A2
NEWS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
A day of family fun
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed Photo
Strawberry Mountain Community Clinic is now off ering Sat-
urday appointments between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. every other
Saturday beginning June 25.
Clinic off ering
Saturday hours
By STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — The
Strawberry Wilderness Com-
munity Clinic has expanded
its hours to off er same-day
Saturday appointments twice
a month for the next three
months from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Joan Sonnenburg, Blue
Mountain Hospital District’s
director of outpatient and pro-
vider services, said the Sat-
urday clinic hours were set
to begin on June 25 and then
pick up again on Saturday,
July 9. She said the district
plans to hold the clinic hours
on July 23 as well, but the
plans are still tentative.
James Cook, a family nurse
practitioner, will be the provider
on duty at the clinic, 180 Ford
Road in John Day. Those inter-
ested in making an appoint-
ment can call 541-575-0404.
In addition to Strawberry
Wilderness
Community
Clinic, the Blue Mountain
Hospital District operates
Blue Mountain Hospital,
Blue Mountain Care Cen-
ter and Blue Mountain
Home Health and Hospice
Agency.
Lightning strike sends
branch through cabin
JOHN DAY — Free fun on a hot day:
The 15th Family Fun Day off ered just that
as vendors and crowds gathered on the
grass beside the Trowbridge Pavilion at the
Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day on
Saturday, June 25.
The event was orchestrated by Fami-
lies First of Grant County and included free
snowcones, $1 hamburgers and hot dogs, a
water slide, infl atable bounce houses and a
mechanical bull.
There was an array of booths staff ed
by businesses and organizations from all
around the county as well. Painted Sky
Center for the Arts featured crafts and henna
tattoos. Blue Mountain Hospital measured
children’s heads and provided free bicycle
helmets to all who wanted them. The U.S.
Forest Service provided swag such as post-
ers with tips on fi re safety and prevention.
Families First Executive Director and
Program Manager Teresa Aasness said the
event was a collaboration between several
organizations to provide something aff ord-
able to do for families.
“Currently, Families First is the lead
on the event so we recruit all the booths,
we recruit donations and funding for the
event,” Aasness said. “We set up the infl at-
ables and do the location. I think it’s a huge
success. Look at all the families.”
Aasness said the event was truly a com-
munity eff ort with many businesses and
individuals volunteering services and time.
“Families First is a private nonprofi t,
and we do parent education and support.
Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle
Orson Welsch takes his turn on the water slide on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Family Fun
Day at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
This event is funded by the local commu-
nity health partnership and the Frontier
Early Learning Hub, which is a regional
program for Grant and Harney counties.
They’re our primary funders. Then we have
a lot of volunteers that help man the infl at-
ables. Clark’s Disposal provides a dumpster
for us, and a lot of diff erent organizations
help with the event.”
Recruiting the various vendors and vol-
unteers started in March, according to Aas-
ness. There were 16 booths at the event
this year, which Aasness said was average:
“We’ve had some years that we’ve had a
lot more and some years where we’ve had
less.”
Blue Mountain Eagle
DEATH NOTICES
DALE — A fl ying branch
from a lightning-struck tree
badly damaged a cabin in north-
ern Grant County during an
electrical storm on June 17.
Georgia Burnett, who lives
with her husband, Norm, in
the cabin on Trout Road a few
miles south of Dale, said a
bolt of lightning struck a large
fi r tree near the cabin and sent
branches and shards of wood
fl ying in all directions.
“It just exploded,” Burnett
said. “It was just crazy.”
One large branch, nearly the
size of a tree in its own right,
pierced the cabin’s roof and
came through the ceiling into
the kitchen.
Burnett said she was in
Portland at the time to see her
granddaughter’s dance recital,
but her husband was sleeping
on the couch when the lightning
Stephen Duane Cade
LOCAL BRIEFING
Fire board orders regulated closure
Stephen Duane Cade, 71, of Kimberly passed away Sunday,
June 19, at his residence with his family by his side. To send a
condolence to his family, visit www.driskillmemorialchapel.com.
CANYON CITY — Grant County Fire Defense Board Chair
Ron Smith, in conjunction with the Oregon Department of For-
estry, has ordered fi re defense board jurisdictions to go into reg-
ulated closure eff ective Monday, June 27.
Burn piles and barrels are prohibited. In unique or special
circumstances, burning may occur, but only if permission is
granted by the jurisdiction’s chief.
Betty L. Richards
Contributed Photo
A lightning strike during a
storm on June 17, 2022, sent
this large branch through
the roof of a cabin near Dale.
struck. He’s hearing-impaired,
but he was feeling the eff ects
of the lightning strike’s tremen-
dous noise days later.
“He was already deaf, but
now he’s really deaf,” Burnett
said. “His ears are still ringing.”
Neal Allen Burch Elliott
Family Fun Day has taken place at var-
ious locations in John Day throughout the
years and will probably move to a diff erent
venue next year.
“We started out at Seventh Street where
the softball fi elds are, and we did it there
for a while. Then we were at the John Day
Park, and now we’ve been doing it here.
Next year we’ll probably move to a diff er-
ent venue,” Aasness said.
This year’s event is the second in a row
following the cancellation of festivities
in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Families First estimates there were at least
533 people in attendance at this year’s Fam-
ily Fun Day.
Betty L. Richards, 93, died at a care facility in Bend on June
19. Betty was born on April 12, 1929, in Prineville to Harold
Melendy and Susan Stephens. A graveside service will be held
on July 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Monument Cemetery in Monument.
Please go to http://www.burnsmortuary.com and sign the online
guestbook. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of funeral
arrangements.
Malheur archaeologist recognized
JOHN DAY — Archaeologist Don Hann, who recently retired
from his position with the Malheur National Forest, has been
honored for his work on the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project.
Hann was named the winner of an Award for Excellence
by the American Association for State and Local History. The
group’s Leadership in History Awards recognize 53 individuals,
projects, exhibits and publications across the country this year.
Malheur National Forest archaeologist Katee Withee also
contributed to the project.
The Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project is a collaborative
eff ort to promote research and education on Oregon’s early Chi-
nese residents. In addition to the Malheur, partners include the
Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management, the Rogue
River-Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon State Parks, the Ore-
gon Historical Society and the Portland Chinatown Museum.
Blue Mountain Eagle
BIRTHS
Aurora McAllister
Kelsey and Tanner McAllister of Prairie City
announce the birth of their daughter, Aurora McAllister,
at 12:24 p.m. April 5 at Blue Mountain Hospital in John
Day. She weighed 7 pounds, six ounces, and measured
18½ inches.
Grandparents are Shelly Wilkerson and Sean McAllis-
ter of Bend and David and Darlene Morrison of John Day.
May 22, 1978 – May 25, 2022
Neal was born in Roseburg,
Oregon, the eldest son of John
Allen Burch and Shannon Marie
Elliott. Neal was partly raised
by his grand-uncle Keith Elliott,
after his parents’ divorce, with
help from his aunts Billie Jo
Berry, and Kayse Elliott, and
maternal grandparents Bill and
Jessie Elliott.
Neal lived on the Elliott
Ranch in Eastern Oregon,
where he finished growing up.
He attended Grant Union High,
where he played sports, and
excelled in academics. Neal was
truly friendly and always inspir-
ing.
He was talented, creative, and artistic. Best of all, he loved
music. He played the guitar & sang, even writing his own songs.
He loved hard, worked hard, and played hard. Most especially he
loved his family, his friends, and his God.
Neal was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Ches-
ter “Brick” and Virginia, cousin Jeremy John, father John, aunt
Kayse, grandparents Howard and Mary Jo, uncle Jim, grand-un-
cle Paul and grand-uncle Tom, great-granny Delana, uncle Todd,
and grand-aunt Carolyn.
He is survived by: mother, Shannon Elliott, grand-uncle Keith
Elliott, grandparents Bill and Jessie Elliott, aunt Billie Jo Berry, and
uncle John Elliott. Children: Brady Keith Burch, Alexis Burch, Ava
Scriver, Luke Burch, and Ada’Lynn Harper Burch. Grandchildren
Marcus Burch and Cozette Burch. Siblings Jessica Wells, William
Burch, River Glimpse, Leaf Glimpse, Rainbow Moles, Mountain
Glimpse, Airron Glimpse and Christian Glimpse. Close cousins:
Rachel Smith, Joshua Elliott, Devin Elliott, Katrina Rogers, Eric
Elliott, and Sunnie Moore.
He left behind countless cousins, in-laws, nephews and niec-
es, as well as, many loves and devoted friends, for he was truly
loved by so many, who will miss him sorely for years to come.
The family ranch, and all our hearts, will never be the same
without you, Neal!
Paid for by the family of Neal Elliott.
CORRECTIONS
Consulting contract: A story in our June 22 edition about Nick
Green’s consulting contract with the city of John Day contained an
error regarding the vote to approve the contract. Council member
Heather Rookstool voted against the proposal.
Innovation Gateway: A story about plans for development in
John Day’s Innovation Gateway mischaracterized population loss
in Grant County. It should have said: Grant County was the only
county in Oregon that saw a population reduction in the last census.
Murals: Kathy Kight’s last name was misspelled in an article
about plans to paint murals on businesses on Main Street in John
Day.
The Eagle regrets the errors.
Robert “Bob” Howard Titus, Jr.
Bette Joyce Johnson MacArthur
February 28, 1955 ~ June 21, 2022
Robert “Bob” Howard Titus
Jr. was born to Bob and Johnnie
Titus on February 28, 1955 in
Prineville, Oregon. Bob died on
June 21, 2022 at St. Luke’s Re-
gional Hospital at the age of 67,
in Boise, Idaho. He was preceded
in death by his brother-in-law and
one niece.
Bob is survived by his wife
Carrol of 30 years, his children
LeRoy, Victoria and Alex; three
stepchildren, Eric, Jordon and
Garrett; 10 grandchildren; 8 sis-
ters Iva Gill, Donna (LB) Adams,
Fonda (Ted) Thompson, Marcia
Titus, Gloria Tirico, Laura (Mil-
ke) Avila, Lisa Marquez and Tricia
(Bill) Ball; numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Bob’s Life for family and close friends will
be held at noon on Sunday, July 3, 2022 on Bull Run at the old
homestead. It will be potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share, a
chair and your beverage of choice. Paper plates, cutlery, napkins
and water will be provided.
Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalley-
funeralhome.com
Paid for by the family of Bob Titus.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Wednesday ..................................................... 85/51
Thursday .......................................................... 74/45
Friday ............................................................... 76/49
Saturday .......................................................... 85/55
Sunday ............................................................. 88/59
Monday............................................................ 97/58
Tuesday ........................................................... 84/49
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
October 6, 1925 ~ June 17, 2022
Bette Joyce Johnson MacArthur was born on October 6, 1925
in Homedale, Idaho to parents Russ and Ethel. On June 17, 2022,
at the age of 96, she fell asleep in death.
On December 24, 1945 she married Keith MacArthur of Day-
ville. Three children were born to this union; Cheryl, Colin and
Gwen.
She was a devoted and loyal Jehovah’s Witness for some 68
years and member of the Canyon City Congregation. She will be
remembered as a very classy lady who lived what she truly be-
lieved. She was a beautiful seamstress, a wonderful cook and a
great gardener. She was also a strong, amazing, and very hospita-
ble and generous woman, sister, wife, gramma and friend.
Preceding her in death was her husband Keith, their son Colin
MacArthur, and son-in-law Mick Jenison. Also her parents, two
brothers - Bob and Jim, and sisters Bonnie, Donna, Joan, and
Wilma.
She is survived by two daughters - Cheryl Jenison of Spray
and Gwen (Rick) Valade of Dayville; six grandchildren including
Mike (LeeAnne) Jenison, Kevin (Sherri) Jenison, Angela (Rick-
ie Berry) Valade, Jenny (Mike) Martin, Dale (Emma) Valade, KC
(Lonnie) Dickens; four great-grandkids - Kaela (Miles) Steele,
Brent Labhart, Kabel Dickens and Andrew Valade. Also two great-
great-grandkids, Wyatt and Wade Steele, one brother Paul John-
son, and many nieces and nephews.
She will be truly missed by all who loved and knew her. At
her request, no services will be held. Acts 24:15. Paid for by the
family of Bette MacArthur.
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J UNE 29-J ULY 2
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