A2
FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
OBITUARIES
Christmas Bird Count planned Dec. 19
Belva Mae ‘Mickey’ Reynolds
By Tom Winters
For the Blue Mountain Eagle
The 40th John Day Christmas Bird
Count will be on Saturday, Dec. 19.
If they are open, we will meet at the
Outpost Restaurant at 6:30 a.m., ear-
lier if you want breakfast. If they are not
open, we will meet at the Elks Lodge.
Due to the risk of transmitting COVID-
19, teams will be comprised of only
persons that share space continually or
are driving separate vehicles. We will
return to the Elks Lodge (which has been
closed for several weeks) at 5 p.m. to
hand in checklists and briefly share the
day’s adventures. As has been the case
for the Grant County Bird Club most of
this year, there will not be the usual pot-
luck dinner.
Participants should dress warmly and
be prepared for that day’s weather. They
should also bring binoculars, field guide,
lunch and beverages as most groups
will be out the full day and out of town.
Households that are within the circle’s
boundaries and have bird feeders are
encouraged to participate by noting what
species are visiting their feeders and
your best guess as to how many differ-
ent individual birds of each species were
Nov. 28, 1922 – Nov. 29, 2020
Belva Mae “Mickey” Reynolds, 98, passed away Nov. 29,
2020, in Baker City, Oregon. A graveside memorial will be held
at a later date.
Mickey was born Nov. 28, 1922, to
Chester Charles and Jessie Mae (Cowles)
Warren in the Black Hills of South
Dakota. She graduated from Laurelwood
Academy in 1942. Mickey married Percy
McDaniel Reynolds in 1948, and they had
two children, Dennis and Julia.
In her 39 years of working as a book-
keeper, she worked at Tumalum Lum-
ber Company and for the Hudspeth Saw-
mill Company, retiring in 1983. Mickey
enjoyed horseback riding, 4-H club work,
ranch work, raising bottle calves, hunting, crocheting and bak-
ing pies. Mickey was a member of the Grant County 4-H Lead-
ers Association. She enjoyed volunteering at the Grant County
Fair and was a Baptist Church member. In 1947 Mickey was the
Crooked River Round-Up Queen. In 1995, she received the 4-H
Distinguished Service Award, and in 2001 she was very proud to
be the Grant County Fair grand marshal.
Mickey is survived by her daughter, Julia Reynolds, of Fort Col-
lins, Colorado; daughter-in-law, Julie Reynolds, of Canyon City,
Oregon; grandsons, Percy D. Reynolds of Bend, Oregon, Beau Reyn-
olds of Pendleton, Oregon, and Jake Reynolds of Canyon City, Ore-
gon. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Jack and June
Reynolds.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Jessie
Warren; her siblings Adeline, Dorothy, Hazel and Buck; her hus-
band, Percy M. Reynolds; and her son Dennis Reynolds.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mickey may be made to
the Dennis Reynolds Memorial Scholarship through Grays West
& Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR
97814. To leave an online condolence for the family of Mickey,
visit grayswestco.com.
Contributed photo/Peter Meyer
Barb Meyer spots a great blue heron during the Christmas Bird Count in 2018.
present during the day. For further infor-
mation, contact Tom Winters at 541-542-
2006 or tjwinters1951@gmail.com.
Since the National Audubon Society
Christmas Bird Count began in 1900, it
has relied on the dedication and com-
mitment of volunteer citizen scientists.
In other words, it all starts with any-
one willing to spend some time count-
ing birds. The Christmas Bird Count
season is Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 each
year and each compiler chooses a date
within this period. There is a specific
methodology to the CBC, but everyone
can participate. The count takes place
within “Count Circles,” which focus on
specific geographical areas. Each circle
is led by a Count Compiler, Tom Win-
ters having been the compiler for the
John Day count for over 30 years. The
John Day “circle” boundaries are Four
Corners and Beech Creek Road on the
north, the John Day river crossing west
of Mt Vernon, the Canyon Creek cross-
ing five miles south of Canyon City and
Hall’s Hill to the east.
Prairie City pastor: ‘We have to live with hope’
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
Pastor Robert Perkins continues
his 40 years of pastoral work in Grant
County.
Perkins, a veteran, moved to Prai-
rie City with his wife, Patricia, from
Arizona City, Arizona on April 5. He
received a call earlier this year to see
if he could help Grace Chapel in Prai-
rie City and he accepted the opportunity.
Providing help and working with
many people is one of the biggest joys
Perkins has experienced in his 40 years
as a pastor.
“Working with people and helping is
the biggest thing,” Perkins said. “There’s
no other reason to do this.”
Perkins helped at many food banks in
other cities and coordinated the efforts
with churches. Shortly after Hurricane
Katrina wreaked havoc in 2005, Perkins
pastored in Mississippi and helped pro-
vide food.
“It worked out really well and the city
worked with us and we took care of the
people,” Perkins said.
The most valuable and
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www.eomediagroup.com
Contributed photo
Pastor Robert Perkins moved to Prairie
City with his wife, Patricia, from Arizona
City, Arizona, on April 5.
International headlines and ongoing
developments of life with COVID-19
marred 2020 for many people, but Per-
kins said, while it’s tough, the pandemic
will not last forever.
The constant gloom that people face
from the economic, health and other
effects of COVID-19 has elevated his
importance as a pastor to help people
build hope for the future. He said, when
they lose hope, there is nothing left.
“This is hard, but you have to have
your faith, and I tell people there are
three things you have to do, which are
read the word, pray and be in church,”
Perkins said. “And staying connected
with others is important because so
many people across America are living
in fear, but we have to live with hope.”
Perkins said staying connected with
friends and family is important, as is con-
necting with people who may be alone.
“You help those people if they need a
ride to get groceries or doctor’s appoint-
ments and more,” Perkins said. “It’s all
about ministering, and that’s why I’m
here.”
Perkins enjoys the slower pace of life
in Grant County. His two favorite activi-
ties are climbing mountains and golfing.
Perkins continues to see the changes
that COVID-19 has on daily life as a
minister and sees how it can affect par-
ents, the elderly, mental health and more,
but he wants to remind people to keep
hope.
“The pandemic will not last forever
and will come to an end one day,” Per-
kins said. “We’ll get through this one of
these days.”
Vicki Hall Herburger
Nov. 29, 1922 – Dec. 6, 2020
Vicki Hall Herburger was born on Nov. 29, 1922, in Coos Bay,
Oregon, to Ann E and Charles Hall. Vicki passed away peacefully
on Dec. 6 surrounded by family. Though her family moved to Lake
Oswego, Oregon, when she was 9, her many happy memories of
Coos Bay and the small family cabin on Coos River remained in
her heart throughout her life.
Vicki graduated from Lincoln High School in Portland and then
attended Oregon State College. She was affiliated with Alpha Chi
Omega sorority where she made many life-long friends. There
Vicki met the love of her life, Jerry Herburger. They were married
Jan. 23, 1943, on a cold and snowy day in Portland. Vicki and Jerry
spent the next 58 years together. Their first child, Kappy, was born
in 1945 while Jerry was recuperating on Guam from a severe injury
sustained in battle on Okinawa. They were happily reunited when
Jerry came home the following summer. Their son Tom was born in
1947. Vicki dedicated her life to making a home for her family and
raising Kappy and Tom.
Jerry’s roots were in Eastern Oregon where he introduced Vicki to
ranching life and many family and friends there. She spoke often of
her love for Eastern Oregon, taking great pride in sharing her love of
this part of the country. Vicki and Jerry also enjoyed time on the Ore-
gon coast, especially Rockaway Beach where they built a cabin and
spent many happy years. Jerry preceded her in death in 2001.
Her love for her children and her grandchildren consumed her
life. In addition to Tom (Suzie) and Kappy, she loved her grandchil-
dren, Anna Villareal (Jerry), Peter Roper (Arienne) and Laura Her-
burger, and her four great-grandchildren.
In honor of Vicki, please consider a contribution to Hospice
Care of the Northwest.
American Legion Auxiliary meeting planned
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Ellis Tracy Unit of the American
Legion Auxiliary will meet at 2 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 18, at the Grant County
Chamber of Commerce office in John
Day. All members are encouraged to
attend.
Betty Ann Gerking Roach
GRANT UNION STUDENTS
OF THE MONTH
10/11/1921 ~ 12/2/2020
S220152-1
Death finally called Betty Ann Gerking Roach on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, she had reached the age of 99. Her vision was
poor, and she was ready to meet her Savior. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 1 p.m., at Olney
Cemetery in Pendleton. She will be buried next to her husband, Fred.
Betty Ann Gerking was born in Heppner, Oregon on October 11, 1921, to Mart Braden and Lillis Slaughter Gerking. She was
named Betty Ann after Granddad Slaughter’s sister Betty and Braden’s sister “Ann. At the age of nine days, she traveled with her
parents by team to Hot Springs, Oregon. A post office, general store, a big hotel and also a dance hall were located there. Betty
had one sibling, a younger brother, Clark, who passed away in 2005.
She rode four miles to a one-room school at Three Mile from the first through the fifth grade. Then her parents rented a ranch
closer to Ritter and she finished the eighth grade at Ritter School. She then boarded at St. Joseph Academy in Pendleton, graduat-
ing from High school there in 1942. The high school she attended was taught by nuns and Betty worked her way through school
by cleaning for the nuns. She also sold Clovine Salve during school years and after she married.
Betty grew up on the banks of Eight Mile Creek, where she learned to ride, rope, and handle a team. She spent many hours in
the fields. Her dad had land across the North Fork of the John Day River and as she grew older, she did a lot of riding after the cattle, packing out salt and
such. She developed quite a reputation as a horse woman. Like her father who was a rodeo rider for many years, she spent many hours on horseback and
was well-known for her skill. Her favorite horse was Poka Dot. She attended her first rodeo in 1932, when she was 11 years old.
Betty studied and received a certificate from the Berry School of Horsemanship. She also went to Weather Bureau School in Seattle, Washington. Then
worked as a filing clerk for the Thirteenth Navel District.
On March 4, 1944, Betty married Raleigh Weaver. They moved back to Ritter country and worked on various ranches. They divorce on December 3, 1962
and she married Fred Roach. She and Fred traveled extensively due to Fred’s shearing sheep and falling timber. They made their home at Elk City, Idaho for
some five years then moved to Hermiston, Oregon and bought an acreage as Fed had a job shearing feed-lot-lambs. They raised orphan lambs and calves.
They sold the place in Hermiston and moved to Boardman to care for Betty’s parents. After the death of her parents in 1973, they sold the holdings in
Boardman and moved to Helix. Again, they sold and moved up to the Wenatchee River area Leavenworth. They stayed there one winter and decided there
was too much snow so moved back to Buck Gulch on the Middle Fork of the John Day river. After several moves, they settled in Fossil to make their final
home. Fred passed on December 28, 1995.
In 1998 a life-long friend, Frank Andrus, came up and stayed with Betty. She took care of him up until his death on November 15, 2002. Betty continued
to live by herself until she became ill and moved to Haven House Retirement Center in 2009. There, Betty joined in on activities, church services, Bible study,
bowling, bingo, and such, even to the last two weeks of her life.
Although betty had no children of her own, she became a “mom” figure to her husband’s grandchildren and to children belonging to friends and other
family. One of them, Penny Baldwin, became like a daughter to her and she and Penny became very close, sharing everything from sewing hints to Betty’s
personal history. Frequent visits from Bill and Kathleen, Lorie, and Zenith were always welcome at Betty’s place.
She is survived by many friends, both within her church, (Fossil United Methodist) where she was baptized, and outside of it. Betty will be missed.
She was a good friend to us all. Memorial contributions may be made to Haven House Retirement Center, PO Box 386 Fossil, Oregon 97830.
Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner is in care of arrangements. You may sign the online condolence book at www.sweeneymortuary.com
Paid for by the family of Betty Roach.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 56/35
Wednesday ..................................................... 47/29
Thursday .......................................................... 42/23
Friday ............................................................... 38/30
Saturday .......................................................... 36/27
Sunday ............................................................. 35/27
Monday............................................................ 37/28
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Rain
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43
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33
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