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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 26, 2004)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 26,2004 - THREE Obituaries Clayton A. Shaw C layton A. Shaw, 84, of Corvallis, died May 21,2004. A priv ate fam ily service was held May 25 at F irst U nited M ethodist Church in Corvallis. Shaw was bom July 28,1919, in Yakima, WA, to A lbert S. and A nna Rae M cC ulley Shaw. He graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1937 and from Oregon State College, class of 1941. W hile at O regon State, he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and was active in intercollegiate sports o f basketball and baseball. He w as c alled to activ e A rm y duty in December 1941, and spent 39 months of World War II in Northern Australia, New G uinea, The N etherlands E ast Indies and the P h ilip p in e Islan d s o f Mindoro and Mindanao. He returned to the United States in July 1945, and on A ug. 5, 1945, married Harriet Elizabeth Hager in Heppner. In 1946, he accepted a commission in the regular Army and from then until the summer of 1969 spent tours of duty, accompanied by his family when possible, in various continental Army posts, Korea and Germany. He concluded his military service as the Professor of Military Science at Oregon State University in August 1969; w hereupon he accepted the position of assistant registrar and served until July 1981. He is survived by his wife, Harriet; son, Steven M Shaw; brother, Robert D. Shaw ; and four g ra n d c h ild re n . He was preceded in death by son, Robert W. Shaw, infant son, Kevin James and brother, Wesley R. Shaw. M e m o r i a l contributions may be made to the R obert W. Shaw M em orial S ch o larsh ip Fund, d o OSU Foundation. Michael “Scott” Strouse M ichael “ S c o tt” Strouse, 47, of Heppner, died Monday, May 17,2004, at his home of cancer. A memorial service was held M ay 24 at the Church of Jesus Christ of L atter-d ay S aints in Lexington. A gathering for fam ily and friends w ill follow at the Heppner Elks Lodge. Strouse was born Dec. 31,1956, at Woodbum, to Harry R. and Burma Gass Strouse. He attended Baker City Grade School for two y ears then finished his ed u catio n in H arrisburg where he graduated from high school. He enlisted in the Army and served for four years, then, following an ho norable d ischarge, he went to work for the Oregon State Highway Department in 1980. On Dec. 2, 1980, he married Celita L. West at Eugene. He had worked at several locations throughout the state before settling in Heppner in 1992. He enjoyed hunting deer and elk and took an active role in coaching a Little League softball team. He had been a member of the Elks Lodge and Willow Creek Country Club at Heppner. Survivors include his wife, Celita Strouse; son, Elliot and daughters, Aleea and Kathryn, all of Heppner; parents, Harry R. and Burma Strouse of Pahrump, NV; brothers, Harry J. Strouse and Robert Strouse, both of Santiam Junction; and sister, Denise Likens of Roseburg. M e m o r i a l contributions may be made to the A m erican C ancer Society, Oregon Division, 0330 S.W. Curry, Portland, OR 97201. Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner is in charge of arrangements. Virgil Ray Pettigrew V irgil Ray Pettigrew, 60, a longtime B oardm an b usinessm an, died Sunday, May 16, 2004, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston from complications of diabetes. A graveside service was held M ay 20, at R iverview C em etery in Boardman with a gathering for family and friends held at the family home. He was born Dec. 11, 1943, at G lenw ood Springs, CO, to Virgil C. and Helen Robertson Pettigrew. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Karen; daughter, Brenda Dobbins, and husband Mark, and their c h ild re n Tatum and C am eron; son, A nthony P ettigrew , and w ife, Rachelle, and their children, Colton and McKenzie; and by his brother, Walt and sister, Peggy. He was preceded in death by his parents and a younger sister. M e m o r i a l contributions may be made to the Boardman Ambulance Service or Morrow County Hospice. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements. Students at HES are wild about learning Heppner Elementary S c h o o l’s annual Awards N ight is set for Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held in the HES gym and a ju n g le them e proves th at the students are surely wild about learning. A w ards w ill be presented to students in g rad es K -6. The final presentations of the evening will be the highly anticipated P resid e n tia l A cadem ic Awards to students in sixth grade. F ollow in g the e v e n in g ’s celeb ratio n of HES stu d en ts and th eir accomplishment, guests are in v ited to enjoy re fre sh m en ts in the c a fe te ria . The pu b lic is encouraged to attend. In the footsteps of his father By Mark Morical of The Bulletin April 27,2004 the most interest in him, [E d ito r’s N ote: W ally Backman, Jr. is the grandson of Sam and Ida Backman of lone. The story about Wally Jr., was published April 27, 2004 in The B u lletin , located in Bend.] W hat’s in a name? S o m e t i m e s ev ery th in g . S o m etim es nothing. It’s strange, though, how we’re often defined by our names. How we see a person’s name and make im m ediate ju d g m en ts o f who that person is and what he or she is like. H e re ’s a nam e: Wally Backman. To many, it may have no m eaning. To a baseball fan or major-league sco u t, i t ’s the scrappy second baseman who won a World Series with the New York Mets in 1986 and also played for M innesota, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Seattle in a 16-year major league career. So when a scout is looking at a high school prospect with that very same name, he is bound to do a double take. Wally Backman Jr. has made numerous scouts do double takes. His name gets the scout through the door, his numbers and talent make the scout stay. The y o u n g er Backman is having a stellar senior season as a shortstop and clo sin g p itc h e r for Crook County High School, batting .490 with 13 runs batted in, six stolen bases and five saves on the mound w ith a 1.47 earn ed run av erag e. H e ’s led the Cowboys to a 10-3 record and a tie for second place in the In term o u n tain Conference. “ I t ’s fu n n y ,” the younger Backman says. “I don’t know if I get a lot more attention because of my dad. But a lot of people (scouts) get on the subject about him and we hit it off from there. It has had a big impact on my life. I feel fortunate.” The elder Backman is currently managing in the m inors, h ead in g up the Lancaster JetH aw ks- the A rizona D iam o n d b ack s’ entry in the C lass A California League. In 1977, W ally Backm an Sr. was in the same place his son is now, being drooled over by scouts and aw aitin g b a se b a ll’s amateur draft in early June. He was the Mets’ No. 1 pick, the 13th selection overall. He says his son could be a high draft pick as well. “I feel he’s going to go pretty high from the things I’ve heard through the grapevine in a lot of different organizations,” the elder Backman says. The clubs showing according to his father, are the D odgers, D iam ondbacks, C ubs, Royals and Rangers. S couts love the younger Backman’s strong, 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound frame, and they’re eyeing his p o ten tial as a fiv e-to o l shortstop- one who hits for average and with power, and who has foot speed, solid arm strength and defensive prowess. “He has the ability,” Backman, the father, says. “Not because I’m his dad, but if I was looking at him as a scout. He has the tools and his dad has nothing to do w ith that, oth er than giving him good genes.” The y o u n g er B ackm an has lived as “Wally Backman’s son” his entire 18 years. He says baseball is the only career path he’s ever considered. He admits the pressure of being his old man’s son has g otten the best o f him before, but now at one of the most critical junctures of his young career- he is trying to forget about who his father is and ju st help lead the Cowboys to the IMC title and the state playoffs. “I used to be like, ‘I have to prove to everybody I ’m as good as my dad w as,” ’ Backman says. “I know my dad was good. But this year... I have to put that stuff aside and I gotta play my own game.” “There’s days when he’s thinking too much, and we try to put it back in perspective,” says Crook County coach Dean Stiles. “His dad has schooled him well in everything else.” Stiles says he feels fortunate to have a player of young Backman’s talents- and strength- on his team. He mentions how his star often squeezes tennis balls to build his forearms, and apparently it works. “I ’ve never seen a kid or man with forearms like his,” Stiles says. “It’s like tapping on a two-by- four.” But Stiles is also quick to d iscu ss young B ack m an ’s extrem e dedication to the game and strong c h arac te r as a p erso n ab le high school stu d en t and com m itted leader on the squad. “ H e’s a real gregarious, outgoing kid,” Stiles says. “He has a lot of talent, and realizes that, but he’s not content. He always wants early work, late work, extra batting practice. That becomes infectious to the other kids. I had to kick them off the field the other night. I was tired o f h itting fungoes.” The younger Backman probably gets his drive from his father, who is remembered as a hustling, gritty, hard-working second lone United Church of Christ 42nd ANNUAL AUCTION & BARBECUE C U ST O M B A N N E R S basem an. W ally S r.’s managing duties require him to be gone from home in P rin ev ille from M arch th ro u g h Septem ber, but during the winter he spends countless hours with his son, teaching him the intricacies of the game that allowed him to m ain tain a long career in the big leagues. “In the off-season, we have long chats,” Wally Jr. says. “ W e’ll break everything down piece by piece and spend hours on it.” But one thing his father taught him can’t be measured by statistics or by a scout’s stopwatch or radar gun. “He always told me, ‘It’s all in the heart,” ’ the younger Backman recalls. “He always played the game with his heart, and that’s what he taught me.” College is another optio n for the younger Backman, and several major universities are interested in him , including A rizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, W ashington and UCLA, according to his father and Stiles. If he d o e sn ’t get drafted as high as he’d like, then college will become more enticing. “I would advise him to go to co lleg e if h e ’s drafted low, but the ultimate decision is his,” Wally Sr. says. His son is just happy that his father is there to help him with the decision. “I’m trying to do the right thing,” Wally Jr. says. “I’m glad I have my dad for that. He knows what the right thing is going to be. H e’s keeping my options pretty open for me.” Father and son are extrem ely supportive o f each other at this time in their Lives, talking on the phone two to three times a day. The son is trying to make it to the big leagues, and so is the father, as a m anager. W hile they encourage each other now, if they ever end up in opposing dugouts, it could be trouble. “We always joke,” says Wally Sr. “I’ll tell him, ‘I’ll manage against you, and the first time you come up I’m gonna have my pitcher drill y o u .’ We have that rivalry.” But before he can get such a m ajor-league welcome from his dad, the younger Backman knows he has much work ahead of him. He says if he does get drafted and plays in the minors, he’ll have to work that much harder knowing there’s somebody behind him trying to take his place. Along the way, he’ll lean on his father, whose major- league career was built on hard work, dedication and just plain love of the game. “ I w ant to play baseball fo rev e r,” says Wally Jr. “It’d be so nice to do something you love your whole life and then retire. Playing b a se b a ll’s something I want to do for the rest of my life.” O f course it is. Just look at his name. Over the Tee Cup The ladies of Willow C reek C ountry C lub gathered in windy, rainy conditions on Tuesday, May 18 for O ver the Tee Cup play. Pat Edmundson took low gross o f the field . Lorrene Montgomery, Loa H enderson and B etty Carlson tied for low net of the field. Least putts of the field w ent to B etty Christman. In flig h t A, Jan Paustain took low gross, Corol Mitchell took low net; and Virginia Grant took least putts. In flight B, Luvilla Sonstegard took low gross. In flight C, Kandy Boyd took low gross; Pat Doherty took low net and Dorris Graves took least putts. Christman also had a birdie and a KP on hole 13. »¿»it » U ilj'M U Heppner Babe Ruth Baseball Golf Tournament The Heppner Babe Ruth B aseb all G o lf Tournament will be held on Sunday, May 30 at Willow Creek Country Club. It is a four-man/woman scramble. The cost is $25 per person. The caddie auction will be held at 8 a.m. and g olfing starts at 9 a.m. Lunch will be provided. '(Selceme Ta Tfie Annual \ § g ra y ■ y x i1 Saturday & Sunday, May 29th • 30th cpatur&ay, ¿Day S9 tfr. Buckeroo Breakfast from 6 a.m.-12 noon Eastern Oregon Half-Marathon begins at 8 a.m. Rodeo Parade starts at 11 a.m. RODEO BEGINS AT 1 p.m. $un9ay, ¿Day 5<9frt: Buckeroo Breakfast from 6 a.m.-12 noon Cowboy Church Service at 9 a.m. (rodeo grandstands) RODEO BEGINS AT 1 p.m. TrtonA £/ou T a Q ur Tallowing fy o n to r t: - (Sflute fyontor $lgnt - Lone Elk (Spray) T Willow Bend (Spray) i Kim berly C enter (Kim berly) River Bend Retreat (Spray) i Real Estate Outback (Spray) River Bend Motel (Spray) i Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo (H eppner) Western Ranch Custom Leather and W oodwork (Redm ond) - Tence R e n te r §lgnt - Prineville Menis Wear (Prineville) I Colum bia Power C o-O p (M onum ent) Les Schwab Tire Center (Heppner) I Morrow County G rain Growers (Lexington) Eckman Construction, Inc (Heppner) T G ardner Enterprises. Inc (John Day) Fossil General Mercantile (Fossil) i Tyrhotan Big R. Inc (Klam ath Falls) Roger Britt Excavating (Heppner) I W oodpecker Truck (Pendleton) Ted Britt Logging (Heppner) I M ichaels ot O regon (O regon City) Fossil Fuel (Fossil) T Wilson Retreat (Fossil) i Century Tel Phone Com pany Bucknume Tavern (Heppner) i Service C reek Stage Stop Lary WoM Resort (Spray) i Trails End Farm Supplies (Condon) Wheeler County Fair and Rodeo i Pettyjohn is Building Supply (Heppner) ~ Avert ontort - Team Roping • Stanley Ranch LLC (Fossil) Breakaway Roping - Bank ot Eastern Oregon Heppner Gazette 676-9228 - Tlag lone School District Board Vacancy F aith , Fun & Fellow ship! Persons living in lone, Oregon interested in serving on the lone School Board of Directors, please contact Tami Peterson, 2001 S.W. Nye, Pendleton, OR 97801 or call 1-800-522-8396 ext. 3102, for an application. This position will run through June 30, 2005. Applications must be received at above address by 4:30 p.m. on June 16, 2004. S a t u r d a y , J u n e 5th Willows Grange Hall, lone, OR Country S tore A A ntiques 1 0 A M & AUCTION 10:30 AM PH Bmrbmquw B — f D in n e r 12:30 P M Adults $6 00 6-12 Years $3 00 Pn-School Fnol ontort ~ Pendleton Grain Growers i Jim Doherty Construction (Spray) Willow Bend Espresso and Gifts (Spray) i Bank of Eastern Oregon (H eppner) Wheeler County News (Spray) i Las Schwab (H eppner) T Corncob Ranch (Spray) JAZ River Shuttles (Spray) i M ichaels of O regon (O regon C ity) - 6ucWe ontort - Les Schwab (John Day ) T W ilson R etreat (Fossil) Lone Elk Market and Deli (Spray) i M ichaels of Oregon (O regon C ity) River Bend Retreat and M otel (Spray) i Stanley Ranch LLC (Fossil) Chet Petersen Ins (Pnnevtlle) i W heeler County Fair and Rodeo - fWI-faouni $adHt — O R Johnson Lum ber Co and 4J Ranch ALSO THANK YOU TO radio six Hors KJ0Y (John Oay). KRCO (Pnnvevda). Beal Country fHemxdon) and KCMB-KWBL (LaGranda). and Dodga Dealer FronHar Motors m LaGranda
