TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 25, 2023
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 177 N Main St. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541)
676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or sykeschris@hotmail.com Web site:
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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
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Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wasco
LOVE GOD ABOVE EVERY-
THING ELSE…..
As we move towards this Sunday, the theme for our
meditation is the greatest commandment of God, “Love
God above everything else.” The Agape, or uncondi-
tional, love is what Christ is trying to describe to his
disciples. Today, love is the subject of countless films,
and the Beatles popularized the song “All You Need Is
Love.” What is the love we are talking about? Is it that
nice warm sentimental feeling or is it more than that? Is
there one love that is the greatest of all? May His word
open our minds and hearts to Agape… the unconditional
love of God!
The reading from Exodus (22:20-26) reminds us
as believers of Christ what our obligations are towards
others, especially to the widows, strangers, and orphans,
namely the weak and helpless people. The time of the exile
was definitely a very painful and dark part of the history
of the people of Israel, during which they experienced
what it meant to be weak and dependent on others, as
they were strangers journeying to the Promised Land.
Times became better, but they were asked not to forget
what they themselves had undergone and to be sensitive
to the needs of the foreigners among them, the homeless,
the helpless and the dependent. They must not oppress
strangers because they were strangers once. They must
plead the cause of the underprivileged because they
were underprivileged themselves. Having felt the pain
of injustice and oppression themselves, they must never
inflict pain on others. The health of a community can be
measured by the way it treats such people.
The second reading, Paul in his letter to the First
Thessalonians (1:5-10), is full of appreciation and praise
for the believers in Thessalonica, because of the way they
received the good news and incorporated it into their lives.
He is happy that they imbibed the faith through the good
example of the way he himself has lived in their midst.
He continues praising them because they themselves
have spread the good news and become a good example,
attracting others to the faith. Faith is not taught but caught
by the inspiring way it is lived.
This week’s Gospel (Matthew 22:34-40) begins
with yet another tricky question from the Pharisees
who are trying to trap Jesus in His words. But on
this occasion, we hear from Him no answering word
of sharp rebuke or harsh condemnation. Instead, we
have just His luminous response about the two-fold
commandment of love. The Scribes and Pharisees
could accept the conclusion that the twin command-
ment of love is an adequate summary of the whole
Old Testament. So, the question arises: If that is so,
what difference does Jesus make? And we answer at
once: Of course, the difference He makes is radical
and transforming. In the first place, Jesus invites us
now to love according to the measure of His own
love: the love whereby He loved both His Father and
us to the end; faithful even in Gethsemane; enduring
for us the passion, and the Cross, and death itself.
Then, and even more so: precisely as a result of His
saving death and resurrection, Jesus now invites us
to love with the power of His own love. Identified
with Him, indwelt by His Holy Spirit, ever turned
towards God the Father, our love, and our life are to
be henceforth “in Christ”. So, we are to love with the
very love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We sing of this
Heart in the litany: Fornax Ardens Caritatis - burn-
ing furnace of charity for men and women; abyss of
all virtues; treasury of all wisdom and knowledge;
dwelling place of the fullness of divinity; fountain
of life and of holiness; source of all consolation; our
peace and our reconciliation; the delight of the Saints:
have mercy on us and make our heart like your Heart.
The whole of the Old Testament was a prepa-
ration, a foretaste, a promise, a guide towards this.
Now that Christ has come, and He has set before us
a guideline to live according to the twin command-
ment; that must be the central project of our whole
life. This is how we must measure success or failure;
it’s on this that we must ultimately be judged. The
Benedictine, cenobitic, monastic life is designed to
help us live out that project, those commandments,
and also to encourage everyone who encounters it
to do the same.
Obituaries
book at www.
James Edward condolence
sweeneymortuary.com
«It doesn›t take a
McConnell
James Edward
McConnell, a U.S. Army
veteran and
longtime
resident of
Pendleton,
passed
away at
age 56 on
October 14, 2023, following
medical complications.
Jim, as he was referred to
by his friends and family,
was born on August 5,
1967, at Grande Ronde
Hospital in La Grande,
Oregon, to Charles and
Vivian McConnell. In his
primary years, Jim and
his family lived in many
areas throughout Northeast
Oregon, including Elgin,
Lexington, Enterprise, and
Wallowa. He graduated
from Heppner High School
in 1985. Jim enlisted in the
U.S. Army in 1984 and
attended language school
in Monterey, California,
where he learned the
German language. He was
an Army staff sergeant
and served in military
intelligence and as a military
policeman, participating
in both Operation Desert
Shield and Desert Storm.
Throughout his Army
tenure, he was stationed in
many places throughout the
world, including Panama,
England, Guantanamo Bay,
and New Mexico, among
others. He was very proud
to have guarded President
George Bush Senior once
during his career while
stationed in Maryland.
Jim was also based in
Heidelberg, Germany,
where he met Shelly
Arnaman from Wisconsin,
and the two were later
married. He was blessed
with two wonderful sons,
Tyler, and Sean. Following
his military career, Jim
and his family moved to
Appleton, Wisconsin, where
he worked at the Appleton
paper mill. He eventually
returned to Oregon after
his first marriage ended,
and he served at the Eastern
Oregon Correctional
Facility in Pendleton.
After returning
to Oregon, Jim met the
love of his life and was
married on October 18,
2009. They later welcomed
two beautiful daughters.
Jim was known for his
love of music, baseball,
video games, and Star
Wars. Even more so, he
was known for his deep
commitment to his family.
He was a loving father and
husband who always tried
to give his kids and wife
the best opportunities and
experiences, an involved
uncle who packed his many
nieces and nephews around,
and a caring sibling who was
always the first to volunteer
to help when his brothers
or sisters had a need. Jim
was preceded in death by
his parents and his niece
Kimberly (McConnell)
Eldridge. He is survived
by his wife, children,
and seven siblings: John
McConnell, Cindy Sumner
(Charlie), Susan Hargrove
(Bryan), Kathy Adams,
Tom McConnell (Margie),
Richard McConnell, and
Robert McConnell. He also
leaves behind 14 nieces
and nephews and 22 great-
nieces and nephews. He
will be greatly missed by
his entire family.
A celebration of life
will be held at the National
Guard hangar at 2100 N.W.
56th Street in Pendleton on
Friday, October 27, 2023,
at 1:00 P.M. A graveside
service will be held
immediately following the
celebration of life at Olney
Cemetery (865 Tutuilla
Road, Pendleton). A meal
will be provided for the
family at the Bethel Church
at 6:00 PM. The address is:
1109 Airport Rd. Pendleton
Sweeny Mortuary
of Heppner is in charge
of all care arrangements,
you may find the online
hero to order men into
battle. It takes a hero to
be one of those men who
goes into battle. ~Norman
Schwarzkopf
Shirley Ann
McCarl
Shirley Ann McCarl
was born in Heppner on
Septem-
ber 10,
1935, to
Aurther
and Ber-
tha Hunt.
She died
on Sat-
u r d a y,
October 7, 2023, at Pio-
neer Memorial Hospital
at the age of 88. She was
raised and attended school
in Lexington, where she
continued to live for the
next 88 years. On August
22, 1952, Shirley married
Morris McCarl in Albany,
Oregon. The couple resided
in Lexington where they
raised their three children,
Barb, Sharon, and Lee.
Morris and Shirley had
been married for 70 years.
In her younger years, she
enjoyed bowling, and going
to the horse and dog races,
and was an avid seamstress.
Her greatest pleasure came
from spending time with
her family. She worked
as a rye puller for many
years for local farmers.
She also worked for DO
Nelson on his potato dig-
gers and worked at Kinzua
Mill for a time. She later
became a Deputy Clerk at
the Morrow County court-
house and worked there
until her retirement. Shirley
is survived by children;
Barb Coiner, Sharon (Bill)
Morris, and Lee McCarl.
She had 6 grandchildren
Austin (Lindsey) Coiner,
Josh (Melissa) Coiner, Dan-
iel Coiner, Kim (Michael)
Woolfolk, Ben (Maddie)
McCarl, and Zach (Savan-
nah) McCarl. She also had
8 great-grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by
her parents, oldest brother
Dean Hunt, and husband
Morris McCarl. A grave-
side service will be held at
11 a.m. Saturday, October
28, 2023, at the Lexington
Cemetery. Memorial con-
tributions may be made to
Pioneer Memorial Hospital,
PO Box 9, Heppner, OR
97836 or to Shriner’s Hos-
pital for Children, 3101 SW
Sam Jackson Park Road,
Portland, OR 97201.
Sweeney Mortuary of
Heppner is in care of ar-
rangements. You may sign
the online condolence book
at www.sweeneymortuary.
com.
YOUR AD
COULD
BE
HERE!
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
“Story Time” is back at the Heppner Library! After a
hiatus that made time for the Summer Reading program,
this hour for little people has returned at 11 o’clock on
Tuesdays. Show up on Tuesday, or for more information,
call 676-9964. The Heppner Masons have just donated
$2000 to the FFA “Backpack” project. They did the same
last year. The project targets “fighting food insecurity of
school students” by providing backpacks/bags of food
products each Friday for the students to take home for
the weekend. The Ione Topic Club will be holding its
annual Book Fair at the Ione Elementary gymnasium
on November 1 and 2, from 9 AM to 6 PM. This event
is the main fundraiser for the Topic Club, which uses
its funds for purchasing classroom books, books for the
teachers, books and supplies for the preschool, and for
other worthwhile community projects. Last Saturday, the
Ione-Arlington volleyball team earned their way to the
top of the District Championship competition held in The
Dalles! Congratulations, Girls!! Support from the Ione
and Arlington communities was outstanding, as it will
surely be today when they compete at the Ione school
in the first round of the state championships. Good luck!
Rita DeZoete returned on the 17 th from a week’s visit to
Marquette, Michigan. Rita flew with her daughter Dee
Miller to be with her sister Susie for Susie’s 82 birthday
celebration. Susie lived with Rita and her family for three
years when a teenager and graduated from Ione High
School, maiden name Belmore. Rita was raised in Mar-
quette, Michigan, with Susie and brothers Mike, Steve,
Jon, and Dale, and married Arnie Hedman with whom she
headed west, ending up in Oregon. Susie’s birthday party
was also attended by her three children and many of her
grandchildren. Rita reports that she had a fantastic trip!
Last Thursday, eleven women from Ione, Lexington, and
Heppner enjoyed lunch at the Elks lodge as they celebrat-
ed four October birthdays: Judy Buschke, Edna Dalzell,
Nancy Arnson, and Lorene Montgomery. Chef Heath
prepared a delicious shrimp pasta for the group, topping
the lunch off with pumpkin tarts and ice cream. Much
visiting and laughter followed as the celebrants enjoyed
their humorous birthday cards and comments about age!
Last Friday, two Heppner women, Shirley (VanWinkle)
George and Doris (Morris) Brosnan, headed for Salem
for the 62 nd gathering of their HHS graduating class. They
picked up another classmate, Elaine (Laird) McGann, who
had been staying with a friend in Woodburn, having flown
in from Las Vegas. Soon joined by Ferne (Albert) Healy
from Roseburg and Evelyn (Tucker) Ross from White
Bird, ID, they then attended a social evening at the home
of Tom Glass and his wife Patricia. Another classmate,
Bill Monagle, and his wife, Nancy, from Ione, also came.
The following evening, the small group dined at the Illahe
Hills Country Club and were pleased to welcome Lydia
(VanHoute) Taylor, of Portland, to the gathering. On
Sunday, after breakfast at Illahe, the graduates went their
separate ways, happy with the opportunity to reminisce
and update, though disappointed that several classmates
were not able to attend because of scheduling conflicts.
Next year, they hope to see a better turnout for a reunion
in Heppner. Last Saturday, “the blessed parents, Corey
and Brandi Sweeney, and family and friends of Kane
Sweeney and Haille Lantz gathered at the Cape Horn
Estates in Stevenson, WA, to celebrate the couple’s wed-
ding.” Haille’s parents are Doug and Jessica Lantz, from
Portland. Haille grew up in Boise and Portland, and she
met Kane at Oregon State University. The two have been
together for four years. Brandi reports, without bias, that
the “groom was dashing, the bride was radiant,” and the
weather was perfect! After the heartfelt ceremony, the
newlyweds and guests enjoyed “Tacos Hometown” and
danced the night away! A send-off of the couple with spar-
klers completed the “magical evening.” They planned a
few-days stay at Skamania Lodge before returning to their
Portland home, with a honeymoon in Italy scheduled for
February. Coming to Ione on November 4 is the Annual
Ione Christmas Bazaar. At the time of this writing, there
was still room for more vendors, so interested individuals
can call Becky Rietmann at 422-7230 for information. The
Cardinal Café will be open on that morning and through
the lunch hour, ready to serve the bazaar browsers and
buyers! Madison Palmer, daughter of Jason and Jenni-
fer, has been chosen for the lead female role in Eastern
Oregon University’s production of Death Trap. While in
high school, Madison was regularly listed in the casts of
characters in the HHS stage productions and is now a
freshman at EOU, declaring a major in math and a minor
in theatre. Death Trap will be performed on December 8,
9, and 10 in the Schwarz Theater. The $10 tickets to the
mystery are on sale at EOU’s web site. One of Madison’s
loosely related activities presently is her opportunity this
coming weekend to join some other college actors in the
LaGrande Parks and Recreation’s “A Haunted Trail,”
guaranteed to slightly frighten the faint of heart or create
a big scare for the braver visitor.
Connect Anywhere, Anytime.
Call
541-676-
9228
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