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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 2021)
A2 FAMILY Blue Mountain Eagle Harvest festival returns to fairgrounds By STEVEN MITCHELL Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY — The orga- nizers of Grant County’s annual fall festival aim to celebrate the county’s frontier heritage and the talent within the community. Dubbed the Best of the Old West Harvest Festival and Quilt Show, the event — free and open to the public — will run from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, and 9 to 6 p.m. on Satur- day, Oct. 16, in the Trowbridge Pavilion of the Grant County Fairgrounds. The festival will feature multiple vendors from Grant, Harney and Baker counties and beyond, according to organizer Samni Bell with the Strawberry Mountain Quilt Guild, a non- profi t. Bell said the guild makes between 20 and 30 quilts a year and donates them to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace Project, a vol- unteer organization that builds bunk beds for children and fam- ilies in need. Bell said she expects between 100 and 150 quilt entries for the show, where viewers can vote on their favor- ite quilt. Bell said the quilt- maker in the adult category who gets the most votes could win $150, while kids 7 to 12 can win $25 and teenagers can win $35. Bell said a 4-foot-by-4- foot barn quilt that she made would be raffl ed around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Raf- fl e tickets can be purchased at the Grant County Chamber of Commerce in John Day. Entries for the quilt show can be dropped off at the Trow- bridge Pavilion on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arrangements can be made for those unable to drop off entries during those times, according to Bell. Bell said the festival has demonstrations on quilting on both days of the event, includ- ing hand-quilting on a loom, quilting on a domestic machine, and new quilting tools. Bell said the quilt guild is sharing the costs to rent out the pavilion with the Harvest Festival. Zach Denney, Grant County rural venture catalyst with RAIN and an organizer of the Harvest Festival, said regardless if people are interested in quilts or the harvest festival, there is something for everyone. Denney said the festi- val would have multiple food vendors, a costume contest, a pie-eating contest and a raffl e to win a Traeger grill. Denney said those interested in having a booth at the festival should contact him at 541-589- 5565 or zach@oregonrain.org “If you want to be a vendor,” Denney said, “and you show up on Friday, the day of the event, then I’ll fi nd a spot for you.” Denney said there is no cost to become a vendor. “Everybody’s welcome,” Denney said. “The more people we can get out there, the better.” Wednesday, October 13, 2021 OBITUARIES Joyce Valene Harig Constance E. Smith Feb. 17, 1933 — Sept 26, 2021 Joyce Valene Harig, age 88, of John Day passed away Sept 26 at Valley View Assisted Living. A graveside ser- vice will be held Saturday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Ham- ilton Cemetery in Hamilton, Ore- gon. A celebration of life with be held following the graveside service at the Mt. Vernon Community in Mt. Vernon at 1 p.m. Joyce was born Feb. 17, 1933, in Courtrock, Oregon, to Archie and Zella Gienger. She enjoyed being outdoors, hunt- ing and fi shing. She also enjoyed crafting, gardening, crocheting, and painting. But mostly she loved spending time with her family. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Zella Gienger, two brothers and three sisters. Survivors include her daughter, Joyce Offi cer of John Day; three sons, Don (Elfrieda) Harig of Prairie City, Dale (Jody) Harig of Seneca, and Dean Harig of Califor- nia; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Alzheimer’s Association through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To light a can- dle in memory of Joyce or to leave online condolences for her family, please visit www.driskillmemorialchapel.com. Feb. 23, 1940 — Oct. 2, 2021 Constance “Connie” E. Smith, 81, a longtime resident of John Day, lost her battle with cancer on Oct. 2 in Redmond, Oregon. At time of passing she was a resident of Regency Redmond Nursing Home. She was preceded in death by her parents, F.C. and Lucille Christensen, daughter Karisten Day and husbands Del Van- detta and Paul Smith. She is survived by her daughter Sandi (Ron) Edwards, five grandkids, nine great-grandkids, and six great-great-grandkids. Cremation was choice of disposition. A memorial will be held at a later date. Since there will be no immediate service, the family suggests that if you so desire you may send a donation to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers. Larry Duane Bryant Larry Duane Bryant, age 77, passed away on Oct. 3 in Boise, Idaho. A visitation will be held Friday, Oct. 8, from noon until 4 p.m. at Driskill Memorial Chapel. A graveside service is planned for Saturday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m. at the Fox Cemetery in Fox, Ore- gon, with Pastor Al Altnow officiating. A reception will follow at the Fox Community Center. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fox Cemetery through Driskill Memorial Chapel at 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To light a candle in Larry’s memory or to offer his family online condolences, please visit www.driskillmemo- rialchapel.com. Dorrine Marilyn May 11/17/1931 - 8/29/2021 It is with sadness that we announce that our dear mother passed away this summer from heart complications. Dorrine May, or “Dode” as she was known by many locally, lived a good, long life. She was born in Prairie City, Oregon, and was the middle child of 5 children. Her home was on a sheep ranch up Dixie Creek north of Prairie City. Her parents were Charles Mattis Swearingen and Mary Almira Kole Swearingen. Dode was the last surviving child of these family members, Viva Salter, Katheryn Miller, Laura Lee Raines, and Wayne Swearingen. After graduation from high school, Dorrine moved to Hood River, Oregon, to work in the local hospital as a bookkeeper, boarding with and under the auspices of family friends, Glen and Mary How- ell, formerly of Prairie City, Oregon. Mr. Howell was the administrator at the Hood River Hospital at the time. It was in Hood River, that Dorrine met her future husband, Warren L. May, an Odell native. Dode married Leslie Warren May in 1951, in Stevenson, Washington, and together they had three girls, two of whom survive. Laura May, Jackie May, and Farin May. Warren died in March, 2000, and sadly, Laura passed away in September, 2020. After their marriage, Dorrine and Warren as- sumed purchasing and working the orchard on Lenz Butte in Odell, Oregon, belonging to his parents, Wally C. May and Selma Annala May. Another, larger orchard of 33 acres was purchased south of Hood River in 1963, where the bulk of the family years were spent working and raising a family. In between trips to Mexico in the winters, Dorrine worked in the orchard, worked for a time at Duck- wall Fruit in Odell as a bookkeeper, raised a huge garden and canned much of the produce, made award-winning wine, and took care of the girls. She imparted many good skills and instilled values in her children. She was an excellent seamstress and made the best pie crusts! After selling the Hood River orchard in 1974, and after a sojourn of three years as foreman on an orchard for a family friend in the state of Chi- huahua, Mexico, Warren and Dorrine returned to Oregon and began phase three of their lives. With brother-in-law Jim Miller and his boys Neal and Chris Miller, of Prairie City and John Day, Warren began taking contracts with the Forest Service for handpiling brush, thinning timber acreages, and anything else available. He and Dorrine purchased an RV and lived out on the jobs in the woods, which both of them enjoyed very much. They began annual trips with their RV in tow, to Yuma, Arizona, where they lived for a few months while the snow was flying in Oregon and in the forests. Once spring breakup arrived, they trav- eled back to Oregon for more work. Dorrine loved to read, and she volunteered at the libraries in the Yuma area. She also enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, read- ing, and attending bingo games, and while in Yuma, met up with an old Odell schoolmate of Warren's, Trevor Russell, and his wife, Vivian. The couples enjoyed many games of horseshoes, at which both Dorrine and Warren won trophies. Mom had a great pitching “arm.” In later years, Dorrine became a caretaker for Vivian Russell until her passing. All these years, through Dorrine's cancer treat- ments and other tragedies, Warren and Dorrine upheld one another and were survivors. His loss in Arizona in March of 2000, was a shock to the family, and Dorrine moved her RV back to Madras, Oregon, and lived on the property of her daughter, Jackie, for three years. In 2003, Dorrine recon- nected with her old school chum, Laurance “Willy” Howell, and moved to North Portland. They enjoyed a pleasant life together until his passing in October of 2018. Dorrine began experiencing heart prob- lems and was hospitalized many times. We lost her in August of this year, and this fall we will put her to rest in the shadow of Strawberry Mountain, in the Prairie City cemetery, where she can sleep, side by side with many family members and Willy. The mountain that she loved will be forever hers. She has come Home, for good. Her survivors include her two daughters, Farin and Jackie, and numerous cats and dog “grandchil- dren,” and many nieces and nephews, most in the Grant County area. Niece Charlotte McCumber and family in Mt. Vernon, niece Cathy Miller Workman and husband, Pat, of Wasilla, AK; niece Lenora and Randy Saul and family of Prairie City, Oregon; nephew Chris Miller of Prineville, Oregon and his children, Chelsea and Matt; niece Dianne and Mike Powell and families in Post Falls, Idaho; nephew Fred Swearingen, Prairie City; great niece, Kristen Simerson, the daughter of nephew Neal Miller (de- ceased); nephew Marty and Hollie Miller and family, Prairie City; niece Jodi and Doug Venneri and family of Walla Walla, WA, and nephews Jeff and Jon Salter of Washington and Oregon. She had a special friendship with a longtime Odell family, the Melvin “Chuck” Picking family, and her fellow Rebecca Lodge member, Mary Ellen Wirrick Picking, now of Sandy, Oregon. Godspeed Mom, I am certain that you are entertaining others with your singing of “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” and “Dark as a Dungeon.” Paid for by the family of Dorrine May. Last Week’s Temps John Day ...........................................................HI/LO Wednesday ..................................................... 53/33 Thursday .......................................................... 61/36 Friday ............................................................... 62/37 Saturday .......................................................... 60/38 Sunday ............................................................. 63/33 Monday............................................................ 46/29 Tuesday ........................................................... 45/31 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 Linda Levon Holland Feb. 10, 1948 — Sept. 24, 2021 Linda Levon Holland, age 73, passed away Sept. 24 at her res- idence with her family by her side. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, at the Fox Cemetery in Fox, Oregon. Linda was born Feb. 10, 1948, in Prairie City, Oregon, to Orville “Cook” and Pauline “Bonnie” Allen. She grad- uated from Long Creek High School in 1967 and married Jerry Holland in Day- ville, Oregon, on June 28, 1980. She worked as an engineering tech- nician for the Malheur National Forest for 25 years until she retired in 2008. Linda enjoyed hunting, fi shing, crafting, and painting. She was an Elkette and a member of the Grant County Genealogy Society, which she was especially fond of. She was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Pauline Allen; and one sister, Judith Savage. Survivors include her husband, Jerry Holland of John Day, Oregon; a daughter, Kara Allen of Eureka, California; a step- daughter, Kathy (Paul) Smith of John Day, Oregon; three step- sons, David (Lisa) Holland of John Day, Oregon, Richard (Kim) Holland of Shady Cove, Oregon, and Robert (Alisa) Holland of Eagle Point, Oregon; a brother, Harley (Sherrie) Allen of Mt. Vernon, Oregon; a sister, Beth (Orb) Cherry also of Mt. Vernon, Oregon; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions can be made to the Grant County Genealogy Society or Blue Mountain Hospice through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.driskillmemeorialchapel.com. 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 information may be corrected and republished as paid memorials. Obituaries longer than 300 words may be published as paid memorials. Send obituaries by email, offi ce@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. Valores Ann Hall March 23, 1936 ~ September 25, 2021 Valores Ann Hall, age 85, of Long Creek passed away peacefully Sep- tember 25, 2021, at her residence in Long Creek. Per her request there will be no services at this time. Valores will be laid to rest next to her hus- band, Brooks Hall in the Long Creek Cemetery. Valores Ann (Perry) Hall and her twin sister Valerie were born March 23, 1936, in Sauk Rapids, MN to Ver- non and Elizabeth (Juhas) Perry. In 1943 the girls and their mother came out by train to join their father in Van- port, OR who was working in a Portland shipyard. Just after arriv- ing the girls broke out with measles. She attended grades first through third in Vanport, Or; then moved to Camp 5 which was a lumber camp and completed grades fourth through sixth. Transferring to Kinzua for the sev- enth and eighth grade she finished her high school years in Fossil, Or; graduating in 1954. She married Elmer Nesselrodt in September of 1954 and helped raise his two daughters Retha and Beverly. From this union her son Elton was born in 1960. The marriage later ended and in 1966 Valores married Brooks Hall, “The Love of Her Life” as she thought of him. They lived in Mt. Vernon then moved to Long Creek, Or in 1972 where she lived the rest of her life. Valores’ mail route career began in 1976 when she took over the Long Creek to Kimberly route. She had the contract for 34 years up until she retired. She enjoyed her customers and friend- ships formed through the years. Watching as the children on her route grew up and started families of their own, as well as all the changes that took place up and down along the route. During those years Brooks passed away in 1984 and Charlie (Charles) Boone a companion and a “soulmate” came into her life in 1987 till his passing in 2004. Valores loved a good game of cards, gambling at the casi- nos occasionally, and attending Bunco with the ladies from Long Creek, Dale, and Ukiah. At one time in her life making Afghans was also something she enjoyed, going to yard sales, reading books, and working on puzzles. Sharing memories with friends and caregivers brought many hours of enjoyment. She served on the Long Creek Cemetery District Board for 35 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vernon, and Eliza- beth; son, Elton; sister, Valerie; daughter, Retha; grandson, Dale and Elmer, Brooks, and Charlie. Survivors include her daughter Beverly, a nephew and a niece. Paid for by the family of Valores Hall. S265121-1 W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF O CT . 13 – 19 Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday AM snow showers Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy 47 52 64 67 60 65 68 34 30 35 36 32 37 40