A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
COMMUNITY
HERMISTON HISTORY
Jeannette Saboe celebrates centennial
25 YEARS AGO
March 4, 1997
NONA HARTWELL
Umatilla
Do you like your town?
I do. I’ve lived here since 2010, and I like that it is
quiet. But then, I live in the quiet part of Umatilla.
I’m pretty near the dam.
Do you often visit McNary Dam?
After the pandemic started, my son and I went down
to the nature trails to walk. It was good to get out of
the house.
Do you see any animals out there?
Deer, raccoons, squirrels, birds, lots of ducks. There
are these large white birds that we see. They’re
really pretty.
What do you like about animals?
It’s nice seeing them in their natural habitat.
What do you like about people?
They’re friendly and generous. There are some peo-
ple who I really like, who listen to me when I need to
vent.
You have a child, too, right? Can you tell me
about him?
He’s 19, graduated from Hermiston High. He has
autism and is in the Next Steps program.
Can you tell me about being the mother of an
autistic person?
It was hard at fi rst, when he was younger, because
I didn’t know anything about autism. It’s a learning
process, because there are a lot of things that hap-
pen at diff erent stages of autism. He’s come a long
way since kindergarten. His speech is still a little
off , but he’s gotten better. His behavior is better, too.
He’s sensitive to loud noises, like a lot of kids with
autism.
Do you meet with other parents of kids with
autism?
I met with some parents just today. It was at The Arc
Umatilla County. We did that today with some moms.
Our kids are in the same age bracket.
How many people were there?
There were eight there today. Sometimes there are
more, sometimes less.
What sorts of things do you talk about?
We talk about diff erent things that are coming up. In
April, baseball will be starting. Little League works
with special needs in what they call Challenger
Baseball. And The Arc Umatilla County has a sum-
mer program coming up. We talked about that.
What do we need in this community? What
would help you and your son?
There’s so much already. I don’t think we need any-
thing else. We’re well taken care of.
Do you have any other hobbies?
Karaoke.
What’s your favorite song?
Either the theme song from “Friends” or “Honey,
I’m Home,” by Shania Twain.
As Jeannette Saboe nears her
100th birthday on Mar. 18, she
refl ects on her life and the rich his-
tory contained within.
Her story starts in Colfax, Wash-
ington, with her grandfather, James
A. Perkins. He built the Perkins
Sawmill there, the fi rst of its kind in
that area, and then a two-story house
in 1884. It is now owned by the
Whitman County Historical Society
and has been placed on the national
registry.
Jeannette Saboe was born in that
house in 1897. Colfax soon became
a trading hub for both Indians and
white settlers, and she remembers
watching entire tribes of Palouse
Indians meander through town as
she grew up.
“They had the whole bit (all their
household items); even their dogs
and travois,” she said.
In 1920, Jeannette Saboe
attended WSU in Pullman where
she met her future husband Joseph
Saboe. They married in December
of that same year and then moved
to Hermiston in 1941. Joseph Saboe
worked as Hermiston’s fi rst build-
ing inspector. As Jeanette added,
“there was nothing here at that time;
no housing. People slept under trees
and bushes.” Jeannette worked at
the depot as a clerk typist until she
turned 70, when she was forced to
retire from the Army.
Since then, she’s been an active
community member — helping start
the local Girl Scout Chapters, being
on the American Legion Auxiliary
Committee, Umatilla County Fair
Board and much more.
When asked what it takes to live
so long, Jeannette Saboe’s answer is
simple: “Just keep breathing.”
Hermiston Herald, File
Roger W. Heinrich of Hermiston’s Seventh-day Adventist Church points to a
“Reach Out for Life” banner, an evangelist program in 1972.
Hermiston Herald, File
Ozan Marsh, American piano
master, poses in 1971, ahead of his
last concert of the 1971-72 West
End Community Concert Series in
Hermiston.
50 YEARS AGO
March 2, 1972
Elder D.E. Caslow will be the
Hermiston speaker for a new evan-
gelistic program titled “Reach Out
for Life.”
Mission ‘72 in Hermiston is part
of a signifi cant world project of
the Adventist Church in 1972 that
encourages people to study the Bible
and seek a better life with God. It’s
“Reach Out For Life” program will
run from March 4 to April 1 each
weekend and Wednesday evening.
These meetings will be held simul-
taneously all over the United States,
Australia and the Far East.
During the meetings, Caslow
will follow a specifi c discussion
series and provide free study guides.
Once people have completed the
study guides, they’ll be awarded a
free Bible. Hoping that this program
will be eff ective and benefi cial, he
plans to lead 17 discussions total to
truly reach out for those who need
it most.
75 YEARS AGO
March 6, 1947
Whatever happens, don’t raise
our taxes. That was the argument
of farmer representatives in the
three-day, 14th annual, Pacifi c Sup-
ply Cooperative convention held
recently.
This was in response to legis-
lation that would increase Oregon
truck taxes on highways. It had been
passed in the lower house with the
assertion that, “truck taxes already
are fi ve times as high in neighboring
states.” However, there was great
opposition among the marketing and
supply group’s newly elected board
Hermiston Herald, File
Elder D.E. Caslow, photographed in
1972, was planning to be Hermiston’s
speaker for the international “Reach
Out For Life” program.
of directors — which claims to rep-
resent farm co-ops in Oregon with
a membership of 40,000. They also
voiced their discontent with propos-
als to increase gasoline taxes in Ore-
gon and Washington.
Among the resolutions adopted,
one urged immediate extension of
Bonneville power lines to phos-
phate rock deposits in southern
Idaho. It was stressed that this nat-
ural resource should be utilized as
a supply for fertilizer, which was
pretty scarce at the time. Another
resolution reaffi rmed the right of
the farm-cooperative to operate on
a continued tax-exempt basis, advo-
cate reduction of national taxes and
lower the national debt.
90 YEARS AGO
March 3, 1932
As the basketball season wraps
up and teams compete for a spot at
the state tournament, here’s an inter-
esting look at what the tournament
style and set-up was like 90 years
ago.
There are a couple sub-district
tournaments to be held, in which the
three highest-scoring teams from
each one will advance to the district
tournament in Heppner.
Eight teams — Hermiston, Ione,
Umatilla, Arlington, Condon, Stan-
fi eld, Irrigon and Lexington — will
compete at Umatilla. Games start
at 10 a.m. on Friday and will end at
Hermiston Herald, File
Local cake decorating instructor
Linda Fox (standing) teaches new
techniques to student Carla Keys in
1997.
8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Eight other teams — Helix, Uma-
pine, Pilot Rock, Echo, Weston,
Adams, Athena and Mac Hi — will
battle each other in Helix.
The winner from these tourna-
ments will compete with the win-
ners from other sub-district tour-
naments from Pendleton and
Heppner to determine which team
will represent this district in the
state tournament.
———
McKenzie Rose, a sophomore
at Echo High School, searched
Hermiston Herald archives to
compile these article summaries.
BY THE WAY
Awards gala to announce Hermiston honorees on March 2
The big day is upon us. The Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce will host the 52nd annual Distinguished Citi-
zens Awards Gala at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2. The
event is at the Hermiston Community Center, 415 S. High-
way 395.
At this beloved event, awards are given to Business of the
Year, Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Merit of Honor,
Educators of the Year, Outstanding Young Citizens and Fire
Service Awards to recognize their contributions in 2021.
The chamber is excited to bring back the Awards Gala,
similar to what we have all grown to love, just a little more
space and reduced occupancy.
Contact the chamber to purchase your tickets or reserve
your table. The phone number is 541-567-6151.
• • •
If you are business minded, there is an event coming up
that might be of interest to you. The Umatilla Chamber of
Commerce, 100 Cline Ave., is hosting Eric DeLary of the
Small Business Development Center. DeLary is the cham-
ber’s featured speaker Thursday, March 3, 10-11:30 a.m.
To RSVP, call 541-922-4825.
• • •
It’s time to celebrate Leona Harpster‘s 97th birthday.
Friends are invited to the potluck birthday party Saturday,
March 12, 1-4 p.m. at the Harkenrider Senior Activity
Center, 255 N.E. Second St., Hermiston. Bring your favor-
ite dish to share.
• • •
The Boardman Chamber of Commerce is inviting
folks down for a night of denim and diamonds. The 32nd
annual Distinguished Citizens Awards Banquet is Satur-
day, March 12, starting with cocktails at 6 p.m. at the Port
of Morrow Riverfront Center, 2 Marine Drive, Board-
man. The dinner, which is catered by Paradise Rose Chuck-
wagon, begins at 6:30 p.m., with the awards presented at
7 p.m.
So, what exactly is “denim & diamonds”? The phrase
describes casual and formal wear worn together in an osten-
tatious way, similar to a costume that celebrates the best of
both clothing worlds. Jeans and gemstone jewelry, sequins
and upscale pieces combine to give people a comfortable and
creative option for dressing up their denim.
Tickets are $40 per person. Visit www.boardmanchamber.
org for a link to purchase tickets.
• • •
Good news, book lovers. The Umatilla Public Library
returned to normal business hours on Tuesday, March 1.
The library is now open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thurs-
day; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Saturday. Curbside service is open during business hours
and delivery is Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• • •
Are you a Hermiston teenager who would like an oppor-
tunity to weigh in on library activities? The Hermiston Pub-
lic Library Teen Advisory Council meets on every fi rst
Monday at 5 p.m. to discuss, plan and promote library pro-
grams and help select library materials.
This month, the group meets on March 7, at the library,
235 E. Gladys Ave. For more information, call 541-567-2882.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, March 3, is turkey sandwich, salad, chips and
fruit. The menu for Tuesday, March 8, is tacos, Spanish rice,
refried beans 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.