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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 2019)
RECORDS A4 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAy, DECEMbER 11, 2019 OBITUARIES Robert Clarence Reid Kathryn Marion Johnson (Camerotas, Custer, Cooper, McKinney) Irrigon Milton-Freewater August 14, 1924 — December 3, 2019 December 24, 1928 — November 29, 2019 Robert Clarence Reid, sawing logs and his time 95, of Irrigon, Oregon, died crafting hope chests, bird Tuesday, December 3, 2019, houses, jewelry boxes, and in Hermiston with family other knickknacks, and by his side. He was born on sharing them with family, August 14, 1924, in Heppner friends and other crafters. to parents Clarence Robert also loved and Viola Reid. music and spend- Robert was ing time with his raised in multiple family. Eastern Oregon He is sur- vived by his chil- communities and dren Loraine attended school in Wilson (Floyd), John Day. His first Raymond Reid child was born in (Deena), Janie 1944 and shortly Reid Kepler (Dar- after, Robert ryl), Judy enlisted in the U.S. Walston (Michael Army where he Bothom), Debbie was a committed Bloom (Bill) and WWII soldier. He son-in-law Steve proudly served on Okinawa and in Korea and Conlee. He is preceded in death by was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1946 and his parents, his wife Hazel, received a letter from Pres- siblings James Reid, Russell ident Roosevelt for his ser- Reid, Lola Houtchin, Clara vice in Korea. Whitney and Mary John- Robert moved back to son, and children Roberta John Day, then Spray and Conlee, Melba Mitchell and on to Kinzua where he Neil Methias. Robert had 26 worked for the local saw- grandchildren, 58 great-, 28 mills for several years. He great-great-, and nine great- then moved to Hermiston great-great-grandchildren, and worked at C & B Feed- and numerous nieces and lot. In 1979, he moved to nephews. Heppner and married Hazel The family would like to Spivey. Robert worked at thank Good Shepherd Hos- ODOT until his retirement. pital for their tender lov- He remained in Heppner for ing care. For those wishing 30 years before settling in to make a donation in honor of Robert, they can be made Irrigon. Robert always kept busy. to the “Wounded Warriors He spent many days hunting Project,” P.O. Box 758517, and camping when he was Topeka, KS 66675-8517. younger, and his love for A Celebration of Life was fishing continued through- held on Sunday, December 8 out his adventurous life. He at 2 p.m. at the Harkenrider also enjoyed working with Senior Center, 255 N.E. Sec- leather and raising animals, ond St., Hermiston, Oregon. Arrangements by Swee- especially his sheep. Rob- ert’s greatest love, his wood- ney Mortuary of Heppner. working, started early in You may sign the online life. He built himself two condolence book at swee- homes, but he most loved neymortuary.com. Leo C. ‘Lee’ Geissel Jr. Umatilla January 8, 1944 — November 29, 2019 Leo C. ‘Lee’ Geissel Jr. passed away on Novem- ber 29, 2019, at his home in Umatilla surrounded by his loving family at the age of 75. Lee was born Janu- ary 8, 1944, in Tacoma, Wash- ington, to Leo C. Geissel Sr. and Betty Gra- ham Geis- sel. The fam- Geissel ily lived in Gig Harbor, Wash- ington, where he attended school through the seventh grade. They moved briefly to Richland, Washington, and later to Milton-Freewater where he attended high school and graduated from McLough- lin (Mac-Hi) in 1962. Lee enlisted in the Army in May of 1962. He was a field maintenance tank mechanic and served in Germany for two years. After completing his tour of duty, he moved back to Milton-Freewater and went to work for the United States Postal Service as a city letter carrier, and was later appointed to postmas- ter in Athena, Oregon. In 1982 Lee was promoted to postmaster in Umatilla, Oregon. He retired from that position in January of 1999 after a 36-year career. He married his wife and soul mate, Ellen, on Octo- ber 10, 1992. Lee always loved to travel. Following his retire- ment, he set out with the goal of visiting all 50 states, which he completed, with the exception of Alaska. He loved the history of the open road and he and his wife traveled old Route 66 through California and Arizona. He also loved NASCAR and attended races as often as possi- ble. He loved clas- sic cars and owned and showed several over the years. Other interests included hunting, fishing, rooting for the Ore- gon Ducks, and also hunting mushrooms with his family. Lee has left a leg- acy of love, and a huge void in the life of his loved ones. He was preceded in death by his par- ents, Leo and Betty Geis- sel. He is survived by his wife Ellen; son Chuck (Donna) Geissel of Mil- ton-Freewater, son Ken (Dena) Geissel of Herm- iston, and daughter Heidi Geissel, also of Hermis- ton; stepdaughters Jaimie (Arcadius) St. Laurent of Eatonville, Washington, Mystie (Jeremy) Grover of Prineville, and Allison (John) Spurlock, also of Prineville; seven grandchil- dren; 10 stepgrandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and seven stepgreat-grand- children; sister Suzie (Ron) Sams, brother Glen (Cheryl) Geissel, and sister Gretchen (Greg) Baker, all of Walla Walla, Washington. A memorial service was held on Monday, December 9, 2019, at 1 p.m. at Mun- selle-Rhodes Funeral Home, 902 S. Main, Milton-Free- water, OR 97862. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Vange John Memorial Hospice. Their care and support was deeply appreciated. To leave a online condo- lence, visit www.munseller- hodes.com. OBITUARY POLICY The Hermiston Herald publishes paid obituaries. The obituary can include small photos and, for veterans, a flag symbol at no charge. Expanded death notices will be published at no charge. These include information about services. Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper punctuation and style. Obituaries and notices may be submitted online at hermistonherald.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@hermistonherald.com, by fax to 541-276-8314, placed via the funeral home or in person at the Hermiston Herald or East Oregonian offices. For more information, call 541-966-0818 or 1-800-522-0255, x221. Kathryn (“Kay”) was to New Iberia, Louisiana, born to Milbra High- where he trained jet pilots tower Johnson and Her- and Kay joined the other bert Cephus Johnson in Navy wives and families Vernon, Florida. Her older entertaining themselves and brother, Herbert C. John- the naval community with son Jr. (“Coot”), plays and music. and she were for- The family lived tunate to have on a small part (6 hard-working, acres) of a large enterprising par- Southern plan- tation and had ents and grand- parents. They lots of dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, lived next door to and two ponies their grandmother Johnson that were an abso- for a time, and lute dream come Kay had access to true for daughter a piano and piano Kittee. lessons, which her From there mother and father the family moved both strongly to Carlisle Bar- supported. “Kay racks, Pennsyl- Piano” was an vania, where incredibly gifted, Jack attended the well-rounded pia- nist and singer. Army War Col- lege and was She played pas- commissioned sionately until a commander in right up to her the Navy upon death. Her love of his graduation. piano shaped her As always, Kay life and her world. was the center Kay was very of any musical glamorous and undertakings at a natural enter- tainer. She played piano school or among the mil- and organ (and several itary community, which other instruments, includ- included Army and Navy. ing ukulele and accordion The family then returned as well), sang in churches, back to the same house choirs, plays, “senior fol- in San Diego, California, lies” groups, even the San where the children resumed Diego Chorale Club, and their earlier friendships. many restaurants and night- The Beatles hit the main- clubs. She met at least two stream, and Kay appreci- of her husbands while play- ated the musicianship of them and numerous other ing in nightclubs. Her first husband was rock bands. She added the Sam Camerotas, a man of music of the Sixties to her Greek heritage whose fam- classical, jazz, Broadway, ily had various business and nightclub repertoire. enterprises in the South, During his cruises, Jack had including a restaurant. That made numerous reel-to-reel marriage was brief and did tape recordings of dozens not produce any children. of record albums of every Kay next married kind. These were played Prentice Jackson Custer for years and years in the (“Jack”), a very handsome Custer home, giving some career Navy pilot whom she of the children a very large met in Pensacola. Jack was library of songs and lyrics raising his young daughter, for the rest of their lives. Pennee, only 2 years old, Finally, saving the best when they met. Jack had for last, the family moved to served as an aviator/navi- what would be Jack’s final gator in World War II. Kay duty station: Hawaii. Kay fell in love with both Jack had always been a gifted and his adorable daughter, seamstress and knitter, and and they wed in 1950. Son in Hawaii she indulged Prentice Jackson Custer Jr. her love of the very color- followed in 1951, daugh- ful local fashions by mak- ter Kittee Custer in 1952, ing dozens and dozens of son Michael Steven Custer aloha shirts, muumuus, gor- in 1954, and son Allen geous flowered dresses, and Rockford Custer in 1957! “jams,” a style of low-slung The five children traveled shorts worn by everyone around the country with who loved the Islands. The their mother and father, fol- entire family was a walking lowing Jack to duty sta- garden of flowered shirts tions in the southeast in and clothing. early days. Jack was then After Jack retired from assigned to duty at Coro- the Navy, he and Kay nado, California, near San divorced. Kay immedi- ately applied her substantial Diego. From Southern Califor- musical talents to numer- nia Jack was transferred ous positions, playing piano Kathleen Joyce Trott and singing all over Oahu. She played at Shakey’s Pizza in Kaneohe, which happened to be next door to Honey’s Lounge, owned by the mother of the very famous entertainer Don Ho and where Don got his start. Kay also played and sang at Pinky’s Broiler, a local mid- size restaurant just outside the Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station. The Marine base provided a captive audience for the glamorous torch singer. The food and drinks were good, the enter- tainment was fabulous, and Kay was getting a lot of good press. She was soon hired to work in a few large hotels with piano bars in Waikiki, including the Ilikai Hotel’s Grotto Lounge, and was invited to guest play at other piano bars when she visited them. With her sew- ing talent as well, she made striking outfits for her gigs in Waikiki, and she enjoyed this very much. While working at Pin- ky’s Broiler, Kay had met Joe Cooper. He was in the Air Force, about to retire and planning to work in Iran during the oil boom there. When Joe left, Kay sold her home in Hawaii to move back to Pensac- ola, where her parents were aging, so she could spend much more time with them. After she arrived and settled there, she and Joe divorced. Kay stayed in Pensacola 40 more years, taking care of her parents until their deaths, playing piano, and working for Baroco Electric Construction as a secretary. She met and married Les- ter (“Buddy”) McKinney, whom she had met through an office friend. Unfortu- nately, Buddy had a chronic illness, and after several years they divorced. Along with her office job, Kay continued with her music in church and playing for two “senior follies” entertain- ment groups right up until she became incapacitated at 89. Kay’s son Mike had moved his family to Pensac- ola when he learned he had cancer. Mike survived can- cer for several years, long enough to raise his chil- dren and settle his family in a lovely home near Kay. As Kay aged into her 80s (still working two music jobs and caring for her large house and rambling yard), she developed very close and loving relationships with Mike’s widow Stacy and all six of Mike’s chil- dren from two marriages. Kay suddenly took ill in early 2018. Son Jack imme- diately flew to her side from Kauai, and grandsons Jason, Mike, and Nick helped take care of her in her home in Pensacola while she was so sick. Kay survived but did not completely recover. At 89, after a brief hospital stay with a high fever, she was no longer able to live independently. Her kids and grandkids helped her move into a lovely assisted liv- ing facility, Homestead Vil- lage, near Pensacola, where she had two pianos to play! And play she did. She hap- pily found her own brother, Coot Johnson, living in the same facility with his wife, and they had many happy months together at Homestead. A year later, Kay’s daughter, Kittee, found a gorgeous assisted living facility in her tiny town of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, just minutes from Kittee’s office and horse ranch. The entire family assisted with the planning and execution of Kay’s move to Oregon. In May 2019 Kay moved into her new home and abso- lutely loved it there. Again she had two pianos to play! She went home with Kittee on weekends to stay at the ranch and watch the horses and other critters. She just absolutely loved her home and her visits to the ranch. In October 2019 Kay suddenly began complain- ing of pain in her right shoulder. In just a few short weeks the pain became excruciating, and the fam- ily learned that Kay’s can- cer of decades ago had returned and spread so far and fast that there was nothing that could be done. She immediately started on hospice care to amelio- rate the pain. Kay passed peacefully on November 29, 2019. Kay is survived by daughters Pennee (now Kuon Hunt, husband Dale) and Kittee, and son Jack (wife Maiko); grandchil- dren Wendi Kuon, Ko’ae Hart (Kuon’s children); Kate Chastain, Rey Allen (Kittee’s children), Lehua, Kelly, and Karla Custer (Jack’s children); Stacy Custer, widow of Mike, and their children Jason, Dawn, Adam, Nicholas, and Jack Custer; Michael Custer Jr. (son of Sheri and Mike Custer); and Kay’s brother, Coot Johnson, and his beau- tiful daughters Tani, Stacee, and Christy. She was prede- ceased by sons Michael and Rocky Custer and by her parents. She will be buried next to her beloved youngest son, Rocky, in Pensacola, in the spring of 2020. Don Eldon Walker Umatilla Hermiston May 27, 1953 — November 29, 2019 June 7, 1950 — December 3, 2019 Kathleen Joyce Trott of Umatilla was born May 27, 1953, in Asto- ria, Oregon, the daughter of Gregg and Lura (Rob- son) Trott. She passed away in Umatilla on Fri- day, November 29, 2019, at the age of 66. Kathleen graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane in 1971. She lived in the communities of Tacoma, Wash., Tucson, Ariz., and Spokane, Wash., before moving to Uma- tilla, Ore., 20 years ago. She worked in retail management for over 20 years. The last 12 years she worked as a records clerk at the Uma- tilla Chemical Depot for Washington Group Inter- national, being one of the final staff to leave the chemical demilitariza- tion project at the proj- ect’s completion. Kathleen enjoyed gar- dening, growing flowers, photography and mak- ing jewelry. Her pet cats, all five of them, were her children. She was preceded in death by her father, Gregg Trott, and a brother, Richard Trott. She is survived by her mother, Lura Trott; brother David and wife Sheila Trott; and extended f a m i l y members. A memo- rial gather- ing will be announced at Trott a later time. The fam- ily would like to thank the doctors and wonder- ful nurses at the Tri-Cit- ies Cancer Center, the staff of Vange John Memorial Hospice, Dr. Mark Donnelly of Good Shepherd Medical Cen- ter Emergency Depart- ment, the staff of Good Shepherd Personal Home Care, and John and Ken of Burns Mortuary. Arrangements by Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. To leave an online condolence for the family please go to www. burnsmortuaryhermis- ton.com. Don Eldon Walker of on home improvement proj- Hermiston was born June ects. He enjoyed going fish- 7, 1950, in Okarche, Okla- ing and was a member of the homa, the son of William and V.F.W. Desert Post #4750 in Stella (Fry) Walker. He passed Hermiston. away in Hermis- He was pre- ton on December ceded in death by 3, 2019, at the age his parents; broth- of 69. ers Bob and Billy; He attended and sisters Maxine, school and grad- Edith and Wynema. uated from high He is survived school in Walla by his wife of 42 Walla, Wash., in years, Christine; 1968. After high Walker sons Jodey and school, he served wife Cynthia Bal- as a jet mechanic lard, and Thomas in the Air Force for and wife Katrina four years during Walker; daughters the Vietnam War. Stella and husband After his honorable discharge, Kirt Hickey, and Melinda and he lived in Redding, Calif., husband David West; broth- where he attended two years ers Jack Walker and Thomas of college. Walker; 13 grandchildren; and Don married Christine many nieces, nephews and Ballard on May 26, 1977, in extended family members. Walla Walla, Wash. The cou- Viewing will be Friday, ple lived in Walla Walla and December 13 from 4-7 p.m. at Touchet, Wash., before mov- Burns Mortuary. A funeral ser- ing to Hermiston in 1991. vice will be held at 4 p.m. Sat- He worked as an electri- urday, December 14, 2019, at cian for KIE Electrical Sup- Burns Mortuary chapel, 685 ply and Crescent Electric for W. Hermiston Ave., Hermis- many years. He then worked ton, OR 97838. as a diesel electrician for Arrangements by Burns Union Pacific Railroad Hin- Mortuary of Hermiston. To kle Yard for 22 years, retiring leave an online condolence, in 2017. please go to www.burnsmor- Don was always working tuaryhermiston.com.
