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Columbia Basin Business o f the Year
Jeanne Berretta, Glen Ward and Jannie
Allen chosen Heppner citizens of the year
HEPPNER
50 <
Dr. Jeanne Berretta
Glen Ward
Jannie Allen
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VOL. 115_______NO. 3______ 8 Pages Wednesday, January 17, 1996,_______Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Fire destroys one of Heppner's oldest homes
Chamber president John Edmundson (I) presents Business of the Year award to Columbia Basin
Electric Cooperative board president Jerry Hollomon and CBEC manager Fred Toombs.
Dr. Jeanne Berretta was
selected the woman of the year
and Glen Ward, the man of the
year at the annual Heppner
Chamber of Commerce Town
and Country Day Celebration
held Thursday, January 11, at
the St. Patrick's Parish Hall in
Heppner.
Jannie Allen, Heppner
Elem entary teacher, was
chosen educator of the year and
Columbia Basin Electric Co-op,
business of the year.
Firemen work to douse the flames.
What may have been one of
H eppner's oldest homes,
located on south Chase Street,
was destroyed in a fire which
broke out around 11:25 a.m.
Monday, January 15.
According to Heppner Fire
Chief Rusty Estes and Fire Cap
tain Steve Rhea, the fire is
believed to have started in an
attic storage area. Rhea said
that children living in the home
were reported to have heard a
loud pop before the fire ignited.
Reports indicate that the
children tried to put the fire
out, but when the smoke
alarms in the house went off,
they went downstairs to their
mother.
The mother and children
escaped the house safely and
reportedly went to a neighbor's
home to call 911.
The family living in the
home, the John Fulton family,
were said to have moved from
lone only a week or so earlier.
Estes said that the home,
which is owned by Ron Forrar,
Hermiston, formerly of Hepp
ner, is totally destroyed. He
said that it is not yet certain
whether the house will be torn
down or burned by the Hepp
ner Fire Department.
Rhea said that the age and
construction of the house
hindered firefighters from get
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ting into the attic to put the fire
out, because it had tongue-in
grove lathe in the ceiling, but
also may have helped prevent
the ceiling from collapsing.
No other homes were
damaged, partly, said Rhea,
because the roof of the home
was higher than other roofs in
the area. One house nearby
was evacuated mainly because
of the smoke, which billowed
out of the upstairs windows of
the burning house.
Rhea and Estes said that lone
Fire Chief Jim Boor assisted, as
did Columbia Basin Electric.
Many citizens helped with
salvage, they said.
A hot spot in the roof flared
up again around 5:30 p.m. that
day and firefighters again
responded.
St. Patrick's auction committee
seeking donations for auction
tibles and antiques. In addition
Now that closets are full of to "treasures” , auction dona
new Christmas goodies, the St. tions may also include services
Patrick's Day auction commit or opportunities. Escorted hun
tee is seeking donations for the ting or riding trips, babysitting
St. Patrick's Day Auction.
services, garden care or home
The auction is the main fund repair work are all examples of
source for the St. Patrick's Day auction items.
Celebration. Although St. Pat
Volunteers are available to
rick's Day would not be possi pick up large items at homes or
ble without the dedicated ef businesses. Call Steve Rhea,
forts of many volunteers, 676-9113 days, Mike Mills,
several thousand dollars are re 676-9141 days, Dan Brosnan,
quired each year to cover ex 676-5382 days, or the Murrays,
penses for publicity, brochures, 676-9158 days or 676-9631 even
entertainment and facilities ings, to arrange for pick-up ser
rentals.
vice. Small items may be left
Items donated in prior years at the Kuhn, Spicer and Mills
include artwork, appliances, office on Main Street or at Dan
computers, furniture, collec
and Doris Brosnan's house.
Dr. Jeanne Berretta
Berretta and her husband,
Dr. Ed Berretta, have been
physicians in Heppner for the
past eight years.
Ironically, Berretta was born
in Heppner. Her mother and
father lived in Condon, where
he was the town's dentist.
After graduating from high
school in Condon, Dr. Jeanne
enrolled in a pre-med program
at St. Joseph College at West
Hartford, Connnecticut. She
received a bachelor of science
degree in biology there in 1975.
She attended medical school at
the University of North Dakota
School of Medicine and receiv
ed a bachelor of science degree
in medicine in 1977. From there
she enrolled at the University
of Alabama School of Medicine
and received her M.D. there in
1979. She completed her in
ternship at Good Samaritan
Hospital in Portland and her
residency in family medicine at
the East Carolina School of
Medicine (ECSM) in 1984. In
1985 she earned a fellowship in
geriatrics at ECSM in 1985. At
ECSM she was an assistant
professor in the school of fami
ly medicine.
The Berrettas moved to
Heppner in 1988. In addition to
working long hours at Pioneer
Memorial Clinic, the Berrettas
provide emergency coverage at
Pioneer Memorial Hospital
evenings, weekends, and
many holidays. "S h e is very
dedicated and has put in a lot
of long hard hours," com
mented Kevin Erich, Morrow
County Health District ad
ministrator. Erich remarked
about her concern for her pa
tients and the people in the
community.
The Berrettas have four
children,
G retchen,
a
sophomore at Portland State
University, Matt, a freshman at
Heppner High School, Vin
cent, a fourth grader at Hepp
ner Elementary, and Nick, a
first grader at HES, and one
grandchild.
An accomplished pianist, Dr.
Jeanne plays the piano and
organ at Hope Lutheran
Church in Heppner, where she
is a member and often fills in
at other churches. According to
the Rev. Stan Hoobing, pastor
at Hope Lutheran, Dr. Berret
ta even volunteered to play the
organ at a church in New York,
while she was on vacation. Ap
parently the two organists at
the church were sick and Dr.
Jeanne stepped in to help out
at the spur of the moment.
Each year at Christmas time
Dr. Jeanne has an open house
at her home for the residents of
Pioneer Memorial Nursing
Home. She plays the piano and
is often accompanied by local
musicians, Ann Murray and
Sharia Erich.
Dr. Berretta is also a teacher
at Friday School each week the
program is in session. Friday
School is a Christian education
program for children, spon
sored by Hope Lutheran,
United Methodist and All
Saints Episcopal Church,
which was formed when the
Morrow County School District
went to a four day student
week.
Glen Ward
Glen Ward was born in
Haines, Oregon, attending
elementary school in Haines
and graduating from high
school there. Following high
school, he joined the Navy.
After the Navy, he went to col
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Jannie Allen was born and
raised in Fossil, graduating
from Wheeler County High
School. She attended college at
the Oregon College of Educa
tion in Bend, now Western
Oregon State College, and
received a degree in elementary
education in 1974.
From 1974 to 1978, she and
her husband returned to Fossil
where both were teachers.
Allen taught the fourth grade.
;4 VV'V
continued page two
Our Winter Sale Circular Ends
Saturday, January 20th
Morrow County Grain Growers
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Jannie Allen
SHOP NOW AND SAVE
Lexington 989-8221
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lege at Oregon State Universi
ty and then began working at
his passion and life long oc
cupation, for the Oregon State
Game Commission, now the
Department of Fish and
Wildlife. He worked for 39
years for the state of Oregon,
most of the time in the Hepp
ner community. He retired in
1990,
and,
commented
presenter Bill Kuhn, "Everyone
misses his professional advice
and game slides and talks."
Ward and his wife, Joyce,
have three children, Ron of
Gresham, Sandra and Judy,
both of Hermiston, and four
grandchildren.
Over the years, Ward has
given "countless hours" to
community and youth ac
tivities, including coaching Lit
tle League, girls softball, swim
team and as a scout master for
a Boy Scout Troop. Five young
men in his troop became Eagle
Scouts.
Ward is a mainstay for the
local American Legion and has
been a member and secretary of
the Heppner Elks Club for 39
years. He also spent many
years on the city budget
committee.
Since retirement, Ward still
volunteers at the Elks Club dai
ly and cuts wood, which he
gives away to those who need
it or who can no longer cut their
own.
1-800-452-7396