TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE:
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid
at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax
(541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25
senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student
subscriptions.
David Sykes ..............................................................................................Publisher
Bobbi Gordon................................................................................................ Editor
Giselle Moses.........................................................................................Advertising
All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.
For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.25 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to
100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.05 per column inch.
For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for pub-
lication must be specified. Affidavits must be required at the time of submission. Affidavits
require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be
specified if required).
For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to
meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines
or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space
for the obituary.
For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner
GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone
number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. The GT is not
responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will
be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10.
~ Letters to the Editor ~
The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following
criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name
of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you
provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The
address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be
printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the
right to edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in
letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under
“Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10.
Do masks protect?
To the Editor,
There is great confu-
sion and frustration over
the Governor’s dictates to
“make the people safe from
COVID-19.” Presently all
Oregonians are mandated
to wear masks in public.
A COVID-19 mandated
vaccine is in the works
with a reported tracking
device. Also in the works
is mandated digital dollar
to replace cash. All these
government dictates come
with a pledge to keep us
safe. Our schools are closed
for the same excuse, to
keep our kids safe from
COVID-19.
Who are we to trust?
Are we to trust the national
press and media that push
the COVID panic and fear
button daily, as they push
their destroy Trump agen-
da? How about trusting
Governor Brown as she
releases dangerous felons
from prisons and exhorts
BLM and Antifa rioters to
destroy and desecrate our
businesses, institutions and
heritage? Are we to trust the
WHO, CDC and Dr. Fauci
as their projections and
analysis constantly change
always on the side of more
Socialist government con-
trol?
Do the mandated masks
protect the user and the
public? There have been
no blind controlled peer
reviewed empirical or sci-
entific studies to verify.
General public masks have
never been required before
for virus protection, ever.
There is anecdotal evidence
both pro and con, however
empirical evidence proves
these mandated masks
have no positive impact on
COVID-19. In Africa with
1.2 billion citizens and very
few masks there have been
less than 22,000 deaths. In
India with minimal masks
and 1.4 billion citizens there
has been 20,600 deaths to
COVID-19. Same in Ban-
gladesh, South America,
Philippines and all over
the world. The worst cases
of COVID-19 occur where
masks are required.
What about closing our
schools? In Oregon there
has not been a death from
COVID-19 under the age
of 35. There is no scientific
or empirical evidence that
our youth will contract or
spread COVID-19 nor is
their evidence of adult to
Obituaries
Michael G. Smith
Michael G. Smith, 70, and baseball, lettering in
of Bend, passed away in all three
Sisters, OR on July 8 from
After graduation Mike,
injuries sustained in a mo- or Smitty as he was known
torcycle accident earli-
to his friends, at-
er in the day. A grave-
tended Lane Com-
side service will be
munity College
held Saturday, July 18
in Eugene for a
at 1 p.m. at the Heppner
short time. He re-
Masonic Cemetery. As
turned to Heppner
per Oregon guidelines,
in 1971 and started
any in attendance must Michael G.
working at Kinzua
Smith
wear a mask.
Corporation as a
Mike was born
lumber grader. He
April 20, 1950 at Baker played slow pitch baseball
City, OR to Lennadell and for a local league until a
Glenn Smith. The fami- knee injury during a game
ly lived in Pondosa, OR kept him from playing per-
where Glenn worked for manently. Mike traveled to
the Collins Lumber co. Europe in the 70’s, bought
While living in Pondosa, an old van in Amsterdam,
each summer the family drove through several coun-
would pack with horses into tries with a friend and de-
the high lakes for fishing cided Greece was the most
and camping trips. Many beautiful country of all. He
memories were made from had the travel bug.
those trips. In 1955 the
Mike’s favorite pas-
Smith family moved to times were hunting, fish-
Heppner where Glenn took ing, riding his Harley and
a position as head sawyer sports. He could be found
with Kinzua Corporation. fishing the streams or the
Mike attended Heppner el- Columbia River with his
ementary and high schools, father Glenn. Occasionally
graduating in 1969. During they would go to the coast
his high school years, he and fish “for the big ones.”
played football, basketball For years he hunted deer
and elk in the high lakes
above Baker City with fam-
youth transmission. There ily and friends.
In 1981 Mike married
is no valid reason to close
our schools. Time to stand Patty Huddleston. They
later divorced.
for our youth.
Mike was an avid sup-
Is there a valid reason
to continue the police state porter of Heppner High
COVID-19 dictates in Or- School sports, wheth-
egon? On July 7, the CDC er watching his nieces or
admitted the death rate nephew or friends’ children
(USA) for COVID-19 has play. He was always there
gone down for ten straight to cheer the teams on. He
weeks and was about to be was also an avid “O” Ore-
removed from pandemic gon supporter.
Due to medical re-
status. The positive num-
bers have increased because straints, Mike retired from
the testing has and will mill work around 2007.
He moved to Tumalo, out-
continue to increase.
America is on fire and side Bend, in 2008, living
our way of life, our his- “across the field” from his
torical heritage is under sister until his passing.
Mike was a member of
assault by those that despise
America, our institutions, the Heppner Elks Lodge.
our Constitution and our While living in Tumalo he
free enterprise way of life. rode with several Harley
America has allowed the groups, making trips to
God of our forefathers to be Canada, Montana and Hells
removed, along with prayer, Canyon to name a few. He
the Bible, the Ten Com- participated in the Teddy
mandments and the sanctity Bear run with the Bend
of life. Evil, Communism/ Harley group, picking up
Marxism, hedonism, racism donations of teddy bears
in the form of BLM and around Christmas for dis-
Antifa, has filled the void. advantaged children and
Those that yield their liber- he rode in numerous poker
ty for government promised runs each year to help the
Veterans Association.
safety will have neither.
He was preceded in
Stand my fellow Amer-
icans for God and Country. death by his parents, Len-
Stuart Dick, Morrow nadell and Glenn Smith. He
is survived by sister, Judy
County
Knight, (Gordon); niec-
es, Kimberle Wright and
Nance Keeney (Chanz);
nephew, Brent Wright (Na-
dia); several great nieces
and nephews and his be-
loved dog, Sugar.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the donor’s
charity of choice.
Sweeney Mortuary of
Heppner is in care of ar-
rangements. You may sign
the online condolence book
at www.sweeneymortuary.
com
Garrett Eugene
Wilhelm
Garrett Eugene Wil-
helm, Heppner and Pilot
Rock, was born De-
cember 11, 1977
and passed away
April 4, 2020, pass-
ing away peaceful-
ly at his parent’s
house, mother
Debbie McCall and Garrett
stepfather Daryl. He Eugene
Wilhelm
had been on hospice
for around a year.
Garrett was diagnosed
with brain cancer approxi-
mately six years prior to his
death. He was told that his
life expectancy would be
around three years. He went
through three brain surger-
ies, radiation and chemo in
hopes to slow down the can-
cer. He wanted to see both
of his boys graduate from
high school. Garrett raised
both of his boys, Lane and
Wyatt, the best that he could
by himself.
Garrett worked most
of his adult live in the oil
fields and timber industry.
According to his family,
when he was working for
Britt Logging in Heppner,
he “was so happy to be able
to use the same skidder that
his stepfather used when he
was a skidder operator.” It
was said he bragged about
that to everyone.
Wilhelm loved to fish
and hunt. He told everyone
that he shot a big buck that
was going right to his moth-
er, and he did. He loved to
look for mushrooms and be-
ing up in the mountains as
much as he could. He took
his boys fishing often and
bragged about catching the
biggest one. He also took
his boys 4X4ing in his
pickup and won the
mud race one time.
He was pretty happy
about that.
Gene was a spe-
cial friend to Garrett
and looked after him.
Garrett spoke often of
Gene and told many
stories of the things
they did together.
Garrett missed the
things he used to do with
his family and apologized
to his boys often when he
couldn’t do fun things with
them. He spent the last
two years of his life with
severe head pain due to the
cancer spreading. He asked
frequently, “How much
longer? I just want to get it
over with.”
He was preceded in
death by his older infant
brother, Milo James Wil-
helm; grandfather, James
Wilhelm; uncle Joe Wil-
helm; grandmother, Jack-
line Mars and grandfather
Tom Mars.
He is survived by his
two sons, Lane and Wyatt
Wilhelm; father, Gary Wil-
helm; stepmother, Crystal
Wilhelm; mother, Debbie
McCall; stepfather, Daryl
McCall; brother, Darren
McCall; sister, Tammy Rus-
sell; grandmother Betty
Wilhelm and many nieces
and nephews.
Per Garrett’s request,
he was cremated and there
was no funeral held.
A View from the Green
Over the Tee Cup
The July 7 playday
hosted 14 ladies at the Wil-
low Creek Country Club on
a cool and breezy day.
Low gross of the field
went to Nancy Propheter.
Low net of the field winner
was Kathy Martin. Karen
Haguewood had the least
putts of the field.
Low gross for flight A
was Karen Thompson.
Low gross for flight B
was Pat Edmundson. Shir-
ley Martin had low net and
Tiffany Clement had the
least putts.
Bunnie Lindsay took
low gross for flight C and
Kris Lindner had low net.
Lorene Montgomery had
the least putts.
Karen Haguewood got
a chip-in on hole 13 and
Pat Dougherty got one on
hole nine.
The ladies with the
long drives were Nancy
Propheter for flight A, Pat
Edmundson for flight B
and Lorene Montgomery
for flight C.
Willow Creek
Country Club men
hold playday
The men’s club play-
day held July 12 at Willow
Creek Country Club hosted
18 men.
First place gross was
Scott Burright with 65.
Logan Burright and Dave
Pranger tied for second
with 67.
Gary Propheter came in
first in net with 56. Roger
Ehrmantraut was second
with 59 and Jim Swanson
was third with 60.
In special events, Del-
bert Binschus got KP with
6’4” on #4-13 and David
Allstott had a long put of
25’7” on #5-14.
The next playday will
be held July 19 with Rick
Johnston, Greg Greenup
and Delbert Binschus host-
ing. The men’s club cham-
pionship will be held July
25 and 26 with additional
information provided at a
later date.
We’re Here To Help!
In these trying times, if you feel at risk, remember
that we offer delivery and mail service.
Our goal is to help you stay healthy.
Call us!
217 North Main St.,
Heppner, OR
Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426
murraysdrug.com
www.murraysdrug.com