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.”