A2
Family
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
O BITUARIES
Thomas Ray Bessler
March 21, 1935 - Sept. 13, 2018
Ida Grace Hicks
Dec. 14, 1926 - Sept. 23, 2018
Thomas Ray Bessler, 83, of Seneca passed away Thurs-
day, Sept. 13, of acute leukemia.
A proud fourth-generation Oregonian, he was born March
21, 1935, in Portland, to Thomas Daniel Bessler and Fairy
Lillian Bessler nee Harris. Tom lived in Seneca for 19 years
after raising a family in Portland, Oregon, and Frankfurt,
Germany.
Tom served honorably in the U.S. Army as a translator in
Germany during the Korean Conflict. He worked as a pho-
tographer for Photo Art and OHSU in Portland, and also for
the Goethe Institute and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
both in Frankfurt, Germany. Tom most recently worked for
Yamamoto Manufacturing in Portland, before moving to his
beloved Oregon Outback.
Instead of retiring, as most might, Tom worked for the city
of Seneca, used his ham radio skills for the benefit of the Or-
egon Emergency Broadcast Network, as well as serving for
12 years with the Grant County Sheriff’s Posse, Search And
Rescue and also for 10 years for Grant County Air Search.
He is survived by his brother, Felix Harris Bessler of Port-
land and Seneca; daughters, Joann Bessler of Delta, British
Columbia, Canada, Jacki Bessler of Yamhill, Oregon, and
Micki Bessler of San Carlos, California; and four beloved
grandchildren.
The family will host a dessert and coffee wake at 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13, at Seneca City Hall, 106 A Ave., Seneca,
Oregon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tom’s mem-
ory to one’s own favorite charity.
Ida Grace Hicks, 91, of Baker
City died on Sept. 23, 2018, at her
home. A memorial service will be
held at the Missouri Flat Grange
on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m., with Pastor
John Goodyear officiating. The
family asks that those attending
contribute desserts and side dishes
to a potluck celebration in Grace’s
honor.
Grace was born Dec. 14, 1926, in
Denlow, Missouri, to Adolphus and Luella Smith and was
one of 10 children. She married Raymond Hicks on June
22, 1946. They were married for 64 years until his death
in 2010.
The two started their marriage in Missouri, eventually
heading west to John Day and Unity and then settled in
Baker City. The couple had four children, Lynn, Patricia,
David and Douglas, which brought four grandchildren,
Gene, Annelle, William and Amanda, followed by three
great-grandchildren, Tyler, Austin and Stella Grace.
Grace was truly a unique woman, well known for her
spunk and sass. Also, Grace was a well-respected quilter
with a keen eye for color and design. She enjoyed shopping
for fabric at Quilts Plus in Halfway, Oregon. She played
a major role in the Baker City Quilt Club, winning many
awards and volunteering her time at the annual Miner’s Ju-
bilee Quilt Show. Grace was key in coordinating the mak-
ing and distribution of quilts for service members overseas.
She worked at Cut Rate Market and The Merc for numerous
years, always making customers feel welcome.
Grace’s husband, Raymond, and son Lynn predeceased
her. She is survived by her children, Patricia, David and
Douglas; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and her closest
friend, Joanne Thomson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Missouri Flat
Grange through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home and Crema-
tion Services, PO Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online con-
dolences may be shared at tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Leo Stratton
Leo Stratton, 50, of Portland, formerly of John Day, passed
away Sept. 12. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Sat-
urday, Oct. 13, at the Grant County Fairgrounds. Stratton was a
1986 graduate of Grant Union High School.
Delta May Rude
Delta May Rude, 98, of Ontario, formerly of Prairie
Charles C. London Jr.
City, passed away Friday, Sept. 28, at her residence. Love-
land Funeral Chapel & Crematory will be handling the
Charles C. London Jr., 76, of Keizer, formerly of Prairie
arrangements.
City, died unexpectedly Sept. 16 in Keizer. An interment, with
full military honors, is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19,
at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. A casual recep-
tion
will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at Ringo’s Tav-
Doreen F. Livermore
ern, 4170 River Road N., Keizer. All are welcome to attend.
Doreen F. Livermore of Deary, Idaho, and a former area res-
ident, died Monday, Oct. 1, in Pullman, Washington. Services
are pending and will be announced by Short’s Funeral Chapel,
John ‘Jack’ Michael Peila Jr.
Moscow, Idaho.
John Michael Peila Jr., better known as Jack, 93,
passed away Sept. 23. He was born Sept. 28, 1924, at the
About Obituaries
family ranch near Meeker, Colorado, and moved to Har-
News obituaries of 300 words or less are a free service of the Blue Mountain
ney County in the spring of 1959. Recitation of the holy
Eagle. The paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information
rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, and Mass of
submitted is subject to editing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect
Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. Both will be
information may be corrected and republished as paid memorials. Obituaries
held at Holy Family Catholic Church in Burns. A lunch
longer than 300 words may be published as paid memorials. Send obituaries by
and sharing of memories will immediately follow at the
email, office@bmeagle.com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail, 195 N. Canyon Blvd.,
Burns Elks Lodge. A private family burial will take place
John Day, OR 97845. For more information, or to inquire about a paid memorial,
on the ranch.
call 541-575-0710.
CASA book
drive a success
Grant-Harney
County
CASA Executive Director
Hannah Hinman announced
a recent book drive raised
$1,082.
Usborne Books and More
matched half the amount for
a total of $1,623. With the
funds raised, 222 books and
toys were ordered for the
campaign.
Every child in foster care
in Grant and Harney counties
received either three books or
two books and a plush toy, de-
pending on their age.
CASA also partnered with
the Department of Human
Services to help distribute
books and toys to children
under their care who have not
been appointed a CASA.
For more information
about the books, contact Lau-
rel Coombs, who spearhead-
ed the campaign, at lobug-
designs@gmail.com or visit
busybugbooks.com.
W ELCOME TO THE CHAMBER
The Eagle/Sean Hart
Ruth Harris, right, reads the oath of office to new Grant
County Chamber of Commerce board of directors
member Sherrie Rininger, left, at the annual installation
dinner at the John Day Elks Lodge Sept. 26. Also at
the event, Bruce Ward was sworn in as president of the
chamber, and Colby Marshall from Silvies Valley Ranch
described The Retreat and Links, the resort that opened
last year on the ranch south of Seneca.
B IRTHS
R OBERTS
At 5:30 p.m. Sept. 18, JourneeR-
ain Jolene Roberts was born to Al-
yse Taylor Lundbom and Michael
Wayne Roberts Sr. She weighed 8
pounds, 2 ounces and was 21.5 inch-
es long. She joins an older broth-
er, Michael Wayne Roberts Jr., and
an older sister, Natalie Elizabeth
Roberts. Grandparents are Ron and
Sherri Lundbom of John Day, and
Regina Roberts, also of John Day.
Great-grandmothers are Janice Childress and Blanche
Lundbom of John Day.
Join us this Friday, Oct. 5,
6pm-9pm for our
First Friday pumpkin hunt!
Count the pumpkins - the correct
number will be entered to win a prize!
77206
Monday - Thursday
7am- 6pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES ARE:
House to Home, etc., A Flower Shop and More,
Chamber of Commerce, Dairy Queen, Corner
Cup, Java Jungle, Big Joe’s Barber Shop
and 1188 Brewing Company.
Refreshments will be available at each location!
Mendy Sharpe FNP
THANK YOU
Apppointments
available
The Rude family would like to thank
everyone who attended Janet’s
service and especially those who sent
flowers, brought salads and desserts!
Are You a Survivor of
Prostate or Lung Cancer?
Sincerely,
The Rude Family
82553
You are invited to take part in an interview
(in person or by phone) .
We want to learn about your views & experiences.
• What you share with us will be kept confidential
• You will receive $25 in cash or a gift card
Participants must:
• Have been diagnosed on January 1, 2015 or more recently
• Live in a rural county in Oregon
INVEST IN COMMUNITY VALUES:
HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION,
& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
To learn more, please contact
Kathy Blaustein at 541-737-4705
or kathy.blaustein@oregonstate.edu
This study, titled “Experiences of Breast, Prostate, and
Lung Cancer Survivors in Rural Oregon,” is led by Dr.
Sheryl Thorburn from the College of Public Health and
Human Sciences at Oregon State University and is
funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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