Heppner gazette-times., July 22, 1992, Page THREE, Image 3

Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 22, 1992 - THREE
“D oc” remembered
Morrow County people recently lost a friend, a mentor, a healer,
a coach and a leader in community affairs. During his lifetime, Dr.
L.D. Tibbies touched many people’s lives. He began practice here
in 1934 and practiced continuously until his retirement in 1975. And
he continued to befriend others long after he retired.
When “ L.D .” and his wife. Lota, came to Heppner, they chose
to put down roots, rear a family and become a vital link in the com­
munity. As a struggling young physician during the depression days,
he soon developed a large practice before the local hospital was built.
Of the 800 or so babies he delivered, some of them were second
generation newcomers whose mother or father had also been delivered
by his hands. His extended family came to know and love their
“ Doc” .
Tibbies exemplified the era of the country doctor who made house
calls, day and night, to treat everyone from the young to the elderly.
It was before the age of specialized medicine and the technology of
modem diagnostic equipment that now helps to determine the ex­
istence and identity of many illnesses. Lacking that type of
sophisticated help, this wise and caring physician faced alone the
awesome decisions of when to treat the patient himself and when
to send the person to a medical center in a large city.
Medicine wasn’t the only focus in Tibbies’ life. He helped the town
grow by serving on the city council, one term as mayor. He was
a leader of the Heppner Chamber of Commerce. His involvement
led to developing a city swimming pool, the paving and lighting of
city streets.
A sportsman who seldom missed a game, Tibbies became a physi­
cian for the schools. Aspiring athletes were given free physical ex­
aminations and, often, free treatment for athletic injuries. During
summers he umpired Little League baseball games. Young minds
as well as bodies felt his influence as a member of the local school
board.
But when fishing or hunting seasons rolled around, he was one
of the first to gear up for those sports. His wife recalls having to
send word to his hunting camp so that he could return to assist with
an impending birth. His many hunting and fishing stories would fill
a book and those tales often reverberated throughout his office dur­
ing business hours.
During the last two years of his life he was hospitalized in Hepp­
ner with Parkinson’s Disease. This was a blow to those who had
received his assistance during family illnesses and tragedies. His con­
tribution to others as well as his immediate family is well versed in
the following essay written by his granddaughter Barbra Tibbies, who
is now a freshman at Stanford University. Her essay, written as a
high school senior in 1990 is an outstanding tribute to the celebra­
tion of a great life.
HHS one of top Shriner schools
Heppner High School is one of
the top schools, in the terms of
the number of players chosen, in
the 40-year history of the Oregon
East-West Shriners Hospital
benefit football game, according
to A.K. “ Lucky” Felt, ticket
sales coordinator.
HHS has had 32 players in 40
.years selected for the games. The
players are seniors from Oregon’s
A, A A and AAA schools.
In commemoration of the 40th
year of the games, a reunion has
been planned for all alumni,
coaches and their families Friday
and Saturday, August 7 and 8, in
Baker City. Besides the game and
pageant Saturday, other special
events have been planned.
All net proceeds from the game
go to help the Shriners treat
crippled and burned children free
and without any government
monies.
Helping the Shriners’ cause and
representing Heppner High
School over the past 40 years arc:
M arvin Conner and John
Wagner, 1952; John Sumner
1953; Jim Green ‘54; Larry
Groves and Ralph Marlatt ‘55;
Edward Brosnan ‘56; Jerry
Dougherty ‘57; Len Ray Schwarz
‘58; Ladd Henderson and Dick
Ruhl ‘59; Tom Driscoll ‘60; John
Porter ‘63; Tim Driscoll ‘66; Jim
Doherty ‘67; Lee Huson ‘70;
John Hall ‘71; Bernard Marshall
‘72; Bill Jepsen ‘73; John Boyer
‘74; Jerry Gentry ’75; Carl
Christman ‘77; Marty Smith ‘78;
Bryon Marlin ‘79; Dale Holland
‘80; John Murray ‘82; Wes
Marlatt ‘83; Duane Ball ‘88;
Richard Devin ‘89; Russell Britt
‘90; Rick Osmin ‘91; and Jim
Kindle ‘92.
A block of tickets at the Baker
High stadium has been set aside
for Heppner, Lexington and lone
boosters and a section is reserv­
ed for alumni and their families.
Call 676-5574 for reserved seat
tickets.
HAVE YOU
TRIED?
RJ’s Steak
House & Lounge
Reservations Accepted
Lexington, 989-8359
‘Doc’ Tibbies and his family
By Barbra Tibbies, 1990
The air smells of sincerity as
I make my way over the bridge,
enjoying a walk in the peace and
quiet of a small town in eastern
Oregon. I see it when I reach the
top of the bridge-its stone walls
standing tall and steady, its clock
tower keeping a protective watch
over the town. A monument of
strength, the Morrow County
Courthouse is a majestic sight that
controls the town in which my
grandparents have lived since
1934. Beyond is Cross Hill,
covered only with golden stalks
of wheat; and Willow Creek,
winding its way through the thin,
bare trees on either bank. As I
take in the sight before me 1 begin
to wonder what this courthouse
must have witnessed in its 88
years of existence, remaining the
only constant in an ever-changing
world. The courthouse has been
standing proud and tall for almost
a century while the town unceas­
ingly changed shape around it. I
can’t imagine anything that could
be as strong as this building made
of stone.
For as long as I can remember,
I have taken that walk during
every visit to my grandparents’
house. My grandfather and I step
out to enjoy each other’s com­
pany and talk about whatever is
on our minds. He tells me about
the trees, the flowers, the
weather; and teaches me how to
appreciate the beauty that sur­
rounds us. We stop to talk to
neighbors and friends and I hear
discussions about the fishing and
hunting seasons. As we continue
our walk, we are greeted by peo­
ple shouting, ‘Hi, Doc!” and tell­
ing me of the many times my
grandfather visited their homes to
treat an illness. I begin to feel
very privileged to be walking
alongside the man who has been
so important to so many people.
Everyone in town knows “ the
Doc” , and they all have a special
story about him to tell me. In
their eyes, and increasingly in
mine, he is a hero.
Last Christmas, my family
went up to visit my grandparents
again. This time, however, things
had changed: I had to take my
walk all by myself. You see, my
grandfather has Parkinson’s
disease and was not able to ac­
company me. He has been getting
progressively worse and worse
and this summer he was
hospitalized. He is still there to­
day, needing 24 hour supervision
and unable to walk without help.
His wit is still sharper than ever,
but he is frustrated with growing
old.
As I took my walk all alone, I
looked at the trees and flowers
and sniffed the air to see what the
weather was like. I remembered
the things my grandfather had
taught me and the stories he had
told. I thought about how
everything had changed and about
how I could never regain those
moments with my grandad. Then
I reached the top of the bridge and
I saw it-standing tall and beautiful
before me. I stopped and looked
at the courthouse, and all I could
see was my grandfather’s face.
There he was, watching over the
town and caring for it when it was
not well. The building’s strength
could almost be compared to my
grandfather’s determination in
giving others (and now, struggl­
ing to keep) the gift of life. My
grandfather is the most well-
known and well-loved person in
the town, just as the courthouse
is the most striking and
memorable sight for miles
around. It was true, I thought, I
will never be able to go back to
the way things used to be. But I
realized that the courthouse
holds, deep within its chambers,
all my fond memories of my
grandfather. And nothing can
take them away from me.
Come And Meet Your
Candidate For
State Representative, District 59
STEVE
EFFELMAN
at Kate’s Pizza
July 25 at 10:00 a.m.
Authorized by Uffelman for representative, 915 Crest Drive, Prineville, OR 97754
Take a look at the
NEW 1992
OLDSMOBILE
DELTA-88, 4 dr
Gentry takes
first at
Prineville
Jerry Gentry, Heppner, took
the calf roping at Prineville on Ju­
ly 11 and 12 with a winning time
of 9.3 seconds. “ There’s lots of
action to report on the rodeo trail
as the season advances,” says a
spokesperson for the Morrow
County Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo.
The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
committee is selling tickets on a
half beef donated by Morrow
County Livestock Growers.
Tickets may be purchased from
any committee member or from
the Morrow County Fair and
Oregon Pro Rodeo queen Jenni
Ashbeck and her court.
The Morrow County All
Around saddle made by Rich
Boyer of Hermiston, will once
again be donated by Gardner's
Men’s Wear. “ We are looking
forward to seeing everyone at the
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo, August
22 and 2 3 ,”
said the
spokesperson.
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Up to 24 months
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for terms of 25-48 months
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676-5017
164 N. Main, Heppner
34
Take Home
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Hours
Sun.-Thurs. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fri. 6 Sat. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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