EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Obituaries
Obituary
Kyle William
Pottala
Kyle William Pot-
tala passed away Friday,
September 30, 2022, at the
young age of 40 in his home
in Hermiston, Oregon after
a courageous battle with
cancer. “It was an un-fair
fight, but Kyle’s stubborn-
ness and unwillingness
to quit was evident as he
fought till the very end.”
He was surrounded by his
beloved wife Blair and
family. Kyle was known
for his contagious smile
and strong work ethic. If
it was worth doing it was
worth doing right and Kyle
took pride in everything
he touched, from his yard
which was green and
perfectly mowed 12 months
a year to his starched shirts.
His children follow in his
footsteps and are always
looking sharp.
Kyle was born
in Grangeville Idaho on
March 3 , 1982. He gradu-
ated from Grangeville High
School in 2000 with honors
and went on to get his de-
gree in Business Manage-
ment at the University of
Idaho where he was on the
Dean’s list. After gradua-
tion Kyle went to work for
the USDA as a farm loan
officer in Ontario Oregon
and later transferred to
Pendleton, Oregon, where
he later became the farm
loan manager. Kyle was
currently employed at Co-
lumbia Bank in Hermiston
Oregon. While working in
Pendleton he met the love
of his life, Blair Ashley
Keithley. “Blair was the
best thing that happened to
Kyle and their love for each
other was extraordinary.”
On June 15, 2013 Kyle
and Blair were married in
Hermiston Oregon. Their
first child, Devyn Ashley,
was born in 2014 followed
by two handsome boys,
Hayes William in 2017 and
Royce Kyle in 2021.
Kyle always had
a love for horses and any-
thing that involved them.
In his childhood he attend-
ed every junior rodeo in the
northwest that he could.
Kyle was active in 4-H as
well as band in junior high
and high school where he
played the trumpet. He
went on to High School
Rodeo and later rodeoed
for the LCSC Warriors
and as a Vandal in college.
Kyle was a crucial part of
the family business raising
and training roping cattle.
His dream home in Herm-
iston had a roping are-
na in the backyard where
he passed on his passion
and hard work ethic to his
kids. Most evenings Kyle
could be found roping with
friends, tuning up for the
next jackpot or practicing
with his kids for the next
junior rodeo.
Kyle was preceded
in death by his grandpa,
Carl Pottala, grandparents,
Walt and Loretta Schnider,
and numerous aunts, uncles
and cousins.
Kyle is survived
by the lights of his life,
his wife, Blair Pottala, and
children, Devyn, Hayes,
and Royce;, parents, Chuck
and Phyliss Pottala; sister,
Leslie (Fred) Smith and
children, Derek, Walker,
Tori and Brooklyn; broth-
er, Carl (Maggie) Pottala
and children, Lane and
Sammie; and his grandma
Joyce Pottala; “very proud
mother and father in-law”
Jay and Kelly-jo Keithley,
Sloan (Kasey) Keithley and
son, Kayson, Baillie (Tyler)
Whitaker and son, Russell.
“Kyle was a one in
a million guy, and touched
many lives during his short
time here which was evi-
dent by the outpouring of
love and support by his
family and friends at the
Jack Pottala benefit recently
held for Kyle and family.”
His unwillingness to quit
was something we could all
learn from. He was a son
that made his parents very
proud, an uncle and a role
model brother. Most of all
Kyle was a loving husband
and exceptional father. He
was the rock of his family,
and such a strong man.
A Celebration of
Life will be held at 4 p.m.
on Saturday October 8,
2022 at EOTECH, 1705
E Airport Rd. Hermiston,
Oregon 97838. A private
family burial was in the
Hermiston Cemetery in
Hermiston, Oregon. Burns
Mortuary of Hermiston is in
care of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers
the family suggests do-
nations be made to your
favorite local charity in
Kyle’s memory.
To leave an online condo-
lence for the family please
go
to www.burnsmortuary-
hermiston.com
Obituary
Joseph Lee
Bowman
November 18, 1949-Sep-
tember 18, 2022
Joseph Lee Bow-
man was born November
18, 1949, in Pendleton, Ore-
gon, to Homer ‘Jiggs’ Bow-
man and Rita Bowman. He
was raised in Kinzua and
completed grade school at
Kinzua before attending
Wheeler High School in
Fossil. He was a multi-sport
athlete and graduated from
Wheeler High in 1968.
Joe attended the
University of Oregon Med-
ical School from July 1968
to July of 1970, becoming
a radiologic technologist
and working in the angi-
ography lab at the medical
school. In November of
1970 he entered the Army
and completed basic train-
ing at Ft. Lewis before be-
ing stationed in Ft. Belvoir,
Virginia.
On December 3,
1972, Joe married Rob-
in and they were bless-
ed with three children. In
his younger days Joe en-
joyed slow pitch softball,
snow and water skiing, and
snow-mobiling with the
McKay Creek Marauders.
In his later years, Joe en-
joyed golf.
Joe is preceded in
death by his father, Homer
“Jiggs” Bowman. He is
survived by his mother,
Rita Rose (Correa) Bow-
man, Heppner, his wife
of 49 years, Robyn, two
daughters, Erika (Aaron)
David of Albany Oregon,
Natalie (Chet) Wilkins of
Arlington, Oregon, a son,
Jeremy (Katrice) Bowman
of Port Orchard, Washing-
ton and seven “wonderful”
grandchildren. He is also
survived by his siblings,
Victor (Beckie) Bowman
of Prineville, Oregon, Ron
(Ginger) Bowman of In-
dependence, Oregon, sis-
ters Sara (Dave) Riney of
Condon, Oregon and Cin-
dy (Mark) Jarvis of Bend
Oregon.
Joe will be interred
at Willamette National
Cemetery in Portland Or-
egon. A celebration of Life
will be held on Saturday,
November 26, at the Con-
don Elks.
In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions
may be made to Pioneer
Memorial Hospice or a
charity of your choice.
Death Notice
Archie C. Ball Jr.,
77, of Heppner, died at home
September 23, 2022. A cel-
ebration of life will be held
at the Heppner Elks Lodge
on October 14, 2022, at 1
p.m. A full obituary will
follow in next week’s paper.
Arrangements are
with Sweeney Mortuary of
Heppner.
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MONDAYS
AT 5PM
Great crowd turns out for 9th
annual Boardman Harvest Festival
Photos by David Sykes
With perfect warm fall weather, a large crowd turned out Saturday for the Ninth Annual Morrow County Har-
vest Festival held at the Sage Center in Boardman. Festival goers enjoyed good food, entertainment, pumpkin
painting, lots of vendors and also covered wagon rides.