Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 1977)
.-.St ; . SIX The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, December 22, 1977 Katherine Farrar :very special grandma By ElaneBlanchet "You always find nice people if you just reach out your hand," says Katherine Farrar, the 82-year-old poet whose verses periodically liven up the Gazette-Times editorial page. This philosophy appears to have permeated Katherine's life up to her newest chapter, life in Heppner. She came to Morrow County in January, 1976, soon after her husband's death in Junction City. "People here have never made me feel like a stranger; everyone calls me by my first name," Katherine commented. She likes the way everyone talks to everyone else in the street in Heppner, comparing Eastern Oregon friendliness with that she knew in the Midwest before moving to Junction City from Nebraska with her husband Lester, "an old Packard, a trailer, three girls and a dog", 41 years ago. Katherine, raised by her grandparents in Nebraska, was a school teacher for 12 years before her marriage, starting in a rural one-room school. "I still love to have children around me," she commented. "That's why I taughi school, because I love children and they seemed to come to me." Katherine remembers "good, happy times" as a first grade teacher in Fairmont, Neb., and says she still receives Christmas cards from students she taught 60 years ago. Katherine married Lester Farrar, a farmer, in 1925, ending her teaching career. Drought conditions drove the family to Oregon in 1936, where they settled outside Junction City. The Farrar's oldest daughter, Mary married Dave McLeod and the couDle settled in Heppner, paving Katherine's future move to Morrow County. "I told Lester that if he left me first, "I know where I'll go, I'll go to Heppner," Katherine said. Though physically slowed down by arthritis, Katherine's lively mind and sharp memory might be envied by a much younger person. "My grandmother lived to be 99 years and 4 months and my great-grandmother lived to 99 years, 11 months," she commented. Katherine still loves children and feels blessed with 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. "Lester and I were married 51 years", she said. "With four generations in our family, we never saw the generation gap." When the McLeod family moved recently to Portland after Dave was promoted to the state ASCS office, Katherine said, "I'd made up my mind to stay right here as long as my health holds out. I like small towns, I like it here." The Toy Box The lonely toy box, Sits in the corner Sometimes gathers dust The tin soldiers creak with rust. The big red drum has a broken stick. Can't go, "Boom! Boom Boom!" To lead the soldiers in gay Parade, Around the room. The big big humming top Wants to spin round and "roun" Wishes for tiny hands to push up and down The once proud train is broken apart Engine can't "Toot!" Can't even start. The dump truck That hauled so many loads of sand Longs for the touch of a small boy's grubby hand. The girl toys are lonely too. All feel so alone and blue. The pretty tea set with pink roses painted on. Is asking "Where have the tea parties gone?" The dollies are there, and stare! Tears in their eyes and tousled hair. No one to comb that tousled head. No one to tie a pony tail With ribbon red. The ABC blocks so carefully placed Wait hour by hour For busy hands To build a tall, tall tower Add to these A worn story book or two. Read many times by Grand mother through and through, Ah yes A lonely toy box! What precious memories it brings, Of tiny tots and cluttered playthings. by Katherine R. Farrar m jci Jfi- 3 WHEN A HEARING AID WILL HELP JOE SINGLETON 414 S.E.Dorian St. Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone (503)276-3266 rtmMa(HSMHMBMHBMlw jj Q a Mi DEPBRTHEHT STORE 9 Hi m Katherine spends her time reading, doing housework, tending her plants, visiting friends, writing 15-20 letters a week, watching television in the evening and, of course, writing poetry. She remembered that she "messed around with poetry as a kid", but the first poem she kept was written by inspiration on a kleenex during a train ride getween Arlington and Portland after a visit with the McLeods in 1947. The first one ever published was submitted as a surprise by friends to the paper in Wheatland, Wyoming when she was 79. Her first poem appearing in the Gazette-Times was boxed on the front page in the Sept. 2, 1976 issue, entitled "School Very First Day." It had been submitted as an 81st birthday surprise by Mary McLeod. Katherine's poems have since been an irregular feature in the Times. Katherine insists that she is "just an ordinary person" but a card she recently received from a small great-granddaughter in California may describe her more accurately. It was addressed to "A Speshl Grandma". ' 7. nr ; -KS- Mi MEN'S Christopher Rea 676-9460 Heppner 676-9218 HJEflR fit : Si Hi fit fit Thank you for shopping with us this year. p.ii . ": .- $ : ik1 ',i'f V7 Business I MEDICAL SUPPLIES REFRIGERATION TITLE INSURANCE MACHINERY REPAIR HERMISTON DRUG M & L REFRIGERATION MORROW COUNTY Miller & Sons Welding, Inc. Service-Troubleshooting ABSTRACT & TITLE CO. A Free prescription Industrial-Commercial . . Mail Service. Home Air Conditioning l! T7lnuT Heating-Appliances Title Insurance Steel & Aluminum Open9a.m.to7p.m. Ammonia and Control Office in Peters Bldg. Steel & Bolts in Stock Specialist 123 Lynden Way - Heppner Gifts for all occasions. Mike Kane 989-8574 0pen 8-6 "Shop 676-9613 Snack Bar LeoraKane 676-9662 676-"12 Heppner Mon-Sat Home 676-5519 FURNITURE HOME REPAIR INSURANCE - - n Ti THI5 5PAf P UMATILLA READY-MIX RAYBOYCE gfl 0 I THI5 5PA" jftCfa INSURANCE AGENCY WILCOX FURNITURE RENT wSUai ti ,.u . . AND APPLIANCES Health Fire, Auto, marine PER MONTH Group Plans See us before you buy your mwnin Open every weekday, color TV or stereo system. and Saturdays 4 Sundays RayBoyce 676-5384 254 W. Hermiston Ave. CALL 676-9228 if necessary. 567-2201 Hermiston Ph. 676-9406 or 989-8467 676-9625 Heppner MONUMENTS FURNITURE LAUNDROMAT THIS SPACE SWEENEY MORTUARY ' ' HOUSf o DISCOUNTS j ' . -. TViT FOR RENT Cemetery, grave markers. j -)f Sgy Granite, Marble, Bronze Curtis-Mathes TV ltM to BED unuTU 24-Hr.phone Quasar TV, Norge & VgQ 8 PtK MQN1H 676-9600 or 676-9226 Admiral appliances. Ml f) Also serving lone & ' Largest selection of HM if CALL 676-9228 Lexington , furniture in the area. MainSt Heppner 2200 N.F. Hermiston HEPPNER Heppner P.O. Box 97 567-8960 LAUNDROMAT ' AUTOMOTIVE MEDICAL SUPPLIES BEAUTY PARLOR BUILDING SUPPLIES MEDICAL CENTER n"""" " " " Serving all this area PHARMACY Dnnna'c r-nr See us for all your for over 20 years. .,. uuillld 5 I tllU? 1 building supplies Free mailing service on I 1 AMPi 1 ... . vv " JONES RADIATOR prescriptions. TUESDAY KMiPJ We feaf.re Boysen PamU. SERVICE Hospital Supplies- WKDNKSDA Y"- Open Mon.-Fri., 9-6 p.m. FRIDAY TUM-A-LUM LUMBER Sat. 9-1 p.m. CO ' 1315 North 1st St. Located in the Medical Appointment not n... d.d... Tim MoQre M Hermiston, OR 97838 Center, 1100 Southgate, ...but appreciated 7fi-s:i:i 432 SE Dorian 276-6221 Ph. 567-6916 Pendleton 276-1531 :mo K. Aiken or 7-!I!mmi PENDI.KTON OPTOMETRIST AUTOMOTIVE FLOOR COVERING PRINTING-", DR. E.K. SCHAFFITZ SHERREIX CHEVROLET M&R FLOOR COVERING WEDDING INVITATIONS Optometrist Carpet, linoleum, ceramic f-"j ; tile, kitchen cabineU. BUSINESS FORMS JSmmJ Free estimates. , PRINTED ENVELOPES Next to Hotel Heppner k J All work guaranteed. entrance. BUSINESS CARDS Complete Sales & Matt Hughes Service 422 Linden Way GAZETTE-TIMES r 676-9465 Heppner 3rd&Main 'Hermiston 676-9418 Heppner 676-9228 676-94 ''"' mmmmimmm m"-ini.w.nM...J . , , , , , , n , , , up mTnrrirrTrirTrnirTTTTr i n 1 1 1 1 nnwn 1 1 1 " numi imiiu. .j,h hi u ll.u. jl... jl iL.mjoiLijj j iuw jmimmwiniim i ' During the week between Tuesday, Dec. 13 and Tues day, Dec. 20, eight patients were admitted to Pioneer Memorial Hospital. Heppnerites Brian Siminoe, Mike Saling, Tom Kinney, Heather Nelson and Elvira Irby were admitted and dis missed during the week, as was William Hoffman of Port Hill, Idaho. Herman Havekost of lone was still a patient on Tuesday. After taking an extended vacation, the Morrow County stork dropped off two blue baby bundles at Pioneer Memorial Hospital in recent days as early Christmas presents. Mr. and Mrs, Gordon Lewis Cecil of Heppner are the proud W LIVE IF PLAINS ij 9 p.m. to 2 .NEW I WAGON tl CAH & ( Hospital Notes j parents of a son, Raymond Lewis, born on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 5:48 a.m. He weighed in at 9 pounds 4Vi ounces and joins brother Craig in the Cecil home. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Cecil of Pendle ton. Great grandparents include Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Welch, Salt Lake City, Utah; William Jones, Pendleton; and Ruby Hastings, Milton-Freewater. A son named Brandon Jason joined the family of Mr. and Mrs Carl Wavne Staley of i Heppner on Friday, Dec. 16, a 90 n m. weiehine in at i pounds, Vk ounces. A big sister welcomed little Bran don home. Grandparents of the new MUSIC AND THE MEM a.m. YEARS EVE MMl LOUNGl Directory Staiev addition include Char- lene oinun, nxiei, new Mexi co; William E. McDonald, Durango, Colorado; and Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Staley, Los Angeles, Calif. Great-grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Tracy Bushnell, San Diego, Calif.; Mr. and Mrs. Ralston Ray, Hesperus, Colo.; and Mr. and Mrs. John H. Smith, Farmington, N M., Brandon has one great-great-grandmother, Mrs. Granny Ward, San Diego, Calif. c : . u A ... X '. If : CLASSIFIEDS WORK FOR YOU 676-9228 r V llfJW' pfn, " II 41 i i, , e-.m- -1.. flpJH
