Family
Blue Mountain Eagle
American Legion,
Auxiliary seek hamburger
stand volunteers
Blue Mountain Eagle
Members of Ellis Tracy
American Legion and Aux-
iliary will hold a relish-cut-
ting gathering to prepare
for their Grant County Fair
hamburger stand. They’ll
meet at 7 a.m. at the fair-
grounds on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
Anyone interested in help-
ing is welcome. Call Art
Pereira, 541-575-1841.
The group is also seeking
volunteers to run the ham-
burger stand during the fair,
Wednesday, Aug. 9, through
Saturday, Aug. 12. For more
information call Jessie Lew-
is at 541-575-1047.
July weather slightly
warmer than normal
Above-normal
temperatures
predicted in
August
Blue Mountain Eagle
Temperatures in John
Day averaged slightly
warmer than normal during
the month of July, accord-
ing to preliminary data re-
ceived by NOAA’s National
Weather Service.
The average temperature
was 70.6 degrees, which
was 1.7 degrees above nor-
mal. High temperatures av-
eraged 90.6 degrees, which
was 2.4 degrees above nor-
mal. The highest was 99
degrees on July 20. Low
temperatures averaged 50.5
degrees, which was 0.9 de-
grees above normal. The
lowest was 43 degrees, on
July 17.
On 16 days, the tempera-
ture exceeded 90 degrees.
Precipitation totaled only
a trace during July, which
was 0.60 inches below nor-
mal.
Precipitation this year
has reached 7.57 inches,
which is 0.75 inches below
normal. Since October, the
water year precipitation at
John Day has been 11.93
inches, which is 0.03 inches
above normal.
The highest wind gust
was 34 mph which occurred
on July 26.
During the month of July,
there were seven lightning
fl ashes detected in the vicin-
ity of John Day, according
to Earth Networks.
The outlook for Au-
gust from NOAA’s Climate
Prediction Center calls for
above-normal temperatures
and near- to below-nor-
mal precipitation. Normal
highs for John Day during
August are 88.2 degrees,
and normal lows are 48.3
degrees. The 30-year nor-
mal precipitation is 0.64
inches.
Dwight
Russel
Micnhimer
O BITUARIES
William J. Pasko
Feb. 1, 1945 - July 3, 2017
Daniel Anthony Graikowski
Jan. 31, 1943 - July 22, 2017
William J. Pasko, 72, of Tako-
ma Park, Maryland, passed away
Monday, July 3, while camping with
family in the Malheur National For-
est.
Pasko was born on Feb. 1, 1945,
in Baltimore, Maryland, to parents
Michael and Dorothy Pasko. He was
a decorated veteran of the Vietnam
War and was very proud to have
served his country as a Marine. He
was a loving husband to his wife,
Grace, and a devoted father, grand-
father and great-grandfather. Family
was his top priority, and he shared a
special and unique relationship with
each family member. Known by many as “Pop,” he was a
friendly, warmhearted man who was a father fi gure and men-
tor to many throughout his life.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Grace
Pasko; and his sisters Jeanette Balcerak, Marion Dreaves and
Dorothy Pasko. He is survived by his sisters, Angela Jankals-
ki and Jeanne Pasko; his children, Daniel, Michael and Joy;
six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A ceremony was held the evening of his passing, and a
service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Wash-
ington, D.C., to lay his remains beside those of his wife. The
arrangements are pending.
Daniel Anthony Graikowski, 74, of
John Day passed away Saturday, July 22,
at his home. Arrangements have been en-
trusted to Driskill Memorial Chapel.
Graikowski was born Jan. 31, 1943,
to Stanley Graikowski and Elizabeth
(Overman) Graikowski in Chicago. Af-
ter graduating from Oconomowoc High
School, in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin,
Graikowski attended Wisconsin State
College in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In
1962, he joined the U.S. Army and served
through 1965. He then went on to be a
self-employed contractor.
On Dec. 28, 1990, Graikowski mar-
ried Ginger Schmitter in Tahoe, Nevada.
Graikowski enjoyed fi shing on the Columbia River and was
also a member of the John Day Elks Lodge.
To leave condolences, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Virginia Lea Winnett
Aug. 7, 1944 - July 22, 2017
Virginia Lea Winnett, 72, of John
Day passed away Saturday, July 22, at
Partners in Care in Bend. A celebration
of life will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 2
at the John Day Golf Club.
On Aug. 7, 1944, Winnett was born
to Thomas Anderson “TA” and Mar-
guerite (Bowen) Harris, in Alturas,
California. She attended and graduated
from Prairie City High School in 1962.
In that same year, she married her fi rst
husband, John Forrest, in Prairie City. She later remarried Gene
Winnett in 1988 in Portland.
She worked for both the John Day appraiser’s offi ce and
John Day school district. She was also a homemaker, rancher’s
wife and loving mother.
Winnett enjoyed golfi ng, reading, cooking, canning and trav-
eling with friends. She was a member of the John Day Ladies
Golf Club and was also an Eastern Star. She was proud of her
two loving marriages, two daughters and her two stepchildren.
She was an avid golfer and enjoyed having people stop by and
visit as they golfed.
Winnett is preceded in death by her fi rst husband, John For-
rest, and her brother, Bill Harris.
She is survived by her second husband, Gene Winnett, of
John Day; daughter, Carrie Caudell and her husband, Den-
nis, of Fairview; daughter, Shellie Johnson and her husband,
Mark, of Boring; stepson, Kevin Winnett and his wife, Leslie,
of Gresham; stepdaughter, Tiffany Rice and her husband, Greg,
of Pendleton; brother, Jackson Harris of Prairie City; brother,
Richard Harris of Prairie City; eight grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Blue Mountain
Hospice or Meals on Wheels through Driskill Memorial Chapel
at 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845.
To leave condolences, 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 editing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect information
may be corrected and republished as paid notices. Send obituaries by email,
editorl@bmeagle.com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John
Day, OR 97845. For more information, or to inquire about a paid memorial, call
541-575-0710.
B IRTHS
L ARSON
A girl, Hallie Jean Larson, 8
pounds, 1 ounce, 21 inches, was
born to parents Justin and Emma-
leigh Larson of Dayville at 3:38 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, at Blue Moun-
tain Hospital in John Day. Paternal
grandparents are Jeff and Babette
Larson of Dayville. Maternal grand-
parents are Shane and Tandi Schatz
of Harrisburg. Great-grandparents
are Joe Larson of Dayville, Buck
and Kari Coe of Madras, Dave and Terri Denton of Heppner,
Debra Denton of Eugene and Terry and Nancy Schatz of Har-
risburg.
The Family of
Jerry Moore
thanks you
most sincerely
for your kind
expression
of sympathy
in their
recent
bereavement.
D
wight Russel Micnhimer of Prineville passed away
peacefully in his home on Saturday morning, July 22,
2017. Russel was a brother, an uncle, and a devoted friend to
many people. The loss of this prolific poet and preservationist
is being felt across the world.
Born in New York in 1948, Russel was raised in John Day,
Oregon. The oldest of Dwight and Carolyn Micnhimer’s four
children, he was the first to leave home. He served in the
United States Marine Corps and earned a B.A. in English from
the University of Oregon. He traveled the world extensively,
including extended trips to Peru, Nepal, and Australia where
he explored the archaeological ruins of ancient peoples.
Never one to shrink from opportunity for new experiences he
worked a variety of occupations, from tour guide at a wild
animal preserve to minister of the Universal Life Church to
widely traveling advertising sales professional. Russel spent
many years visiting and recording rock art sites in the
northwestern United States. He published two books about
rock art, Where to See Rock Art, Washington, Oregon,
Idaho with LeeAnn Johnston and Understanding Meaning and
Purpose of Rock Art, and contributed greatly to the collective
knowledge of this irreplaceable heritage.
All the while he wrote, mostly poetry. Early work
includes Bubblonia, An Energy Collage, which he had re-
published in 2013. In the final years of his life he wrote a
poem daily and published many poetry collections
including Notes to Be Left with the Gatekeeper, Leaves and
Pebbles, Soup with a Fork, Strings and Wings, Medias Res: She
and the Voyage of the Mercedes I, Tranquility Base: Year One:
Poems 2015, Making Myself Perfectly Here, Pot-ent Strains
and Pot-ent Poems, Lotus Mirage, and co-authored Lines
Across Oceans: Intercontinental Love Versus with Nalini
Priyadarshni. His work was also published online and in
international anthologies.
There were many words still left on paper, but Russel has
stepped onto the “balcony of totality” to witness the
upcoming eclipse from a vantage point that can only rival the
view of his beloved mountains. He will be greatly missed by
his sister Karen of Corvallis, brothers Ron of Bend and Roger
of Oxford, OH, and their families.
In lieu of sending flowers, please spend time with flowers in
nature as Russel would have wanted or make a donation in
Russel’s name to the Oregon Archaeological Society at
http://www.oregonarchaeological.org/donations/.
Paid for by the family of Dwight Micnhimer
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Monday - Thursday
7am- 6pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Mendy Sharpe FNP
Apppointments
available
05955
A2
Let our family of Pharmacists
serve you!
Give us a call today
541-676-9158 - Heppner
541-384-2801 - Condon
We welcome the opportunity to visit with
you about our services!
Every other Monday in John Day at Blue Mountain Hospital
170 Ford Rd. • 541-575-1311
Heppner & & Condon
Heppner
Condon
05962
L AST W EEK ’ S T EMPS
J OHN D AY ..................................................................... HI/LO
T UESDAY ....................................................................... 95/61
W EDNESDAY ................................................................... 93/65
T HURSDAY ..................................................................... 91/59
F RIDAY .......................................................................... 93/59
S ATURDAY ...................................................................... 97/58
S UNDAY ......................................................................... 94/58
M ONDAY ........................................................................ 98/57
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM
WWW . BLUEMOUNTAINEAGLE . COM / INFO
NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF A UG . 2-8
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Mostly
sunny and hot
Sunny and
very hot
Very hot
with sunshine
Mostly
sunny and hot
Mostly
sunny and hot
Mostly
sunny
Increasing
clouds
96
94
58
50
99
61
102 103 100 100
61
62
61
59