RECORDS/COMMUNITY
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
Hermiston resident fi nds
artistic outlet in painting
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Donna Anderson, of
Hermiston,
experienced
back pain so intense she
thought she would never be
able to do anything interest-
ing ever again.
Then she discovered an
artistic outlet. Now a painter,
and the owner of her paint-
ing business, Acrylics by
Donna, she is creating and
selling her works.
Anderson, who was mar-
ried to the late Andy Ander-
son, a former Hermiston
chief of police, said her back
pain was excruciating. She
had a 12-hour surgery, and
there was little she could do
afterwards, she said.
Two years ago, she
started painting on a whim,
fi rst watching videos on the
subject and then practic-
ing. Now, after a couple of
years of making pictures,
her home is crowded with
paintings.
At a Saturday, Dec. 11,
Our Lady of Angels Catholic
Church Christmas bazaar, as
she stood at a booth where
she sold her paintings, she
explained her situation. She
said she was running out of
room in her house. Her chil-
dren had been telling her to
sell them, she said, but she
never felt that she was good
enough. She lacked con-
fi dence that people would
want to buy her paintings.
After some thought, how-
ever, she decided to sell
paintings at another recent
bazaar. She sold 10 paint-
ings. That encouraged her
to plan appearances at other
bazaars, including the one at
the Catholic church,she said.
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
Donna Anderson, of Hermiston, discusses an angel painting
on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021. It was one of many paintings
that she made and brought to a bazaar at Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church in Hermiston.
Early Dec. 11, she already
had sold paintings, she said.
She had brought 50 paint-
ings, and though she said
she did not expect to sell
them all, she said she would
be happy to sell some of
them. She also was pleased,
she said, to have received a
lot of compliments on her
work.
“It’s stroking my ego,
making me feel good,” she
said.
Anderson said her style
is varied, though she tends
toward abstract styles. Real-
ism is not of much inter-
est to her, as she said it
resembles photography too
much. When one is paint-
ing abstract works, they
can convey something spe-
cial and unique, she said.
Also, she explained that her
mood comes across in her
paintings.
“Sometimes you can tell
my attitude at the time. If
the painting is bold, you can
guess that I was stressed. If
I’m painting something nice,
like a nice, sweet fl ower, I’m
feeling good. It just comes
out that way,” Anderson
said.
She added she often gets
caught up in her work. One
day, she recalled, she was
painting and thinking about
grocery shopping. After
painting for some time and
thinking about apples, she
looked down at her paint-
ing and noticed a big apple
in the center of the canvas.
This made her laugh, she
said. She had not intended to
paint an apple, yet there one
was.
Painting is unlike other
art she has done, she said.
For a while, she was mak-
ing fairy houses. But no one
was interested in her little
houses, she said. In contrast,
she said, people are showing
excitement for her painting.
“I can see myself doing
this for a long while,” she said.
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
The Bistro welcomes Dallin Puzey
Local musician Dallin Puzey will per-
form in Umatilla. The free show is Satur-
day, Dec. 18, 7-9 p.m. at The Bridge Bistro
& Brews, 1501 Sixth St., Umatilla.
The mostly self-taught musician plays
guitar, piano and harmonica. In addition to
his original tunes, including “U-Co. Blues,”
Puzey plays familiar hits of Hank Williams,
Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Creedence Clear-
water Revival and more.
For more information about the event,
call 541-922-4112.
Altrusa seeks children’s
book donations
Altrusa International of Hermiston is
hosting a book collection event. Held in
conjunction with the opening day of the ani-
mated movie “Sing 2” — Wednesday, Dec.
22 — at the Hermiston Cinema, 355 W. The-
ater Lane. Members of the service club will
be available in the lobby during the after-
noon matinees. Families attending the movie
are encouraged to donate a new or gently
used children’s book.
Books collected during the event will help
stock three Little Free Libraries that Altrusa
maintains in Hermiston neighborhoods.
“We look forward to seeing you and to
gathering wonderful books that will be
shared with all of the community’s chil-
dren,” Altrusa member Nancy Lauck said in
a press release.
A nonprofi t organization, Altrusa works
toward making local communities better
Tammy Malgesini/Hermiston Herald, File
OBITUARY
Eugene LeRoy ‘Gene’ Puckett
March 25, 1942 — Nov. 12, 2021
Hermiston
Eugene LeRoy “Gene” Puckett, age 79, of Lorri; and sister, Fairy Teal.
Gene will remain fondly in the hearts of
Hermiston, Oregon, passed away surrounded
by the love of his family on Friday, Nov. 12, his children, grandchildren and great-grand-
2021. Gene was born on March 25, 1942, in son. Terri, her husband, Greg Taylor, her
McMinnville, Oregon, to Vernon and Lois children, Jordan and Zachary, her grand-
son, Lawrence. Patti Senger, her
(Shively) Puckett. He spent his
children, Mitchell and Kaitlyn.
years growing up in several small
Eddie Puckett, his wife, Barbara,
towns around the state of Oregon
and his children, Michael, Evan,
and graduated from Scappoose
Ethan and Emily. Suzie, her hus-
High School in 1961.
band, Sam Collins, her children,
Gene worked many years as
Ellie and Jake. Angela Puckett,
a diesel mechanic at Willamette
her fi ancé, Cody Bass, her chil-
Industries in Dallas, Oregon. He
dren, Warren, Madalyn and Eva-
also did freelance mechanic work
lyn. Corina, her husband, Gary
and enjoyed helping anyone with
Brown, her children, Mckenzie,
a project.
Puckett
Jackson, Elizabeth and Clare.
Everyone who knew him,
Gene was laid to rest at the
knew that he loved each of his
Dallas Cemetery, in Dallas, Ore-
six children; he bragged about his
grandchildren as well. He loved to tell sto- gon. The private burial service was held on
ries, talk about the good ole’ days, and liked Dec. 3, 2021.
A celebration of life service will be held
to make people laugh as much as he liked
to make them think. Most of all, he wanted on what would be Gene’s 80th birthday, in
to pass along sensible values to help people McMinnville, the town where he was born.
Celebration of Life:
become their best.
Eugene LeRoy Puckett
He is preceded in death by his father, Ver-
March 25, 2022
non Edward; mother, Elona Lois Shively; his
2-4 p.m.
sister, Jennie Pugh; and his brothers, Arrol
1700 S.W. Old Sheridan Road
and Jerry. He is survived by his four broth-
McMinnville, Oregon 97128
ers, Vernon (Lucky), Jim, Wilbur (Smokie),
Hermiston gym owner returns to
her roots with a smaller location
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Higher Power Fitness in
Hermiston is up and running
right where the owner wants
it — in a small building next
to her home.
That’s where Cindee
Henderson began her phys-
ical training business eight
years ago. After some suc-
cess, she opened other loca-
tions, which she has since
closed. Henderson said
she could not be happier to
return to where she started.
“There seemed to be
a market for larger group
training, which I thought
we could grow into,” Hen-
derson said, explaining why
she moved into a couple of
diff erent locations — fi rst
the Cornerstone Building
in Hermiston for a couple
of years and then the 2120
Building off of Highway 395
in Hermiston for another fi ve
years. She said she found
it easier at the time to get
insured in the building rather
than in her home, but she has
solved that problem, too.
While in 2120, she had
seven staff trainers and
off ered fi tness classes, but
the business did not grow the
way she wanted, she said.
“The large classes that we
wanted to do just didn’t take
off with our client base,” she
said.
She said she mostly
works with older women
who don’t want to be in a
Dallin Puzey performs Oct. 5, 2019, at
the Morrow County Harvest Festival in
Boardman. The local musician will play a free
show Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at The Bridge
Bistro & Brews, Umatilla.
through leadership, partnership and service.
Clubs undertake a variety of service, liter-
acy, fundraising and international projects
each year.
For more information, email Lauck at
nancylauck1@gmail.com.
— Hermiston Herald
PET OF THE W EEK
MEET MURPHY!
He is a very sensitive dog
about 8 years old. Very
clingy, loves his person.
Needs someone home with
him and not just left all day
alone. He would do best in a
home with no other dogs
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2021
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
Cindee Henderson picks up some equipment in her training
studio, Nov. 24, 2021, in a small building next to her home
in Hermiston.
large gym and prefer the
“close camaraderie” encour-
aged by a smaller, less indus-
trial space.
This suits Henderson just
fi ne, because she also likes
smaller settings and smaller
groups more. In her cur-
rent location, available by
appointment only, she has
one-on-one sessions and
group workouts of up to six
people.
“A lot of them have been
with me for six or seven
years, or I know them really
well,” she said.
She described her classes
as “functional fi tness,” with
unique routines based on
the needs of her clients, her
observation and their feed-
back. They use resistance
bands, dumbbells, barbells
and kettlebells.
Her gym in the 2120
Building closed in March
2020, just as the pandemic
was starting, she said. Then
she opened for a few weeks
in June 2020 and a few
weeks in July. When she
was open, she said, she had
people wear masks and “fol-
lowed all the rules” to pro-
tect herself and her older cli-
ents. Meanwhile, trainers
came and went, she said.
She said the closings
and uncertainty gave her
a chance to step back and
ask if it was really what she
wanted. At 65 years old, she
decided she did not want to
spend the time and eff ort it
would take to build a large
gym.
“This is it,” she said,
motioning around toward
her small location and its
equipment. “My clients and
I love it.”
Church
DIRECTORY
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
541-567-6672
JOIN OUR INCLUSIVE
CONGREGATION
ON OUR JOURNEY WITH JESUS
Services 9:00am Sundays
In-person or streaming
on Facebook or Zoom
NEW BEGINNINGS
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:00 AM
Pastor J.C. Barnett
Children’s Church &
Nursery Available
700 West Orchard Avenue
P.O. Box 933
Hermiston, Oregon
Seventh-day
COME WORSHIP
Adventist Church WITH US AT THE
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
English & Spanish Services
541-567-8241
855 W. Highland Ave.
Hermiston, OR 97838
Sundays at 11:00am
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
Iglesia Católica Nuestra
Señora de los Ángeles
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
Hermiston Christian
Center & School
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
COUNTRY
CHURCH
32742 Diagonal Rd.
Hermiston, OR
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
541-289-4774
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Robert Thonney, DVM • Jana Parks, DVM, cVMA
Small and Large Animal Care
Mon: 8-6
Tue - Fri: 8-5
Sat: 8-12
Emergency Service
541.567.1138
80489 Hwy 395 N
Hermiston
www.oregontrailvet.com
Due to the
COVID-19
pandemic, animal
shelters need
our help more
than ever. Please
donate to your
local shelter, or
offer to foster an
animal in need.
First Christian Church
“Grow Your Faith Through God”
Sunday School...9:00 am
Worship Service...10:30 am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............5:00pm
Tues. Creation Club (Sept-May)..4:30pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......5:00pm
www.hermistonlmbc.com
If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application.
If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com
or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
Sunday Gathering: 10:00 AM
Nursery care is available 3 years & under
Kids Club available 4 years-5th grade
Sunday Prayer Gathering: 6:00 PM
NEED PRAYER? CONTACT US!
1825 W. Highland Ave.
541-567-3480 | hcc4u.org
hcc4u2020@gmail.com
To advertise in the Church Directory, please contact
Audra Workman 541-564-4538 or email aworkman@eastoregonian.com