FAMILY Blue Mountain Eagle A2 OBITUARIES Wednesday, April 14, 2021 How to avoid senior scams Lillian ‘Colleen’ Quinton Sept. 12, 1939 – April 5, 2021 Lillian “Colleen” Quinton, 81, of Baker City, Oregon, passed away Monday, April 5, 2021, at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Colleen was born Sept. 12, 1939, to parents LeRoy “Boots” and Verda Holmes Buxton. She received her edu- cation in Richland, Oregon, graduating from Eagle Valley High in 1957. Col- leen worked at various jobs throughout her lifetime, retiring from Nevada State Prison in Lovelock, Nevada. She loved being in the mountains and camping with family and good friends Terry and Lorri Speelman. Colleen was preceded in death by her parents, LeRoy and Verda Buxton; siblings, Baby Buxton, Verda Darlene Fuller, Cherral LaVonne Spurgeon, Richard LeRoy “Dickie” Buxton, William Frank “Billie” Buxton, Danny Ray Buxton, Robert Dean “Bobby” Buxton; and daughter Deborah Kay Temple. She is survived by three sons, David Glerup of Burns, Ore- gon; Don Glerup of North Powder, Oregon; and Dennis Glerup of Baker City, Oregon; her youngest sister and brother-in-law Rhonda and Joe Stubbs of Baker City, Oregon; and very good friends Terry and Lorri Speelman of Baker City, Oregon, and Sharon Williams of Redmond, Oregon. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded War- rior Foundation or the charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814. To off er online condolences to Colleen’s family, visit gray- swestco.com. Charles ‘Buzz’ Bradley Glass Jr. Nov. 14, 1933 – April 1, 2021 Buzz Glass Jr., age 87, of John Day passed away April 1, 2021. There will be no services at this time. Arrangements have been entrusted to Driskill Memorial Chapel. To off er condolences to his family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com. BIRTHS Elianna Rene Wimer Blue Mountain Eagle It’s a growing problem — but know- ing what to look out for can help you and your loved ones stay safe. With the Oregon Department of Jus- tice’s recent warning of “grandparent scams” targeting older Oregonians, it’s a great reminder that, no matter where you live, staying alert and being proac- tive can help protect you or your fami- ly’s fi nances, according to a press release from Umpqua Bank. Fraud tactics targeting older Amer- icans (e.g., grandparent scams or fake tech support phone calls) can be crippling fi nancially. For example, the Federal Trade Commission announced in 2020 such scams that were reported collec- tively cost Americans aged 60 and over more than $440 million in 2019 alone — and 2020 fi gures are expected to be higher due to COVID-19-related scams. As trends show, fraud continue to be a lucrative endeavor for criminals, and with the 65-and-older population rapidly ris- ing according to the U.S. Census Bureau, it’s a good time to shore up your fi nances — including working with your bank — if you fi t into this demographic to help ensure you’re not a victim. And the same for other members in your family who are also 65 or older. Be on the lookout “We see elderly fraud cases all the time,” said Maria Bass, a store manager with Umpqua Bank in East Placerville, California, where a sizeable percentage of the population is elderly. “Our goal is always to help them recover what we can and help ensure it doesn’t happen again.” One of the best ways to help protect against fi nancial fraud targeting older individuals is to research and understand the most popular tactics so you’re pre- pared in the event you actually encounter one. Many of these scams are conducted A girl, Elianna Rene Wimer, was born March 9, 2021, in The Dalles to parents Jimmy and Heidi Wimer. She weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Mother and daughter are doing well. over the phone, via email, or even through snail mail. According to Bass, the most pop- ular scams targeting older individu- als include the following scenarios in which fraudsters pose as individu- als representing seemingly legitimate entities: IT technical support scam: An IT technical support specialist calls you unexpectedly and says that they’ve detected a virus on your computer; for a fee and/or with your provided login cre- dentials, they can “solve” the “issue.” Sweepstakes scam: You’ve randomly won a sweepstakes through a seemingly legitimate entity, and that all you need to do to claim your prize is pay for the taxes on your winnings up front. Job opportunity scam: An organiza- tion is hiring retirees to be secret shop- pers. It sounds like a fun and lucrative opportunity that you can do at your own pace, and you just have to pay a fee upfront to enroll in the program. Tax scam: According to the IRS, you owe money on back taxes, and you need to make a payment immediately to avoid jailvtime or seizure of assets (e.g., your house). Repair scam: Construction workers appear at your front doorstep and inform you that they’d been assigned by a local municipality to make repairs (e.g., replace sewer pipes, fi ll potholes) in the area, and now they need to collect payment from residents. Bass and her team at Umpqua Bank have hosted several fraud-prevention events, where they share information about how anyone — especially seniors — can protect themselves from becoming victims of fraud. Here are some of her top tips for helping you and your loved ones protect against scams like the ones listed above: • Monitor bank account and payment card activity closely. Consider setting up automatic notifi cations when withdraw- als/payments exceeding a specifi c amount are made. Also consider setting up auto- matic bill payments to help ensure bills are paid. • Handle your fi nances and mail your- self — or allow a trusted third-party (e.g., child, sibling) to do so — rather than a caretaker or other individual. • Decline giving an untrusted third- party total autonomy of all of your fi nan- cial assets. • Report suspicious activity found on any of your accounts immediately (e.g., contact your bank if you see a large, unex- pected amount withdrawn from your sav- ings account). • Place a freeze on your credit reports with the three major bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. Obtain credit reports yearly so that you have a record of legitimate activity on your accounts. • File your income taxes as early as possible each year. Also consider obtain- ing a PIN code from the U.S. Social Secu- rity Administration to help protect your tax fi lings. • Don’t pick up phone calls from unknown callers. Screen them from your voicemail and then determine if you think the call is legitimate. Consider also using robocall-blocking devices. • Don’t open emails or texts from unknown senders — and don’t click on links or attachments in such messages. • Don’t reply to unexpected commu- nications if they’re asking you to perform an urgent action involving your sensitive information (e.g., credit card number). What to do if you discover you’re a victim of fraud: • Contact your local law enforcement department to report the incident. • Place a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. • Place a security freeze on your credit accounts if you haven’t already done so. GRANT UNION STUDENTS OF THE MONTH Auxiliary to meet Friday Blue Mountain Eagle STRUCTION, LL N O C C AW Featuring: • • • • • Roofing • General Construction Remodeling Fences Decks Storage Sheds Andy Wolfer 541-910-6609 Seventh grade Anongba Ayeliya Parent: Montana Sowah CCB#186113 Ninth grade Alexander Finley Parents: Aaron and Janita Finley 10th grade Jack Strong Parents: Michael Strong and Katie Bruzas 11th grade Grace Taylor Parents: Jake Taylor and Man- dy Taylor 12th grade Noah Blood Parents: Will and Dorothy Blood The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. TOM CHRISTENSEN CHRISTENSEN TOM CONSTRUCTION and Much More! S238169-1 Eighth grade Madelyn Bailey Parents: Zacha- ry and Heather Bailey www.eomediagroup.com (541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192 CCB# 106077 REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES S237014-1 S238179-1 The Ellis Tracey Unit of the American Legion Auxiliary will meet at 2 p.m. Friday, April 16, at the Grant County Chamber of Commerce offi ce. All members are encouraged to attend. Thomas Michael Campbell July 12, 1925 ~ March 10, 2021 Paid for by the family of Thomas Campbell Thomas Michael Campbell, 95, formerly of Kimberly, Oregon, died Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at Condon. He was born to Irish immigrants, Patrick and Kathryn (O’Brien) Campbell, at the Lonerock ranch house on July 12, 1925. The fifth of eight children, it is undetermined as to whether the birth occurred in Wheeler or Gilliam county, since the county line runs through the home. Tom attended school in Lonerock and later Condon High School. He worked in the family sheep and cattle ranching business most of his life. Tom married Clarice (Fancher) in Portland in September, 1949, and worked briefly as a carpenter in Pendleton before returning to the family sheep ranching business, leading them to Kimberly in 1950. Tom & Clarice raised four sons and a daughter, and were very active in the Monument/Kimberly community. He loved livestock, especially lambs and horses; was an astute veterinarian, mechanic, carpenter, plumber, electrician, welder, and farmer; and could work wonders with haywire. Tom provided employment opportunities to many, young and old. In 1974, he made the difficult decision to sell the sheep and fully transition to cattle. In June 1987, Tom married Deborah (Collins) Brown, and their 1989 purchase of the Kimberly store, along with continuing to operate the ranch, led to many new friendships and experiences. They enjoyed traveling (highlighted by a trip to Ireland for a reunion with his Irish cousins) and entertaining their many friends, neighbors and family in their home. Tom enjoyed reading many newspapers and magazines and was always eager to discuss politics and other current events. He loved to tell stories and he was the subject of inspiration of many colorful tales. Tom loved the Spray Rodeo and served as Grand Marshall in 1999. He served on numerous boards including Monument School, Monument Grazing Assn., and Silvies Valley Grazing Assn. He was a Past President of the Oregon Wool Growers and a director on the Columbia Power Co-Op Board for 46 years. Tom was a member of the Catholic Church and member of the Elks for 74 years. Following Debbie’s death in 2014, Tom was able to continue living on the ranch largely due to the care and support of Heather Riggs, neighbors and family. In 2016, Tom moved to Summit Springs in Condon where he received outstanding, compassionate care until his death. The family also appreciates the professional, tender loving care Tom received from Pioneer Memorial Hospice. Tom was preceded in death by his wives, parents, and siblings; Patricia, John, James, Pete, Martha, Malachi and Kathryn. Survivors include sons Kevin (Susan Montgomery) of Kimberly, Tom (Jane) of Lonerock, Brian (Cheryl) of Imbler and John (Kelli) of Stanfield; daughter Lisa (Roger) Chambers of Pasco, WA; stepdaughter Monica (Randy) Garoutte of Spanaway, WA; Sister-in-Law Veronica Campbell of Hermiston; 16 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and many more relatives. Recitation of the Holy Rosary was held Friday, March 19, 2021, 9:30 a.m., at St. John’s Catholic Church in Condon, followed by graveside services at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Condon at 11:00 a.m. Memorial contributions can be made in Tom’s honor to Summit Springs Village, P.O. Box 687, Condon, OR 97823, or the Monument Senior Center, PO Box 306, Monument, OR 97864. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in care of arrangements. You may sign the online condolence book at www.sweeneymortuary.com S239633-1 Last Week’s Temps John Day ...........................................................HI/LO Tuesday ........................................................... 64/27 Wednesday ..................................................... 67/33 Thursday .......................................................... 50/29 Friday ............................................................... 64/25 Saturday .......................................................... 53/30 Sunday ............................................................. 50/26 Monday............................................................ 55/22 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 137 E. Main St., John Day • 541-575-1637 Thank you to everyone, near and far, who gave their love and support to us through phone calls, hugs, prayers, donations, and fundraisers. The loss of Bo, then our home to fire, has been overwhelming, but eased by all of you. Special thanks to Paul and Loreen Cooper, Blue Mountain Hospice, Erin and Judy Harris, Bruce and Jeanne Sharp, Mitch and Jenny Mund, Brad and Julie Smith, Amanda Albrich, the Monument Fire Department, Tia Nation, Christy Howell, and all who showed up at the fire scene. What a great community we live in! The Lawrence Family Lonnie, Roger, Blake, McKinzie, Josh, McKenna, Nick & Ally S239560-1 W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF A PRIL 14 - 20 Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Mostly sunny 56 62 68 72 76 76 69 31 32 35 39 42 36 37