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