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Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, May 3, 1951
Volume 68, Number 7
to
Plane Crash on Rhea
Creek Costs Lives of
R. J. Stevens, former city work
superintendent in Heppner, and
Mrs. Betty Groves of Lexington
were killed and the Aeronica
Chief plane belonging to Joe
Delemeter in which they were
flying, was demolished when the
plane crashed on Rhea creek 12
miles south of Heppner about
5:30 Sunday afternoon. Witnesses
to the accident said the plane
was at an approximate 200-feet
above ground when it suddenly
nose dived straight down to earth.
The couple left the Lexing
ton airport between 4 and 4:30
p. m. and flew around over the
hills for awhile. Stephens "buzz
ed" Heppner and flew low over
the Rodeo field where a baseball
game between Fossil and Hepp
ner was in progress. Circline
nu in yJi wf, 1 1 oj, vanning i
around,, the pilot headed the I
machine in the direction of the i
Floyd Jones ranch on Rhea
creek where the Wranglers were
staging their annual Rhea creek
Riot. The plane swooped down
close enough that the occupants
were recognized by numerous
people on the ground and then
took off up the canyon and ap
parently an effort was made to
land but after touching one
wheel to the ground the pilot
evidently decided to take to the
air again but failed to make
elevation.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hall were
almost directly across the creek
from the spot where the plane
crashed- Hall waded the creek
and made his way to the scene
but soon saw that nothing could
be done. Another witness to the
accident was Cornett Green, who
with Howard Bryant and Bill,
Weatherford was among the first
to arrive at the scene. Bryant
went to the nearest phone and
called Sheriff C. J. D. Bauman,
and District Attorney Bradley
Fancher. Dr. R. J. O'Shea was at
the Jones place.
Both bodies were in the plane,
although Stephens had been
forced part way through the out-
Heppnerites Unable .
To Solve Offerings
Of Fossil Pitcher
In a game played on Rodeo
field Sunday afternoon, the vis
iting Fossil team shellacked the
Heppner Townies to the tune of
10 to 1. Fossil used three pitchers
and held the Heppner batters to
six scattered hits.
Al Bunch, Heppner shortstop,
was the only one to solve enemy
pitching as he gathered1 three of
Heppner's six hits.
Hal Whitbeck, the losing pitch
er, started on the mound for
Heppner, but was hit steadily
and was relieved by Doug Drake
after six innings in which he
gave up seven hits and six runs.
The Townies will be traveling
Sunday, going to Kinzua for an
encounter with the tough wood
workers. Come And Get It!
w f , SI) f '
This is the chow line at the annual Rhea Creek Riot, springtime
activity of the Wranglers club which is held at the Floyd Jones
ranch on Rhea creek some 12 miles south of Heppner. The table is
get with "vittles" from which the cowboys and cowgirls make
their selection. It is then a matter of rustling a place to eat and
the picture, taken by G- H. Dodson of The Picture Shop, shows
gome of the diners getting down close to nature for that purpose.
The weather man was not toojard Bryant, Mr and Mrs. Paul
kind, but the hardy souls brav
ing the chill winds had a grand
time at the annual Rhea Creek
Riot staged at the Floyd Jones
ranch Sunday. Some of the har
dier folk rode their saddle horses
to the ranch, while the majority
depended upon automotive equip
ment to arrive there. They were
greeted by the sponsoring com
mittee consisting of Mr. and Mns.
Floyd Jones, Mr. and Mrs.Cor
nett Green, Mr. and Mrs. How-
and Passenger
er wall and part of the frame
work had to be cut in drder to
remove him. The plane's nose
was buried right up to the cab.
Lexington residents most close
ly associated with Mrs.. Groves
are at a loss to understand why
she went up in the plane. She
had frequently expressed her
great fear of planes and flying
and it was reported that she re
marked just prior to entering the
plane that she had a feeling she
should stay out of it.
Stephens had been flying for
a number of years. He owned a
plane and made numerous trips
of a local nature and some into
other states. He was associated
with Bob Christian in operating
the Lexington airport and it is
o --i- - -
understood he did some weed
spray nying tor one or the com
panies operating in the county.
The Phelps Funeral Home had
charge of preparing the bodies
for shipment. Mrs. Stephens and
eons accompanied the body of
husband and father to Grange-
ville, Idaho, where services and
interment were to be held today.
Chapel services were held at
the Funeral home at 2 o'clock
Wednesday for Mrs. Groves, with
Rev. J. Palmer Sorlien officiat
ing. The body was shipped that
evening to New Sharon, Iowa for
interment. Maurice Groves, from
whom she was divorced in the
fall of 1950, accompanied the
body.
Betty Syrene Dunwoodie was
born July 22, 1918 at New Sha
ron, Iowa, the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Walter Dunwoodie.
With her husband and three chil
dren she came to Lexington
about three years ago. She is
survived by the children, Larry,
Maurine and Anita, and a bro
ther in Iowa.
Robert James Stephens was
born March 22, 1919 at Nitro, Va.
He is survived by his wife and
two sons, his mother, three sis
ters and one brother, all residents
of California.
OFFICERS ELECTED AT
SOROPTIMIST MEET TODAY
The first meeting in the month
is always a business meeting for
the Soroptimist club of Heppner
and the first meeting in May is
annual election day, so at to
day's business meeting Mrs.
Clara B. Gertson was elected
president to succeed Mrs. Frances
Mitchell. Others chosen were Mrs.
Joseph J. Hughes, vice president;
Mrs. W. C. Collins, recording sec
retary; Miss Leta Humphreys,
corresponding secretary; and Mrs.
John Saager reelected treasurer.
Mrs. Saager was elected regional
representative and Mrs- Oscar
George is the new board mem
ber for a period of three years.
Installation of the new offi
cers will be an event in June,
with the club's new year com
mencing July 1.
Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Loyd
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Beamer, and
Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Jones.
Immediately following lunch
the program started at the cor
rals. This included bending races
for youngsters and for men; calf
chasing, apple eating contest,
women's musical, rope race,
broom polo contest for young
sters, bareback rescue race, steer
decorating contest, and the final
event, a jackpot roping contest
MANY FISHERMEN PLY
STREAMS OF COUNTY
Many fishermen (and fisher
women) roamed the banks of
Morrow county streams on open
ing day. Not only were local
people out in numbers, but many
anglers were on hand from Her
miston, Pasco and other out-of-county
points.
No big catches were reported
but "Off icer Bill Labhart is of the
opinion that most of the fisher
folk got at least a few-
o
Overturning Car
Claims Life of
Man Monday Night
One man was killed and his
riding companion suffered minor
injuries in a highway accident
near milepost 160 just east of
the Morrow-Gilliam county line
Monday night. Killed was Leigh
ton Wayne Fields, owner of the
Bank hotel in The Dalles; in
jured was Maurice Conger of
The Dalles.
The car, a 1947 Buick convertible
coupe, was traveling towards
Pendleton and in attempting to
negotiate a curve at a fairly rap
id rate of speed, Fields lost con
trol of the machine and it rolled
over along the ditch and back
onto the highway a distance of
518 feet from where it left the
road.
Word of the accident was tele
phoned to Heppner and the
"White Angel" ambulance was
sent to bring Conger to the Pio
neer Memorial hospital where it
found he was not seriously in
jured. Mrs- Frank Wilkinson just
missed seeing the accident. She
was returning to Heppner from
the lambing camp at the mouth
of Sand Hollow about 9 o'clock
Monday evening and shortly af
ter reaching the highway was
detained temporarily while the
road was being opened for traffic.
o
Heppner Accorded
Rating of Two at
EO Band Contest
Heppner's school band, a. class
C group, was given a 2 rating
in La Grande Saturday when it
played in competition with oth
er bands of eastern Oregon and
southeastern Washington. Robert
Collins, director, is proud of the
band and the rating and feels
confident that another year will
see Heppner rating a one.
Some of the criticisms handed
down by the judges were a bit
difficult to take, Collins says,
calling to mind such as "too
many little folks" and "no
flutes." Yet, some of those little
folks playing in the quartet and
quintet ensembles helped said
ensembles to earn a rating of 1.
Friday evening's program con
sisted of selected ensembles
picked from the afternoon's con
tests. Both the quartet and quin
tet were selected to play but
time did not permit.
The French horn quartet con
sisting of Darlene Connor, Judy
Barger, Jerry Dougherty and Skio
'Ruhl, waB rated one. As was the
brass sextet, composed of Skip
Ruhl, David Cox, Jerry Dougher
ty, Dick Ruhl, Jack Monagle and
Forrest Burkenbine. The junior
division Clarinet trio, rating a
one is made up of Jay Sumner,
Delores Easter and Janice Martin.
Ratings of two were handed
out to the Clarinet trio, senior
division in which Jim Smith,
Lynda Borman and Jim Hayes
do the playing. Also the second
Clarinet trio composed of Sandra
Lanham, Sharon Becket and Jay
Sumner.
Heppner band also has two cor
net duos in the senior division
and each group rated a two. The
first pair are Mary Gunderson
and Mickey Lanham. The other
duo is Roger Palmer and David
Cox.
The Woodwind quintet, Jim
Smith, Lynda Borman, Edith
Morris, Darlene. Connor and Jim
Hayes, was another winner of a
two rating.
The Saxophone quartet, rat
ing a three is composed of Nancy
Davis, Peggy Wightman, Frances
Slocum and Jack Yeager.
Particular mention and praise
go to Pat Peck who accompanied
the duets
Ratings won by the Class C
bands are as follows: Umatilla,
Oregon and Kahlotus Wash., 1.
Heppner, 2 Elgin 3.
Out of the 50 local band mem
bers taking part in the big mu-
Rural Board Sets
Date For Vote on
Limitation Excess
Budget Calls For
$26,857 Less Than
1951 Tax Amount
The Rural School Board has set
May 17 as the date for the annual
election to vote to exceed the 6
limitation. The amount to be
raised by tax this year is $310,
156 as compared to $337,013 last
year. This means a reduction in
tax to be raised of $26,857.
The total disbursements have
been increased from $454,040 last
year to $475,433, or an increase
of 4.7 percent, the major increas
es being for salaries of teaching
personnel. The Rural Board al
lowed a recommended cost of
living increase of $200 per teach
er. The substantial increase in
the receipts from the basic school
fund from $74,290 to $106,885 and
the cash on hand which reflects
$20,000 from county land sales,
has- been instrumental in in
creasing the total receipts and
cash on hand from $124,762 last
year to$172,432 or an increase of
$47,670 which accounts for the
decrease in the total tax to be
raised next year-
Bus replacement funds are be
ing set up in each district that
owns its busses. This fund builds
up so that in six years the re
placement fund will be adequate
to buy new busses without mak
ing a special levy for any partic
uuar year.
The Rural board has been es
pecially pleased with the fine
work done by the local boards
and budget committees in the
preparation of budgets and the j
cooperative effort exerted to de
velop budgets adequate and yet
economical . School programs
have been expanded in recent
years requiring additional per
sonnel and special services. Phy
sical plants have been renovated,
lighting broupht to standard as
well as other improvements
made.
o
Henry Tetz Asked
To Serve at Youth
Meeting en Bend
More than 300 youth leaders
from 11 counties are expected to
attend the governor's area confer
ence on children and youth in
Bend Friday and Saturday ac
cording to a news dispatch from
the Deschutes city. Mrs. Alien!
Young, conference chairman,
has announced that R. E. Jewell,
Bend superintendent of schools,
and George L. Turner, local
youth councilors, both of whom
attended the White House con
ference on children this past win
ter, are assisting with prelimi
nary arrangements.
The two-day conference will
bring to Bend many of Oregon's
outstanding youth leaders, jur
ists, educators and medical men.
The conference will open Friday
evening and last through Sat
urday, with a banquet at the Pi
lot Butte Inn to be the conclud
ing feature.
Henry E. Tetz, Rural School
board clerk, has accepted an in
vitation to serve as chairman for
one of the discussion groups.
; o
Pilot Rock Takes
First in Heppner
Invitational Meet
Friday, April 27 was a big
day as far as track in the Hepp
ner schools was concerned, for
on that day 7 schools participat
ed in the 4th annual Heppner
invitational track meet which is
held at Heppner with track
teams from this corner of the
state invited-
Pilot Rock walked off with high
honors by scoring 45 points,
Heppner had 35 points for second
place, followed by Condon with
18; Helix with 11; Athena 7;
Ukiah 5 and Boardman 4.
Gary Connor was high point
scorer for Heppner by virtue of
taking firsts in the high Jump,
pole vault and 880 yard run.
o
Mr- and Mrs. Fred Rotzien re
turned to their home in Salem
this morning after visiting since
Monday at the Henry Schwarz
home. Mrs. Rotzien is a sister of
Mr. Schwarz.
Mrs. John Lane and son Bobbie
have returned to Denver where
Bobbie is taking treatment in the
Spears clinic. They left the fore
part of the week and will be gone
about two months.
sic fest Friday and Saturday 24
played in special goups.
Wreckage of Ill-Fared
r
These pictures of the Aeronca Chief plane were taken shortly after
the accident which cost the lives of R. J. Stephens and Mrs. Betty
Groves Sunday afternoon. Alex Thompson, attending the Rhea
Creek Riot a short distance below the wreck scene, brought his cam
era into play for several snapshots of the wreckage. The upper
picture shows the almost perpendicular landing made by the plane
and the lower is a view of the interior, showing the instrument
panel and the steering wheel.
Athletic Awards
Made to 40 Bays
At Annual Dinner
Jim Aiken and Bob
Officer Special
Guests at Affair
Men folk of the community
numbering more than 100 as
sembled around the banquet
tables at the Legion hall Wed
nesday evening to participate in
the dinner and program spon
sored by the Junior chamber of
commerce in behalf of the ath
letes of Heppner high school.
Loacn Jim AiKen 01 tne univer-i,
cit f nmn fthsii c.'S
and Trainer Bob Officer of the senior envision including those Wpririj "fc ,"HG .
same school, were the featured from 13 to 16 years old. ed te MtaTi st
S ere will be six $10 cash priz- Newburg and Thomw Johr!
schoolboys abrfu'rtherbrK afch f ion" To thethtW ' evSg tV9
ened the program with pictures dlv sln P 1&Ce wleis here j d st chLhn thL ,lthe telho
of athletic events in which U of wl1 be a trip to a U. S. forest 2's -church in that city with Rev.
O teams have participated dur-
ing the past season.
Supt. Leonard Pate and other
local men also made brief talks.
La Verne Van Marter was mas
ter of ceremonies
To Coach Hal Whitbeck fell
the task of presenting awards
to his athletes. The 40 boys re
ceiving letters included the
following:
Football, 3-year letters Cppt
; Melvin Pipor. Phil F-.ith. G ,.
Connor.. Two-year Ictterm-'n
Vern Bell, Marion Green, Lyle
&rEISeCr0me
Sumner, Keith Connor. One-year
ey Lanham, Junior Stout, John
Wagner, Albert Burkenbine, Roy
Taylor, Wesley Marlatt, Wendell
Connor, Kenneth Cutsforth, John
Mollahan, Ronald Taylor.
Basketball, two-year lettermen
Capt. Gary Connor, Marion
Green. One-year Keith Connor,
Jimmy Prock, Jimmy Smith, Roy
Taylor, Roland Taylor, Jack
Sumner.
Track, three-year lettermen
Capt. Marion Green, Gary Con
nor. Two-year lettermen Melvin
Piper, Elwayne Bergstrom, Wen
dell Connor. One-year lettermen
Roy Taylor, Jack Sumner, John
Wagner, Loyd Harshman, Jerry terans Administration has an
Settles, Bill Hughes. nounced-
manager awards rooiDau
basketball, track, Kenneth Eas
ter. Football, Emery Settles.
Basketball Russell Taylor.
o
Mr. and Mrs. John Bergstrom merit expense. This coming term,
and daughter Marilyn left by car the VA says, will be the last
today for the Willamette valley. : during which most veterans will
if.rg!.?-i11 lih!lbe Permitted to enter or re-enter
iviuuitio vvccn-iiiu ai viitun
State college where her son Ger
ald is a student and Mr. Berg
strom and Marilyn will visit in
Salem.
Plane
PJf
'' . ''Am
Green Guards Asked
To Participate in
Annual Poster Event
Morrow .county's hundred of
Green Guard members are being
invited to take part in the 7th
annual state-wide fire protection
poster contest sponsored each
year by the Keep Oregon Green
association.
The Green Guards, youth aux
iliary may enter contest posters
from May 1 to 31 inclusive ac
cording to Judge Garnet Barratt
county Keep Oregon Green chair
man. Green Guards will be divided
into two divisions: Junior divi
sion including all members from
- - ---- -
to 12 years ot age, and the
8 to 12 years of age, and the
ranger s headquarters, and hav
ing their cash prize presented
to them by Governor Douglas
McKay, who is president of the
association.
The size of the poster will be
11 x 14 inches; fire prevention
must be the theme and only one
entry by each contestant-
Aii - ..it o; Su.k.. y, May 6
iu jonii ii. cieri at 4j
SiMlS
,n h- nrpcon1.
Mrs. LaVerne Van Marter, her
mother, Mrs. Archie Ball, and
Mrs. Jesse c. Payne made a hur-
ried business trip to Portland
Sunday afternoon, returning ear-
Jy Tuesday morning.
DEADLINE FOR G.I. TRAINING
Oi.LY VHKKE MONTHS AWAY
nij uiy 2j deauline for start
. ii cuiatjo oi euuea
i imu L.u.n.ug for. must
'worm War il veterans is less
than three months awav. the Ve-
That date, which is established
1; w, should be kept in mind
by t.ll veterans planning to take
schooling or training at govern
G.I. Bill training.
The veteran actually must be
in training by the deadline if he
wants to continue afterwards.
7 ; ' rV 'v -s ,'JA
it 4f "V J
Women Of County
Well Represented
At Annual Festival
Luncheon Program
Highlights Home
Makers Activities
Women from all parts of the
county gathered in Heppner
Monday to participate in the an
nual Home Makers festival
which this year was held in the
pavilion at the Morrow county
fair grounds. Approximately 200
plates were served by the Meth
odist church women (with the as
sistance of their pastor, Rev. J
Palmer Sorlien.)
Mrs. Lucy E. Rodgers served as
toastmistress and started the ball
rolling by handing out a few
bouquets, especially to the mem
bers of the county court, all of
whom were present. She placed
special stress upon the fact that
the men in charge of the county's
business constitute the b-r--'
somest county court in ihe state
of Oregon. Several other guests
were introduced by Mrs. Rod-
Jgers and Mrs. Maud Casswell,
home demonstration agent.
The assemblage was privileged
to hear the Harmony club, men's
chorus of Heppner directed by
Oliver Creswick, with Mrs. Alfred
Boyer as accompanist. The men
had prepared three numbers but
had to sing four before the au
dience would let them go.
The festival is held as a con
clusion of the homemakers'
year's work. Sizeable delegations
were present from Irrigon, Board
man, lone, Lexington and the
Heppner area. It also serves as
an opportune time to outline the
new year's work which Mrs.
Casswell has been busy getting
into operation this week.
High lights of Monday's pro
gram was the address by the
State Home Economics Extension
council president, Mrs- Edgar F.
Leming. Mrs. Leming told of her
recent tour of Europe in the in
terest of world peace by working
with the women of foreign coun
tries. She also showed pictures
taken on her tour, showing home
life as well as scenic views.
After luncheon activities in
cluded music by the old time or
chestra, reports and discussions
along with the exhibits of the
year's accomplishments. Mrs. L.
A. Humphries was presented with
a pot of geraniums for being
the oldest mother present.
Among the special guests at
the luncheon was Eleanor Trin-
die, state extension agent from
Oregon State college.
o
HUGHES. 5Tfabvc vrwe
?"Vf"'?TEARNS VOWS
mai-j icauuig me ser
vice in the presence of relatives
and friends.
The altar was beautiful with
arrangements of apple blossoms,
almond blossoms, crab apple
blossoms and baskets of white
lilacs. The bride, given in mar
riage by her father, wore a street
length frock of sheer white nylon.
She is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Lloyd Stenrns. She is a
rhi-'mit nt Linf.-pH oolite ns is
'Vntimit' thdr cour. fM
on their return from
thoiv up-
a short
honeymoon at an Oretron henrh
The groom is the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph J. Hughes of
Heppner- He grew to young man
hood here, graduating from
Heppner high school where he
was prominent in athletics.
o
INFANT DIES
A baby girl born to Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Vincent at the Pioneer
Memorial hospital April 26th
died a few hours after birth.
Graveside services were held Sat
urday at the Heppner Mo6onic
cemetery, with Rev. J. Palmer
0
Mrs. Grace Turner, in company
with her son and daughter-ln-
law, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Tur
ner, departed for Port Angeles
Wash, today where Mrs. Turner
will make her home She has
been a resident of this section
for 30 years so expects to find
living on the west side of the
Cascades a much different ex
perience. o
Mis. Corda Saling suffered a
stroke at her home on Gale street
earl y this morning. She was re
moved to the Pioneer Memorial
hospital. Her condition is consid
ered grave.