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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2020)
A2 FAMILY Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, February 19, 2020 OBITUARIES Mary Margaret (Johnson) Lemons William ‘Bill’ F. Thissell Marsha Marie Sams Dec. 15, 1924 — Feb. 10, 2020 Mary Margaret (Johnson) Lemons, 95, passed away Feb. 10, 2020, with her family by her side. Margaret was born Dec. 15, 1924, in Prairie City, Oregon, to Percy and Mary Johnson. She lived on the family ranch up Indian Creek until graduating from high school. She then attended the University of Oregon for two years and belonged to the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. A family illness brought her home early. Margaret worked as a telephone opera- tor and at the Umatilla Army Depot. Later she worked for her Uncle Hobert and Aunt Zella Glover at the Mercantile in Mt. Vernon. There she met Den- nis Lemons. Dennis and Margaret were married March 30, 1949. Dennis brought a son, Larry, to the marriage, and together Margaret and Dennis had three more children, Susan, Sandra and Kim. They also raised a son Mike (Woody) Woodward. Stanley Dehiya and fam- ily were also a big part of their lives. Dennis and Margaret cele- brated their 52nd wedding anniversary just before Dennis passed away in 2001. Margaret loved playing the piano and teaching piano lessons. She played piano for churches for over 60 years. She taught 4-H sewing and cooking for many years. But her main passions were her flowers and her beautiful yard. It was a masterpiece, for sure. Margaret is survived by her children Susan, Sandra, Kim (Carla) and Mike (Fonda); her older brother, Darrell Johnson; many grand- children, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis; her son Larry, her parents; her brother, Bob; and sister, Charlotte. Memorial contributions can be made to the Grant County 4-H Association, Blue Mountain Hospice or a charity of one’s choice through Driskill Memorial Chapel at 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer online condolences to the family, visit driskillmemori- alchapel.com. Feb. 22, 1929 — Feb. 5, 2020 William “Bill” F. Thissell passed away Feb. 5, 2020, at his home in rural Burns surrounded by family. Bill was born Feb. 22, 1929, to Fred and Grace (Till- son) Thissell in Canyon City, Ore- gon. He joined four brothers Clyde, Walt, Glen and Don, brother Richard (Dick) and sister Linda followed. He lived mainly in Grant and Har- ney counties except for a few early years around Alsea, Oregon. Bill went to grade school and a short time of high school in Grant County. His family moved to Burns in the mid-1940s. He worked for a few ranchers from that area, Baker’s, Burnhardt’s. Also around the Seneca for the Biggs Ranch. Bill was in his early 20s working at the Biggs ranch when he met his wife, Clara (Stratton). Bill and Clara married Oct. 4, 1954, while he was serving in the Army. Bill and Clara then moved to Seneca where he worked for Edward Hines and John Biggs. They had two sons and two daughters. He later became manager of Biggs Ranch for 11 years. In 1969, Bill moved his family to rural Burns. He continued working swing shift for Edward Hines driv- ing to Seneca for 15 years. Then he started doing govern- ment contracts, wood sales, fence building and wild horse gathers from Murderers Creek. Bill wore many hats — woodcutting, hunting, horse chasing, rancher and fence builder — but the love of his life was his family, marriage to Clara for 65 years and ranching. He is survived by his wife, Clara; children Monte, Diane, Joanne and Kelly; 12 grandchildren; and 28 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, nephew and sister-in-law. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Bible Baptist Church in Hines at 1 p.m. Join us and bring your memories. Potluck to follow. Aug. 11, 1946 — Feb. 11, 2020 Marsha Marie Sams, 73, of Boise passed away Feb. 11, 2020. She was born to John and Ruby Ford Aug. 11, 1946, in New Eagle Bor- ough, Washington County, Pennsylva- nia. Marsha graduated from McGuffey High School in Monongahela, Pennsyl- vania, in 1964 and Waynesburg College with a degree as a medical technologist in 1968. Marsha married Dennis Sams in Tur- lock, California, on Oct.25, 1986. They lived in Willow Creek, California; John Day, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho, where Dennis served as a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene. Marsha worked as a laboratory technologist in laboratories and hospitals, including the Blue Mountain Hospital (John Day, Oregon) and Interpath Laboratory (Boise, Idaho). She loved crafts and playing the piano and was a fan of the Pitts- burgh Pirates and Steelers and Boise State University Bron- cos football team. Marsha is survived by husband, Dennis Sams (Boise, Idaho); son, Kamron Sams (Melba, Idaho); daughters, Kielee Mosley and Kaidee Weaver (John Day, Oregon); brother, Kevin Ford (Mariposa, California); and grandchildren, Emily Mosley (Lakeside, Montana), Heather Mosley (John Day, Oregon), Wyatt and Fallon Weaver (Corvallis, Oregon), Kizer Sams (Pocatello, Idaho), Elle, Karson and Kinsley Sams (Melba, Idaho). Marsha was preceded in death by her parents, John Ford and Ruby Ford Hayes. In lieu of flowers, make donations in Marsha’s name to CareNet, SAT-7, Christian Literature for Africa, Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center or Focus on the Family. A viewing will be held on Feb. 22, 2020, at 11 a.m. at the John Day Church of the Nazarene located at 521 E. Main St., John Day, Oregon, with a funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. To leave condolences, please visit bowmanfuneral.com, 208-853-3131. Hunter Education class begins Feb. 24 Blue Mountain Eagle A Hunter Education class will kick off Feb. 24 at the Grant Union High School library in John Day. No one younger than 18 may hunt wildlife (except on their own land) without completing the course. Anyone planning to hunt in another state may be required to have a Hunter Edu- cation card. Completion of the course may meet concealed carry permit requirements for persons 21 and older. The classes begin at 6 p.m. and will take place Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 24 through March 5 at the Grant Union library. The classes last 2-2.5 hours. There will be a field day at a shooting range at 9 a.m. Satur- day, March 7. Walk-in registration will take place from 5:30-6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at the library. Participants should use the out- side entrance in the parking lot on the side of the office/library building. People who fail to register by Feb. 24 can still register before class Feb. 26 at the library. Registration can also be completed beforehand by contacting the local Ore- gon Department of Fish and Wildlife office, 541-575- 1167, or online at myodfw. com/articles/hunter-educa- tion-course-or-field-day-regis- tration. ODFW has established a $10 class fee per student that may be waived in some circumstances. For more information, call Bryan Nelson at 541-575-1808 or Deanna Maley at the ODFW office at 541-575-1167. Eagle file photo Ten-year-old Jaime Vandehey of Canyon City shoots a pistol at the Hunter Ed- ucation field day at the law enforcement gun range in 2019. ODFW instructor Mark Boss is standing nearby supervising. Save the Date Feb. 28th and 29th OPEN HOUSE FACTORY REPS ON SITE LOCALLY BUILT • NO SHIPPING COSTS 1201 Southgate, Pendleton Or 97801 Call 1-800-459-4836 • www.thompsonrvinc.com Hours: Friday the 28th 8:00am to 8:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm S165199-1 Last Week’s Temps John Day ...........................................................HI/LO Tuesday ........................................................... 43/29 Wednesday ..................................................... 50/28 Thursday .......................................................... 41/30 Friday ............................................................... 42/33 Saturday .......................................................... 37/25 Sunday ............................................................. 37/20 Monday............................................................ 50/28 24/7 F ORECAST A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122 R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY 162.500 MHz W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF F EB . 19-25 Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Sunny Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Mostly sunny Sunny Cloudy Possible snow 44 45 50 52 42 32 46 24 21 24 35 22 20 24