TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 7, 2024
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
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 $15
Obituaries
Mary Patricia Pierce-Anderson
Mary Patricia
Pierce-Anderson was a
beloved member of the
community, known for her
kind heart, generous spirit,
and unwavering dedication
to her family. Born on De-
cember 29, 1949, Mary’s
life was filled with love,
laughter, and cherished
memories.
As a young girl, Mary
was welcomed into the lov-
ing family of Gene and Fay
Pierce, along with her sib-
lings Mike, Martha, Greg,
and Molly. Growing up
in Heppner, Mary attend-
ed Heppner High School,
where she graduated in
1968. She then pursued
her passion for dentistry
by obtaining her dental
assistant certification from
Blue Mountain Community
College.
After working as a den-
tal assistant in Portland,
Mary ventured to Arizona
where she formed lifelong
friendships while working
as a waitress. In 1989, Mary
married the love of her life,
Steve Anderson, and to-
gether they welcomed their
son, John, in 1994.
For over 20 years,
Mary resided in The Dalles,
where she continued to
spread love and joy to those
around her. She had a spe-
cial place in her heart for
children in the foster sys-
tem, providing respite to
families in need. Mary also
had a passion for skiing,
both on snow and water, as
well as a love for the Pend-
leton Round-Up and tennis.
Mary is survived by
her son, John Anderson,
daughter-in-law Sheraya,
and granddaughter Ava.
She is also survived by her
sisters Martha McQuinn
and Molly Rhea, along with
several nieces, nephews,
and countless friends who
will always cherish her
memory.
A graveside service
will be held at the Heppner
Masonic Cemetery on Au-
gust 9 at 11 am, followed by
a luncheon at the Heppner
Elks Club. In honor of
Mary’s memory, donations
can be made to The Next
Door Inc., a nonprofit or-
ganization that supports
families in need.
Mary’s legacy of love,
compassion, and kindness
will live on in the hearts
of those who were for-
tunate enough to know
her. She will be deeply
missed, but her spirit will
continue to inspire all who
were touched by her pres-
ence. Rest in peace, Mary
Patricia Pierce-Anderson,
knowing that your impact
on the world will never be
forgotten.
Death Notice
Mary Ann Meyer
Mary Ann Meyer age
94, a resident of The Dalles,
OR, passed away on July
20, 2024. A Celebration of
Life will be held at a later
date. Spencer, Libby, and
Powell Funeral Home in
care of arrangements.
Judith A. Rea
Judith “Judy” A. Rea,
86, of Ione died Sunday,
August 4 th , 2024, at Good
Shepherd Hospital in
Hermiston. She was born
on September 29 th , 1937 at
Spokane, Washington. A
memorial service will be
held at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
August 17 th , 2024 at the
Ione Community Church.
Sweeney Mortuary is in
care of arrangements.
The annual FCMGT to
be held August 24 th
The Annual Father
Condon Memorial Golf
Tournament will be on
Saturday, August 24 th , at
8:30 AM. Please arrive
by 8:00. It will be a nine-
hole scramble team event.
If you don’t have a team,
please come and we will
ensure you get put on one.
The cost to enter is $30.
Proceeds go towards the
Catholic student scholar-
ship fund provided annually
by the St. Patrick’s/St. Wil-
liam’s Holy Name Society.
For more information con-
tact Mark McElligott.
“I Am the Bread of Life”
As I was thinking of the theme of this Sunday, the
Bread of Life, I came across the latest Eucharistic mir-
acle reported from very close to my hometown, where
during Holy Communion, the host turned into the real
body of Jesus on the tongue of a 14-year-old girl on
three occasions. Do you believe this can happen on our
reception of the communion? Similarly, through the
readings this Sunday, we come across some types of
people whose lives at times become so full of failure
and disappointment that they just do not want to live
anymore. It is comforting to know that even the saints
knew such moments. In today’s first reading, we see the
prophet Elijah experiencing such a moment. But God
always sends him help and he can continue. In our bleak
moments do we trust in God’s help?
This first reading, from the First Book of Kings
(19:4-8), describes the Prophet Elijah’s desert experi-
ence. He is so human, so like us. He is weary of the
spiritual journey and worn out from having to serve God
with no support at all. So, he pleads to die rather than to
live. Instead, the angel of God, perhaps God Himself,
tells Elijah to get up and eat and to go to Mount Horeb,
the mountain of God. The important aspect that we must
notice is that Elijah obeys God. This is the heart of our
spiritual life. This is how each one of us wants to live
even when we are not faithful. Like Elijah, we need
to work with all our energy to obey the Lord! However
tough the journey is, we can feel with His assistance that
“the tough get going.”
In the Gospel of John, (13:1), we read: “Jesus,
knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world
to the Father” … called his disciples together to celebrate
the memorial together. “While they were eating, he took
bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and
said, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ ‘Then he took a cup,
gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from
it. He said to them, ‘this is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many’” (Mk 14:22). The Holy
Eucharist is the parting gift of the Lord Jesus to us be-
fore His departure to the Father. Thus, Jesus becomes
“the Bread of life” (Jn 6:48).
We know well that Jesus was born in David’s town
of Bethlehem. Bethlehem meant “the place of bread,
place of meat.” Food is one of the main elements of hu-
man lives, and we all work to satisfy our stomachs, but
Jesus became bread for everyone, to satisfy the spiritual
and physical hunger of everyone, instituting the Holy
Eucharist as the memorial of His presence with us and
His unconditional love towards us. The Eucharist is spir-
itual nourishment for human beings, to satisfy their hun-
ger for spiritual realities.
Is Jesus Really Present in the Holy Eucharist?
The real presence of the Lord is felt in the Eucharistic
bread that is kept in the Tabernacle. Eucharistic miracles
take place every day on every altar where the Holy Eu-
charist is being celebrated.
What are you hungering for? Jesus satisfies the
physical hunger of humans before the spiritual one. The
Eucharistic discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of John be-
gins with the miracle of loaves. He fulfills the natural
hunger of everyone before he begins the spiritual dis-
course. The temptation of the Lord in the desert begins
with the tempter asking Jesus to change the stones into
bread since the Lord was hungry. In the last judgment
scene, too, we read Jesus’s words to the people on the
right, “Come you that are blessed by my Father! I was
hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink”
(Matthew 25:34-35). From these examples, we need to
assume that Jesus addresses the basic needs of human
life first. The Lord is always and every time present
with us with His real presence. He is always available to
satiate the hunger and thirst of human beings. As Jesus
has become bread and gratified human deprivation, it is
our time to satisfy the human needs of people around
us. Is there anyone hungry around me? How do I ap-
proach such situations and become the bread someone
needs? What bread are we looking for? Only Jesus can
offer us that bread because “He is the Bread of life.”
A View from the Hill
The view from the Hill
has often been hampered
by smoke from wildfires
during the past several
weeks, but welcome breez-
es are now and then en-
abling residents to enjoy
their front entry and view
of the reservoir and the
surrounding hillsides.
Recently those resi-
dents served as welcom-
ers to their new neighbor.
Peggy Connor has moved
from her long-time resi-
dence below the dam to her
new apartment above the
dam! Her move-in leaves
two apartments available
for rent. Interested persons
can come by or call 541-
676-0004.
August also began on
another upbeat note, the
traditional “happy birth-
day” song for Bev Sher-
man, who turned 89 on the
3 rd . The family provided a
ham for the birthday lunch
with family and neighbors,
cooked by son-in-law
Mark Huddleston.
Bev
and
her
daughters provided the
blooming plants that they
filled the entry planters
with this summer, and Bev
tends to the plants every
morning.
August will con-
tinue to be a fairly quiet
month of mostly routine
in-house activities, includ-
ing the return of the Friday
Social. But one hoped-for
jaunt will be a day at the
fair on the 15 th . Admin-
istrator Lankford is now
trying to arrange transpor-
tation for interested resi-
dents.
Maybe Jerry Green
could be encouraged to
enter some of the Terrace
produce in the fair, for he
tends to the garden daily.
Strawberries and toma-
toes have graced the din-
ing tables, for example.
And adding to their home-
grown produce has been
veggies brought to them by
Hal Bergstrom.
Virginia
Peck’s
donated American flag
again flies in the breez-
es on the hill, after a time
out when the rope broke.
Thanks have gone out to
the Columbia Basin em-
ployees who replaced it.
Now the residents
and staff at Willow Creek
Terrace can again enjoy
the view of the colors fly-
ing above the serene set-
ting surrounding them.
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
Five friends and her daughter Shawn McKay
lunched with Nancy Anderson at the Broken Spoke last
Friday to celebrate her 79th birthday. A pleasant way to
greet her new age!
Nova Simpson spent four days with her friend
Bruce Waltz and his love Ann Stevenson in McMinn-
ville, June 25 – 28. Nova met Bruce when she moved
from Spray to Pendleton in the third grade and they have
remained friends since. They showed her all around
McMinnville. They took her to their weekly “happy
hour” that they have had for years at a friend’s home, so
Nova met more new friends (she has never met a strang-
er). They showed her downtown McMinnville where
the entire street is shut down from Friday through Sun-
day for outside dining. They went to the Baptist church
where Bruce and Ann volunteer at a family-counseling
center, to teach how to parent better and to help strug-
gling, frightened children. The center offers childcare,
and clothes and diapers so badly needed for so many
families. (Nova has information to share because she
contributes often; “there can never be enough diapers
for families in need.”) They visited wineries, amazing
produce stands with strawberries, blueberries, and fresh
beans, and they had an amazing evening in their back
yard with a fireplace and set-up for outside dining. There
was dining, dancing, and many laughs, and they invited
her again, so she looks to their next adventure. Recently,
Cindi and Mike Doherty, with their son Chad Doherty
and his wife, Alicia, plus their daughter Kylie Simpkins
and son Malcolm traveled to Waterloo, Iowa, to see
Cindi’s Aunts and Uncles. One day, they went to Chi-
cago to a White Sox game against the Mariners, and the
Mariners won! Alicia also got an autograph from Andres
Munoz. They also went to the Field of Dreams; Potosi,
Wisconsin; to a brewery, John Deere Museum, and the
Dan Gable Wrestling Museum. The weather was warm,
and the humidity was high. They also toured the Amish
colonies in Amana, Iowa. Kylie got to see her first fire-
fly, and the cicadas were so loud! They were all amazed
on how green everywhere was. Of course, everyone had
corn on the cob from Iowa, which is the best!
Last Sunday, Robert, Dena, and Harmony Gonty
came to Heppner to become reacquainted with their
family roots. His great grandfather came to Heppner
with his mother and brother to visit family, but when
it was time to return home to Belgium, the two teen-
aged brothers decided to stay, and the great grandfather
opened a shoe repair shop and later a shoe store. That
business was passed on to his son Edmond Gonty and
was family-run for seventy-five years before being sold
to Jerry and Joyce Kay Holloman. Robert, Raymond’s
son, spent most summers and every holiday when grow-
ing up visiting “my second home,” Heppner, enjoying
fishing and swimming at Willow Creek under the bridge
by the library/museum. His grandmother, Eleanor, “al-
ways made sure the children were never idle and would
put them to work…” unless they would disappear first.
Robert said Heppner has changed “but is still thriving,
and I am so happy I have so many memories of here.
Everyone has been so nice to us during our visit, even
opening the museum for us to visit and read some of
our family history.” He added his gratitude for Cherry
Clark and Peggy for accommodating their visit. A happy
coincidence at this museum visit was Joyce Kay’s also
happening to be there with a couple of her Tennessee
cousins who were enjoying a tour about town! Contact
info for Robert: 206-920-7890, rgonty@hotmail.com.
Have you heard the familiar honking in the sky for
the last couple, three weeks? Do the Canadian honkers
know something we don’t, or are they confused by the
smoke, or are they just jumping the gun about a month
early? Maybe they and the occasional falling red or gold
leaves from trees are undeniable signs of oncoming fall.
After all, fair and rodeo and football camp and practices
are also indicative of a change.
Thanks to contributors who took a few minutes to
send their tidbits to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or to call
541-223-1490! Good News is their news!
Here’s hoping that good news comes to everyone
reading this.
HRL hosting breakfast Aug 10 th
Are you looking for a
place to have breakfast?
Look no further. Holly Re-
bekah Lodge has your an-
swer. On Saturday, August
10 th from 9-11 for only $5
one can have pancakes,
sausage, and scrambled
eggs. This will be held at
the Odd Fellow Hall in Lex-
ington at 135 Main Street.
Bring lawn chairs
Limited seating available
Morrow County Livestock dinner
tickets available at Murrays $25