TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 23, 2025
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
MCHS donates to
Hardman Community
Center upkeep
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
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. E-mail:
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$41/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $31/year. 9 month Student student
subscriptions $36/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea DiSalvo ............................................................................................. Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising
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column inch. Cost for classified ad is 55¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $16 up to 100
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placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $16
L-R: Morrow County Historical Society Treasurer Neva Mc-
Mahon, William McMahon and his sister Patty Harshman,
both of whom attended elementary school in Hardman, Sam
Martin and Cheyenne Martin. Seated is long-time resident
Judy Stevens. -Photo by Kay Proctor
By Kay Proctor
Morrow County His-
torical Society members
recently donated $1,000
to the Hardman Commu-
nity Center for the upkeep
and continual restoration
versity, and Portland State of the 1900 building. The
building is listed on the
University.
Bob taught and coached U.S. National Register of
for 40 years at various Or- Historic Places.
Some of the updates
egon schools: Warrington
needed
are new siding and
Junior High, and Clack-
windows.
amas, Monroe, La Salle
(Milwaukie), and Riverside
(Boardman) High Schools.
He retired in 2002. Bob
coached multiple sports,
mainly basketball and golf,
and was particularly proud
The South Morrow
of his teams winning Or-
County MS Walk will take
egon State golf titles in
place this Saturday, April
1988, 1989 and 1991, as
26. Participants will meet
well as finishing runner-up
at Hager Park in Heppner
five additional times. He
at 10 a.m. The walk is
was named Oregon’s Golf
about a mile long over even
Coach of the Year four
ground, but participants are
times.
warned to watch for vehi-
He was a voracious
cles and dogs.
reader of fiction and nonfic-
tion and enjoyed crossword
puzzles and working in the
yard. He also enjoyed fol-
lowing high school, college
and professional sports.
The Morrow County
Bob was married to Pa- Board of Commissioners
tricia D. Partlow of Board- unanimously approved a
man for 60 years and they $40,000 funding request
had two sons, Robert of Sa- from the Stokes Landing
lem and Christopher of Mil- Senior Center in Irrigon
waukie, and two beloved during a meeting earlier
granddaughters, Erika and this month.
Kat. He is further survived
Representing the cen-
by two sisters, Dora Sue, ter, president Sharon Tinnes
now living in McMinnville, and treasurer Karen Cooley
and Anita, in Tennessee, shared the financial and
and a brother, Gregory, in operational challenges the
San Francisco.
all-volunteer organization
Bob was preceded in has faced in recent years,
death by both parents, a including prolonged clo-
brother, Herbert, and sister, sures due to COVID-19 and
Beverly.
the loss of a volunteer cook.
“We were closed down
for several years during
COVID, which made it dif-
ficult,” said Tinnes. “Then
we closed down for two
have a huge impact.”
If you or someone you years again because we
know is interested in volun- lost our cook. And since we
teering in the center three are a strictly all-volunteer
days a month, the center is organization, it was very
offering volunteer training difficult to find someone to
with dinner May 8 at 4:30 come in to cook that didn’t
p.m. Please RSVP to 541- expect to be paid, even
676-5024 by May 5 if you though it’s only one day.”
The center provides
plan to attend.
Other volunteer po-
sitions are also available.
Please inquire with Clark at
the Neighborhood Center.
Obituaries
Robert H.
‘Bob’
Davidson, Jr.
MCHS members were
given a tour of the center
after their annual meeting
there. Sam or Cheyenne
Martin, who led the tour,
live next door and have
done extensive work with
repairs and displays, along
with other dedicated locals.
Either of the Martins
may be contacted about
renting the historic build-
ing for events, reunions or
meetings.
South Morrow MS
Walk Saturday
Robert H. “Bob” Da-
vidson, Jr. passed away
March 29, 2025, at Mil-
waukie, OR, from compli-
cations associated with di-
abetes. Services and burial
will be at the Lexington
Cemetery at a later date.
He was born to Robert
H. Davidson and Mildred
Pollard Davidson on Sep-
tember 4, 1942, during his
father’s service in World
War II. Bob was the second
of six children. A native of
Eastern Oregon, he grew up
in Lexington and graduated
from Heppner High School
in 1960.
Bob received a bache-
lor’s degree from Eastern
Oregon College in 1964, a
master’s degree from Port-
land State College in 1968,
and did further graduate
work at the University of
Oregon, Oregon State Uni-
BOC approves $40k for
Irrigon senior center
Volunteers needed at
Neighborhood Center
The Neighborhood
Center is looking for three
enthusiastic, hardworking
volunteers over the age of
18 to work in its food pan-
try. Volunteers will assist
clients with grocery shop-
ping, stock shelves, carry
out groceries and more.
“Food truck week is
a very busy week here at
the Neighborhood Center,”
says center coordinator
Nikki Clark. “This is a
small commitment that will
weekly meals, social activ-
ities like music performanc-
es and game days, a lending
library, and free medical
equipment to local seniors.
“We have walkers and
wheelchairs and crutches,”
said Tinnes. “So anyone in
the community actually is
able to come.”
Tinnes emphasized the
center’s role in combating
isolation and supporting
mental health for the elder-
ly. At the same time, she
said the senior center has to
rent out the facility to cover
basic expenses like utilities.
“That’s the only way
we can make a go of it,”
she said.
Commissioners ex-
pressed their appreciation
for the center’s contribu-
tions to senior well-be-
ing and acknowledged the
importance of continued
support.
The approved funding
will assist with general
operations and help expand
community programs.
Holly Rebekah dinner
and bingo April 27
Health District Candidates
Forum Planned April 23
The Heppner Chamber
of Commerce invites the
public to attend a candi-
dates forum to hear from
those running for positions
on the Morrow County
Health District Board.
The MCHD candidates
forum will take place on
The event will include
picture-taking opportuni-
ties, prizes and, of course,
a no-host brunch at Buck-
nam’s Tavern.
Those who cannot at-
tend but want to support
that cause can send contri-
butions to Barb Orwick.
Wednesday, April 23, at 6
p.m. at the Gilliam & Bis-
bee Building.
Candidates will present
their platforms and answer
questions. Submit questions
in writing at the event, or
via Facebook Messenger or
livestream.
On Sunday, April 27,
starting at 2 p.m., visitors
can enjoy a Mexican fiesta
at the Holly Rebekah Lodge
in Lexington.
For only $5, the Re-
bekahs will be serving a
chicken enchilada, Spanish
rice, dessert and a drink.
Bingo will commence
at 3:30. A packet of 10 Bin-
go cards can be purchased
for $5—that’s enough for
14 regular games and three
blackout games. Winners
might even walk away with
prizes.
All ages are welcome
to come to either or both
events and enjoy visiting
and having a fun afternoon.
The Holly Rebekah Lodge
is located at 135 W Main
Street, Lexington.
The Heppner Chamber
of Commerce invites the
public to attend a candi-
dates forum to hear from
those running for office on
the Port of Morrow Com-
mission.
The Port of Morrow
candidates forum will take
place on Monday, April 28,
at 6 p.m. at the Gilliam &
Bisbee Building in Hep-
Father Thankachan Joseph
Misery – Mercy & Mystery
My Easter wish for all of you is that the Risen Christ
fill you and your families with the gift of peace.
This coming Sunday, Catholics will be celebrating the
feast of Divine Mercy. As I sat and pondered this feast, I
received the news that Pope Francis had died. He worked
to make humanity like the Divine in the world. Through
his encyclical letters, he made us think and reflect on the
face of God in the world. His teachings were always an
inspiration for us about divine love, care, affection and
concern for human suffering.
The Gospel reading of the day reminds me of the
psycho-social aspect that the disciples experienced during
the first Easter morning. In the Gospel of John 20:19, we
read: “It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples
were gathered together behind the locked doors, because
they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.”
This particular passage made an impact on me when
I read it. We have gone through a tough time of this sort
in the recent past when the pandemic hit the universal
world, which shut down our economy, our freedom of
movement and coming together—everything was in a
stand-still condition.
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, I have chosen a title
“Mercy and Mystery” for our reflection. I hope it may be
very apt for us all. During the Good Friday reflections, I
was very touched by a character whom we meet on our
meditation of the Stations of the Cross. We may meditate
on the character and personality of a woman called Ve-
ronica. She comes forward to the aid of Jesus, who was
going through tremendous and excruciating pain on His
way to Calvary, the place he needs to be for crucifixion,
after His condemnation by Pilate. Veronica observes the
misery/agony the Lord was going through and at that
moment, she comes forward to aid Him without concern
for how the male-dominated Jewish community may react
to her. Love and friendship make her act promptly. She
doesn’t waste time and opportunity but comes up, wipes
His bloody face, and consoles Him with her handkerchief.
She reaches out as empathy personified.
In similar situations, when we meet our family mem-
bers or members of our community, what are my first
reactions? Like the apostles in the Gospel, we are also go-
ing through emotional bankruptcy because of our shame,
guilt of the past, brokenness, disappointments, failing to
reach ambitious goals. We need to look into ourselves,
into how we can find ways and means of overcoming
unhealthy feelings of depression, anxiety, hurt, loss of
self-worth and hatred. In these miserable conditions,
like Veronica, we need to reach out to others without
being bothered by the opinions of others. We need to
become God’s mercy in similar conditions.
The second reading of this week from the Acts of the
Apostles helps us to practice mercy and re-live mercy:
“All who believed were together and had all things in
common; and they sold their possessions and goods and
distributed them to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45). I
think the Divine Master invites every one of us to con-
tinue the same acts of kindness and benevolence to the
people around us, even in this present time to become like
Veronica. The Divine Lord is inviting each one of us to
stretch our helping hand and reach out to someone who
needs our services.
The Gospel of John (20:19-31) narrates an experi-
ence of the apostles, the lockdown/shutdown that the
apostles immediately experienced after the death of the
Lord, which is very fresh in our minds and hearts; the
shutdown is actually in God’s plan. In Genesis 7:16 we
read: “A male and female of each kind of living being
went into the boat with Noah, as God had commanded.
Then the Lord shut the door behind Noah.” Similarly, we
read in the Gospel passage, “the first day of the week, the
doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of
the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to
them, ‘Peace be with you.’” (20:20).
When we are faced with such situations, the Lord will
be there on our side to whisper into our ears about the
same words of consolation, “peace be with you.”
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Port of Morrow Candidates Forum April 28
pner.
Candidates will present
their platforms and answer
questions. Submit questions
in writing at the event, or
via Facebook Messenger or
livestream.
Spiritually Speaking
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