TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 25, 2024
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Obituaries
Lisa Jean
Gifford
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
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Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
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at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 177 N Main St. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541)
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year. 9 month Student student subscriptions $35/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Annalynn Black ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising
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Death Notice
Lisa Gifford
Lisa Gifford, 69, for-
merly of Hermiston, died
Friday, September 19,
2024, at her home in Port-
land, Oregon. She was born
January 12 th , 1955, at The
Dalles, Oregon. A Cele-
bration of Life will be held
at 12pm, Friday, October
11 th , 2024, at the Heppner
Elks Lodge, Heppner, Or-
egon. Sweeney Mortuary
of Heppner is in care of
arrangements.
Heppner sweeps Dufur in
four sets
The Heppner Mustangs
secured an impressive vic-
tory against Dufur in a
thrilling four-set match on
Tuesday night, with scores
of 25-17, 21-25, 25-12, and
25-13. After a slow start,
the team found its rhythm,
communicating better on
the court and showcasing
strong defensive plays and
net presence.
Key Performers:
Hallee: 12 digs, 13
kills, 3 aces, 2 blocks
Ava: 14 digs, 10 kills,
24 assists, 10 aces
Maya: 5 digs, 13 kills,
12 assists, 1 ace
Isa: 9 digs, 4 kills, 3
aces
Avree: 4 digs, 1 kill,
2 aces
Spivey: 24 digs, 5 as-
sists
After dropping the
second set, the Mustangs
quickly regrouped and
came out strong, dominat-
ing the next two sets to
secure the win. The team
started off a little slow but
found success once com-
Maya and Isa Payne both
going for the block against
Dufur. -Photo by Susie Hisler
munication improved and
they took better care of the
ball. Tough play at the net
and strong defensive efforts
on the court helped seal the
victory.
The Mustangs’ defense,
led by Spivey’s 24 digs,
proved crucial in turning
the momentum, while Ava’s
10 aces kept Dufur off-bal-
ance throughout the match.
Hallee and Maya led the
attack with 13 kills each,
showing versatility and
power at the net.
Heppner dominates Irrigon in
straight sets
The Heppner Mustangs
claimed a decisive 3-0 vic-
tory over Irrigon, winning
in straight sets with scores
of 25-15, 25-19, and 25-
18. Although the Mustangs
faced early challenges with
building momentum, they
maintained their composure
and focus, securing the win
through consistent play.
Key Performers:
Hallee: 8 digs, 11 kills,
4 aces, 2 blocks
Ava: 6 digs, 4 kills, 11
assists, 4 aces
Maya: 6 digs, 7 kills, 7
assists, 3 aces
Isa: 7 digs, 7 kills, 1
ace, 2 blocks
Avree: 5 digs, 2 kills
Spivey: 16 digs, 2 as-
sists, 3 aces
Despite the challenge
of finding their rhythm
early in the match, Heppner
was able to capitalize on
key plays both at the net
and in defense. Hallee led
the charge with 11 kills
and 4 aces, while Spivey
anchored the defense with
an impressive 16 digs.
Heppner’s ability to
battle through the ups and
downs of the game was ev-
Hallee Hisler with the kill
block against Irrigon. -Photo
by Susan Hisler
ident, as they remained fo-
cused and steady through-
out the match. Isa’s solid
all-around performance,
with 7 digs, 7 kills, and 2
blocks, helped the team
maintain pressure on Irri-
gon, while Ava’s 11 assists
and 4 aces kept the offense
running smoothly.
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS
AT 5PM
Lisa Jean (McCabe)
Gifford, passed on Septem-
ber 19th, 2024, at her home
in Portland, Oregon, from
Pancreatic Cancer.
She was born January
12 th , 1955, in The Dalles,
Oregon. A celebration of
life will be held at 12 Noon,
Friday, October 11, 2024,
at the Heppner Elks Lodge
with a meal provided.
She was raised and at-
tended school in Heppner,
Oregon, where she graduat-
ed in 1973. Her young years
were spent teaching swim-
ming to students during
the summer months. She
then worked part time in
Central Market where her
father and brother worked
as butchers, managers, and
owners. The first full-time
summer job during high
school was living with and
working for Mahoney’s,
where she had cooking and
cleaning lessons, and then
had the surprise of learning
to drive the wheat truck
during harvest!
After graduation, Lisa
began her business career in
accounting, followed with
Morrow County Court, and
then continued her career
by establishing Medical
Clinics first in Prairie City,
followed by a Medical Clin-
ic later expanding to Urgent
Care in Hermiston. She
was the leader of the pack
of twenty employees, most
of whom called her “Ma”!
Her adventurous per-
sonality took her to many
places in North America,
the Caribbean, Europe, and
the Pacific.
An avid boater, she no-
tably piloted and was solo
skipper, down the Columbia
River, through four dams,
over the Columbia Bar, and
up the Pacific to Canada!
Her love for sports was
equally extensive, engaging
in swimming, sailing, bicy-
cling a 100 miler through
the Blue Mountains to Hep-
pner, running, skiing, kay-
aking. Let’s not forget her
fishing, catching John Day
Steelhead, ocean salmon,
and hunting Eastern Oregon
Deer, Elk, and Antelope
trophies!
Above all, Lisa cher-
ished time with her family,
and close friends. She
adored her four grandsons
and loved to share time
with them. Her hobbies and
travels were often shared
with them and her son and
daughters, creating lasting
memories.
Lisa is survived by her
husband, Joseph, daughter,
Emily Heryla, with grand-
sons George and Oliver,
stepdaughter Maisie Van-
derhoof (Ryan), with grand-
sons Aidan and Dylan, step-
son Lionel Gifford, sisters
Pam Doherty (Jim), Laurie
Wilson (Dan), brother John
McCabe (Sonja). She was
preceded in death by her
parents Ernie and Mary
Jean McCabe.
Lisa’s life was marked
by her vibrant spirit and
her enduring impact on
her family, team members,
friends, and community.
Her legacy will continue
to inspire all those who
knew her.
Memorial contribu-
tions may be made to the
American Cancer Society,
Oregon Division Inc., 0330
SW Curry St., Portland,
OR 97239 or to St. Jude
Children Research Hos-
pital, 501 St. Jude Place,
Memphis, TN 38105-1492
Sweeney Payton Mor-
tuary is in care of arrange-
ments. You may sign the
online condolence book at
www.sweeneymortuary.
com
Bill
Weatherford
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
First of all, the lesson on proofreading before submit-
ting an item to the newspaper: This writer’s confusing,
garbled sentence in last week’s item about the coming
classes’ reunion SHOULD
HAVE read “…the museums and the high school will
be available for touring, and that evening, dinner will be
served at the Elks after a bit of socializing.” Proofreading
is obviously an important step in writing!
Recently, Karen and Tom Wolff traveled to Toronto,
Ontario, Canada, to visit their daughter Kelsey and her
husband Steve. They visited the university where Kelsey
is studying Art, went to the Hockey Hall of Fame and
saw the Stanley Cup, took a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour
around Toronto and enjoyed having dinner with some of
their friends. Kelsey said the weather is always nice when
family comes to visit, and this was no exception.
Eleven area women gathered for their monthly Birth-
day Luncheon Celebration at the Heppner Elks Lodge
on September 19 th . This month’s celebrities were Robin
Krebs and Dianne Mullins. Everyone enjoyed the variety
of conversations, and the delicious meal prepared by Chef
Heath Colvin.
Kudos to the planners, organizers, and participants
supporting the Lexington Fall Festival last Saturday. The
weather cooperated for the day that featured breakfast, a
silent auction, a raffle, several vendors of crafts and foods,
live music, and many activities and prizes for children.
Observation of a pedestrian-about-town: A “privacy
fence” easy and inexpensive to establish and maintain is
the one that begins with one or a few Virginia Creeper
starts and quickly chokes out anything in its path. Soon it
will provide a thick fence mostly impenetrable by pass-
ersby. A few Heppner yards feature these.
Adding tidbits to this column is as easy as jotting
and sending to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or calling to
report them at 541-223-1490. Here’s hoping that good
news comes to everyone reading this.
HRL hold monthly BINGO
& dinner Sept. 29 th
B i l l y We a t h e r f o r d
(aka William Washington
Weatherford III) passed
away unexpectedly on
July 7, 2024, at Miramar
Hospital on the campus of
the Naval Medical Center
San Diego. Bill was born
to WW (Bill) and Lucile
(Susy) Weatherford on Oc-
tober 27, 1946, and grew
up on their ranch outside
of Heppner. He went to
grade school through high
school in Heppner, and
attended Blue Mountain
Community College, and
Eastern Oregon College be-
fore enlisting in the Navy in
1965. Over his twenty-plus
year enlistment, he served
as Boilerman on a variety
of ships of the Pacific Fleet
throughout the Vietnam
Conflict, the Persian Gulf
War and peacetime. With
several commendations
in his pocket, he retired a
Master Chief Petty Officer
and remained active in the
Fleet Reserve Club in San
Diego until his death.
He is survived by his
wife, Frieda; sister, Karla
Weatherford Gray; children,
William W Weatherford IV
and wife Shonie, William
Bay, Bonnie Weatherford,
and Sherri-the stepdaughter
he thought of as his own;
two grandchildren, three
great-grandchildren, a niece
and a nephew.
Memorial services
were held at the Miramar
National Cemetery in San
Diego August 16 th , 2024.
His children will inter his
ashes at the Arlington Ma-
sonic Cemetery later in the
year.
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
Specials 9/26 - 10/2
Thursday - Tuna melt with salad
Friday - Hot Turkey and tomato sandwich with
corn chowder
Saturday - Ham & cream cheese wrap with
macaroni salad
Sunday - Grilled Chicken Caesar salad
Monday - Fish tacos with chips
Tuesday - chicken plus burger fries
Tuesday night 6-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - chicken tortilla soup with
quesadilla
With the end of Sep-
tember’s arrival that means
it’s time for Holly Rebekah
Lodge to hold their month-
ly dinner and BINGO af-
ternoon. This month the
meal will be a hearty beef
stew and cornbread. Both
for only $5. This starts at
3pm on September 29 th , at
the Rebekah Lodge Hall in
Lexington. Immediately
following will be BINGO.
A packet of 10 game cards
can be purchased for $5.
Of course, more than 10
games are played on these
cards. Individual cards are
available for 50 cents each.
These events are fami-
ly-friendly.
The Morrow County
Historical Society’s annual
meeting will be October
6th at 2pm at Hardman
Community Center. All
are welcome to attend and
share stories of Hardman
and the Community Center
building. Contact Kay Proc-
tor for more information at
kayproctor@gmail.com.
The MCHS to meet Oct. 6th
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