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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2019)
RECORDS Wednesday, OctOber 2, 2019 HerMIstOnHeraLd.cOM • A5 OBITUARIES Loren Irvine Stoddard Keith Jefferson Rodenbough ‘The Last of the Sagebrush Sailors’ Echo Melissa, David, Marissa and Daniel Pugh, January 4, 1936 — September 6, 2019 Zachary and Courtney VanDyke, and Mia, Loren Irvine Stoddard was born on Jan- Kristoffer and Stephen Stoddard. uary 4, 1936, in Everett, Washington. He Loren was preceded in death by daugh- passed away on September 6, 2019, at his ters Sheryl Ann, Darlene Patricia and Sandra Louise VanDyke; son Duane Allen; home in Echo, Oregon, at the age and his parents. He also leaves his of 83 years. Loren graduated from Everett beloved dog, Sadie, and four cats. High School in January of 1954 Loren was described by his and joined the United States grandchildren as loving to fish, Marine Corps in March of 1954. scuba dive, golf, travel and spend He served for 22½ years includ- time with his family and pets. He ing the Vietnam War before was proud of his military service retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant and his job with the post office. E-7. He moved from Kaneohe, He had a big heart, an even bigger Hawaii, where he spent his last smile and always had a bear hug Stoddard tour of duty with his family in for his loved ones. Rest in peace Arlington, Washington. Marine, Semper Fi! Loren worked briefly for Bay- A graveside service with mili- liner Marine before going to tary honors was held on Monday, work for the Everett Post Office. September 30, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. In 1983, he moved his family to at Fort Rosecrans National Ceme- Hermiston, Oregon. Loren worked full time tery, San Diego, California. In lieu of flowers, the family requests as a rural route mail carrier while continuing donations to Eastern Oregon Humane Soci- to work a small farm. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, ety, 1844 N.E. Geer Road, Hermiston, OR Beverly Stoddard; aunt Doris Allen; brother 97838, or the United States Marine Corps Paul Givler and wife Sheila; nephew Paul Toys for Tots. and wife Carol; daughter Debra Pugh and Please share memories of Larry with his husband Pete; son Donald Stoddard, M.D. family at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston. and wife Marie; son-in-law Terry Van- com. Arrangements by Burns Mortuary of Dyke; 10 grandchildren: Brandon and wife Hermiston. Buel Vernon Taylor Fort Dodge, Kansas lor, and five daughters: Shirley Eichman, Susan Boyle, Cindy Rachow, Donna Buch- Buel Vernon Taylor was born April 12, holz and Dora Lancaster; 17 grandchildren, 1924, in Arkansas to Elias Bloom Taylor 31 great-grandchildren, and two great-great and Minnie Estella (Hart) Taylor, and passed grandchildren. away Saturday, September 21, He was preceded in death by his 2019, at the Kansas Soldier’s parents; wife Penny; three brothers: Home, at the age of 95. Avery, WD “Bill” and Buddy Tay- lor; four sisters: Alene Partain, Eve- Buel was raised on a farm in lyn Bentley, Wanda Hamilton and Leedey, Oklahoma. He served Dorothy Thornton; two daughters, in World War II and after return- ing home, he was called back to Linda Marin and Angela Tejeda; serve in the Korean War. Buel one granddaughter, Shelly Eich- man; and three great-grandkids. then moved to Kansas where he Graveside services will be at worked for a farmer and the Gra- ham County Road Department, 10 a.m. Thursday, October 3, 2019, Taylor running a road grader. He later at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery, made his way to Hermiston, Ore- WaKeeney, with Pastor Harold gon, where he worked for Lamb Demoret officiating and full mili- tary honors. There will be no public Weston, a potato plant, which viewing, cremation has taken place. he later retired from, at the age Memorials may be made to the of 80. In 2011, Buel returned to Kansas Soldier’s Home in Fort Dodge, Kan- Kansas to be with his family. Buel enjoyed spending time with his sas, where he resided, in care of Ziegler family, fishing, hunting, gardening, playing Funeral Chapel, 1901 N. 14th Ave., Dodge cards, and collecting miscellaneous items. City, KS 67801. Condolences may be sent to Buel is survived by one son, Jerry Tay- www.zieglerfuneralchapel.com. April 12, 1924 — September 21, 2019 Vincent P. Davis September 29, 2019 Vincent P. Davis (formerly of Stanfield) was born in Hermiston, the son of Patrick and Tammy (Barreras) Davis. He passed away at home with his family by his side on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at the age of 50. He is survived by his parents, Patrick and Tammy Davis; two sisters, Sheral Campbell and Dannie Moss; six nieces and nephews and four great nieces. A private family gathering was held. Arrangements by Burns Mortuary of Herm- iston. To leave an online condolence for the family, please go to www.burnsmortuary- hermiston.com. Portland April 30, 1926 — August 28, 2019 Keith J. Rodenbough was an extraordinary man. Born and raised in Uma- tilla, Oregon, Keith fol- lowed in his father’s watery path. Keith’s father, Harry Rodenbough, owned and operated the ferry boat that crossed the Columbia River at Uma- tilla before the bridge was built. Alva Stephens, Keith’s friend since third grade, piloted that ferry boat. At age 16 Keith became the youngest tug- boat pilot on the Colum- bia River. He navigated the rough Columbia River at the helm of the legend- ary Winquatt operated by Inland Navigation Com- pany. Those early days of piloting were so treach- erous that many aspiring commercial sailors would give up after only a few months. Keith was accom- plished at such a perilous job that he was recruited to work on the Great Lakes and the Alaskan Coast. At age 27 he was drafted and served in the United States Army where he served in the naviga- tional field. Keith had a great love of all mechan- ical transportation. In addition to tugboats and barges, Keith studied commercial airplanes and locomotives. From 1968 to 1977, Keith would drive to Port- land most weekends where he and his friend, Don Feller, would spend hours building a model railroad train complete with moun- tains, towns and a train yard. The outside track was 60 feet around. At 6’1” Keith was a tall, lean dapper gentleman. He took great pride in always wearing well-pressed shirts and shoes with a high shine. In fact, he was so handsome, well-dressed and knowledgeable about commercial planes that his friends would introduce him at parties as “Captain Rodenbough” of United Rodenbough Airlines. Despite his gen- tlemanly ways, good looks and intelligence, Keith never married or had children. His post-river life was dedi- cated to caring for his par- ents and being an active community member in Umatilla. Keith’s mother, Hettie, fell ill while Keith was working on the Great Lakes. Harry called Keith, asking him to come home to help care for her. Thus, in his 40s Keith ended his career, returning home to Umatilla to care for his parents who died at ages 98 and 99. In Umatilla Keith was an active member of the Elks and heavily involved with the Umatilla Museum. He was inter- viewed several times by reporters and by Colum- bia River historians. He and his beloved Winquatt were featured in an OPB documentary. Over the years Keith would travel with his friend Don to places like Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas to take in muse- ums and private collec- tions. In the last few years of his life Keith would go out twice a week with his friend Alva and Alva’s daughter, Jimmie Schleh. Together they would gro- cery shop, attend Sunday services and eat at a local diner. On his birthday each year Keith would put on a pressed shirt with a tie and those shiny shoes to lunch with his friends Pam Stocker, Kathy Bush and Kath- leen Raw from Edward Jones. Keith Roden- bough lived an extraordinary life. The name “Sagebrush Sailor” is about more than just a livelihood, it is about a type of man, one that no longer exists. A graveside service will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at 1 p.m. at Sun- set Cemetery in Umatilla, Oregon. Keith was well-loved. Dear friends include Don and Mary Feller of Port- land, Oregon; Amanda Feller of Tacoma, Wash- ington; Alva Stephens of Umatilla, Oregon; Jimmie Schleh of Umatilla; Pam Stocker, Kathy Bush and Kathleen Raw of Edward Jones, Hermiston, Ore- gon, as well as several neighbors and community members. Keith’s surviving fam- ily include his sister Doris Hiatt, 98, of Beaverton; nephew Jerry Hiatt of Hermiston; nephew Phil Hiatt of Beaverton; niece Sue Hiatt Arnaud of Bea- verton; grand-nieces Cam- mie Hiatt Hewitt, Erin Hiatt Davis and Steph- anie Arnaud Edwards; and grand-nephew Chris Hiatt, as well as several great-grand-nieces and -nephews. See the original arti- cle, “The Last of the Sage- brush Sailors,” below. LAST OF THE SAGEBRUSH SAILORS By Colin Murphey, Hermiston Herald, Published May 30, 2014 Nicholas “Nick” Kauffman Umatilla Nick enjoyed making things go fast; motorcycles, 4-wheelers, dune buggies, go Nicholas “Nick” Kauffman of Umatilla carts, cars and trucks. If it had wheels and was born January 10, 1960, in an engine he enjoyed making it go Salem, Oregon, the son of Sam- fast. uel and Patricia (Fitzner) Kauff- He is survived by his daughter, man. He passed away in Rich- Andrea; grandchildren, Gaven and land, Washington, on Friday Jocie Elwood; sister, Rebecca John- son; brothers, Steven, Charlie and September 27, 2019, at the age Andrew Kauffman; many nieces, of 59. As a child, Nick lived in the nephews, cousins and extended Willamette Valley of Oregon. He family members; and his significant later moved to Prineville where other, Elaine Clubb. Kauffman he attended high school. After He was preceded in death by his high school, he served in the parents. U.S. Army for three years. He A celebration of life will be then returned to Prineville for a announced at a later time. Arrange- ments by Burns Mortuary of short time. He has lived in the Hermiston. Umatilla and Irrigon areas for To leave an online condolence over 30 years. He worked as a mechanic and a welder in Eastern Oregon for the family, please go to www.burnsmor- tuaryhermiston.com. throughout his career. Jan. 10, 1960 — Sept. 27, 2019 DEATH NOTICES Dorene Lyn Napolitano David L. Ayling Hermiston Hermiston Nov. 27, 1949 — Sept. 5, 2019 Sept. 21, 1929 — Sept. 16, 2019 Dorene Lyn Napolitano, 69, of Hermis- ton, died Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. She was born Nov. 27, 1949, in Ely, Nevada. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 at 12 noon at Our Lady of Angels Cath- olic Church in Hermiston. Arrangements by Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Share memo- ries with the family at www.burnsmortuary- hermiston.com. David L. Ayling, 89, of Hermiston, died Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, in Hermis- ton. He was born Sept. 21, 1929, in Royal Oak, Michigan. A private burial was held in Idaho. Arrangements by Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Share memories with the family at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com. UPCOMING SERVICE Ernest Hohenwald Irrigon May 14, 1932 — Sept. 13, 2019 Ernest Hohenwald, 87, of Irrigon, died Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at his home. He was born May 14, 1932, in St. Paul, Minnesota. A memorial service will be held Friday, Oct. 4 at 4:30 p.m. at Burns Mortuary chapel in Hermiston. View the full obituary or to leave an online condolence for the family at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com. Keith Rodenbough describes himself as “broken in” on the Columbia River in 1942 when he was just 16 years old. Piloting the river until 1955, he was one of the original Sagebrush Sailors, a name given to a small group of brash, pioneering and fearless tugboat captains who were, Rodenbough said, the only ones crazy enough to navigate the upper reaches of the dangerous, unpredictable, untamed Columbia River. Riddled with obstacles with names like “Devil’s Bend” and “Hell’s Gate,” the Columbia River at the time was a turbulent, fast-moving and shallow waterway demanding constant diligence from the boat crews navigating the waters. The Columbia remained that way until the construction of numerous dams changed the behavior of the river forever. As water levels rose, rapids and rocks were buried under feet of water. Devil’s Bend, Hell’s Gate and the infamous Umatilla Rapids are now just a memory in Rodenbough’s mind. In the 1940s and 1950s, agricultural operations in the area had to pay exorbitant fees to trucking companies and railroads to bring necessities such as fuel into the area and transport their goods out. When the Sagebrush Sailors became known as the only boat captains willing to travel to parts of the river in Umatilla County, using their services offered agriculture operations a reliable and less expensive way to ship critical supplies upriver and their goods downriver. Now 88 years old and still residing in Umatilla, Rodenbough is the only surviving member of this close-knit fraternity of captains who piloted the upper Columbia River. “I’m one of the last of all of this,” Rodenbough said. “I am the only one that is still alive of the group of us that tackled the river around here. It took me three years to learn this river. There’s no one else left that used to run the Umatilla Rapids. Those rapids are what stopped most of the pilots. I used to break in some of the new guys, and they would say to me, ‘Hey, I’m getting ulcers. I just can’t take any more of this.’ Their nerves couldn’t take it.” Rodenbough began as a deckhand on tugboats pushing barges transporting goods and materials. Those days, the boats were not outfitted with standard, modern amenities such as a galley, restrooms and sleeping quarters. Before GPS, auto-pilots, radar and sonar, river captains had to rely on knowledge, experience and rudimentary navigation tools to avoid the many hazards along the barge route. The days weren’t just long and exhausting, they were also extremely hazardous. Rodenbough described at least one fatality he witnessed when a deckhand was swept overboard, never to be seen again. According to Columbia River maritime historian John Rekart Jr., an author of two books on the subject, the history of the Sagebrush Sailors was nearly lost. Rekart said after he wrote his first book about the lower Columbia River, he realized he was unable to answer readers’ questions about the upper Columbia and the men who sailed its waters. “These guys were on the river when it was still wild,” Rekart said on a recent swing through Hermiston promoting his latest book, “Rollin’ on the Wild River.” “They called them the Columbia River Cowboys because they were crazy. Hearing the stories of what these guys did was what got me hooked. Rodenbough is the definitive expert on the river. Back then, the boats were incredibly under-powered by today’s standards. Everything they did was by skill alone. They used the river to move the boat and to turn the boat using the natural dynamics of the water. They didn’t have radios or radar. They had to know the river. They had to be able to read the river. Rodenbough was one of the original Sagebrush Sailors and went on to become one of the ace captains on the river. They were a different breed of guy.” Before dams were built for irrigation and hydroelectric reasons, the Columbia was considered to be one of the most dangerous rivers in the world. According to Rekart, naval experts whom he consulted for his book, told him, upon completion of the Navy’s navigation school, sailors were expected to be able to navigate any river in the world, except two: the Yangtze River in China and the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Rodenbough said the treacherous nature of the waterway was what attracted him to the work. “Once they put those dams in, it took all the fun out of it,” Rodenbough said. “The outfit I worked for had some guys out from the Mississippi River one time to try and break them in, and after one day with us they said, ‘These guys are crazy! They actually try to hit the rocks!’ Well that was ridiculous. We didn’t try and hit them. We came pretty close though. Now the river is boring. Anyone can navigate that thing now. Once the dams went in, I quit. It took all the love of the job out of it for me.”
