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.”