WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
DEATHS
OBITUARIES
Helen J. Hastings
Frank Delion Ramirez
Irrigon
June 4, 1936 - Feb. 27, 2018
Hermiston
April 2, 1919 - March 1, 2018
Helen J. Hastings, 81, of Irrigon died Tuesday, Feb. 27,
2018, in Stanfield. She was born June 4, 1936, in Berlin,
ND. A graveside funeral service was held Saturday, March
3 at 3 p.m. at the Hermiston Cemetery. Burns Mortuary of
Hermiston is in charge of arrangements. Sign the online con-
dolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Frank Delion Ramirez to work until retirement in
of Hermiston, Oregon, 1976.
Frank enjoyed fishing
was born on April 2, 1919,
in Allende Coah, Mexico. and raising a huge garden.
He was also a good
He died on March
pool player, loved
1, 2018, at his home
to make tamales and
in Hermiston at the
spend time with the
age of 98.
crew at the HT. He
Frank married
loved his wife, chil-
the love of his life,
dren, grandchildren
Romana Hernan-
and great-grandchil-
dez, on January 10,
dren dearly.
1948, in Mitch- Ramirez
ell, Nebraska, and
Frank is sur-
vived by sons Frank
was married for 68
Ramirez II (Kathy),
years. They lived in
Hillsboro,
Ore.,
Sydney, Nebraska,
and Tom Ramirez
before settling in
(Michelle), Herm-
Hermiston in 1964.
Ore.;
daugh-
Frank came to the iston,
United States in 1926 ters Joan (John) Raw-
at the age of 6, living in son, Damascus, Ore.,
Texas shortly before mov- and Marian (John) Ell-
ing to Nebraska. His fam- wanger, Hermiston, Ore.;
ily was poor and Frank 14 grandchildren; and 12
was not able to complete great-grandchildren.
Frank’s family wishes
school but instead worked
on a large beet farm, weed- to express their deep-
ing, driving tractors and est appreciation to Karen
trucks to help earn money. Krein for her endless care
He also worked in a tailor and compassion.
Frank was preceded in
shop, mending and alter-
ing clothing.
death by his wife Romana,
Frank joined the Army his daughter Annette
in 1941, serving during Quick, and his four sisters
WWII for three and a half Otila Blanco, Vera Hernan-
years before his honorable dez, Esther Betances and
discharge. He was based Amparo (Mary) Vargas.
Recitation of the Holy
in France and Italy during
World War II and was an Rosary will be held on
ambulance driver, carry- Friday, March 9, 2018, at
ing wounded soldiers to 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady of
the ambulance, caring for Angels Catholic Church,
them until reaching the Hermiston, Oregon, with
hospitals. The war ended Mass of Christian Burial
and he met his future wife following at noon. Burial
in the fall of 1945. Romana with military honors will
was 17 and Frank was 26. follow at the Hermis-
They married in 1948, ton Cemetery, Hermiston,
and in 1950 Frank started Oregon.
Please sign the online
working at the Sioux
Army Depot in Sidney, condolence book at burns-
Neb.; he was transferred mortuaryhermiston.com
Burns Mortuary of
to Umatilla Army Depot
in Hermiston, Oregon, in Hermiston, Oregon, is in
1964 where he continued charge of arrangements.
Penny L. (Perry) Hoisington
COURTESY OREGON STATE POLICE
About 20 vehicles crashed Saturday night on Interstate 84
east of Pendleton, shutting down the westbound lanes for
more than 12 hours.
20-vehicle wreck near Pendleton
By PHIL WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
Oregon State Police con-
tinues to investigate the
series of crashes on the icy
interstate near Pendleton
that injured nine people Sat-
urday night.
Five suffered serious
injuries, according to state
police. Ground and air
ambulances took victims to
St. Anthony Hospital, Pend-
leton, and Kadlec Regional
Medical Center, Richland.
State police Lt. Mike Turner
in Pendleton said having vic-
tims in hospitals in different
states adds another layer to
a complicated investigation.
“We’re just continuing
to try to put all the pieces
together,” Turner said.
Oregon State Police have
not confirmed the identi-
ties of the victims. Turner
said Monday that OSP has
received media questions
about a fatality from the
crash, but no agency or hos-
pital involved has confirmed
any deaths. At this point, he
said, state police do not have
information of anyone dying
at the scene or afterward.
State police reported 20
vehicles — seven semi-trac-
tors and 13 passenger cars
— were involved. Turner
explained there was not one
large pile-up but instead
separate crashes on the
westbound side of Interstate
84 near milepost 223, about
13 miles east of Pendleton.
The preliminary inves-
tigation revealed speed and
black ice helped create a
domino effect resulting in
the multiple collisions.
Around 6:20 p.m. a pas-
senger car stopped on the
roadside because a crash
already was blocking traf-
fic, according to the daily
log from state police, and a
semi-trailer lost traction on
the icy road and slid into
the car. The semi pushed the
car into another semi, and
a third commercial vehicle
tried to avoid the crash but
clipped the car.
The car had at least two
occupants, according to state
police, and an ambulance
took them to a hospital.
The collisions stacked up
after that, and multiple agen-
cies responded, including
the Pendleton Fire Depart-
ment, Umatilla County
Fire District, and the Uma-
tilla Tribal Fire Department.
The Oregon Department of
Transportation closed I-84
westbound lanes until 8
a.m. Sunday and many were
stuck in traffic for hours
before being escorted off the
interstate.
Juliaetta, Idaho
Aug. 26, 1947 - March 4, 2018
Penny L. (Perry) Hoisington, 70, of Juliaetta, Idaho, died
Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Pilot Rock. She was born Aug.
26, 1947, in Grand Coulee, Wash. Arrangements are pend-
ing with Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Sign the online con-
dolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Pamela L. Cearns
Stanfield
April 19, 1956 - Feb. 26, 2018
Pamela L. Cearns, 61 of Stanfield died Monday, Feb.
26, 2018, in Richland, Washington. She was born April 19,
1956, in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. A celebration of life will
be held Saturday, March 3 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Stan-
field Moose Lodge, 615 W. Coe Ave. Arrangements are with
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston.
Marvin L. McKenzie Sr.
Hermiston
May 14, 1926 - March 2, 2018
Marvin L. McKenzie Sr., 91, of Hermiston, died Friday,
March 2, 2018, in Hermiston. He was born May 14, 1926,
in Hermiston. A service is pending. Arrangements are with
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Sign the online condolence
book at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Marilyn L. Pfnister
Hermiston
Sept. 19, 1931 - Jan. 17, 2018
Marilyn L. Pfnister, 86, of Hermiston died Wednesday,
Jan. 17, 2018, in Hermiston. She was born Sept. 19, 1931, in
Laird, Colorado. A memorial service will be held Saturday,
March 10 at 3 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses, 2260 N.E. Fourth St., Hermiston. Arrangements are
with Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Sign the online condo-
lence book at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
BIRTHS
Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston
FEB. 18, 2018
HAYDEN — Kaylee Kathleen Hayden of Stanfield: a
girl, Madeline Susan Hayden.
FEB. 20, 2018
BENSEL— Danielle McAtee and Ryan Bensel of Pilot
Rock: a boy, Bentley Mathew Bensel.
FEB. 22, 2018
CHICK — Darcie Chick and Eric Chick of Heppner: a
girl, Dixie Dawn Chick.
FEB. 23, 2018
PURKERSON — Katherine Purkerson of Hermiston: a
boy, Laiken Myles Purkerson.
FEB. 24, 2018
SANCHEZ CORTES — Juanita Cortes Luna and
Adolfo Sanchez Villa of Hermiston: a girl, Clarissa Gracie
Sanchez Cortes.
Heppner man jailed in
Gilliam County after crash
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office purchased an ATV with
snow tracks to add to its snowmobile division and for use in
search and rescue.
New rescue ATV gets
workout on first day
HERMISTON HERALD
The Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Office got a new
toy this week and began
putting it to use right away.
The office purchased an
ATV with snow tracks for
its snowmobile patrol divi-
sion, using grant funds from
the Oregon State Snowmo-
bile Association.
Tom Roberts, the coun-
ty’s emergency manager,
said the vehicle is useful
because it can travel on dif-
ferent types of terrain and
also haul a heavy payload.
On Wednesday morning
the search and rescue divi-
sion was sent out to find a
plane that had crashed in
the snowy mountains east of
Milton-Freewater.
Roberts had the ATV
fueled up and took it the
mountains, and soon after
the search and rescue team
found the pilot and pas-
senger near Government
Camp — cold and wet, but
uninjured.
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A5
RECORDS
As the response team
was returning from that call,
the Umatilla Tribal Police
Department called and
asked for help finding a pos-
sibly suicidal man near Pov-
erty Flats near Pendleton.
Using the ATV, searchers
found the man and returned
him to safety.
“Within the first few
hours of having this type
of vehicle, we’ve already
demonstrated its value to the
Sheriff’s Office,” said Jim
Littlefield, Umatilla County
undersheriff. “While the
vehicle’s primary mission
will be for snow patrol use,
it also has the capacity to
be used in many other situ-
ations and can help us save
lives.”
Roberts said a similar
vehicle was borrowed from
Walla Walla to respond to
the 2012 bus crash at Dead-
man Pass that required trav-
eling up and down steep ter-
rain, and he’s glad to have
one at his disposal in Uma-
tilla County.
THE DALLES — Gilliam
County Sheriff’s Office
reported Daniel Joseph
Coiner, 37, of Heppner, faces
multiple charges after crash-
ing a car that caught fire.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, at
about 11:25 p.m., a home-
owner south of the mouth
of Rock Creek along the
John Day River woke to his
pickup alarm and flashing
lights, according to a writ-
ten statement from the sher-
iff’s office. The owner went
outside and saw a man sit-
ting in the driver’s seat of
the pickup.
“The homeowner con-
fronted the subject who was
non-compliant at first but
eventually left the area on
foot,” the sheriff’s office
reported.
The home does not have
a telephone, so the owner
and his wife drove until
they had cellphone ser-
vice and called 911. About
three-quarters of a mile
from their home they found
a vehicle fully engulfed in
flames.
Gilliam County sheriff’s
deputies arrived at the home
and searched for the sus-
pect. Oregon State Police
investigated the crash and
fire, and the North Gilliam
County Rural Fire Depart-
ment extinguished the
blaze.
Two deputies and two
state troopers determined
the suspect was Dan-
iel Joseph Coiner, 37, of
Heppner.
Coiner, possibly intox-
icated, had driven his
car off the road and got-
ten stuck near the mouth
of Rock Creek, accord-
ing to the sheriff’s office.
The vehicle caught fire and
Coiner walked to the resi-
dence where he entered the
pickup.
Law enforcement found
and arrested Coiner and
booked him into jail in The
Dalles on several charges
including criminal trespass,
disorderly conduct, unlaw-
ful entry into a motor vehi-
cle, felony revoked driving
and littering.
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Pamela Rochelle McSpadden
Stanfield
July 20, 1954 - Feb. 28, 2018
Pamela
Rochelle
McSpadden was born
July 20, 1954 in Butte,
Montana, the daughter
of Edward and Dorothy
(Landice) Berreth. She
passed away in Stanfield
on Wednesday February
28, 2018 at the age of 63.
Pamela lived in Mon-
tana and later Seattle,
Washington, before mov-
ing to Stanfield, Oregon,
in the mid-1990s. She
enjoyed being active in her
community as a city coun-
cil member, volunteer-
ing at the Stanfield Senior
Center and the Food Bank.
She also enjoyed cooking,
fishing, going camping,
working in her yard and
loved dogs.
Pamela married Bob
McSpadden in Pendleton,
Oregon, on Nov. 14, 2001.
She is survived by her
husband, Bob; sons, Ryan
and Rodney Minten; sis-
ters, Debbie Schrader
and Linda Gillot; brother,
Gary Berreth; and two
grandchildren.
A memorial service
will be held at 2 p.m. on
Wednesday March 7,
2018, at the Burns Mortu-
ary Chapel.
To leave an online con-
dolence for the family go
to www.burnsmortuary-
hermiston.com.
POLICE LOG
TUESDAY, FEB. 27
1:15 p.m. — Animal abuse was
reported in progress at Butte Park on
Northwest Seventh Street, Hermiston.
11:47 p.m. — On Northeast Fourth
Street, it was reported that there
was a lot of arguing going on inside
an apartment, with one person say-
ing that if they called the cops, they
would tell the cops that whoever
reported them was on drugs. The
reporter was concerned about retalia-
tion from the subjects.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28
11:38 a.m.— Shots fired were
reported at Columbia Drive,
Hermiston.
3:19 p.m. — At the Hermiston
Library on East Gladys Avenue, a
caller reported that a male subject
was sleeping inside by the computer
stations. He was breathing really hard
and another patron believed he was
coming down off drugs. They asked
for a welfare check.
5:17 p.m. — On North First Street
by Dutch Bros., a caller saw a trans-
action for a gun, in a large blue two-
door pickup truck.
THURSDAY, MARCH 1
1:26 p.m. — A male was report-
edly trespassing in a back yard on
Northwest Third Street, Hermiston.
3:23 p.m. — A male was inside
a business on South Highway 395,
harassing a customer.
FRIDAY, MARCH 2
9:29 p.m. — A suicidal subject
was reported on East Elm Avenue,
Hermiston.
11:32 p.m. —An assault was
reported at Northwest Spruce Street,
Hermiston
SATURDAY, MARCH 3
1:14 p.m. — A domestic distur-
bance was reported on Southwest
Oak Drive.
4:47 p.m. — On West Sun-
land Avenue, Hermiston, a caller
reported that a neighbor is threat-
ening them and throwing buckets
into their yard.
SUNDAY, MARCH 4
8:19 a.m. — A caller reported a
woman was parked in front of their
residence playing loud music and
refused to leave.
10:04 a.m. — A suicidal subject
was reported at West Elm Avenue
and North First Place, Hermiston.
3:01 p.m. — A storage unit was
reported ransacked on North First
Place, Hermiston.
6:53 p.m. — Two different call-
ers reported a domestic disturbance
on Northwest 11th Street but police
were unable to locate.
9:50 p.m. — Five shots were
reported fired at East Beech Ave-
nue and McNary Street, Hermiston,
which the reporter said sounded
like a pistol. But officers were
unable to locate the source of the
shots.
MONDAY, MARCH 5
8:18 a.m. — A business on
Northwest 11th Street, Hermiston,
asked officers to come check out a
vehicle with open containers of beer
sitting in the front.
2:56 p.m. — An employee of
a business on North First Street
reported she is receiving threaten-
ing calls at work.
9:07 p.m. — A suicidal sub-
ject was reported on West Sunland
Avenue.