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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2020)
RECORDS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020 OBITUARY BIRTHS POLICE LOGS Verla M. (Lindsey) Thompson Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston DEC. 19, 2019 REYES OJEDA — Elisa Reyes Ojeda and Daniel Ojeda Alvarez of Hermiston: a girl, Isla Yasmine Reyes Ojeda. DEC. 21, 2019 DICKENSON — Melissa R. Littrell and Randy L. Dickenson of Hermiston: a boy, Samuel James Dickenson. Stanfi eld June 27, 1934 — Dec. 27, 2019 Verla M. (Lindsey) house. One of her favorite Thompson was born June activities was to go to Good- 27, 1934, in La Grande, will and fi nd “treasures” Oregon, to parents, Curtis to help with her decorating and Edith (Carper) ideas. Verla was Lindsey. She died also a member December 27, of “The Pollyan- 2019, at her home na’s.” She spent in Stanfi eld, Ore- many a Saturday gon, at the age of laughing and tell- 85. ing stories with Verla started her her lady friends. life in La Grande, Verla’s favor- but moved to ite time spent was Pendleton when with her daughter Thompson she was still a little and granddaugh- girl. She graduated ter. She was the from Pendleton High School best wife, mom, and nana, in the class of 1952. She was and will be forever missed. united in marriage to Fred She brightened the lives of Thompson on August 1, all that met her through her 1954, in Pendleton, Oregon. sense of humor and smile. The couple lived in Pend- Heaven gained a very spe- leton until the mid-1960’s cial angel on Dec. 27th. when they built their own Verla is survived by her home in Stanfi eld, Oregon. husband of 65 years, Fred Their daughter Linda was Thompson, Stanfi eld, Ore- born 1968. gon; her daughter, Linda Verla was a stay-at-home Thompson, Pendleton, Ore- mom until her daughter was gon; and her granddaughter, in school, then she went to Maddie Thompson, Pendle- work as a secretary at West ton, Oregon. Grade School in Stanfi eld. She was preceded in She managed the offi ce and death by her parents. fi xed many a scraped knee A graveside service will and hugged away tears of be held on Monday, Jan. many an elementary school 6, 2020, at 10 a.m. at The student. She retired around Pleasant View Cemetery on 1999. Stanfi eld, Oregon. Friends Verla enjoyed doing and family are invited to crafty things, like crochet- attend. ing, cross stitching, and Please share memo- fl ower arranging until her ries of Verla with her fam- fi ngers told her it was time ily at burnsmortuaryhermis- to fi nd a new hobby. In her ton.com. Arrangements by later life, she enjoyed doing Burns Mortuary of Hermis- puzzles and decorating her ton, Oregon. COURTS DEATH NOTICES Joseph A. ‘Joe’ Luggie Irrigon Oct. 28, 1954 — Dec. 24, 2019 Joseph A. “Joe” Luggie, 65, of Irrigon, died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019, at his home. He was born Oct. 28, 1954, in Fairfax, Virginia. Services are pending with Burns Mortu- ary of Hermiston. Share memories with the family at www. burnsmortuaryhermiston.com. Gerald D. “Jerry” Wright Hermiston July 29, 1931 — Dec. 29, 2019 Gerald D. “Jerry” Wright, 88, of Hermiston died Sun- day, Dec. 29, 2019, in Kennewick, Washington. He was was HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A5 born July 29, 1931. A graveside funeral service with mili- tary honors will be held Friday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. at the Herm- iston Cemetery. Arrangements are with Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Share memories of Jerry with his family at www. burnsmortuaryhermiston.com. Gregory C. “Greg” Martin Sr. Hermiston July 27, 1950 — Dec. 27, 2019 Gregory C. “Greg” Martin Sr., 69, of Hermiston died Fri- day, Dec. 27, 2019, in Richland, Washington. He was born was born July 27, 1950, in Hermiston. At his request there will be no service. Arrangements are with Burns Mortuary of Hermiston. Share memories of Greg with his family at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com. Sentences PENDLETON — The following sentences have been imposed in Umatilla County courts: FELONY •Melanie Elaine Tarter, 46, Hermiston, pleaded guilty to Forgery I: sentenced to 18 months probation, 90 sanction units, 30 maxi- mum jail units, 80 hours community service, $200 fi ne, $1,800 fi ne-suspend- ed and restitution to be determined; pleaded guilty to Theft II: sentenced to 18 months probation and $2,000 fi ne-suspended, plus court costs and fees. MISDEMEANOR •Jose Saturnino Calvillo, 38, Irrigon, pleaded no contest to DUII: sentenced to 2 days jail, 178 days jail-suspended, 2 years probation, 80 hours community service, $1,000 fi ne, $5,250 fi ne-suspended and 1 year driver’s license suspension, plus court costs and fees (Diversion Program terminated). Suits Filed PENDLETON — The follow- ing suits have been fi led in Umatilla County courts (interest, court costs and fees not listed): •OneMain Financial Group LLC vs. Alger P. Brigham: seeks $9,383.86. •Rochelle Sturgeon vs. Sa- mantha Terri Tompkins and Taliah Grace St. Hilaire: seeks $50,000. •Westlake Services LLC dba Westlake Financial Services vs. Kalyn N. and James D. Anderson: seeks $9,542.53. •Citibank N.A. vs. Jessamyn Allen of Umatilla: seeks $2,719.53. •Nationwide Recovery Ser- vice Inc. vs. Juliana Canchola of Umatilla: seeks $2,395.43. •Roger K. Simmons of Herm- iston vs. Denise E. Dohman (Simmons) of Hermiston: seeks $5,802.82. •Portfolio Recovery Associ- ates LLC vs. Pedro Garcia of Hermiston: seeks $1,396.67. •Portfolio Recovery Associ- ates LLC vs. Kevin Cordell of Hermiston: seeks $2,227.87. •Discover Bank vs. Blair W. Sarmiento: seeks $13,414.76. •Portfolio Recovery Associ- ates LLC vs. Marcus A. Lon- goria of Hermiston: seeks $2,491.39. •Portfolio Recovery Associ- ates LLC vs. Alex Gutierrez of Hermiston: seeks $1,645.45. •Midland Credit Manage- ment Inc. vs. Kimberly Wilson of Umatilla: seeks $1,192.64. •Midland Credit Manage- ment Inc. vs. Richard T. Curtis of Hermiston: seeks $4,394.51. •Midland Credit Man- agement Inc. vs. Jocelyn Guardado of Umatilla: seeks $2,567.33. Judgments PENDLETON — The fol- lowing judgments have been rendered in Umatilla County courts (interest, court costs and fees not listed): •Credit Corp Solutions Inc. vs. Mary Melton of Hermis- ton: judgment for $1,864.22. Divorces PENDLETON — Divorce de- crees were signed in Uma- tilla County Courts for: Mary Jane Hall of Stanfi eld and Ernie A. Hall of Great Falls, Mont. Marriages PENDLETON — Marriage licenses have been regis- tered in Umatilla County for: Marcelino Rodriguez Prado, 30, and Michelle Mendoza, 27, both of Umatilla. Kiani Alohalani Hopkins, 31, and Jesus Adrian Jimenez, 31, both of Hermiston. OUR NEW NEIGHBORS FoodCorps member enjoys her taste of Umatilla By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER The best is yet to come for Ellie Dutcher. Dutcher, who recently graduated from Southern Oregon University, moved to Umatilla this summer to serve as one of nine Food- Corps service members across Oregon. Being part of FoodCorps — an AmeriCorps off- shoot — means whipping up snacks and serving nutri- tious lesson plans at McNary Heights Elementary all year long. During their one-year terms, service members like Dutcher aim to connect kids to healthy food. But what she’s really excited for is growing a gar- den — which will likely house herbs, as well as all the makings for salsa — with the students this spring. “We’ll plant the seeds, and we’ll grow them together,” she said. “And in the spring, we’ll get to eat them together. That’s where I think the magic will hap- pen. When kids are that con- nected to the food, you see some minds change.” Because part of her role is introducing foods that will be in the cafeteria to Uma- tilla’s elementary-school- ers via taste tests, Dutcher knows that kids can be crit- ics when it comes to cuisine. “Kids will look at me like, ‘Oh, that’s gross,’” she said. “I slowly convince them to try something, and their face will light up.” Earlier in the year, she taste-tested pluots — a member of the stone fruit family — for the kids and EDITOR’S NOTE This story is part of an annual series by the East Oregonian called “Our New Neighbors,” which introduces the commu- nity to people who have moved here in the past year. Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Ellie Dutcher serves banana bread to students at McNary Heights Elementary School in Umatilla on Dec. 19, 2019. Dutcher is one of nine FoodCorps members in Oregon and will be located in Umatilla County until the end of the school year. she said they’re now a staple at the salad bar. And while Dutcher seems at ease in the Uma- tilla community, she never thought she’d move to Ore- gon in the fi rst place. Born in Napa Valley, Calif., she said Southern Oregon University was last on her list during the college application pro- cess years ago. “But then I saw Ashland and fell in love. Wow, I am in love with Oregon,” she said. But before getting her interdisciplinary degree cen- tered around environmen- tal science, Spanish, outdoor leadership and sustainabil- ity, Dutcher took a solo trip abroad to Southeast Asia and South America right after high school. “It was a lot of being uncomfortable most of the time and not knowing where you’re going to be sleeping one night or not knowing people,” she said. “Letting that discomfort in and realizing it’s what you chose.” The journey introduced her to many things she’d never tried before, including rock climbing. “I haven’t stopped since,” she said. An outdoor enthusi- ast, she’s still trying to fi nd her footing in the sage des- ert landscape of Eastern Oregon. “The environment is pretty different out here, and that was big for me,” she said. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying new things. She said she enjoyed walk- ing nature trails over the summer, and she recently signed up for a ceramics class in the area. She’s also taking time to learn a lit- tle bit more about plants in Oregon. Dutcher said that just a few weeks ago, she found the perfect word to describe Umatilla — accepting. “No matter where any- one has come from or what they’ve experienced, peo- ple are so accepting in this community. It’s blown me away,” she said. But her job and new sur- roundings aren’t without challenges. Dutcher said it’s been diffi cult to transition from a college atmosphere where friends live nearby, to living alone in the new place. “I’m really grateful for this time, and I’m hoping to come out of the job, and this place without many people I am close to, more comfort- able with myself,” she said. And when it comes to teaching kids about how to make healthy food choices, there can be a disconnect between the dream and the reality of the job. “Sometimes the healthier option is way more expen- sive than what I’m trying to steer kids away from,” she said. “It’s been rough trying to battle that. I’m trying to fi gure out a happy medium of what’s doable.” She’s not sure yet where her adventures will fi nd her this time next year, but Dutcher seems glad she came. “I feel really grateful I was put in this commu- nity in particular,” she said. “It’s allowed me to know a part of Oregon that I didn’t know beforehand. I’m fi nd- ing so many beautiful things about it. If you’d just driven through to stop for gas, you’d never know.”
