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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 2015)
A2 Family Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, March 4, 2015 O BITUARIES Delores ‘Dee’ Noah May 2, 1929 – Feb. 24, 2015 Delores “Dee” Noah, 85, died Feb. 24 at her Dayville home. No services are planned at this time. Mrs. Noah was born May 2, 1929, in Woodland, Calif., to Ger- ald and Florence (Perkins) Bradley. She attended Santa Rosa High School, and graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College in 1946. In 1950, she married Jerry Noah in Vancouver, Wash. Throughout her life she was a homemaker, and also was a gro- cery checker for Carter Foods and worked for herself as a deli owner. She retired in 1994. Survivors include her husband, Gerald “Jerry” Noah of Dayville; son, Jeffery Noah of Aloha; daughter, Kathleen Noah of Puerto Rico; and four grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Mountain Hospice through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. Charles Pickle Charles Pickle, 91, of John Day, died March 1 at Blue Moun- tain Hospital in John Day. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Canyon City Cemetery. Pastor Al $OWQRZZLOORI¿FLDWH Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church of John Day through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. About Obituaries News obituaries are a free service of the Blue Mountain Eagle. The paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information submitted is subject to edit- ing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect information may be corrected and republished as paid notices. Send obituaries by e-mail, cheryl@bmeagle. com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. The deadline to submit an obituary is noon Monday for the Wednesday paper. For more information, or to inquire about a paid memorial, call 541-575-0710. The family of Jerry Mills wishes to express a heartfelt “Thank You” for the kindness and thoughtfulness shown during our recent loss. Thank you for the flowers, cards and support. We deeply appreciate everything. A special thank you to Evelyn Cates, Ersela Dehiya, Rhonda Burdick and Red Iler - your generosity will never be forgotten. May God bless each and every one of you. Sincerely, The family of Jerry Mills Rose Bertha Gohlinghorst Aug. 6, 1907 – Feb. 18, 2015 REEDSPORT – Rose (Rosa) Ber- tha Gohlinghorst, 107, died Feb. 18 in Reedsport. The former Grant County resident had lived at Aidan Senior Liv- ing the past 11 years. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Redeemer Lu- theran Church, 627 S.E. Hillcrest Dr. in John Day, followed by a graveside service at Canyon City Cemetery. Mrs. Gohlinghorst was born Aug. 6, 1907, at home in Enola, Madison County, Neb., to Otto and Lisetta (Maurer) Dittberner. She was raised on a farm with four older brothers and four younger sisters. She developed a hard work ethic at an early age, and being the oldest girl, cut her education short to help out on the farm. 6KHDWWHQGHGDSDURFKLDOVFKRROLQ0DGLVRQZKHUHVKH¿UVW met her future husband, Ernest (Ernie) Gohlinghorst. They married on June 18, 1940, in Buffalo Creek Lutheran Church in Tilden, Neb. While in her 20s, she and a sister worked for a time as wait- UHVVHVLQ&DOLIRUQLD$IWHUPDUULDJHDQGDIWHUKHUKXVEDQG¿Q ished his military service, they lived in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Pendleton, before purchasing the Western Auto Store in John Day. She worked alongside her husband, and after his death in 1959, ran the store before selling it in 1964. She then spent several years working at Quisenberry’s Department Store and Len’s Rexall. She was active in her church, and her hobbies included sew- ing, baking, gardening, canning, reading and handwork. She was named “Senior Queen of the Kitchen” at the Grant County Fair. Most of what she made, she shared with others. Family was of utmost importance to her. Survivors include her daughters, Sue (Gary) Groen of Lake- side and Beth (Bob) Piete of Applegate; grandchildren, Tim (Kelly) Piete of North Plains, Mark (Heidi) Kincaid of Rose- burg, Doug (Marisol) Piete of Alpine, Calif., and Amy (Bruce) Henderson of Hillsboro; and 10 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church in John Day through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. B IRTHS Collins Jennelle Derrick Chad and Kiley Derrick of Canyon City announce the birth of their daughter, Collins Jennelle Derrick, at 8:22 p.m. Jan. 31, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. Grandparents include Roger and Darla Derrick of John Day, and Cork and JoAnn Humphrey of Mt. Vernon. Scott Lloyd Lee Feb. 27, 1974 – Feb. 25, 2015 CHILOQUIN – Scott Lloyd Lee, 40, formerly of Dayville, died Feb. 25 after a car crash near Klamath Falls. At his request, there will be no service. Mr. Lee was born Feb. 27, 1974, in Prineville, to Jan Elaine Valade Lee and Doug Lee. He was raised by Jan and Elmer Dickens Sr. near Dayville, and attended schools in Dayville and John Day. He enjoyed motorcycles, hunting, ¿VKLQJDQGEHLQJZLWKKLVZLIH&RUUL na. The couple had lived in Chiloquin for the last 10 years. Survivors include his wife, Corrina Taylor of Chiloquin; his mother, Jan Valade Dickens; daughters, Melissa Anne Lee Haynes and Celeste Donna Lee; son, Scott Lloyd Lee Jr.; grand- children, Dominick and Bentley; brother, Elmer Dickens Jr.; sister, Terri Dickens Landreth; great-grandmother, Fern Turner of John Day; and grandfather, Duane Turner of Mt. Vernon. Memorial contributions may be made to a custodial account for his grandchildren through Old West Federal Credit Union. Humbolt to get new principal Nash retiring after 18 years with District 3 Blue Mountain Eagle CANYON CITY – Hum- bolt Elementary Principal Monty Nash has announced he will retire at the end of this school year. Kim Smith, who has worked for Grant School District No. 3 for 17 years, has been chosen as Hum- bolt’s new principal, start- ing with the 2015-16 school year. Nash, a longtime educa- tor, has been with the Dis- trict for 18 years. According to District No. 3 Superintendent Mark :LWW\1DVKKDV¿OOHGPDQ\ leadership and administra- tive roles during his time with the District, and will be sorely missed. Smith began her career with the District in 1998 teaching grades 5 and 6 at Mt. Vernon. She has also taught spe- cial education and Title 1 at Humbolt and, Witty said, every grade level from Kin- dergarten through sixth. She has been the Special Education director at Hum- bolt since 2010. Witty said, “Smith is KLJKO\ TXDOL¿HG DQG KDV D great vision for the school.” O VER THE RAINBOW Jan. 11, 1919 - Feb. 24, 2015 Irene Louise Ferguson was born January 11, 1919, in Merrill Oregon and died quietly on February 24, 2015 in LaGrande Oregon. Her sons, Dennis, Doug, and Doug’s wife Charlene were present with her large family kept close by phone and e-mail. Irene was born to Phobe and William Anderson. She was the last surviving sibling, with two older brothers, Richard and Russell, and a younger sister, Jean. The family resided on a farm which had been homesteaded by Irene’s father William (Bill), in the community of Tulelake California, just across the state line from Merrill. Irene spent her early life here going through grade school and high school in Tulelake. She was a typical farm girl growing up in an early 20th century agricultural community. Irene is the best cook ever, apparently learning from her mother. It is probably here that she developed the love of horses and cattle. Her parents purchased a piano for her early in life. She didn’t just learn to play, she was a student of music for the rest of her life, bringing untold pleasure to everyone who was fortunate enough to listen or dance to her music. Around 1937, a large itinerant family by the name of “Ferguson” moved into the area. One Max Ferguson, who was trying to complete a hit and miss education, came to Tulelake School to try to complete high school. Max was 21 years old at the time. A love affair began there and continued for the rest of their lives. Max and Irene were married in Reno Nevada in 1937. That union lasted until Max’s death in 2006, having been married 70 years. After their marriage, Max worked on the reclamation project which was developing additional farm ground in the area. Along with the construction, Max farmed on leased land near Tulelake. During the War years, Max was deferred from serving because he was providing more good farming for the cause than by fighting for it. First Doug came along, then Denny during the war years. Shortly after the end of World War II, the large Ferguson family, consisting of several grown couples and their children, began migrating north into Eastern Oregon. This exodus resulted in Max, Irene and two small boys owning 1200 acres at the mouth of China Creek, on the North Fork of the Burnt River. Living was completely primitive. They lived and thrived in an old Army Surplus tent. Max felled trees, and begin carving a small ranch out of an isolated 1200 acres known as the King Ranch. The team of Max and Irene landed the school bus contract for hauling the kids who lived on the “Big Flat” road to school in the small settlement of Hereford. During the school day Irene worked in the tiny telephone exchange, the “Juniper Telephone Company”. Irene was an operator for the old hand crank phone system. She also worked in the school cafeteria and gave piano lessons to quite a few kids who are old timers today. Eventually a log cabin was built and that became the home at the King Ranch. Living was a lot better in a house, and none of the family missed the convenience of plumbing or electricity. They could dip all the water they needed out of China Creek, and a cozy outhouse faced east so the morning sun could warm body and soul on a summer morning. For light they had plenty of gas lanterns. In 1955 Max Irene and the boys moved to a small ranch at the mouth of Fields Creek, on the John Day River in Grant County. Irene worked at the local medical facility in John Day, and was a waitress at Marion’s Cafe in downtown John Day. Max worked for the Highway Division out of John Day. Eventually Irene went to work in the office of the Highway Division, and as a dispatcher for the Oregon State Police. Around 1960 after getting Doug graduated from Dayville High School, Max and Irene moved to LaGrande, with advancements and more opportunity for each of them in their work for the State Highway Division. Irene left the highway division while in LaGrande and went to work at the College in LaGrande. This was also a State position, where she was executive secretary to the Dean of Administration and later became director of personnel. In the early 1960’s they purchased a 40 acre piece of raw land at the base of Mount Emily, near Summerville. They carved out a showplace here, with a beautiful “A” frame house, productive hay land, and corrals to keep the ever present cattle and horses. This was the family place where Max and Irene’s grown children brought their kids. It was home away from home for family and extended family for many years. Both Max and Irene retired while living on this place. It was a place of much love for family and friends. Denny and Doug’s kids grew up near this place and it became a lasting influence on their lives. In the early 1970’s Max and Irene got the wanderlust again and ended up at Sekiu, Washington, on the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The fishing was good and there was abundant bounty from the sea. They had a good comfortable boat, and the harvest was good. After a few years it was apparent that they were just too far away from what was becoming a large and growing family being produced by their sons. They moved to Sumpter, where they begin to build a beautiful home and place out of nothing. That pioneer spirit is still present. No more than getting it just right in Sumpter, a move was made back over to the John Day Valley out on the Moon Creek Road. By this time Max and Irene were getting along some and actually slowing down a little, however there was a large garden, plenty of horses, and kids and grandkids. Always plenty of good food, and love. Around 2005, Max and Irene moved back to LaGrande and took up residence in the Grande Ronde Retirement Residence. Max passed away in May of 2006, and Irene resided there until shortly before her death. She had just been waiting to go find Max. Their large family believes they are finally together. Irene is survived by her sons Dennis Ferguson, daughter-in-law Kath Ferguson, Dennis’s wife of nearly 50 years, of Summerville, Douglas Ferguson of Mount Vernon and his wife Charlene, Grandchildren including (little) Doug Ferguson of Arlington, D. Mitchell Ferguson of Mount Vernon, Lindy Temple of California, Amber Ferguson of Prineville, and Mollee Wood of Powell Butte. Irene has 11 great grandkids, and 11 great-great grandkids. Irene’s favorite and best things were music. She and Max entertained untold number of people, playing their music from the late 1940’s to the 1980’s and played at home until after the millennium. She loved the outdoors, horses, wild country, the pioneer spirit, traveling over new ground on a good horse, and cooking good food. The love of Irene’s life was Max Ferguson, her sons, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. Paid for by the Ferguson Family The Eagle/Scotta Callister Changing weather brought rain and a rainbow or two to Grant County last Thursday. This shot was taken from Highway 26 at Dog Creek Road, just east of John Day. W EATHER F ORECAST Sunny Wednesday 48/24 Sunny Thursday 53/30 Mostly sunny Friday 56/33 Sunny Saturday 60/34 Sunny Sunday 61/36 Sunny Monday 57/33 Cloudy Tuesday 61/36 L AST W EEK F EB . 24 John Day 56/25 Sheep Rock 49/26 25 26 27 28 M ARCH 1 2 47/32 46/36 40/33 38/22 42/17 43/26 58/26 53/27 54/39 47/36 44/20 49/27 R IVER F LOWS Discharge Last Year Average % of Avg. John Day (Mainstem) 173 404 247 70 Ritter (MF) 258 1050 312 83 Monument (NF) 1020 4890 1750 58 Service Creek (Mainstem) 1660 7070 2740 61 McDonald Ferry (Mainstem) 1990 4300 3000 66 S KI R EPORT Anthony Lakes: Base 50 inches; no new snow. 24/7 F ORECAST A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122 R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; WWW . TRIPCHECK . COM WWW . BLUEMOUNTAINEAGLE . COM / INFO NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY — 162.500 MHz