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Lesley celebrates
M CGG Customer Appreciation Day
his 100th birthday
By Merlyn Robinson
HEPPNER
îmes
VOL. 115
NO. 6______ 12 Pages Wednesday, February 7, 1996,______ Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Fire destroys home on Chase Street
Firemen drag burned furniture out of house.
Fifteen Heppner Volunteer
Firemen and three pumpers
responded to a house fire at 465
S. Chase Street in Heppner
around 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5.
Heppner Fire Marshal Forrie
Burkenbine said that the fire
call was turned in by a neigh
bor and the fire department
took only three minutes to res
pond to the scene.
Burkenbine said that the
house was “totalled” by smoke
and heat damage that ruined
the wiring, walls, paper, paint
and floors.
Burkenbine said that the pro
bable first source of ignition
was the upholstery, but officials
are not yet sure what caused
the upholstery to ignite. “The
cause is undetermined," said
Burkenbine.
Heppner Fire Chief Rusty
Estes said that the house had
been purchased by the Hender
son family from Sweet Home
several days earlier. Estes said
that Henderson had been
weatherizing the house when
a window broke and he got
glass in his eye. Apparently
Henderson was just returning
from the hospital around 5
p.m. when the fire broke out.
Estes said that all the Hen
derson family's large appli
ances were destroyed in the
fire.
HE DC honors board members Green, Spicer and Hyatt
“ Seen it all" aptly describes
Huston (Hoot) Lesley's life dur
ing the past 100 years of monu
mental changes. This centen
arian turned 100 on Feb. 1.
Perhaps hard work, clean liv
ing with high moral standards,
plus a peppery temperament
has helped endow this man
with longevity. Best of all,
Huston and his young 94-year-
old bride, Marie, share over 76
years of married life and they
continue to live at their Hard
man residence where they have
been since 1945.
Bom in 18%, this World War
I veteran began life on the fami
ly farm near Monument where
his Scottish ancestors had settl
ed. Ranch youngsters in those
days were a vital part of the
farm labor, all done manually
using horse and mule power.
Huston's education began in
the typical one-room school-
house of those days. Like
others, he quit school and went
to work full-time at age 15. In
addition to ranch work, he be
came a protege on the county
: road crew. When a road was
carved through the narrow
Heppner High School seniors, Dodie Givens (left) and Colin Ander
gorge of the John Day River,
son, help prepare Morrow County Grain Growers for their annual
Customer Appreciation Day, Saturday, Feb. 10, from 8 a.m. to
Huston had attained "powder
noon.
monkey" expertise and set
dynamite blasts in the sheer
The Morrow County Grain with dealer displays and de
rock walls of that area.
Growers will hold its annual monstrations. You can also take
Huston also became a self-
taught mechanic as automo Customer Appreciation Day your chance at winning one of
this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 the many door prizes to be
biles became prevalent. He also
noon.
given away. Everyone is wel
operated stage routes over
The day starts off with a free come to attend.
primitive roads of that era.
Huston was 21 when he enter pancake breakfast, followed
ed the Army during World War
I in 1917. He became a corporal
in charge of training younger Money-Hi, local old-timer, passes away
men. His unit was transferred
to Hawaii and the war ended
before he was engaged in active
combat in Europe.
Perhaps it was the sight of a
tall, dashing figure in a uniform
that helped him to meet his
future bride when he attended
a dance following military ser
vice. He and Marie Legler were
married on Labor Day 1919.
Their honeymoon trip was a
campout in the mountains via
a secondhand Model T Ford
purchased for $85. A rainstorm
and a car that lacked power for
climbing hills might have
dampened the honeymoon,
but not their marriage.
In those difficult times, ranch
hands earned a dollar a day.
, ‘
^ —
Marie helped by cooking for
crews. When Huston drove
Money-Hi saw last winter.
stage route between Long
Creek and Kimberly, they
Money-Hi, a 36 year old him at the Spray and Fossil
bought a home in Canyon Ci thoroughbred horse belonging rodeos.
"Many friends, who remem
ty for $400.
to George and Anna Mae
bered
him from his racing days,
The Lesleys also lived in Mt.
Steagall of Heppner, succum-
have
often asked about him
Vernon for five years where ed to old age and a bitter winter
and
passers-by
in the last two
they owned a service station this past week.
to
three
years
began
to notice
and garage. A home on the out
Money-Hi was a member of
"The
Old
Fellow
on
the
HU1"
skirts of town accommodated the Steagall family since he was
and
marvelled
at
his
longevity
home-grown produce and two years old. He was a famil
helped to provide necessities iar sight to the public on the of life ," said Anna Mae.
for their family that included Steagall's mini-ranch outside of "Though not a record for age,
three daughters. They also liv Heppner for the last 27 years. he was unique."
Money-Hi had the run of the
ed for a time in Moscow, Idaho The Steagalls moved to Hepp
where Huston worked at ner from Lexington in 1968, ranch and daily made himself
welcome to the lawn by open
machinery maintenance.
bringing Money-Hi with them.
ing the gate and helping
The prospect of making more
Steagall raced Money-Hi in
money lured them to the Port his younger years at the Hepp- himself, she said. His many
land and Vancouver shipyards ner/Morrow County rodeos years of friendship and fun he
during World War II. Eventual and the Morrow County Der gave to his master earned him
ly they became tired of the "rat by (long since dropped from this privilege.
"H e will be missed," said
race" as the Portland area grew the show). Steagall also raced
Anna Mae.
and they decided to return to
their rural roots.
Before crossing the Blue
Mountains, they ran out of gas
at Hardman. The opportunity
An Oregon Department of pilot car.
to purchase the combination
Transportation
(ODOT) con
Construction will consist of
store, gas station and post of
struction
project
is
scheduled to an emulsified asphalt concrete
fice building came their way
and they decided to stay. Marie begin at Ruggs approximately leveling, emulsified asphalt oil
was postmistress for 21 years 10 miles south and west of mat, produce stock pile mate
until rural mail delivery routes Heppner on Highway 207. The rials (sanding rock) and the in
stallation of guardrail and metal
closed the Hardman Post Office project will extend for 15 miles
in 1968. Huston pumped gas and end at Anson Wright Park. snow fence.
ODOT has awarded the con
and did vehicle repairs. Closure The contract completion date
struction
contract to Vail Con
of the store at this later date for this project is Sept. 30.
struction
of
Pasco, Washington.
When construction begins,
allowed them time for travels.
Val
Construction
was the suc
However, they have continued the public can expect minor
cessful
bidder
for
the project
to live in their cozy home inside traffic delays and one-way traf
with
a
total
bid
of
$883,114.50.
this building with only minimal fic controlled by flaggers and a
outside help.
.
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Road construction to begin at Ruggs
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FREE Pancake Breakfast
(L-R) Cliff Green, Pat Hyatt and Anne Spicer.
Three retiring members of
the Heppner Economic Devel
opment Commission board of
t
directors were honored at the
annual HEDC meeting held in
Heppner last Wednesday.
Cliff Green, Anne Spicer and
Pat Hyatt were presented with
plaques of appreciation for their
past work on the board of
directors.
C u s t o m e r A p p r e c ia t io n D a y
Saturday, February 10th 8 a.m. to Noon
Lexington, Oregon
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221
1-800-452-7396
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