron;
daughters Ronda Wilson
and Debra Heather Wilson;
son Bill Wilson; sister Mary
Warren; and grandsons Jesse
and Chase Cota.
She was preceded in
death by her parents; sister
Jean Houston; and youngest
daughter Mary Dianne Wil-
son.
A celebration of life will
be held at Trinity Lutheran
Church, Dallas, on Friday,
Dec. 29, 2017, at 2 p.m.
Donations can be made
to Union Gospel Mission of
Salem in her memory.
To share an online condo-
lence, go to: www.dallastrib-
ute.com.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center is caring for the fam-
ily.
William W. (Bill)
Rowe
Oct. 20, 1935 – Dec. 10, 2017
Bill was born on Oct. 20,
1935, in Hubbard, and
passed away on Dec. 10,
2017, in In-
depend-
ence.
He at-
tended
g r a d e
school at
Eola, part
of middle
school at
W e s t
Salem Jun-
ior High,
and gradu-
ated from
Salem High School (now
North Salem High School) in
1953.
Bill spent over eight years
in the Naval Reserve.
Bill started employment
with the Telephone Compa-
ny in 1955 in Salem, and
spent 31-and-a-half years
with the company.
Dudley’s
July 8, 1948 – Nov. 30, 2017
Memorial Service at noon
on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, at
The Elders Center Grand
Ronde.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute
Center handled arrange-
ments.
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Jean Lowe
Cherry Fleming
June 17, 1938 – Dec. 16, 2017
Jean Lowe Cherry Flem-
ing, 79, of Salem and for-
merly of Dallas, died Dec.
16, 2017. She was born in
Dallas on June 17, 1938.
She is survived by her
daughters Jane Susan Cher-
ry Weal, of California, and
Joyce Ann Cherry, of Salem;
stepson Dan (Zoe) Fleming;
and two grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by a
grandson Jordan Thomas
Weal in 2017 and a sister
Janet Lowe.
Viewing will be from 9 to
10 a.m. with funeral services
beginning at 11 a.m. on Dec.
23, all in the Dallas Mortuary
Tribute Center. Private inter-
ment will be in the Restlawn
Cemetery.
To leave an online tribute:
www.dallastribute.com.
Obituary
Information
Obituaries cost $8 per col-
umn inch (25 words) and in-
clude photos and flags for vet-
erans. Death and service no-
tices run free of charge.
Obituary information must
be submitted by 4 p.m. on Fri-
day publication to be included
in the newspaper due to early
deadlines.
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.
Death and service notices
— like all information submit-
ted 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.
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Throughout the years he
worked for “Ma Bell” in Cor-
vallis and Dallas.
He retired from Pacific
Northwest Bell on May 1,
1987, from network engi-
neering and switching.
He was an avid hunter
and fisherman.
As a young man, he spent
many an hour hunting
ducks and geese on the
Willamette River.
In later years he liked to
go duck and goose hunting
at Summer Lake in Eastern
Oregon.
He also liked fishing on
the Rogue with his daughter,
son-in-law and grandchil-
dren.
He was a life time mem-
ber of the Elks Club in Inde-
pendence.
He was also a member of
the Polk County Livestock
Association as well as the
Marion County Livestock
Association for many years.
Bill married Maureen
Gibbons (Gibby) on June 22,
1957.
They celebrated 60 years
of marriage in June.
Bill and Gibby lived in
South Salem for five years
before moving to acreage
south of Independence.
Bill bought and sold live-
stock for over 50 years from
the farm (cattle, sheep,
goats, etc).
It was a hobby for him,
a n d h e e n j oy e d e v e r y
minute of the hours spent
talking to others and attend-
ing many cattle and farm
auctions throughout the
W i l l a m e t t e Va l l e y a n d
coastal areas.
Bill is survived by his
wife Gibby ; daughter
Denna Melton (Brian). of
Corvallis, daughter Valerie
Sewell (Steve), of
Cloverdale, and son W. Ray-
mond Rowe (Lori), of Keiz-
er; six grandchildren: Bri-
anna Melton (Joel Purvis),
of Albany, Kacie Melton
Dunning (Parker), of Boise,
Idaho, Anissa Rowe, of
Phoenix, Ariz.; Joel Rowe,
of Phoenix, Ariz., Taylor
Sewell, of Springfield, and
Jennifer Sewell, of Gre-
sham; one great-grandson:
Kolt Mccoy Purvis, of Al-
bany.
He is survived by a sister:
Leda Wright (Pete), of Salt
Lake City, Utah, and one
cousin: Ray Magee (Connie),
of Tehachapi, Calif.
He is also survived by nu-
merous nieces and
nephews.
His parents William and
Arline Rowe preceded him
in death.
Private family services will
be held at a later date.
Contributions in Bill’s
name may be directed to
the American Cancer Soci-
ety or a charity of your
choice. Assisting the family
is Virgil T. Golden Funeral
Service.
www.polkio.com
Raymond Kenneth
Watkins
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