A2 • Friday, July 29, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
OBITUARIES
Paula Mary Gaston Sim-
mons, 76, passed away at her
home on Feb. 15.
She was born in Durango,
Colorado, to Emmitt and
Ethel Gaston. She was the
youngest of six children.
Paula’s sons are William
and Dennis Simmons, and
they each have two daugh-
ters. Bill’s daughters are
Davis and Emma Simmons,
and Dennis’s are Evelyn and
Eliza Simmons. Dennis is
married to Abigail Blastos.
Paula is also survived by her
stepson, Philip Simmons,
and his family. Shea has had
countless grand-dogs and
great-grand-dogs.
Paula grew up in in Rain-
ier, and attended Rainier
High School. Following that,
she went to beauty school.
She married Terry Simmons,
the father of her boys, and
later married Randy Belt.
She was a dedicated
mother and grandmother.
She’d often be found with
a grandbaby in her arms as
she was cooking dinner for
the entire family. She was
Paula Mary Gaston Simmons
Michael Dennis Packer
Seaside
Nov. 29, 1945 — Feb. 15, 2022
Dufur
1951 — 2022
Paula Simmons
always refusing help because
she had it all covered! Paula
had unrivaled strength and
independence in all areas of
her life!
She was an amazing hair
stylist, working at various
salons through the years and
eventually running and man-
aging her own salon, Just
Hair, for over the last two
decades.
Her talents were limitless,
including painting, garden-
ing, baking elaborate cakes,
cooking and storytelling.
She loved current events and
music, and was an amazing
movie buff . She was forever
watching all genres of mov-
ies, and enjoyed them all.
Marilyn Monroe and Elvis
Presley were two of her
favorites! She could be often
heard saying, “It was to die
for!”
Paula had a gift of seeing
and representing the world
through her artistic nature!
There was always her cur-
rent painting to talk about,
and when she wasn’t paint-
ing, she was working in her
lovely garden.
Prior to COVID, she
could also be found volun-
teering to do hair for the Sea-
side High School theater
productions, and loved con-
necting with the teenagers
while giving a bit back to the
community.
Another gift she had was
teaching herself how to do
anything she was interested
in. From the arts to pas-
ta-making, she would fi nd
someone who knew a lit-
tle bit about the subject.
Then, after talking to them,
she would fi gure out how
to do it herself, and every-
thing always turned out
marvelously.
Aside from making lovely
cakes for anyone who’d
want one, she will forever be
remembered for her chicken
noodle soup and her cinna-
mon rolls. We never saw her
use a recipe, and the grand-
children would be by her
side giggling, trying to learn
all her secrets!
Hearing stories from
Paula was always wonder-
ful! It could be a past experi-
ence, something from work,
or current events that she
shared. She always had a
unique outlook, and if it was
a humorous one, her price-
less laugh would echo into
the next topic!
We miss her greatly, and
love all the amazing memo-
ries we will forever cherish
with Paula.
We are celebrating her
life from 12 to 4 p.m. Aug. 6
at her house at 940 First Ave.
in Seaside.
Fire: At least fi ve propane explosions occurred
Continued from Page A1
According to Jon Rahl, Sea-
side public information offi cer,
the two-alarm blaze engulfed
the neighboring home at 951 4th
Avenue and at least fi ve propane
explosions occurred, causing
some damage to the home across
the street at 960 Fourth Ave.
Firefi ghters extinguished the fi re
and no injuries were reported.
Seaside, Cannon Beach,
Hamlet, Gearhart, Lewis and
Clark and Warrenton responded
with mutual aid. The Nehalem
Fire Department covered Can-
non Beach.
During the course of respond-
ing to the fi re, a male and a
female were taken into custody
on outstanding warrants by the
Seaside Police Department.
R.J. Marx
Firefi ghters closing out a two-home blaze early Monday.
Michael Dennis Packer
was born in Pocatello,
Idaho, to Wayne Hyrum
Packer and Gladys Lord
Packer in 1951.
He grew up in Clark-
ston, Washington, and
graduated from Clarkston
High School in 1969.
He died April 1, at age
71, of lymphoma/leuke-
mia cancer in his home in
Dufur, surrounded by his
children, sister, family and
close friends.
He had three siblings,
Richard Packer, who died
March 2, 1967, Robert
Packer, who died May 7,
2019, and his sister, Patri-
cia Peters, who resides in
Blaine, Washington, and is
the last surviving sibling.
He leaves behind his
ex-wife of 32 years, Debra
Packer; three grown chil-
dren,
Jeremy
Packer
(Kristi),
of
Golden-
dale, Washington, Jessica
Packer Mead (Ben), of The
Dalles, and Joshua Rob-
ert Packer of Dufur; and
fi ve grandkids, Riley Mead
(10) and Lily Mead (5)
of The Dalles and Avery
Packer (8), Kaleb Packer
(11/2) and Skyler Packer,
born June 21, 2022, all of
Goldendale.
He also left behind
a niece, Mindy Virgen
(Oscar) of Blaine, and
great-nephews Jacob and
Isaac Virgen; nephew Tyler
Peters (Mattie) of Belling-
ham; niece, Shelby, and
great-nephew, Toryn, of
Omak, Washington; niece,
Kayla Nunn (Doug) of
Cashmere, Washington,
and great-nephew Neo;
and niece, Sarah Packer.
He started in the cam-
era department at Wasem’s
Drug Store in Clarkson
when in high school. He
loved photography, and
had his own camera shop,
Michael’s Camera Center,
in Lewiston, Idaho.
Besides photography,
Michael was involved in
Michael Packer
the culinary fi eld as an
executive chef at several
restaurants in Lynnwood,
Washington (Snoqualmie
Pass), and Parkdale, Can-
non Beach, Seaside, Gear-
hart and The Dalles.
He was also involved
with The JayCees and
city council in Clarkston,
and fundraisers for Sea-
side school sports and
band programs, as well as
to get new equipment for
the schools. He was in the
PTA at Broadway Middle
School and Seaside High
School, and assisted with
several school functions
for his kids that included
family nights, carnivals
and karaoke events.
A celebration of life is
being held from 1 to 4 p.m.
Aug. 6 at the Columbia
Portage Grill, Shilo Inns
The Dalles, 3223 Bret
Clodfelter Way in The
Dalles.
In lieu of fl owers, dona-
tions can be made to the
celebration of life event,
The Dalles Little League
Association, the Golden-
dale Little League Associ-
ation and culinary arts pro-
grams in Seaside and The
Dalles.
Goodbyes are not for-
ever. Goodbyes are not the
end. They simply mean I’ll
miss you, until we meet
again.
“I love you … all the
days.”
NEWS NOTES
Gearhart fi re truck struck
by hit-and-run driver
Gearhart firefighters are reaching out
to the public for information regard-
ing a hit-and-run crash early Saturday
morning.
At about 1:51 a.m., Oregon State Police
received a report of a twovehicle hit-and-
run crash on U.S. Highway 101 after a
reckless driver crossed two lanes.
The fire truck and a third vehicle were
heading northbound when a southbound
driver crossed lanes, Division Chief of
Training and Operations James Hutchin-
son said.
The driver collided with the command
vehicle and then fled eastbound on Hil-
lila, where the vehicle disappeared. The
third vehicle behind the fire truck, which
witnessed the incident, was not hit or
impacted.
“They did slow down to ask the fire-
fighter if they were OK, and then contin-
ued,” Hutchinson said.
There were no injuries as a result of
the collision.
Damage has been estimated at over
$4,000.
The third vehicle was not hit or
impacted.
“We would like to note that response
to the original medical call was still
addressed with no interruption due to this
accident,” Hutchinson said.
Gearhart Fire is asking if anyone has any
information regarding the incident to con-
tact the Oregon State Police, Astoria Area
Command.
Interested
in becoming
a medical
assistant?
Providence
can help.
Truck damaged by a hit-and-run driver on
U.S. Highway 101 early Saturday morning.
Seaside man sentenced to
prison after attack
Learn how the University of Providence can help make
your goal of being a certified medical assistant a reality.
A Seaside man who attacked a woman in
March at a condominium was sentenced in
Circuit Court to three years in prison on July
20.
Thomas Squier Whiteford, 60, was con-
victed of strangulation, second-degree
assault and menacing, with the last two
counts constituting domestic violence.
He entered an Alford plea on each count,
meaning that he maintained his innocence
but knew a jury would likely fi nd him guilty
at trial. He was intoxicated when the inci-
dent occurred.
The University of Providence medical assistance program
offers students the expertise to successfully work in a clinical
setting, including outpatient care, ambulatory care, medical
offices, and clinics. Designed to be completed in ten consecutive
months, the program teaches students to practice safe,
accountable, and ethical behavior within the medical assistant
scope of practice.
MEMORIAL
Michael Owen
Covey
facebook.com/SeasIDESIGNAL
July 17, 2022
COVEY, Michael Owen
— Celebration of life from
1 to 4 p.m., Broadway Park,
1300 Broadway in Seaside.
Covey, 59, of Seaside, died
July 17, 2022, in Seaside.
LIGHTHOUSE
PRESCHOOL
& DAYCARE
NOW OPEN
Only Co-Op Daycare in Clatsop County
Quality Care at Affordable Rates
Daycare as low as $500/month
Preschool as low as $160/month
Multiple Child Discounts
3 yr old (potty trained) - 6 yr old
Monday-Friday 8am-5pm
LIghthouse Christian Church on Dellmoor Loop Rd. Warrenton
Please call 503-738-5182 to Register Today
https://www.lighthouseofhope.org/preschool-daycare
You will:
• Learn how to provide compassionate and culturally
appropriate care across care setting and life span.
• Provide high-quality and safe care with every
patient encounter.
• Perform within the Medical Assistant Scope of Practice
including the ethical and legal boundaries.
• Demonstrate communication skills to improve the patient
care and the work environment.
The training is mostly online with some skills labs in Portland.
To learn more or apply, scan this
QR code or visit uprovidence.edu