A2
Family
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
O BITUARIES
Kids win prizes while reading
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Children had incentives
to check out books from the
Grant County Library this
summer.
The library had two pro-
grams to encourage youth
to read, the summer reading
program at the John Day City
Park and the reading program
at the library.
Devrie Delaney, 9, and
Orean Maurer, 4, won bikes
donated by the Grant County
Library Foundation through
the program at the park.
Maleah Archibald, 8, and
Huntur Wright, 7, won kids
edition Kindle Fires through
the reading program at the li-
brary.
Children entered to win
the Kindles by reading fi ve
books a week for the past fi ve
weeks, and smaller weekly
prizes were also given away,
including book bags, T-shirts
and bicycle lights.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: Orean Maurer, 4,
won a bicycle through
the Grant County
Library’s summer
reading program. Two
bikes were donated
by the Grant County
Library Foundation.
Maleah Archibald, 8,
at the Grant County
Library in John Day,
holds a Kindle Fire
Kids Edition she won
through the reading
program.
Devrie Delaney, 9,
wins a bike while
participating in the
library’s reading
program.
Hunter Wright, 7, wins a
Kindle Fire Kids Edition.
He entered to win the
prize after reading five
books each week this
summer.
Contributed photos
John Day native
promoted to
lieutenant colonel
Blue Mountain Eagle
A John Day native has been
promoted to lieutenant colonel
in the United States Air Force.
Lt. Col. Carl B. Pitts was
born and raised in John Day
and was promoted July 8.
Son of proud parents Lar-
ry and Lynn Pitts, he has over
34,000 hours of fl ight time
logged in a number of aircraft
and drones. Pitts is the assis-
tant director of operations of
the 542nd Global Vigilance
Combined Test Force at the
Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
He is a veteran of operations
Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Free-
dom and Unifi ed Protector.
A family with a history of
military service, the Pitts are
very excited about their son’s
promotion.
“We were told that only 20
percent of those qualifi ed for
Betty Irene Palmer
July 11, 1936 - Aug. 8, 2016
Betty Irene Palmer, 80, of John Day
passed away Monday, Aug. 8, in Can-
yon City at the Serenity Adult Foster
Home. A memorial service will be held
at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 at Driskill Memorial
Chapel. Interment will follow at 3:30
p.m. at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Bak-
er City.
Palmer was born on July 11, 1936 to
Gerald and Doris (Vanskyke) Edwards
in Klamath Falls. Betty attended and
graduated from high school in Hereford; she then went on to
become an LPN. She married Orin F. Palmer on Dec. 19, 1953,
in Unity; they then had four sons.
She truly enjoyed golf, family, friends and traveling to Ha-
waii. She was a lifetime member of the John Day Golf Club, the
Elks Lodge and the Lions Club. She had two great joys in her
life: her family and her friends. She was an amazing wife, moth-
er and was very proud of her grandchildren and great-grand-
children.
She is survived by sons Joseph Palmer of Seligenstadt, Ger-
many, David Palmer of Baker City and Jerry Palmer of Lin-
coln City; brothers Gerald Edwards of Milwaukee, Oregon, and
Richard Hailstone of Kerrville, Texas; six grandchildren; and
19 great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Orin F.
Palmer; son Randall W. Palmer; and brother Kenneth Edwards.
Arrangements are under the care of Driskill Memorial Chap-
el, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845.
Frederick Mathew Gardner
April 13, 1927 - Aug. 15, 2016
Frederick Mathew Gardner, 89, of Canyon City passed away
Monday, Aug. 15, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. At his
request, no funeral services will be held.
Gardner was born April 13, 1927, in Medford to F.H. and
LaVesta Gardner.
He excelled in grade school, skipping two grades, and went
on to graduate from Medford High School in 1944. He then
joined the U.S. Navy and served 18 months in the South Pacif-
ic. After receiving his honorable discharge, he completed two
years of college at Menlo Park Junior College of California,
majoring in aeronautical engineering.
After transferring to Oregon State University, he changed his
major to business and technology and graduated in 1950. After
graduation, he worked for Harry and David Co. of Medford,
then established what became his lifelong career with Pacifi c
Power and Light Corp., retiring as an executive in 1990.
Gardner met his wife, Vyvyan Freeman, while they were
working at Harry and David. They were married Feb. 13, 1948,
and had two children, Teresa and Brian.
Gardner was active in the Boy Scouts of America for years.
He also became master of the Warren Lodge No. 10 A.F. and
A.M. in Jacksonville, Oregon, in 1949 and went on to become
the worthy patron of Adarel Chapter No. 3, Order of Eastern
Star, in Jacksonville in 1960.
After his retirement, he fulfi lled his dream of returning to
rural Oregon where he and Vyvyan built a new home on their
property on Canyon Mountain Trail near Canyon City. He then
became active in the John Day Valley, becoming president and
chairman of several local organizations.
Later in life, he enjoyed participating daily in a breakfast
group at the Squeeze-In Restaurant. He enjoyed the friendship
of many people, and likewise, many people at every level en-
joyed a sincere and productive relationship with him over the
years. He will be sorely missed.
He is survived by his wife, Vyvyan; daughter, Teresa; son,
Brian, and wife, Lyn; one granddaughter; and one great-grand-
daughter.
Thomas Lee Anderson
Contributed photo
Lt. Col. Carl B. Pitts
lieutenant colonel are pro-
moted,” Larry Pitts said in
a letter. “We are very proud
of him.”
Carl Pitts graduated
from Grant Union High
School in 1996 and from
University of Portland in
2001 with a Bachelor of
Science degree.
He lives in California
with his wife, Trish, and
their four sons.
Thomas Lee Anderson, 69, of John Day passed away Satur-
day, Aug. 13, at his home. A memorial service will be held at 11
a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Canyon City Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the care of Driskill Memorial Chap-
el, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845.
To leave a condolence, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
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.
Grant County
Your Rural Fa mily Health Clinic
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
HEALTH
Department
528 E. Main, St. E,
John Day
Monday - Friday
8am - 5pm
Baker City
2830 10th St.
541-524-0122
Blue Mountain
Hospital
170 Ford Rd.
541-575-1311
Services Provided:
Karen Triplett, FNP
Every other Monday
in John Day at
• Primary Care
• Acute Care
• Women’s Health
Exams
• Men and
Children Exams
• Immunizations
• Family Planning
• Contraception
• Pregnancy Testing &
Referrals
• HIV Testing &
Referrals
• Cacoon
• WIC
• High Risk Infants
• Maternity Case
Management
L AST W EEK ’ S T EMPS
R IVER F LOWS ON A UG . 23
Last year
19
15
51
28
35
Avg.
25
26
88
86
106
% of Avg.
36
31
120
153
159
C OUNTY
V ETERANS :
Did you know a service-connected
disabled veteran is entitled to
FREE use of Oregon State Parks?
Call and schedule your
appointment today!
See your Grant County Veteran Services
Officer today for more information,
located at Grant County Courthouse.
888-443-9104
or 541-575-0429
Open Mon, Wed, & Fri, 10 am - 4 pm,
by appointment. Call 541-575-1631
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF A UG . 24-30
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S ATURDAY ...................................................................... 93/53
S UNDAY ......................................................................... 93/56
M ONDAY ........................................................................ 82/56
Discharge
JD River near John Day
Middle Fork @ Ritter
North Fork @ Monument
JD River @ Service Creek
JD River @ McDonald Ferry
A TTENTION G RANT
Appointments
available
TOLL FREE
Grant County Health Department does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin,
disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activitie s, or in employment.
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