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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
No new COVID-19 cases reported in Grant County
Health care worker
vaccinations underway
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County has not
reported a new COVID-19
since Dec. 29, according to the
county’s health department.
The county continues to
remain in the low-risk category
for Oregon restrictions.
As of Jan. 4, the Oregon
Health Authority reported that
in Grant County’s Region 7,
shared with Deschutes, Har-
ney, Klamath, Jefferson, Lake
and Wheeler counties, 50
COVID-19 patients are being
hospitalized.
OHA’s report said 12 of
those people were in intensive
care units while nine were on
ventilators. Two staffed ICU
beds are available while 54 non-
ICU hospital beds are available.
At St. Charles Hospital in
Bend, 34 COVID-19 patients
are being hospitalized as of
Jan. 4, up from 29 last week.
Ten of the COVID-19 patients
Contributed photo
Dr. Zach Bailey receives his COVID-19 vaccination last month at
Blue Mountain Hospital from nurse Jenelle Moulton.
are in the ICU, up from eight
last week, and seven are on
ventilators.
St. Charles reported they
had administered 2,290 Pfiz-
er-BioNTech vaccines.
Blue Mountain Hospital
District Director of Emergency
Medical Services Rebekah
Rand said the hospital has used
about 50% of its initial alloca-
tion of vaccines and has been
assured a shipment of the sec-
ond dose for already vaccinated
people will arrive before the
second vaccination date arrives.
“We are finding that as our
employees see their team mem-
bers experience mild to no side
effects, additional employees
continue to come forward with
interest in receiving the vac-
cine,” she said. “Thus far, we
have not seen any severe side
effects of the vaccine.”
Rand said the hospital is
strategically staggering vacci-
nations to avoid unnecessary
impacts to the workforce.
Grant County, as of Jan. 4,
vaccinated 39 people, accord-
ing to OHA’s webpage. The
county vaccinated 17 of those
people on Dec. 31.
Statewide, 51,275 vaccines
have been given.
In neighboring Baker
County, OHA reports that 64
people have received the vac-
cine while Malheur County
has vaccinated 95 people as of
Monday.
On Sunday, there were
1,421 new and presumptive
cases reported in the state, and
upwards of 118,000 total pos-
itive COVID-19 cases since
the beginning of the pandemic,
according to OHA.
State
health
officials
reported eight new deaths
Sunday.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Preven-
tion, the total number of cases
nationwide since Jan. 21 is just
over 20 million.
OBITUARIES
Donna L. Wyllie
Oct. 27, 1938 – Dec. 24, 2020
Donna LaVelle Porter Wyllie passed away Dec. 24, 2020.
She was 82. Services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021,
at 1 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church, 896 E. Main St.,
John Day, Oregon.
Donna was born Oct. 27, 1938,
in Redding, California, to parents
Robert L. Porter and LaVelle (Por-
ter) Shank. Donna and her younger
brother, Robert Porter Jr., lived in
Fall River Mills, California, until
1940 when they moved to Court-
rock near Monument, Oregon. Both
kids attended school in a one-room
schoolhouse at Cottonwood. At 16,
Donna returned to Fall River Mills
to live with her father and graduated school there in 1956.
She met Harry Santos, and they married in 1958. They had
two boys, Lindsey and Russell. In 1962, Donna married Lau-
rie Wyllie, who adopted her sons, and added Kelly, his son
from a previous marriage, to the mix. Then, together Donna
and Laurie had two daughters, Lora and Jamie, and one more
boy, Layton. They divorced in 1975. Donna moved to Fal-
lon, Nevada, in 1987, and returned to Grant County in 2013.
Donna never knew a stranger. She enjoyed life, and
worked a broad spectrum of employment, including sales,
nursing, retail, dispatch and building materials. Wherever
she was, everyone knew her. She was rich in kindness, char-
ity and a loyal friend to all. She was an amazing mother and
grandmother/great-grandmother and lived a very full life.
Memorial contributions can be made in her honor to Hope
4 Paws animal rescue through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241
S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To leave an online
condolence for the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Mask sales result in $500 donation for firefighter foundation
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
Etc. owner Sherrie Riniger
and artisan Michele Bishop
are donating $500 to the Wild-
land Firefighter Foundation
as a result of sales from face
masks.
Bishop said the foundation
is near to her heart because her
husband was a wildland fire-
fighter for 40 years, and her
daughter was one for three
years and also worked in dis-
patch. Her future son-in-law is
also a wildland firefighter.
“This foundation is really
special to me, and I wanted
to do something to help them,
and this was the perfect oppor-
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
Artisan Michele Bishop and etc. owner Sherrie Riniger wear the
masks they sold to raise $500 they will donate to the Wildland
Firefighter Foundation.
tunity to do it,” Bishop said. “I
brought the idea to Sherrie and
said, whatever I made from
the masks, the money would
go the foundation.”
Rininger said she would
also donate her portion as well.
Bishop said this foundation
honors past, present and future
wildland firefighters while
giving them recognition for
their work.
The Wildland Firefighter
Foundation focuses on help-
ing families of firefighters
killed in the line of duty. They
assist injured firefighters and
their families, according to
their website.
Sixty masks were sold at
etc., and Bishop made another
batch of around 75 masks,
which she donated to wild-
land firefighters in Idaho and
Oregon.
“I appreciate all the peo-
ple that have supported us and
helped by donating money or
buying a mask,” Bishop said.
December was slightly colder than normal in John Day
Blue Mountain Eagle
Temperatures in John Day
averaged slightly colder than
normal during the month of
December, according to pre-
liminary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather
Service in Pendleton.
The average tempera-
ture was 31.4 degrees, which
was 0.7 degrees below nor-
mal. High temperatures aver-
aged 41.2 degrees, which was
0.5 degrees below normal.
The highest was 58 degrees
on Dec. 22. Low tempera-
tures averaged 21.5 degrees,
which was 0.9 degrees below
normal. The lowest was 10
degrees on Dec. 29.
There were 30 days with
the low temperature below 32
degrees. There was one day
when the high temperature
stayed below 32 degrees.
Precipitation totaled 0.21
inches during December,
which was 1.03 inches below
normal. Measurable precipita-
Patty Moore
tion was received on 10 days
with the heaviest, 0.04 inches,
reported on Dec. 27.
Precipitation in 2020
totaled 10.80 inches, which
is 2.37 inches below normal.
Since October, the water year
precipitation at John Day has
been 1.37 inches, which is
2.21 inches below normal.
Paid for by the family of Patty Moore
Patty Moore, of John Day, slid the last drink to the other end of the bar on December 14, 2020. A Celebration of Patty’s
Life and Potluck (which she loved) will be held in the Spring of 2021 (time, place & date to be announced).
Patty was the only child born to James and Hazel (Yarber) Lemons in Mount Vernon, Oregon. She was raised and edu-
cated in Mt. Vernon.
Patty married just out of high school. Her first husband had a logging business and she worked by his side. She then
married her second husband John Lawrence Francis and together they had two daughters, Pamela and Tammy. She
worked during that time for a family-owned Flower Shop business owned by Cecille and Charlie Lewis. Patty and
Lawrence later divorced, but they remained friends and were always respectful to each other, sharing and being a part
of their daughter’s lives.
Patty later married Oren Moore. At the time of his death they had been married 30 plus years. During her life she worked as a bartender (approximately
65 years) for the Wounded Buffalo, Branding Iron and John Day Golf Course. Patty had a gift for it, in having those regular customers, she never forgot
what they drank till the day she died.
Her yard was extremely important to her. She had a fluorescent thumb. She had hanging baskets, plants and flowers and they were all beautiful. Her love
of animals was phenomenal. She loved politics - she was a politician without an office. Patty was a beautiful artist, whether it be painting, scenery or
portraits. She loved canning, picnicking, huckleberry picking, cooking, RV camping and fishing.
Patty lived for the holidays, her second thing next to her children whom were “my world.” She loved to entertain, she had a fabulous flair for her wardrobe
and bling. When Patty walked into the room, you knew it. She loved almost everyone. She would check in on her friends religiously, and was calling them
right up to just a few days before her death. To Patty, age was just a number and hers was “unlisted.” Patty, a memorable fabulous soul, who gave the
gift of herself to all who were blessed to have known her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husbands, John & Oren.
Patty is survived by her daughters, Pamela Suzanne Francis, Tammy Cartner and partner Rick Saul; grandchildren Jeremy Rider, Rheanna Cartner, Lanea
Osborn, Kevin Rapp; several great grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and her rescue dog “Skippy.” All of her special friends “you know who you are”; Greg
Jackson and all involved for your donations getting Skippy out of Vet Bill jail; and to all others of whom she Loved.
For those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Patty, the family suggests “Hope for Paws” through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home
& Cremation Services PO Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com
S224549-1
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 31/17
Wednesday ..................................................... 46/31
Thursday .......................................................... 41/34
Friday ............................................................... 45/32
Saturday .......................................................... 42/36
Sunday ............................................................. 48/39
Monday............................................................ 47/34
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Helen M. Bogart
Helen Marie Bogart, 97, formerly of John Day, passed
away Dec. 21, 2020, at Spokane Valley, Washington. A
memorial service will be held in the spring of 2021. Her urn
will be interned at the Canyon City Cemetery in Canyon City,
Oregon. Memorial contributions can be made to the John
Day Senior Center through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241
S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer an online
condolence for the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Susan E. Kyriss
Susan Elaine Kyriss, 72, of Mt. Vernon passed away Dec.
29, 2020, at Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day, Oregon. A
memorial service will be held Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, at 2 p.m.
at the Living Word Christian Center in Mt. Vernon, Oregon.
Pastor Sharron Miller of Living Word Christian Center will
officiate. Her urn will be interned at the Prairie City Ceme-
tery. Memorial contributions can be made to the Living Word
Christian Center through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S.
Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer an online con-
dolence for the family visit, driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Clara Ann Lemley
Clara Ann Lemley, 80, of John Day passed away Dec. 18,
2020, at her residence. A memorial service is planned for Sat-
urday, Jan. 16, 2021, at 1 p.m. at Driskill Memorial Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Chil-
dren’s Hospital through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S.
Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer online condo-
lences to the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Jessie Mae Lewis
Jessie Mae Lewis, 84, a longtime Canyon City resi-
dent, died Dec. 31, 2020, at her daughter’s home in Boise,
Idaho. A funeral service is tentatively planned for Saturday,
Jan. 16, 2021, with the location and time yet to be deter-
mined. Check the Driskill Memorial Chapel or Blue Moun-
tain Eagle website for updates throughout this week. A com-
plete and updated funeral notice will be published next week.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Smokey Gibson
Memorial Skate Park through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241
S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To offer online con-
dolences to the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Nancy M. Viggers
Nancy M. Viggers, 90, of Prairie City passed away Dec.
29, 2020, at her residence with her family by her side. No
services are planned at this time. Memorial contributions in
her honor can be made to the Grant County Library through
Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day,
OR 97845.
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 infor-
mation may be corrected and republished as paid memorials. Obituaries longer than
300 words may be published as paid memorials. Send obituaries by email, office@
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.
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J AN . 6 - 12
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