Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 2025)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 7, 2025 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. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or sykeschris@hotmail.com Web site: www.heppner.net. Post- master send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $36/year. Outside Morrow County $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 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 $5.65 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 55¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $16 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.15 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 $16 Obituaries Patricia Florence Prock Patricia Florence Prock (Albert), age 89, passed away peacefully surround- ed by family on April 24, 2025, at Willow Creek Ter- race in Heppner, OR. A me- morial service will be held at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery on May 16 at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow at the Heppner Elks lodge. Pat, or Patty, was a de- voted wife to the late Jimmy Prock for over 57 years. They had four children, Tricia, Mike, Jon and Tami. She was born on Sep- tember 12, 1935, in Minot, ND to Edgar and Ila Albert. She joined her sister Gayle, and they were later joined by sister Ferne. She spent her early years moving around as the family followed her father’s job. She spent time in Chiloquin, Klamath Junction, Klamath Falls, Heppner, Metzger and La Grande, then finally settling in Hardman and Heppner, where she graduated high school in 1953. Moving and changing schools taught Pat how to make friends and learn to adapt to change. She met the love of her life the summer of 1951 at the Rhea Creek Grange dance. Jim gave her an engagement ring on her birthday in 1953. They were married on August 7, 1954, in Heppner, where they settled and raised their four children. Patty babysat friends’ children until hers were old enough to be in school. She began working for M&R Floor Covering as a book- keeper. She then worked at Pioneer Memorial Hos- pital, later working at the Pioneer Memorial Clinic. She retired from Morrow County Mental Health after working there eight years. Her hobbies included quilting, reading, and shar- ing time with family and friends. Her family will al- ways cherish the quilts she made. She particularly en- joyed her Monday quilting friends. The conversation and sisterhood she had with Marge, Eva, Pat and Gwen was something she always cherished. Pat was an avid reader and writer. She kept many journals and wrote a book, A Collection of Life Stories. Patty moved to Willow Creek Terrace in January of this year. She reestablished old friendships and enjoyed her time there. Mealtime and activities provided opportunities for sharing stories and laughs with Bev, Virginia and Rita. The staff provided a loving and caring home to her during these final months. Her passion was her family. She devoted herself to her children. Pat taught them to be independent and kind to others. These lessons were passed on to her four grandsons, and seven great-grandchildren who affectionately called here “GG.” She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband of 57 years, her sister Gayle Feller, and her sons Jon and Mike. She is survived by her sister Ferne Healy (Mike); children Tricia Gunderson (David) and Tami Calvert (Gary); grandchildren Brent Gunderson (Kim- mie), Derek Gunderson (Meghan), Jake Calvert (Lynn), Matt Calvert (Kait- lin) and Bri Silva (Rafael); and great-grandchildren Whitley Gunderson, Easton Gunderson, Sage Calvert, Cora Calvert, Lane Calvert, Addison Calvert, Reed Calvert, Sophia Silva and John Silva. She is also sur- vived by many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, do- nations may be made to the Willow Creek Terrace, 400 Frank Gilliam Drive in Heppner, OR. Sweeney Payton Mor- tuary has been entrust- ed with the arrangements. Please leave your condo- lence messages for the fam- ily at sweeneypaytonmortu- ary.com. Norman Wayne ‘Buck’ Handbury Norman Wayne “Buck” Handbury, 88, of Heppner, OR passed away on Mon- day, April 21, 2025. At Buck’s request, there will be no local services. Per his wishes, his cremains will be interred during a private cemetery at Willamette Na- tional Cemetery in Happy Valley, OR. Buck was born on De- cember 6, 1936, in Myrtle Point, OR to Homer and Olvina Handbury but lived all his childhood in Lakev- iew, OR. In 1959, he was drafted into the Army. After Obituaries the first two basic trainings, he was shipped off to Ger- many, where he worked in a food warehouse. He spent any free time he had travel- ing and exploring. In March of 1964 he married Judy Orgain. They eloped and were married in Reno, NV. They enjoyed 61 years of marriage. In Octo- ber of 1973, their son Dean was born. In 1974 they moved to Heppner. Buck went to work for Pettyjohn Farm and Builders Supply. He went on to work at the Kinzua Mill, where he re- tired in December of 1998. Those remaining to remember him are his wife Judy, son Dean, brothers Dave and Don, sister Alice, sisters-in-law Charline and Marcella, several nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews, all of who loved their Uncle Buck. Preceding him in death were his parents Homer and Olvina; three brothers Glenn, Allen and Tom; and sister Ileen St. Clair. Donations in Buck’s memory can be made to the Shriners Children Hospital (3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239. Sweeney Payton Mor- tuary has been entrust- ed with the arrangements. Please leave your condo- lence messages for the fam- ily at sweeneypaytonmortu- ary.com. BMCC winter term honor roll Pendleton—Blue Mountain Community Col- lege has announced that winter term 2024-25 honor roll recognition went to the following full-time students from Morrow County: President’s List (3.75 - 4.0 GPA): Brianne Bish- op, Emily Cain, Erendira Cortes, Hailey Cunning- ham, Isela Echols, Liber- ty Ensley, Erica Guzman, Miranda Landeros, Julisa Lomas, Savannah Medrano Pruitt, Carol Salas, Mayra Wightman/ Vice President’s List (3.5 to 3.74): Cindy Agripi- no, Braden Atkins, Ana Calvillo, Arely Cambero, Tony Jimenez, Chelsea Newdiger, Brisa Salas, Aylin Sanchez Arellano, Sariah Thomas. Ione School District recognized in #OregonStrong campaign -Continued from PAGE ONE for real life, through Future Farmers of America, shop, and economics.” Chelsea Geer, teacher and ASB Advisor, shared that the Ione School Dis- trict offers other valuable career-preparation oppor- tunities, including extern- ships with local businesses such as the bank, the local café, and through SPURS. SPURS is a school men- torship program that was designed to support stu- dents going through diffi- cult times. “The most inspiring thing my school does is the Backpack Program, which supports families in need,” she said. Each week, students pack boxes containing food and household items for lo- cal families. This initiative, in partnership with the Ione School Clinic, connects community members with essential resources and of- fers students a chance to give back. “For us, school is not just a place to go. Here, we are together as a group,” said one. Following the session, some students recorded content to contribute to the #OregonStrong campaign. By the end, students and staff left with a deeper sense of pride in their school and community. Dryland crop tour next week The Morrow County Dryland Crop Tour will take place on Thursday, May 15. All are welcome to attend. The afternoon tour be- gins at 2 p.m. with a look at a field of camelina. The camelina field is located on the east side of Bombing Range Road and can be accessed by turning onto the field road just north of mile marker 18. The tour includes ad- ditional field stops (cover crop and winter wheat vari- ety experiments) at various locations in the North Lex area. This year’s crop tour is being hosted by Starvation Farms, the Morrow County Extension Office, and the Columbia Basin Agricultur- al Research Center. Contact Larry Lutch- er at 541-969-0580 with questions. Elks to Host Youth Night May 15 Upcoming Events Past youth night participants. -Contributed photo Youth night raffle prizes. -Contributed photo The Heppner Elks Lodge #358 is rolling out the red carpet for local youth and their families with a free community cele- bration on Wednesday, May 15. The annual Youth Night event, part of the Elks’ youth activities program- ming, will take place at the lodge, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and dinner served at 6 p.m. Open to all kids 17 and under, as well as parents, grandparents and guests, the event is completely free and does not require Elks membership to attend. Heppner Youth Base- ball has canceled games scheduled for that evening so players and their fami- lies can attend. Organizers are especially encouraging grandparents to join in the evening of celebration. A spaghetti dinner will be served, followed by prize raffles that in- clude summer-themed gear like fishing poles, sports equipment, camp chairs, swimming accessories, gift cards, AirPods, and even toys for the youngest guests aged four and under. Thanks to generous Elks members and a $500 donation in memory of 50-plus-year member Jerry Martin, the general raffle is free for all attendees. “Every kid will walk away with a prize,” said Corey Sweeney, Heppner Elks member and BPOE Oregon State Youth Activ- ities Chairman. There will also be a gun raffle featuring a Johnson Pump 12-gauge camo tur- key shotgun and a semi-au- tomatic .22 rifle, with tick- ets priced at just $1 each. Youth Night has been held off and on since 2010 and typically draws around 70 attendees, with growing participation from nearby communities like Board- man and Irrigon. The event is part of a broader effort by the Elks to support youth through programs such as the Hoop Shoot, fishing derbies, and Easter egg hunts. The event is something of a pilot program for the state, as Elks lodges across Oregon hope to use similar events to engage families and foster long-term com- munity involvement. “This is about support- ing the kids and building community,” said Sweeney. “We want families to begin their own legacy in the Heppner Elks.” No RSVP is required. Just show up ready for food, fun, and prizes. Print & Mailing Services *Design *Print *Mail Sykes Publishing 541-676-9228 Ladies Night May 8th - Bill and Robin Canaday will be preparing a choice of Beef or Chicken Shish Kabobs, Pasta salad or Mix Salad and Dessert Youth Night May 15th - 6:00 pm - Open to all youth, gun raffle, general raffle, Spaghetti dinner Lodge Hours: Wed 4pm to close with dinner at 6pm Thurs 4pm to close (Lodge at 8pm) Fri & Sat 4pm to close with dinner from 5pm to 8pm off the menu Members and their Guests 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
