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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2022)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 28 , 2022 -- THREE Miles couple celebrates 60 years Dexter and Corinne Miles of Heppner are celebrating 60 years of marriage this Friday. Dexter Miles, a Lex- ington High School gradu- ate, met Corinne Siggelkow of Scobey, MT when he was stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base in northeastern Montana. She was a teacher at Glasgow schools at the time. They were married in a small, private ceremony on Dec. 30, 1962, in Sco- bey. They lived in various towns in eastern Montana and eastern Oregon early in their married life as Dex- ter pursued different jobs, mainly farming. Corinne worked as a substitute teacher and focused on raising their five children, Darrell, Craig, Carla, Mi- chele and Andrea. In 1977 they settled in their current home on the family farm on Fuller Canyon Lane outside of Heppner. Two of their daughters, Carla and Michele, did not live to see their 60 th anniversary, but they have been blessed with 20 living grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. They will celebrate the milestone with a small open house for family Friday evening at their home. St. Pat’s committee to meet The Heppner Chamber of Commerce will hold a St. Patrick’s Day Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Heppner Chamber of Commerce office, 133 N Main Street, Heppner. Any questions can be directed to heppnercham- ber@gmail.com. Water control district meets next month The Heppner Water Control District will meet Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, at the Pettyjohn Office Building conference room beginning at 6 p.m. Agenda items include minutes of previous meet- ing, financial review, report to the Secretary of State and open bids received. Meetings of the HWCD are open to the public. Good News Only by Doris Brosnan A great story of compassion and caring from Jackie Alleman: “We have a hospice client who, when I inter- viewed him about his hobbies, mentioned that his favorite basketball team is the Golden State Warriors. Although a visit to a game is not permissible at this time, Molly Rhea, Hospice Director, suggested that I check out their website to see if they had a virtual tour of their facilities that we could access for this man. As I perused the web- site, Golden State Warriors had a place where you could access signed equipment. As I filled out the form, I noticed that it was available for California residents only. I may have misrepresented on the form and entered our full Heppner address and fudged the city, so the form would be accepted. Well, three weeks later we received a nice square package, the same size as a Wilson professional basketball signed by Jonathon Kuminga. Not a Stephen Curry signature for sure, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of our hospice client. The basketball was delivered by Jerry Conklin, Chaplin, and Jackie Alleman, Volunteer Coordinator. Many thanks to the Golden State Warriors and may Santa bring you a playoff seed.” Another holiday season with weather that challenged families who needed to travel. Hopefully, many reached destinations before the ice storms and could wait for the promised thawing the extra day or two after Christmas. Christmas Day at Brian and Susy Thompson’s includ- ed Bill McCoin, and family members Terry and Karen, Emily and Keenan, Stephen and Charlie, and the adven- turous travelers from Walla Walla, Shelley and Tim. If the Gorge weather allowed, they were expecting Erik’s family to join them on Monday. The evening at Thompsons was filled with great food and conversation, and Shelley had two takers for a folded-fabric-star craft she led! When the families of Bob and Sharon Harrison gather, the game of Hand and Foot seems to be a tradition, and all of them—children, grandchildren and great grandchil- dren, Todd and Mike, Trent and Jill’s family, Travis and Kirsten’s family and Tony and Tiffany’s family—were able to get to Lexington for that fun and the great meals and fellowship. Yes, this is a busy time of year, but maybe you can find a few minutes for jotting something and sending it to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or for calling 541-223-1490. Here’s hoping that some good news comes to every- one reading this! Speaker Rayfield concludes three-day trip with visits to Boardman, Port of Morrow Speaker met with Republican House members Greg Smith and Bobby Levy, along with other local elected leaders Oregon House Speaker Dan Rayfield and Rep. Greg Smith talk to education leaders at the Port of Morrow in Boardam BOARDMAN – Or- ings when learning about Columbia Development egon House Speaker Dan unique communities. We Authority (formerly the Rayfield (D-Corvallis) con- made several stops high- Umatilla Army Depot Re- cluded a three-day tour of lighting Northeast Oregon’s use Authority) and a meet- Central and Eastern Or- vast energy and food pro- ing at the Port of Morrow egon today with stops in duction industries, and dis- with Rep. Bobby Levy Boardman and the Port of cussed the need for housing (R-Echo), county commis- and childcare,” Rep. Smith sioners from around the Morrow. “As House Speaker, I said. “The speaker and I region (Gilliam, Morrow, will always aim to serve have been colleagues for a Umatilla and Wasco), and all corners of the state,” number of years, and I look local leaders from Board- Speaker Rayfield said. “I forward to the 2023 session man, Irrigon and Maupin, again want to thank all the as we further our bipartisan among others. “Thank you, Speaker local elected leaders who efforts to better the State of Rayfield, for taking the welcomed me this week Oregon.” time to travel and visit our The day concluded and provided important beautiful Eastern Oregon,” insight into the opportuni- with a driving tour of the ties and challenges in their communities. This will be invaluable feedback as we focus on the values and priorities Oregonians have told us they wanted to see in 2023.” Speaker Rayfield joined Rep. Greg Smith (R-Umatilla, Morrow, Gil- 10:00 AM liam, Sherman and Wasco Counties) in Hermiston on Old Available for: Wednesday morning for Country a meeting with education Weddings • Funerals leaders in the Hermiston Church Family Events and Umatilla school dis- All Are tricts, the city managers of 541-422-7300 Welcome Hermiston and Umatilla, and other local business and nonprofit leaders. They then met with leaders of the Umatilla Electric Cooperative to discuss energy usage in the region, including the power the cooperative provides for nearby Amazon data centers. “I am thankful to Speaker Rayfield for mak- ing this visit out to Eastern Oregon. Nothing compares to in-person tours and meet- Valby Lutheran Church Valby Road Ione Oregon. 97843 Church Services 1st & 3rd Sundays Rep. Levy said. “In-per- son tours and meetings are the best way to gain true appreciation of the unique communities and challeng- es that come from living in Northeast Oregon. I look forward to your future vis- its to this side of our great state, and the bipartisan efforts to better the whole State of Oregon.” In addition to meet- ing with Rep. Smith and Rep. Levy on Wednesday, Speaker Rayfield is meet- ing with returning and in- coming legislators prior to announcing committee assignments for the 2023 legislative session. The 82 nd Oregon Leg- islative Assembly will be sworn in on Monday, Jan. 9, and the 2023 legislative session will begin on Tues- day, Jan. 17. Spiritually Speaking Father Thankachan Joseph St. Patrick Catholic Church Heppner Holy family: a model for all families to imitate The Holy Family is the example for all of us. The child Jesus is a beautiful example of how to be obedient to our parents. Mary teaches us to be caring mothers, spouses and sisters. St. Joseph is always spoken of as a man who lived a just life, a good father. The Holy Family listened and obeyed, and, though they had to go through many struggles, lived the will of God. The Book of Sirach (3:2-6, 12-14) offers the duties and responsibilities of children towards their parents: obey and respect their father and mother. I was reminded of something that happens in most families all around the globe: When children are very small, they argue and tell each other. “Mummy is mine,” or “Daddy is mine,” But these same children who fought each other for their mum- my and daddy when they were tiny toddlers will not have time for their parents when adults, forgetting the parents who gave their best and forgot to live for themselves in order to provide a better future for their children. “Long life comes to anyone who honors a father, whoever obeys the Lord makes a mother happy. Such a one serves parents also as the Lord” (Sir 3:6). Parents are our visible God on earth. Do parents sometimes need to correct and discipline their children? Is a successful family one in which all the children excel in studies and extracurricular activities? A family where all behave perfectly and never quarrel? A family made up of perfectionists? Mother Teresa said: “God does not call me to be successful but to be faithful.” We are all human and have failings. Falling down on the journey of life and getting up again are part of growth. We can sincerely try to change undesirable behavior, with the grace of God and support and encouragement of loved ones. This coming Sunday we are celebrating the Solem- nity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, and combine it with feast-day reflections on the Holy Family. As part of our meditations, in chapter 2 of Luke, we see Mary and Joseph take the child to the Jerusalem temple for the customary purification rite, and we read that he becomes missing. We see them going hand-in-hand in search of the lost boy, in a spirit of prayer. We don’t see them accuse each other in their great misfortune. They lived in a tough time, during selfish, cruel King Herod’s reign. He sought to kill Jesus because he refused to see anyone higher than he. So, Joseph, taking Mary and the child, flees to Egypt. The Holy family was not spared from the difficulties of day-to-day life, but their love, prayer, devotion, com- mitment in life, and work kept them united. In the midst of troubles, they showed signs of encouragement, smiled at those who looked at them despairingly and prayed for them, a model family for us. The ordinary life of Joseph included the struggle for daily bread, as he worked at his carpentry. Mary worked at housekeeping and helping Joseph. Although Mary and Joseph were busy, both found time to be with the Lord. Busy as we all are, do we find time to be with the Lord? In Nazareth, one group of people came around Joseph and Mary’s poor, modest family, looking up to them as a model family. Another group sneered at them and tried to annoy and lay snares for them. They gathered around Joseph to gossip and urged him to speak against the preg- nancy of Mary. But Joseph would just shake his head. If an argument became heated and Mary’s eyes brimmed with tears, Jesus would cut it short, “We must forgive! Forgive, not once but seventy times seven.” Many of our family issues could be decimated if married couples have the minds and hearts of Joseph and Mary. Mary was the best mom and Joseph a just and prudent man. Parents today can learn from them how to teach their children to grow in obedience and respect. The Nazareth home reminds us that families have the responsibility of teaching their children the Faith and to model virtues. So, as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, let us ponder how we can be a model, a family capable of being open to God’s will, of being loving and happy, of communicating more often and having more time for face-to-face family interaction, of bringing Christ into the lives of others.
