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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
OBITUARIES
Jeffery Blaskeston Knowles
Jack E. Coggins Jr.
Jeffery Blaskeston Knowles, 67, of John Day passed away
Dec. 23 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. A memorial
service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, at the Grant
County Fairgrounds pavilion with a reception immediately
following. Memorial contributions may be made to The
American Legion — Operation Comfort Warriors through
Driskill Memorial Chapel. To offer online condolences for
the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Carl John Lino Jr.
Contributed photo
Monument School teacher Michele Engle received an
Oregon’s Regional Teacher of the Year Award and $500
presented by Grant County Education Service District
Superintendent Robert Waltenburg, at right, on May 30
at the school.
Teacher nominations
will be accepted
through Jan. 31
By Blue Mountain Eagle
Superintendent
Rob-
ert Waltenburg of the Grant
County Educational Service
District announced that nom-
inations are open statewide
through Thursday, Jan. 31, for
Oregon’s Regional Teacher of
the Year program.
Anyone can nominate
their favorite teacher and fi nd
more information about the
program at oregonteacheroft-
heyear.org.
Oregon started the Teacher
of the Year Program in 1955,
and expanded it in 2018-19
to celebrate exemplary edu-
cators in every region of the
state.
From the pool of regional
winners, one is chosen as the
state’s Teacher of the Year.
For 2018-19, Monument
School teacher Michele
Engle was announced as one
of 13 regional honorees in
May, and out of those win-
ners Keri Pilgram Ricker of
Churchill High School was
named the 2019 Teacher of
the Year.
Waltenburg said Engle
was deserving of the regional
recognition, and encour-
aged people to nominate their
favorite teachers for 2019-20.
“I know that we have some
other educators out there who
are just as outstanding as
Michele,” he said.
Regional Teachers of the
Year receive a cash prize
of $500. The 2020 Ore-
gon Teacher of the Year will
receive a $5,000 cash prize
(with a matching $5,000
going to their school) and
serve as a spokesperson and
representative for all Oregon
teachers.
The monetary gifts come
from the Oregon Department
of Education’s partnership
with the Oregon Lottery.
Regional Teachers of
the Year will be honored
across the state in May
2019.
Carl John Lino Jr., 75, of John Day passed away Dec. 23
at Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. A memorial ser-
vice is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 23. The loca-
tion will be determined at a later date. Memorial contri-
butions may be made to the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic or
to the Blue Mountain Hospital through Driskill Memorial
Chapel. To offer online condolences, visit driskillmemori-
alchapel.com.
Melva Jane Heckman
Melva Jane Heckman, 80, of Canyon City passed away
Dec. 14 at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise, Idaho.
Services where held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at Drisk-
ill Memorial Chapel in John Day, Oregon. She was laid to
rest at the Canyon City Cemetery in Canyon City, Oregon.
Melva was born to Florence Marks and Andrew Brown
on Dec. 3, 1938, in Patton Township, Pennsylvania; she
attended high school in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Melva
married Nelson E. Heckman on Feb. 23, 1957, in Win-
chester, Virginia. Together they had four children. Melva
went on to get her CNA license and worked from 1984 to
the year 2000 when she retired from Blue Mountain Hos-
pital in John Day.
Melva enjoyed the outdoors, camping with her family
and bowling.
She was preceded in death by her late son, Jeffery A.
Heckman.
She is survived by her husband, Nelson E. Heckman of
Canyon City, Oregon; daughters Cynthia (Joe) Falkenha-
gen of Vancouver, Washington, and Kimberly (Thomas)
Crumley of La Pine, Oregon; son Nelson Lee Heckman
of San Jose, California; seven grandchildren; and six
great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity
of one’s choice through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241
S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer online
condolences to the family, please visit driskillmemorial-
chapel.com.
ABOUT OBITUARIES
News obituaries of 300 words or less 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 memorials. Obituaries longer than 300
words may be published as paid memorials. Send obituaries by
email, offi ce@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.
Jack E. Coggins Jr., 92, passed away Nov. 17 at Blue
Mountain Care Center in Prairie City, Oregon. Services
will be held at a later date.
Jack was born June 21, 1926, in Littleton, Colorado to
Hazel and Jack E. Coggins Sr.
Jack enlisted in the Army in 1944 where he served as
a marksman in the Korean War. After returning home, he
married Carol Jean Avery on Oct. 12, 1953, in Vancouver,
Washington, and welcomed two children. He worked as a
truck driver and as a department manager for Montgomery
Ward where he worked for 25 years.
Jack loved his family and doing things for others. He
was an accomplished gardener and always had a beauti-
ful yard. He loved traveling, especially if it meant going to
the beach. Jack was a member of the Episcopal Church and
was loved by many.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Hazel and
Jack Coggins Sr., and his wife, Carol.
He is survived by his daughter, Shawn (Dave) Duncan
of Mt. Vernon; son John (Vanessa) Coggins of Turner, Ore-
gon; sister Corleen Dyer of Denver, Colorado; signifi cant
other Dorine Richmond of Woodburn, Oregon; nine grand-
children; one great-grandchild; and all of his caregivers at
Blue Mountain Care Center whom he loved just as much
as they loved him.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hope for
Paws: Grant County through Driskill Memorial Chapel at
241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845.
To leave condolences for the family, visit driskillmemo-
rialchapel.com.
Edgar ‘Leroy’ Duncan
Edgar “Leroy” Duncan, 81, of Prairie City passed
away Dec. 25 at his residence, surrounded by his loved
ones. Arrangements have been entrusted to Driskill
Memorial Chapel of John Day. To leave an online con-
dolence for the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Colin Edward MacArthur
Colin Edward MacArthur, 69, of Dayville passed away
Dec. 25 at his residence, surrounded by family. Arrange-
ments have been entrusted to Driskill Memorial Chapel
of John Day. To leave an online condolence for the fam-
ily, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Colleen Batty
Colleen Batty, 67, passed away
suddenly at St. Vincent Intensive
Care Unit in Portland, Oregon,
on Nov. 24. She is survived by
her husband, Bob; nephew Carl
Hansen; niece Julie Alston; and
brother Jeff Townsend. A pub-
lic memorial will be held Jan. 5
at 11 a.m. at Faith Baptist Church
in Lincoln City. Donations can
Colleen Batty
be made to Faith Baptist Church,
5750 Highway 101, P.O. Box 570,
Lincoln City, OR 97367. Condolences may be sent to
Bob Batty, 5355 El Mondo Ave., Lincoln City, OR 97367.
The history of New Year’s resolutions
Green Shoot Media
It didn’t start with the
advent of gyms or fad diets
or budget apps. As it turns
out, thousands of years ago,
at the start of a new calen-
dar, humans were making
resolutions to be better.
According to an article
in Live Science, the tradi-
tion started in the Bronze
Age, about 5,000 years
ago, and continued a mil-
lennium later with the
ancient Babylonians, who
celebrated the new year in
March when the spring har-
vest came.
Ancient Babylon
During their 12-day new
years festival called Akitu,
the Babylonians crowned
a new king or reaffi rmed
their loyalty to the old king,
according to History.com.
At this time, people also
made promises to the gods
to pay their debts and return
items they borrowed in the
last year. Their resolutions
came with a threat; if they
didn’t follow through, they
would fall out of the gods’
favor.
Ancient Rome
Roman Emperor Julius
Caesar is responsible for
making Jan. 1 the start of
the new year. The Romans
believed the god Janus, for
whom January is named,
symbolically looked back-
ward to the previous year
and ahead to the new year,
so people offered sacrifi ces
and promised good behav-
ior during that year. There
were public ceremonies
and oath-takings during
the fi rst part of the day,
while the second half of
New Year’s Day was spent
being social and giving
each other gifts, according
to Live Science.
Protestants
Even in the 1700s, New
Year’s Eve was a time to
party. In 1740, clergyman
John Wesley created cov-
enant renewal services,
more commonly known as
watch night services, which
took place on New Year’s
Eve or New Year’s Day, to
give the spiritual an alter-
native to the worldly cele-
brations. These days were
spent praying and making
resolutions for the com-
ing year and are still pop-
ular today in some Protes-
tant churches, according to
History.com.
CORRECTION
New Year’s Resolutions
Today
For most people setting
goals at the start of the year
now, the tradition has lost its
religious angle. Most of us
don’t make promises to other
people or to the gods, but
instead set our own goals,
most of which are related
to self-improvement, such
as losing weight, quitting
smoking or exercising more.
Most of us also don’t keep
our New Year’s resolutions
for very long; according to
History.com only about 8
percent of people who make
resolutions succeed.
In the Dec. 12 paper,
incorrect information was
submitted to the Eagle for
a paid memorial. Dolores
Ann (Nelson) Berry died
Nov. 27. Her fi nal home
was Pendleton. The Eagle
regrets the errors.
The most valuable and respected source of
local news, advertising and information
for our communities.
eomediagroup.com
JUNIPER ARTS COUNCIL/GRANT COUNTY
CULTURAL COALITION IS SEEKING
GRANT PROPOSALS FOR OREGON
CULTURAL TRUST GRANT AWARDS
The coalition has $6,000 from the Oregon
Cultural Trust to distribute in Grant County to
organizations for projects relating to culture.
Projects may be related to the visual or
performing arts, heritage, and/or humanities.
Applications are available from Karin Barntish,
131 W. Main Street, John Day or call Kris Beal at
541-932-4892 for more information or an
application.
Grant applications will be accepted until
January 13, 2017 at 5:00 pm.
04892
541-523-6377
541-963-6577
541-573-6377
541-576-2160
95986
Weather Forecast for the week of Jan. 2-8
Th e
Blue Mountain
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
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sunny
Cloudy
Snow
possible
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sunny
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cloudy
Cloudy
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40
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49
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47
31
19
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27
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29
EAGLE
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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