A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022
HERMISTON HISTORY
Rep. Chuck Norris and wife retired 25 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
Feb. 11, 1997
CHARLIE CLUPNY
Hermiston
Let’s start with Valentine’s Day. You have a Valen-
tine. Tell me about your wife, Carol.
That’s a loaded question. My wife and I met at work, here
in this county. She’s also a trained speech and language
pathologist, just like me, but she’s the famous one. She
wrote a book.
How do the two of you spend Valentine’s Day?
Well, that’s her birthday, which makes it easy to remem-
ber. There’s always something special that happened.
We’ve had skiing Valentine’s Day parties and surprise
parties. On her 40th, I rented a cafeteria at the high
school and I got my son’s theater group to perform a
murder mystery that was attended by 90 people. Her
present that year was to go on a women’s kayaking trip
through the San Juan islands.
What are you planning this year, or is that a secret?
What I can say is that she is going to have a surprise din-
ner somewhere. It’ll take some time to get to this place,
and we will have a couple of very special guests that are
going to be riding with us. I’m not going to say any more.
How long have you been married? And what of
your kids?
Forty years, this year. We’ve worked with many chil-
dren, in education, who are like our own. And we adopted
two children. Our oldest son is the coordinator of profes-
sional development for the Jackson County Library Sys-
tem. He lives in Ashland (Oregon). Our youngest one, he
has a place in Fairbanks (Alaska) and works at the Pogo
gold mine.
After so many years, and raising children, how do
you keep things fresh in your marriage?
We’re always looking for things fun to do. We laugh with
each other. We laugh at one another. I can’t think of being
around anyone else.
You’ve been involved in many diff erent things in
the community. Can you tell me about some of them?
For 16 years, I was the emcee for the Festival of Trees.
For several years, I was Santa Claus for a music pre-
sentation at the Umatilla School District. I’ve been a
volunteer fi refi ghter, I served on the city council in Stan-
fi eld and the Knights of Columbus for my church for
over 40 years. I was a Cubmaster for 4 or 5 years. I was
involved in all three builds of Funland Playground. Of
course, there was the Boy Scouts and the Lions Club.
That’s just some of what I’ve done.
The Norrises decided to retire
after serving fi ve terms in the Ore-
gon Legislature, and they are excited
for a change in pace.
Chuck Norris was the Oregon
State representative for District 57.
Always at his side was wife and
helper Betty Lou Norris. “We’ve
worked shoulder to shoulder; she has
been an essential part of everything,”
Chuck said.
Once they have fi nished sorting
through and fi ling papers, the couple
intends to vacation and visit family.
“I want to travel through the
Panama Canal, take a cruise up the
Alaska coast line, go see the New
England states and go see the battle-
fi elds of Virginia,” Betty said.
After all those years of work, the
Norrises can’t simply stop work-
ing, though. Both plan to become
engaged in the community — Betty
with the Good Shepherd Community
Hospital Auxiliary and Chuck serv-
ing on the Umatilla Soil and Water
Conservation District.
50 YEARS AGO
Feb. 10, 1972
The Miss Umatilla County
Beauty Pageant will be held on Feb.
19, 1972, and the names of the six
contestants have been released.
Clara Wassom graduated from
Granger High School, Utah, in 1968.
She is a sophomore at Blue Moun-
tain Community College and plans
to continue her education at Brigham
Young University. Wassom stands 5
feet 2 inches tall, weighs 112 pounds
and has brown eyes and brown hair.
The talent she will perform for the
contest will be a storybook display
of dress designing.
Krista Loftus, a 1971 Hermiston
High School graduate, is attending
Eastern Oregon University and she
plans to attend Bassit Fashion Insti-
tute to become an interior designer.
She is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs
120 pounds, has green eyes and has
brown hair. Loftus will entertain the
judges with an original comical skit.
Kathleen Hansell graduated from
McEwen High School in 1970 and is
an Oregon State University sopho-
more. She stands 5 foot 7 inches tall,
weighs 128 pounds, has blue eyes
and has brown hair. She will perform
a modern dance.
Barbara Browning is a 1970
Pendleton High School graduate,
in her second year at BMCC, with
plans to attend the University of
Oregon. Browning stands 5 foot 7
inches tall, weighs 154 pounds and
What do you think of Hermiston?
I thought it was a wonderful community in 1978 when I
moved here, and I never changed my mind about Herm-
iston. I’m 69 now. You know, I am a speech and language
pathologist. I could’ve chosen to work and live anywhere
in the world. This is where I chose to work.
Why is that? Why did you want to work with chil-
dren here?
Kids in rural areas need to have good services. I thought
I could do that. I worked for the (InterMountain Educa-
tion Service District) for 33 years. In this area, I served
kids who are now adults. I still know them by name. I
know a lot of people by name. You can say I’m on the
pulse of Hermiston.
Pulse of Hermiston? What are the biggest stories hap-
pening in town right now? What should we all be
looking at?
Look at our growth. You see what’s going on. When I
came here, the town was smaller. It has grown so much.
That’s quite a story.
Hermiston Herald, File
The retired Oregon State representative, Chuck Norris, and his wife and assistant,
Betty Lou, are all smiles in 1997 as they look forward to post-retirement pleasures.
Hermiston Herald, File
The winner of the district public speaking contest in 1972 was Hermiston’s
Ramona Music.
has blue-gray eyes and brown hair.
She will sing “Raindrops Keep Fall-
ing on my Head” at the contest.
Holly Beers is a BMCC freshman,
who is planning to attend Southern
Oregon College to become a juve-
nile counselor. The 1971 Pilot Rock
graduate is 5 feet 6 inches tall, 124
pounds and has green eyes and red
hair. She will perform either a song
or baton-twirling routine.
The last and youngest contestant,
Teresa Jones, is a Pilot Rock senior
who is planning to attend BMCC in
the fall. The 5 feet 9 inches tall, 135-
pound, blue-eyed blonde will play
the fl ute for the judges.
Check the paper in two weeks to
learn of the winner.
75 YEARS AGO
Feb. 13, 1947
Hermiston Herald, File
In 1997, Phil and Juanita Ralston
of Umatilla look forward to their
60th wedding anniversary, on
Valentine’s Day.
Despite the fact that a war has
hindered the availability of construc-
tion supplies, homes in Hermiston
are being built at a rapid rate.
There are many houses currently
being constructed, with numerous
tracts being planned for the near
future. W.W. Felthouse has been
the major contributor of these resi-
dences, having built and remodeled
about 60 houses within the last three
years. A recent survey revealed a
total of 41 new homes are under
construction — 31 to the east and
10 to the west of the railroad tracks.
To make this fi gure even more
impressive is the fact that recently
occupied homes weren’t even taken
into account.
90 YEARS AGO
Feb. 11, 1932
For those who love to travel,
the Union Pacifi c Railroad is hold-
ing their popular “cent-a-mile” deal
in honor of George Washington’s
birthday.
From Feb. 19-22, reduced price
tickets can be purchased and are
valid through March 1. These special
fares apply between all points over
most of the Western United States,
as local Union Pacifi c agent F.C.
Woughter announced that his com-
pany would be working with con-
necting lines in the Northwest. This
means that if someone left on Feb.
19, they could have up to twelve
days of vacation — to places such as
Salt Lake City, San Francisco or Los
Angeles — at a very small price.
———
McKenzie Rose, a sophomore at
Echo High School, searched Herm-
iston Herald archives to compile
these article summaries.
BY THE WAY
Full slate of activities scheduled for No School Day Camp on Feb. 11
Are your kids having a day off from school on this
coming Friday? Lots of fun is planned for them at East-
ern Oregon Trade and Event Center, 1705 E. Airport
Road, Hermiston. No School Day Camp is Friday, Feb.
11. Drop-off is 7:45 a.m. Pickup is 3:45-5:15 p.m.
Activities include basketball, movies, crafts, interac-
tive infl atables, corn hole, pop-a-shot, gaga ball, pick-
leball and bounce house. Lunch and snacks will be
provided.
The cost is $15 per children for Hermiston residents,
$18 for non-residents. Call 541-667-5018 or visit bit.ly/
hermistonrecreation to pre-register.
• • •
Craft-loving ‘tweens and teens have an opportunity
for fun. The Umatilla Public Library, 700 Sixth Street,
will host DIY Clay Accessories on Friday, Feb. 11, at
2 p.m. Free for visitors 10-17 years old, this event will
allow people to create their own earrings, keychains and
other accessories using polymer clay. All supplies will be
provided.
• • •
Who says fl ag football is just for youngsters? Herm-
iston Parks & Recreation has opened registration for
Adult Flag Football. The tournament is March 12-13,
but people should sign up now.
The cost is $300 per team with a roster of up to 20
players. Games are played at Armand Larive Middle
School in Hermiston. Captains must register teams via
bit.ly/hermistonrecreation or by calling 541-667-5018.
Players must be 18 years old at the time of registration,
not a high school students and not playing college sports.
• • •
An upcoming event will give you the chance to
expand your horizons. Blue Mountain Community Col-
lege is inviting folks to learn more about its Bridges pro-
gram with Washington State University Tri-Cities on
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Learn about how you can transfer seamlessly to WSU
Tri-Cities and earn a bachelor’s degree at in-state tuition
rates. Meet faculty, academic advisors and admissions
staff who can help walk you through the process.
It will be at BMCC’s Hermiston Center, 975 S.E.
Columbia Drive.
• • •
A fun-fi lled evening hosted by the Desert View Par-
ent Club will help raise money for such things as fi eld
trips, library books and classroom projects.
The annual auction and raffl e event is Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m.
at Desert View Elementary School, 1225 S.W. Ninth
St., Hermiston.
Raffl e tickets are $2 each or three for $5 for a chance
to win an electric scooter, a Kindle, a Friends Lego set,
an old-fashioned gumball machine and more. Also, 13
games — from a lollipop tree to Plinko — will be avail-
able to play. Those tickets are fi ve for $6 or 26 for $20.
People are invited to join the fun and help raise money
to enhance the school and benefi t its students. For ques-
tions, email dvparentclub@gmail.com.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, Feb. 10, is chicken cordon bleu, baked potato,
vegetables and dessert. The menu for Tuesday, Feb. 15,
is ham, scallop potatoes, pea salad and dessert.
In-house meals will be served from noon to 12:30 p.m.
People planning to dine in are asked to call by 11 a.m.
For a Meals on Wheels delivery in Hermiston, call
541-567-3582 before 10 a.m. to place an order. To pick
up a meal from the center at 255 N.E. Second St., call
before 11 a.m. Meals are $5 and can be picked up between
11:30 a.m. and noon.
• • •
The Boardman Senior Center is open for dine-in
lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon at 100 Tatone
St. Meals are $4 for seniors and $5 for others. Take-out
lunches are available by calling 541-481-3257.