A2 • Friday, January 1, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
Lyons: ‘The legend of Stubby will continue’
Continued from Page A1
Seaside,” City Councilor
Dana Phillips said. “His
relationship with his stu-
dents as a teacher, coach
and drivers ed instructor
was one of being like a big
dad who loved each and
every one of them showing
no favoritism.”
Lyons led the Gulls state
championship football team
in 1994, the fi rst champion-
ship team in Seaside since
1959.
Wally Hamer, a fellow
coach, called Lyons a “dif-
ference maker” in the lives
of student athletes.
“He was a great teacher,
coach, friend, father, city
councilman, a true leader in
every sense,” Hamer said .
“He could rally kids way
beyond what you could
expect of them,” said Jim
Auld, also a former Gulls
coach and friend of Lyons.
“He could do that not just
on the arena of athletics. He
did it in the classroom, he
did it in the hallways and in
the community. He had that
unique ability to bring the
best out of kids.”
Part Sioux, Raphael
Lyons Jr. was born Sept. 4,
1934, and raised on a reser-
vation in North Dakota, one
of 10 children of Anne and
Ray Lyons.
The
obvious
ques-
tion: Why the nickname
“Stubby”?
“I was born at home, and
after about three or four days
they thought they should get
me to the reservation hospi-
tal to get me checked out,”
Lyons recalled in an inter-
view last year. “My dad
said, ‘Give me a suitcase
and a couple of fl uffy blan-
Jeff Ter Har
Members and coaches of the state championship-winning
1994 Gulls football team, reunited at the Times Theatre. From
left, John Chapman, Bruce Buzzell, Wally Hamer, Jim Auld,
Adam Israel, Darien Neilson, Stubby Lyons, Randy Hunt, Scott
White, Casey Jackson and Jason Wheatley.
kets in there.’ I was stubby
enough to fi t in it. And that’s
what he called me.”
Lyons was a fi ve-sport
athlete at Coeur d’Alene
High School in Idaho and
entered the U.S. Marine
Corps in 1953, serving for
eight years, including time
spent in the Korean War.
As a 20-year-old Marine,
Lyons spent 14 months in
Korea as a military offi cer
in the demilitarized zone.
He attended Whitworth
College and Northern Idaho
State College. After eight
years in the service, he
returned home and pursued
his education on the GI
Bill, earning his bachelor’s
degree from Eastern Wash-
ington State College and his
master’s at Pacifi c Univer-
sity in Forest Grove.
His teaching and coach-
ing career began at 35, fi rst
in Nevada, then Washington
state.
But the Oregon Coast
was his dream destination.
“I always wanted to live
near the ocean,” he said.
When a position became
available in the Seaside
School District, Lyons put
his application in.
“The principal said, ‘Can
you be up here tomorrow for
an interview?’ I said, ‘Yes, I
guess I can.’ I jumped in the
car and the principal said,
‘Would you take this job if
we offered it to you?’ I said
yes. He called the next day,
Saturday, and said, ‘You
start Monday.’”
Arriving in Seaside in
1980, he served as an assis-
tant for Auld before tak-
ing the head football coach
role.
The 1994 Gulls champi-
onship team was inspired
by Lyons’ enthusiasm on
and off the fi eld.
“I knew we were going
to have a pretty good foot-
ball team that year,” he
said. “So I thought I’d get
a personal license plate:
‘FIRE UP.’ Those are the
same license plates I’ve got
on my truck right now.”
More than 3,000 Gulls
fans traveled to Autzen Sta-
dium at the University of
Oregon in Eugene to watch
the Gulls win the champi-
onship 27-14 over Brook-
ings-Harbor, overcoming a
14-10 halftime defi cit.
“One thing that stood out
was during the 1994 state
championship run how our
whole coaching staff came
together and really bonded,”
Hamer said. “I feel that was
directly infl uenced by the
environment that Stubby
brought to the table.”
After the game, the Sea-
side Signal reported that
Lyons went to his knees.
“I made a promise I was
going to say a little prayer
along the sidelines right
after the game if we won,
and I did,” Lyons told the
newspaper .
Lyons taught nearly
every subject at Seaside
High School, including
English, U.S. history, per-
sonal fi nance, a law class
— 16 different classes
over a 45-year career. He
coached from 1980 to 1998
and returned briefl y as the
Gulls coach in 2010. He left
teaching in 1999.
Lyons married his sec-
ond wife, Sharee Opitz, a
former teacher at Seaside
High School , in 1998 after
being introduced by sopho-
more students interested in
playing matchmaker.
Lyons was a member of a
number of associations and
committees including the
Oregon Athletic Coaches
Association and the Sea-
side American Legion. He
is a life member of the Sea-
side Elks, Veterans of For-
eign Wars and the Northern
Oregon Coast Marine Corps
League.
Along with his wife,
Lyons is survived by his
sister, Joni Lewis; son,
Lance Lyons, and his wife,
Karen; daughter, Lacy Pan-
nebaker, and her husband,
Luke, and their children,
Lola and Layla. He is also
survived by Vanessa Under-
hill, Lyons’ ex-wife and
mother of Lance Lyons and
Pannebaker.
A service will be held
later , Lance Lyons said.
In his later years, Lyons
stayed close to home,
enjoying his property in
the Southeast Hills. He reg-
ularly met up with team
alumni to share memories at
Dundee’s.
“What a tremendous loss
to our community,” Phil-
lips said . “But the legend
of Stubby will continue.
Stubby, you will be missed
but never forgotten.”
BUSINESS
Directory
ELECTRICAL
• New Construction
• Remodels
• Panel Changes &
Upgrades
• Add Circuits or
Lighting
CCB #198257
CALL US for your next electrical project!
• Generators
• Repairs
503-739-7145
712 S. Holladay Dr. • Seaside, OR
Monday-Friday 8 am -5 pm
www.jjelectricservice.com
FLOORING
CCB# 205283
Luxury vinyl planks and tile.
you walk on
our reputation
Flooring
Installation
3470 Hwy 101 Suite 102 • Gearhart, Oregon
503.739.7577 • carpetcornergearhart.com
OBITUARY
LANDSCAPING
Christine Ann Hurner
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF (no scotch broom)
Warrenton
Jan. 13, 1953 — Dec. 18, 2020
Christine “Chris” Ann
Hurner was born in Portland
on Jan. 13, 1953, to Richard
and Virginia Berglund.
The second of three chil-
dren, Chris joined her fam-
ily on many moves all over
the U.S. as her father served
in the U.S. Air Force. This
gave Chris many stories
to tell her children later on
about tarantulas, horned
toads and much more.
Chris was a woman who
wore many hats in her life.
Working at the Funny Farm
and Froggy’s as a waitress,
the Shilo Inn as a bartender,
and then buying Harrison’s
Bakery with her husband
and best friend, Tom.
He baked, while Chris
beautifully decorated cakes
and made deliveries in her
yellow J eep, with “Dolly’s
Donuts” written on the back.
Lastly, Chris found her
niche at White Rail Acres,
or “the barn,” as most
came to call it, caring for
her six horses and 14 oth-
ers boarded there. Chris
was superwoman, muck-
ing stalls, cleaning and trim-
ming feet, feeding, brush-
ing and loving her horses,
chickens, ducks, turkeys,
dogs and cats.
Also, as if all that wasn’t
enough, Chris decided to
take on another adventure,
and managed to do it beauti-
fully, making it look simple
as she did: the fodder sys-
tem, a hydroponic feed sys-
tem to improve the lives of
her horses even more.
Chris had a heart full
Christine Hurner
of love. If she knew you,
or had just met you, Chris
loved with all she had. Chris
had a compassion, gener-
osity and kindness that was
unbelievable.
Sadly, though, after beat-
ing breast cancer in 2010,
Chris was diagnosed Nov.
30, 2020, with lung can-
cer. And, she tragically suc-
cumbed on Dec. 18, 2020,
surrounded by her husband,
Tom, her children and her
un-offi cially adopted girls.
Chris is survived by her
husband; her son, Mar-
tin (Katie); her daughter,
Angela; her daughter, Jes-
sica (Andrew); her daugh-
ter, Amanda (Jordan); her
grandchildren,
Tateum,
Kaydence, Breezy, Koko,
Ezekiel and Kasey; her
brother, Rick; and nieces
and nephews, in-laws and
friends who meant the world
to her.
Chris was the epitome
of love; she loved with her
whole heart, and was loved
by so many who will never
forget her. She would tell us
all, “don’t cry, just have a
party!”
• La urelwood Compos t
• Soil A mend ments
• Pla nting Ma cMix
• Mulch
503-717-1454
3 4 1 5 4 HIGHW AY 2 6
SE ASIDE , O R
Laurelwood Farm
ELECTRICAL
• Repairs
• Generator
installation &
servicing
• New
construction
• Remodels
Serving Clatsop & Tillamook Counties
503.738.8391
CCB#3226
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
SEASIDE POLICE DEPT.
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
Dec. 19
8:50 p.m., 400 block S. Roo-
sevelt: Property crimes are
reported.
Dec. 20
7:31 a.m., 400 block S. Roo-
sevelt: A subject is criminally
trespassed.
7:43 a.m., 700 block Third Ave-
nue: A case is made for criminal
mischief.
9:16 a.m., Beach near Moe’s:
A man is reported kicking his
dog. Offi cers contact man and
advise him of the complaint.
The dog appears fi ne.
11:40 a.m., Outlet Mall: Caller
reports a driver in the lot swerv-
ing towards him and his kids.
11:46 a.m., Seventh Avenue:
Caller reports subject lying
in sand under a tarp. Police
check on the person who says
they are fi ne and do not need
assistance.
2:30 a.m., Ocean Way re-
strooms: Transients are report-
ed fi ghting.
8:10 p.m., 900 block 24th Av-
enue: Caller reports couple sit-
ting on the porch of the closed
pet clinic. Police speak to the
couple who said they were just
in a verbal disagreement.
Dec. 21
1:40 a.m., Avenue G: Transients
reported going through gar-
bage and causing a disturbance
at the entrance to a lodging are
trespassed from the premises.
1:58 a.m., Seaside Civic and
Convention Center: Transients
hanging out near the conven-
tion center are advised to move
on.
11:16 a.m., Police headquar-
ters: A person comes in to
register as a sex off ender.
Dec. 22
1:19 a.m., Avenue U and Grove:
Subjects reported behaving
suspiciously are advised by
police of the complaint.
9:41 p.m., 2500 block N.
Roosevelt: Police responding to
a report of a noise disturbance
determine the noise is coming
from a loud movie. Viewers
agree to turn down the volume.
Dec. 23
10:36 a.m., Broadway: Tran-
sients sleeping in an alleyway
are advised to move along.
4:04 p.m., 12th and Neca-
nicum: A subject reported
swinging a baseball bat in a
menacing manner is cited for
disorderly conduct.
5:52 p.m., First Avenue: The
owner of a business reported
hearing people on the roof; po-
lice found a family of raccoons.
Dec. 24
10:25 a.m., 300 block S. Prom:
A person is arrested on a
warrant.
10:22 p.m., Police Headquar-
ters: A found wallet is turned in
for safekeeping.
SEASIDE FIRE & RESCUE
PUBLIC SAFETY
LOG
Dec. 19
1:09 a.m., 800 block 12thAv-
enue: Emergency medical
response.
1:28 a.m., 300 block N. Prom:
Emergency medical response.
2:59 a.m., 1800 block S.
Franklin: Emergency medical
response.
9:34 a.m., 1200 block S.
Wahanna: Emergency medical
response.
12:15 p.m., Indian Beach: Water
rescue.
8:17 p.m., 300 block Fourth
Avenue: Emergency medical
response.
FLOORING
2:19 p.m., 300 block S.
Roosevelt: Police assist fi rst
responders at the scene of a car
accident.
8:16 p.m., 2100 block S.
Franklin: Emergency medical
response.
Dec. 23
8:57 a.m., 900 block S. Holladay:
Emergency medical response.
3:57 p.m., U.S. Highway 101
and Highlands Lane: Motor
vehicle accident with injuries.
1:23 p.m., 1600 block Cooper
Drive: Fire alarm.
1:58 p.m., Avenue S and Ocean:
Water rescue.
OREGON STATE
POLICE
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
Lost control
8:29 p.m., Forest Drive: Emer-
gency medical response.
Dec. 22
U-turn crash
12:26 p.m., 600 block S.
Roosevelt: Emergency medical
response. Police assist another
agency.
Police went to U.S. Highway
101 and Rippet Lane Dec. 23
at 12:38 p.m., for a report of a
two-car crash.
12:19 p.m., 400 block Avenue
G: An odor of gas is reported.
Firefi ghters are on scene.
6:48 p.m., 1100 block Avenue
D: Fire investigation.
Window Treatments, Fabric, Designer Wallpaper,
Counter Tops, All Flooring and Miele Vacuums
Visit Our
Outlet!
Randall Lee’s Seaside • 2311 N. Roosevelt Dr. • 503-738-5729
rlflooring@yahoo.com • www.RandallLeesFlooring.com
Randall Lee’s Flooring Outlet • 3579 Hwy 101 Gearhart • 503-738-6756
Warehouse pricing • Open to the Public • Hundreds of instock rolls & remnants • In House Binding
CONSTRUCTION
B oB M c E wan c onstruction ,
inc .
E xcavation • u ndErground u tiitiEs
r oad w ork • F ill M atErial
s itE P rEParation • r ock
owned and operated by
M ike
and
C eline M C e wan
503-738-3569
34154 Hwy 26, Seaside, OR
P.O. Box 2845, Gearhart, OR
A 19-year-old woman from Hill-
sboro driving too fast on a curve
lost control of the wheel and
crashed on U.S. Highway 26 at
milepost 1 Dec. 21 at 12:55 a.m.,
taking down an ODOT highway
sign. Police say the area is
equipped with fl ashing warning
signs to alert drivers of the
curve ahead. No injuries were
reported. Her Ford Focus was
towed by Gary’s Towing.
12:04 p.m., 900 block N.
Franklin: Emergency medical
response.
Randall Lee’s 0% FINANCING
AVAILABLE
Dec. 24
Dec. 21
5:37 a.m., 800 block Neca-
nicum: Emergency medical
response.
Serving the North Oregon
Coast since 1950!
S erving
the
p aCifiC n orthweSt S inCe 1956 • CC48302
CREMATION
Ocean View
Funeral & Cremation Services
www.OceanViewAstoria.com
Lowest Cost Cremation
On The Northern Oregon Coast
See our website for Up-To-Date Pricing Comparisons.
Also registered in the State of Washington