TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 11, 2023
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wasco
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 177 N Main St. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541)
676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or sykeschris@hotmail.com Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $35/year.
Outside Morrow County $40/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $30/
year. 9 month Student student subscriptions $35/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Annalynn Black ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................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 $5.50 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $15 up to 100
words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.00 per column inch.
For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi-
cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested 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.
Obituaries
Nancy Lou (Ball) Ekstrom
Nancy Lou (Ball) Ek-
strom,
age 86,
passed
away on
Septem-
ber 20,
2023. She
was a dedicated mother first
and foremost. She treasured
her children, grandchildren,
great grandchildren, family,
and friends, and embraced
every moment with them.
She had a vivacious per-
sonality, and one would
never guess that she faced
so many adversities and
challenges. She is an ex-
ample of what we all should
strive to be. Nancy was a
firm believer that you make
a living by what you get,
but you make a life by what
you give. Herb and Nancy
started their marriage in
The Dalles, Oregon and
then moved back to Ione
where they started their
business Ekstrom Farm
Chemicals, and raised their
four children, Herbert R
Ekstrom III, Cynthia M
Greenup (Bill), Jan A Grid-
ley (Bob) and John Ekstrom
and wife Helen. She loved
the coast, trips to Mexico,
times spend at the river at
their boathouse with fam-
ily and friends. She loved
watching sports, following
her grandchildren in their
various sports programs,
and her great granddaugh-
ter playing college golf.
Nancy was an avid bridge
player and loved playing
cards with her friends of
many years. Nancy was
involved in the Valby Lu-
theran Church. She was
a member of the Order of
Eastern Star, the Interna-
tional Order of Rainbow
for girls, 4-H knitting and
sewing clubs, as a leader.
Born to Archie C. Ball and
Doris H (Mahoney) Ball.
She married Herbert R.
Ekstrom Jr. October 17,
1953, he preceded her in
death May 10, 2007. Also
was preceded in death by
her oldest son Herbert Ek-
strom III, and her parents
and siblings; Archie Ball,
Doris Ball, Bobby Ball,
Laurel Van Marter, Harriet
Hall, Beth Hughes Eileen
Steiger, and Archie Ball Jr.
and brother-in-law, Rich-
ard (Dick) Ekstrom. She is
survived by three children,
9 grandchildren, 19 great
grandchildren, 5 great great
grandchildren, and sev-
eral nieces and nephews
and her sister-in-law Diana
Ball, and brother in-law
Roland Ekstrom. Nancy
was a devoted wife, mother,
grandmother, and a friend
to many and will be greatly
missed. There will be no
service or celebration of life
per Nancy’s request.
Service Notice
David L.
Mitchell
David L Mitchell, 79,
of Heppner, passed away on
July 19, 2023, at his home.
He was born November 30,
1943, in Granada, Colora-
do. A celebration of life will
be held Saturday October
14, 2023, from 2-4 p.m. at
the Heppner Elks Lodge
#358. Sweeney Mortuary
of Heppner oversees ar-
rangements.
Sharron K
Miller
Sharon K. Miller, 50, of
Heppner, died September
15, 2023, at a Portland Hos-
pital. She was born August
28, 1973, at Hermiston, Or-
egon. A celebration of life
will be held at the Morrow
County Rodeo Grounds, 5
p.m. Saturday, October 14,
2023, with a meal to follow
at the Morrow County Fair
Pavilion. Sweeney Mortu-
ary of Heppner is in care of
arrangements.
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
Spiritually Speaking
*Mail
541-676-9228
The lord invites us to his banquet
We are familiar with participating in birthday parties,
wedding parties, retirement parties, etc. The majority of us
look forward to such celebrations as they are occasions of joy
and gaiety that add vigor and vitality to everyone’s life. If these
celebrations are special and only for a select crowd, we feel
thrilled to be summoned. We wouldn’t dream of saying “no”
to a VIP invitation, especially if the person mattered to us a lot.
The Lord Jesus is inviting every one of us wholeheartedly to
the Eucharistic celebration that he has prepared for each and
every one of us through his precious life. Faith is an invitation
to celebrate God in our lives and the Eucharist is the festive
banquet. Have we accepted the invitation, will we join in the
banquet, or do we have our stock excuses?
The first reading from the prophet Isaiah (25:6-10) uses the
allegory of a banquet to describe the fullness of life that God
wants to bestow, not just on Israel, but on all the peoples of the
earth. “On this mountain, the Lord will prepare a banquet for
all peoples (6)…. on this mountain, he will wipe the tears from
every cheek. This is our God in whom we hoped for salvation.”
The banquet that the Lord hosts stands for the fullness of life
to which God is calling us all. It is a call to celebrate our inti-
macy with God and a deeper and more authentic personal life.
But it is also a call to communion with others. The invitation
challenges us to abandon our seclusion and our self-sufficiency,
and to be willing to share with others, to associate with others,
and to collaborate with others. We are not invited to celebrate
and satisfy our needs but to enjoy and reach out to one another.
In today’s Gospel, Matthew chapter 22:1-14 compares
two parables, one of the guests at the wedding feast and that of
the man not wearing the wedding robe, both parables dealing
with being invited to the Kingdom. The first parable is linked
with the banquet mentioned in the first reading, the kingdom
to which all are invited. In the first century, a dual invitation
was customary. Guests were invited well in advance and again
gathered when the feast was about to begin. The banquet is
prepared, everything is ready, and the king summons the guests.
Shockingly, some simply ignore the invitation, others head out
of town, and the rest beat up and kill the king’s messengers.
They all have their excuses and justifications.
The refusing guests are associated with the original in-
vitees of God’s Kingdom, God’s chosen people, the Jewish
people, and in particular their leaders, who not only refused to
accept the invitation but put to death the son of God Himself. In
the parable, after sending his troops to deal with the murderers,
far from grumbling, the king orders his servants to go to the
highways and byways and invite everyone they see, both the
good and the bad, to the wedding feast. The “good and the bad”
are invited to make it clear that people are not invited because of
their merits but rather because of the generous goodness of God.
Matthew continues with a second parable with another
theme. As people come into the banquet, when the king notices
this man without the wedding garment, the man is questioned
and thrown out of the banquet. Why was the king so harsh on the
man who was invited at the last moment? It would seem absurd
that he would have a fine garment after being picked up from
the street. There is a deeper point being made: accepting the
invitation to the kingdom requires a certain practical behavior
to which the image of the robe is referring. Since clothing can
be a symbol of new identification with Christ, the wedding
garment evokes the good deeds or quality of life that must be
shown by one who participates in the banquet of life. Those
who accept God’s invitation can’t just walk in and continue to
live as they want, they must change, they must be seen wearing
the wedding garment, living the Christian life, graced by God,
and overflowing in deeds of justice and love.
217 North Main St.,
Heppner, OR
Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426
murraysdrug.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm • Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 9am-2pm
Pharmacy- Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
Specials 10/12 - 10/18
Thursday - Chicken Tortilla soup &
quesadilla $9
Friday - popcorn chicken mashed-potato
bowl $9
Saturday Closed
Monday - 1/4 cheeseburger with Mac n
cheese for $9
Tuesday Reuben and coleslaw for $9
Tuesday night - 6-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - tomato soup and a cold
Tur key Swiss sandwich for $9 or $7 for
seniors
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
FRIDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
YOUR AD
COULD
BE
HERE!
Call
541-676-9228
9th
Annual
Oktoberfest
AUCTION & DINNER - OCT 21, 2023
Roll on in with Radio Flyer
& The West Family
Or Email
graphics@rapidserve.net
We also offer
design and
printing services
Heppner Gazette-Times
Tri-Tip, Chicken or Lamb Dinner
Sykes Printing
by Paradise Rose Chuckwagon Catering and the Krebs Ranch
Garage Sale October 14, 2023
8:00 am to 11:00 am
Rick and Shelli Britt’s house
75376 Hwy 74 Lena, Heppner
Proceeds benefit Hopeful Saints ministry
youth for 2024 Summer Camp fees
Cinnamom rolls and coffee for first 24 people
(for a donation)
If you can’t come to the sale and would like to
donate to the youth text/call Shelli at
541-256-0857 to arrange receipt of donation
Saturday, Oct. 21 at the American Legion Hall
325 W. 2nd St., Ione, OR • Tickets $35 at the door
Social Hour starts 4:30 pm / Dinner 6 pm • Music by Frank Carlson
Live Music • Dancing • Prizes
Huge Silent and Live Auctions
Bid on this Henry Golden Boy .22 Carbine at the Auction!
We’ll also have another Henry rifle and a GFA Filthy Pheasant
12 gauge shotgun available!
www.thewooleryprojectinc.com • www.facebook.com/thewooleryprojectinc
The Woolery Project, Inc. • PO Box 205, Arlington, OR 97812 • The Woolery Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) entity.