Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 9, 1999)
Chuck Starr ends 36-year career 'J P E S S I E OF 0 R £ E W S P A P - R E U G E N E OR '/ 1 E T L I & 7 HEPPNER Chuck Starr imes VOL. 118______ NO. 23 8 Pages Wednesday, June 9 , 1999 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon School's out The students of Heppner Elementary teacher Karen Clough (right) enjoy a tour of the Heppner Fire Hall on the last day of school for Morrow County students Friday, June 4. pp n re nan on Pool's open Chris Hickerson (left) and Josh Shank, both sight, try out the water during opening day at the Willow Creek Waterpark Saturday In Heppner. Old style rendezvous starts next week Don't be surprised if you think you are traveling back in time next week. Over 1000 people are expected to come through Heppner next week on their way to re enactment of an early 1800s rendezvous about 15 miles from town on property owned by Dick Wilkenson on Arbuckle road. Organizers of the rendezvous say people should start coming into town on their way to the event around June 16 and 17. The rendezvous runs from June 18-27. The event is not open to the public. All participants in the rendezvous have to pass a strict dress code that looks like what was wom by trappers, fur traders and others around the early 1800s. "On Sunday (June 20) all the vehicles leave and we lock the gates," said one of the organizers of the annual event. The rendezvous is held in a different place each year and attracts people from all over the country as well as Canada. The fist rendezvous was held in 1991, and includes children to people 80 years old. Morrow County School District Superintendent Chuck Starr is ending his 36-year career in education June 30. Starr has been a teacher, coach, college professor, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in his career and is now ready to devote more time to his family and his fishing and hunting. Starr, 58, was bom in Oakland, CA, and spent most of his younger years in southern Idaho. He moved to Oregon in 1956 and graduated from West Linn High School in 1959. After graduation, he went to the University of Oregon on a full- ride football scholarship. His football coach at the U of 0 was Len Casanova. Assistant coach was John Robinson, long-time head coach at the University of Southern California and for the LA Rams. In his sophomore year, Stan- transferred to Lewis and Clark College in Portland, attending on both football and academic scholarships. He graduated with honors from Lewis and Clark in 1963, receiving a bachelor of science degree, majonng in math, health and physical education. in 1961, he married Deena, his high school sweetheart. Starr began his teaching career at his alma mater, West Linn High School, where he taught math, health and PE and coached football, wrestling and track. Starr laughs that his first teaching contract, for 1963-64, was for $4,866 a year -- $4,500 for the teaching position and $366 for coaching three sports. In 1966, he won a fellowship to return to the U of 0 to work on a doctorate. He received his master's degree in 1967 and in 1969 was hired as a professor at Pacific University at Forest Grove, where he taught teachers, aspiring teachers and graduate students. He was also head track coach and assistant football coach. At the end of his third year at Pacific, he was named chairman of the education division over any department which prepared students to become teachers. In 1972, Starr decided to move to Heppner where he taught math at Heppner High School and was head football and track coach and was JV basketball coach for one year. In 1976, Starr was hired as principal at lone High School and from 1985 to 1989 was the Morrow County School District assistant superintendent. In 1989 he was hired as superintendent at Central Linn, which is south of Albany. In 1993 he returned to Morrow County as superintendent. Starr says that of all his accomplishments, he is proudest of his family, his wife and two sons, both of whom became teachers. His son Terry teaches fourth grade and coaches football in Pendleton. He and his wife, Debbi, have two boys. His son Denny teaches math and science for grades seven through 12 and is head football and track coach and athletic director at Spray. Denny and his wife, Darlene have four sons. Starr says he has thoroughly enjoyed his career in education. "I've had the pleasure of teaching and working with wonderful teachers, who have given thousands of students the best education possible. I've had the pleasure of working with dedi cat ed s ecret ari es, custodians, bus drivers, educational assistants, cooks, and maintenance people who have been important members of the education team. I've had the pleasure of working with a great bunch of administrators and board members who have helped ensure that it all happened." Starr was reminded of the quality of the Morrow County School District's educational program when he watched the graduations at lone, Heppner, and Riverside high schools again this year. "I saw 104 seniors graduate and earn nearly $300,000 in scholarships for post-high school training and education," said Starr "It made me feel proud to be a part of preparing them for the future." He says that he and his wife are planning a trip to Victoria, B.C., after his retirement. Then they plan to continue living at lone, with lots of trips to Pendleton, and Spray to watch grandsons' activities. He says he will be too busy fishing and hunting to take on the "domestic" jobs Deena has planned for him in the near future. Three doctors looking at Heppner The Morrow County Health District board of directors heard a report Monday night that the district is negotiating with three doctors to come to Morrow County. The doctors, two of whom are man and wife, are nearly completed with their residency training and are looking for a place to practice. Health District Administrator Sheila Dahlman reported that she is currently negotiating with the doctors. The board also heard from Suzanne Jepsen of the Assisted Living board of directors. Jepsen said that the board's attempts to obtain grant money to build an assisted living facility had hit a snag following a survey that did not turn up enough demand for an assisted living center in Heppner. An assisted living center is a facility below the care of the nursing home, but above that of senior housing like the St. Patrick's Senior Center. Jepsen was exploring the possibility of sharing services with the hospital in an attempt to cut the cost of the living center now that grant money apparently is not available. The health board instructed Dahlman to discuss the possibility of shared services with the assisted living board further. Home Health nurse Molly Rhea brought a draft policy and procedure manual covering Physician Assisted Suicide to the health district board for review. The manual covers what a home health nurse is to do if a patient inquires about Physician Assisted Suicide. The law in Oregon now makes it legal for a physician to prescribe pills for a patient to commit suicide. Much discussion was held on what the home health's role, responsibility and obligations are if someone under their care asks about assisted suicide. The health district board and members of the audience discussed how much help and information home health nurses should be required to give people about assisted suicide. Rhea was instructed to make several changes to the policy and report back to the board. In other business the board heard that the hospital is losing about $30,000 per month, and that year to date figures are not that much better than last year. It was reported that revenue has been up for in patient care, but down for outpatient. It was also reported that the health district's Boardman clinic has been closed and will not be reopened. Cowboy receives injuries Word was received over the weekend of the serious injury ot professional rodeo cowboy, Sheldon Ayres, son of Phil Ayres and Debbie Richelderfer, both former residents ot Heppner. Sheldon sustained a neck fracture and spinal cord injuries when his bareback horse went over backwards with him at a pro-rodeo in Englewood, CO. He was life-flighted to Swedish Memorial Hospital in Denver, where he underwent several hours of surgery. He remains in serious, but stable condition in the intensive care unit. When Sheldon is not rodeoing, he makes his living tagging wildlife in several western states, including Alaska. Sheldon won the bareback event at the 1997 Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo. Cards and letters may be sent to him in care of Swedish Memorial Hospital, 501 E. 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