Chuck Starr ends 36-year career
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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.
Hampton Avenue, Englewood.
CO 80110.
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