Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 11, 1994 - FIVE
Simolv the Best... ________
By Anne Morter
When a tragic automobile ac
cident claimed the life of Jason
Halvorsen on April 24, 1994, he
had only 16 years on this earth,
but in that short time, he touch
ed the lives and hearts of many.
His funeral was evidence of that
as approximately 700 people
packed the lone High School gym
to say their last goodbyes and
lend support to a grief-stricken
Halvorsen family.
His death touched so many and
hit them so hard. Fellow high
school students came from all
over for the very unnatural ritual
of saying farewell to one of their
own.
Students came by the bus load
and the car load, representing all
the schools in the Big Sky con
ference as well as Heppner,
Umatilla, Hermiston, and Stan
field. These were young adults
who Jason had touched with his
easy going personality, his quick
and quirky sense of humor and
his competitive spirit in the sports
arena. They cried and hugged and
held each other. And maybe
before the day was through, they
found a small smile or laugh as
they remembered good times they
had shared with Jason.
Also filling the gym were
heartsick relatives, friends of the
family, neighbors and acquain
tances, all feeling a small bit of
the Halvorsens’ excruciating loss.
Many in attendance knew Jason
only from the stands while he
played basketball or football but
they came and mourned with
heavy hearts. To see a young man
with so much promise go at this
tender age, there was no other
way to feel that day.
The same gym where Jason and
his teammates delighted crowds
with fast-paced basketball, was
unnaturally still and solemn.
Mountains of floral arrangements
surrounded the casket, along with
Jason’s basketball jersey, number
44, and his letterman’s jacket.
Behind the basketball Jason had
guarded for just two short
seasons, a banner summed up the
feelings of many, “ Simply The
Best” .
Jason’s teammates from both
football and basketball paid
tribute to him as casket bearers
and honorary bearers. Football
coaches Del LaRue and Dean
Robinson followed the shaken
young men to their seats. Their
grief was not far below the sur
face as they struggled to deal with
their loss.
The Reverend Lea Mathieu
conducted the touching service in
a calm, soothing voice that belied
her own pain. She tried to make
sense of the ordeal. “ I wish I
were a wiser better person,” she
said. “ I wish I could tell you why
joyful, loving, witty human be
ings die at 16, but 1 don’t have
a clue.”
She said that if she were God
she would make sure they lived
a long time because “ God knows,
we need more of them.”
Mathieu rememberd Jason’s
sense of humor. She shared a
story she had been told where
Jason and some friends were talk
ing about death. Jason had said
that “ you will know when I tell
God a good joke because it will
rain.” She pointed out that rain
had fallen several times since the
accident.
Jason was also known for his
willingness to help and kindness
to others. As a member of the
lone Youth Group, Jason had
recently made the annual service
trip to the Burnside area of
Portland, his third. Lea read what
Jason had written about the trip
and one of his favorite stops.
Loaves and Fishes. “ Serving lun
ches at Loaves and Fishes was
quite an experience. One thing 1
was surprised to see was the
amount of people that weren't
homeless, they were there just to
talk and that is all they have. Ser
ving lunch there was an enjoyable
exprience for me," he wrote. She
also remembered at the last youth
group meeting, the leaders ask
ed for volunteers for a fund rais
ing project for the service agen
cies in Portland. She said Jason’s
hand came up without hesitation
and he volunteered to go and to
represent the whole group.
Mathieu also recounted Jason's
A tribute to Jason Halvorsen
LOAVES
& FISH
E
601 Wesi-Burnside
226-1906
Helping the hom eless
J a s o n enjoyed basketball
determination and commitment.
As examples, she gave his sports
honors and his placement on the
honor roll. “ He was a credit to
everything he was involved in,”
she said.
The service was concluded
with the prayer of St. Francis of
Assisi. “ I chose this because it
talks about Jason—love, faith,
hope, light and jo y .”
Since the funeral, many people
have spoken about what a fine
young man Jason was with so
much promise as an athlete, a stu
dent and a person.
Youth group leader, Jeri
McElligott said Jason was “ the
type of kid open to any situation.
He would do anything that was
asked.” She said he always saw
the humor in things making him
a joy to be around. Both Jeri and
Jaso n ’s
m other
C athy,
remembered an episode at the
Loaves and Fishes Senior Citizen
Center during the recent service
trip to Portland. Cathy and a
group including Jason showed up
to work there and while she went
to locate the director, she left the
teens milling uncomfortably. But
not Jason. She returned minutes
later to find him plunked in the
front row of the TV chairs wat
ching “ The Price Is Right” with
the old folks, and loving every
minute of it. “ He felt very com
fortable there. It was one of his
favorite spots,” said Cathy.
Jason was a very committed
iw
student. His name was a fixture
on the A or B honor roll at lone
schools. He was due to be in
ducted into the National Honor
Society within the next few
weeks. He served on the Creating
the Future C om m unication
Group, a school district-wide
committee that made recommen
dations to Creating the Future
Leadership Group as they work
ed to develop a mission statement
for the district.
lone English teacher Jim Rai-
ble, says Jason was “ a rare treat
in class. ’ ’ He was a conscientious
student, always making sure
assignments were done and turn
ed in, but more importantly, he
used his flair to make the learn
ing fun. “ He stands out more in
my mind in Spanish class,” said
Raible. The students are en
couraged to get into character and
communicate the language, rather
than just piece a bunch of foreign
words together. “ Jason was
always willing to speak as loud
ly as possible and get into
character. He was com
municating and having fun doing
it, even if the Spanish was
sometimes wrong,” he added.
Raible remembers Jason’s flair
for exaggerating things to comic
proportions and his ability to play
things up. “ Everyone seems to
remember, no matter what he was
doing, he made it fun,” said
Raible.
W hile
Jason
enjoyed
academics, it could be said he had
a passion for sports. In the
basketball season ending in
March, he led the team in block
ed shots and was the second
leading scorer and rebounder. He
was named to the First Team All
League and his teammates chose
him as the team’s Most Valuable
Player. He was on the varsity
team both his freshman and
sophomore year and secured a
starter’s spot and improved his
game tremendously during his
sophomore year. “ He was an ex
cellent player,” said Del LaRue,
Jason’s coach. “ He was steady,
a real stabilizing force. He wasn’t
there yet, but he had the poten
tial to be the best kid I ever coach
ed. He loved the game. He
always had a basketball in his
hands,” said LaRue.
At the conclusion of the high
school season, with a showing at
the state tournament, Jason was
asked to join an age group AAU
team, composed of boys from
Helix, Hermiston, Stanfield and
lone girls outdistance Heppner in meet Stanfield
By Anne Morter
shuts out
lone
The lone girls won all but two
events to outdistance Heppner in
a dual meet last Tuesday, May 3
in Heppner, while the boys won
11 events to win a three way meet
going on at the same time. Hepp
ner placed second in both meets.
Some good performances were
reported at the meet. Melissa
McElligott jumped 164% ” in the
long jump and 35’ 1V4 ” in the tri
ple jump. She also won the 100
in 13.5 and the 200 in 28.6. Jamie
Lovett recorded a 111 ’7” discus
throw, a new area best. Becky
Wagenblast jumped 4 ’10” to
finish second to Traci Dicken
son’s 4 1 1 ” , both good efforts.
On the boy’s side, Lars
K rechting won the discus
112’0 ” , the javelin 148' 1 ’’ and
the high jump 6 ’2” .
Event winners are as follows:
Girls: javelin, April Taylor;
shot Jamie Lovett; long jump
McElligott; high jump, Dicken
son; triple jump McElligott; 400
relay, Heppner; 1500, Mindy
Qualls; 100, McElligott; 400
LaRee Anderson; 100 hurdles,
Stephanie Haguewood; 800,
Becky
W agenblast;
200,
McElligott; 300 hurdles Dicken
son; 3000, Kim Bedortha; 1600
relay, lone.
Boys: long jump, Len Brittner;
discus, javelin and high jump
Krechting; shot, Tony Becket;
400 relay, lone; 1500 Will Parm;
100 Reynolds, Echo; 400,
Logan; 110 hurdles and 200,
Ashbeck; 800, Taylor; 300
hurdles, David Michael; 3000,
Crum; 1600 relay, lone.
lone track teams warm up for district
By Anne Morter
The lone track teams warmed
up for district last weekend with
a pre-district meet held at
Umatilla on Saturday, May 7. As
temperatures soared into the 90’s,
the girls tallied 110 points good
for second place while the boys
scored 53 to place fifth.
In g irl’s action, M elissa
McElligott was the only winner
of the day for the Cardinals, tak
ing the triple jump in 34’ Vi ” The
Pilot Rock girls edged in three
other events as McElligott plac
ed second in the 100 in 13.28, the
200 in 27.33 and the long jump
in 14 ’ 6 Vi ” . Becky Wagenblast
and April Taylor each snagged
two seconds. Wagenblast was se
cond in the high jump at 4 ’8" and
the 800 in 2:39.83. Taylor threw
the javelin 105’4 ” and ran
5:25:49 in the 1500; Jamie Lovett
was second in the discus at
107’ %” .
For the boys, Lars Krechting
won two events and placed in two
others as he continued to pace the
team. He won the high jump at
6’5” and the javelin with a throw
of 155’1” . He was third in the
pole vault at 10’6 ” and placed
sixth in the 110 high hurdles in
17.92. Jared Ashbeck was fourth
lone Legion auxiliary plans luncheon
By Anne Morter
The lone American Legion
Auxiliary will hold an election
day luncheon on Tuesday, May
17 at the Legion Hall in lone.
Lunch will be served from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. Homemade pie
and coffee will be available from
10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The lunch menu consists of
three types of sandwiches, made
fresh to order, as well as
homemade potato salad, pie and
coffee. The full meal price is
$5.75 or items may be purchas
ed ala carte.
American Legion poppies and
crosses will also be available that
day. Poppies are by donation.
Crosses are $5 each.
Roy Lindstrom receives 50 year pin
Roy W. L indstron was
presented his 50 year pin by the
lone Masoniuc Lodge No. 120
A.F. & A.M. recently.
The presentation was made by
Edwin Asher, district deputy of
District No. 30 from Fossil.
Lindstrom served as worshipful
master in 1959. Shortly after that
he was elected treasurer, in which
office he served until 1991. when
he resigned becuase of ill health.
in the 100(11.72) the 200(24.4)
the 110 hurdles (16.99), and
helped the short relay to a fourth
place finish.
Other Cardinal results are:
g irls, shot, Lovett, third;
1500-Minster, fifth, Tworek,
sixth;
400-L .
A nderson;
800-Minster, sixth; discus-T.
Anderson, fifth; 300 hurdles,
H aguew ood,
third;
3000-Bedortha, third, Tworek,
fourth; 1600 relay-lone, third.
Boys: high jump. J. Bacon,
sixth; 1500, Crum, sixth; 400,
Bacon, sixth; 800. Taylor, fifth;
3000 Crum, fifth, 1600 relay,
lone, fifth.
WCCC Ladies
Ladies Day
May 10
Flight A: low gross-Pat Ed-
mundson; low net-Jan Paustian;
least putts-Anita Boyer; long
drive-Jan Paustian: KP-Pat Ed-
mundson; chip in-Jan Paustian
#13, Pat Edmundson #13; birdie-
Jan Paustian #13.
Flight B: low gross-Carol Nor
ris; low net-Norma French; least
putts-Kay Anderson; long drive-
Norma French.
Flight C: low gross-Doll
Campbell; low net-Linda Schultz;
least putts-Joyce Dinkins; long
drive-Linda Schultz.
By Anne Morter
The lone girls tennis teams suf
fered a shut-out at the hands of
Stanfield last Tuesday, May 3, in
lone, losing all five matches.
In singles play, Lisa Monkus
defeated Heidi Orem, 6-0, 6-3.
Saluna Godinez downed Jessi
Stefani 8-1 and Kristi Holcomb
defeated Laurel Temple 8-1.
In doubles. Temple and Celeste
Owen fell to Dawn Evans and
Diana Bartoscsyk 6-0, 6*1 and
Camie Crumand Angie Ball lost
to Amy Morris and Amber
Kinlock 3-8.
J a s o n H alvorsen
Hood River. He moved from his
customary post position to guard
and found great success. The
team played games and tour
naments in Pendleton, Mission,
La Grande, Helix, Spokane,
Chehalis and Kellogg, ID. And
while he was playing basketball
he was rapidly improving on the
Cardinal track team, recording
one of his best discus throws in
the area the day before his d^ath.
Jason also played football, star
ting during his sophomore year in
the offensive and defensive guard
positions. He was named to the
honorable mention selection for
both positions during the 1993
season. He told his mother once
that even though he loved basket
ball, football was his favorite.
LaRue said that Jason had some
great natural ability but that he
was also a hard worker. “ He was
just a good kid,” he said.
His mother describes Jason as
a boy who “ pretty much liked to
do everything.” He liked the out
doors and enjoyed camping with
his friends, although they never
got too far from home. He liked
to water ski, snowmobile, ride
the four-wheeler and his motor
cycle. He tried deep sea fishing
once and loved it. “ He did a lot
of things in 16 years,” says
Cathy.
Lea Mathieu said what many
already knew, “ he was a great
kid. Everybody liked him. He
was funny and a joy to be with.”
Mathieu says that she and her
husband had talked well before
the accident, that if they had a
son, they wanted him to be like
Jason. “ He was an energetic,
vibrant sort of person. He had a
very unusual maturity for so
meone that age,” she said.
Nothing anyone can say or do
will ease the pain for Jason’s
family, parents Frank and Cathy,
brother Ryan, sister Allison,
grandparents, Pete and Laurel
Cannon and Dot Halvorsen, and
all the rest. Hopefully they can
find some comfort in the fact that
Jason enjoyed his short stay on
earth fully and touched so many
lives in the process. The com
munity grieves with them. He
will be missed.
Heidi Orem places in contest
By Anne Morter
Heidi Orem placed second in
the electronic calculator division
at the recent state convention of
the Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA) held April
28-30 at the Portland Hilton.
Orem, in her third trip to state,
earned the trip by winning the
regional contest. Laurel Temple
also competed at state in the
business communications division
on the basis of a fourth place
finish in the region.
lone is the only school in the
Morrow County district to have
an FBLA chapter. It is one of the
few clubs that is totally self-
funded, according to advisor
Sarah Rucker. Funds are raised
by the members operating a
school store during lunch time.
This is the fourth year for the club
and students have advanced to
state each year.
“ This is our highest award
received so far,” said Rucker of
Orem’s second place. “ It was a
good trip, a good experience for
the kids,” she added.
Tygh Valley Rodeo slated May 21 & 22
The 45th annual Tygh Valley
All Indian Rodeo will be held at
the Tywama Saddle Club grounds
in Tygh Valley on May 21 and
22. The event will kick off Fri
day night. May 20, with a
western dance at the club hall at
9 p.m. Another dance will be
held in the arena at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
night,
w eather
permitting.
Rodeo time, both Saturday and
Sunday will be 1 p.m Sunday
morning a Buckaroo Breakfast
will begin at 6:30 a.m. Other
featured events include a mounted
parade. Native American craft
booths, hand craft booths,
cowboy church, food conces
sions. Davis show carnival,
camper parking and a beer
garden.
For more information call
775-4684 or 544-3371.