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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2003)
Page 20 The INDEPENDENT, October 16, 2003 I.iy i II.I > i.i.i i iw yB ylB i m ' . ; i.i .M. ; ■ I 1,11.I.I.I I l i m i i w 1111111 m i M i n i u n i i n n i n n ■ w w w r u ' i w i i i i i i i i Letters From page 3 first was the Airport Park), look ing for a fresh cup of coffee. The first person I make friendly eye contact with is working in produce. “No we don’t, but I’d be happy to make you a cup if you like.” What! Whoa! Holding back the excessive reaction of falling to my knees in sobs, I check the expression of his conversation companion and let go of a little NJ/NY suspi cion, wondering if I unknowing ly traversed to another coun try... world. Maybe I didn’t hear him right...I may have slipped into my own world, hearing what I want to hear and seeing what I want to see. (No, he’s wearing a produce apron, not institutional white). I decided on a safe “ I am a weary traveling idiot" smile, and manage to pull forth an eloquent: “Ah, nah, I’ll just...(are you for real?)...buy some." He kindly saves my fall from social grace and tells me where he finds the best coffee in town. I'd be happy to adver tise for them but I promptly for got the name and the directions upon the onset of yet another neighborly conversation. Do I have amnesia and this IS my home town? Actually, the first Vernonians / met were in the cabin next to Obitnary problem. The Saturday that I needed to vacate the room, I used to proceed with my plan to touch a SW and NW tip of Washing ton. I didn’t get very far thanks, in part, to Mr. Road Rage (the likes of which I had not experi enced since NJ) telling me this was no time or place to take in the scenery...oops! Was he telling me that my cell phone just slid off the hood of... Oh, my cell phone!! Time and space are taking on strange proportions. Is this my second, unexpected PTS (post-traumatic stress) experi ence since 9/11/01? I half ex pect to wake up on a gurney in a NY/NJ emergency room, look around, realize that I haven’t driven across country, didn’t have a one year mountaintop encounter in Colorado, and have never been in a little town called Vernonia...that felt like “home". Except, I did talk to my daughter on the phone and she said, “Mom, what did you say the name of that town is? Where?" All in that “I know they act like they like you, Mom, they’re paid to” tone. But that’s just her sense of humor. She’s glad I may have found my hap py hunting grounds. Rebecca Carey Lakewood, CO mine at Lincoln City KOA. A young couple with two kiddies, they struck up an “over the Vital Columbia 9-1-1 fence" conversation and, with uncommon hospitality, invited is cost efficient me to visit Vernonia. The young man actually took the time to To the Editor: Columbia 9-1-1 has been write down directions...with a there since the people of Co smiley face and “Good Luck!" I landed for coffee at the lumbia County voted to form Country Kitchen and was hand the district. Columbia 9-1-1 has ed an Oregonian by a patron improved its service constantly before I even sat down. Some and is always working to get better, in ways we don’t even body pinch m e...gently please. Needing to get out of the know about or appreciate, until heat, tired of my trail tent, I we need to call 9-1-1. Columbia 9-1-1 has been treated myself to the Vernonia Inn, where, if I could interrupt the efficient, effective link in my stay for Saturday (two wed any emergency, and is now ding parties booked) the room able to provide this vital service at a LOWER TAX RATE than was mine. First stop, the library. Asked five years ago. That’s right, if there was some way a non LOWER. Think that’s not effi resident could check out a cient? What else do you know book....“Come on back tomor of that has gone DOWN in cost in the last five years? Especial row and ask for N ancy... Which book are you interested ly som ething you count on in?...Oh, I have one back here when lives are on the line, that hasn’t been cataloged when seconds make a differ yet...H ere...Just bring it back ence in how things end up. Columbia 9-1-1 works so when you’re done." (What!? ...has Scotty beamed me up?) well, is so reliable, that it is “Oh, would you mind taking this easy to forget about it until we flyer up to the Inn when you go need it. Except, when you think back? I called and Treasa said about it, we don’t forget it at all. she would put it up.” Sure. No It’s right there in the back of our minds, “Call 9-1-1.” Did you know that the new radio system will be coming on line soon? It will enable our po lice, firefighters, and medical professionals to communicate and respond more efficiently to our calls to 9-1-1 for help. But did you know the new system cost zero additional taxes? Did you know that the majority of the funding was obtained from the federal government? This is a mark of an efficient public agency. Many times those words do not go well together. For the Columbia 9-1-1 Com munications District, they do. I want to encourage every one to stop and think about it for a minute. Think about this RENEWAL, which will cost LESS than we are paying now. Think about how much we count on vital 9-1-1 services; think about how much you want 9-1-1 to be there when YOU call and then just vote YES to renew Columbia 9-1-1 on the November ballot. Yeah, the one sitting on your table right now. Pick it up, vote YES and send your ballot in to make it count. This is very important, do not forget to vote. Do not put if off, and do not wait. Trust me, a YES vote will continue to make you safer! Martin T. Anderson KC7ILK Emergency Coordinator and Radio Officer Columbia Co. ARES/RACES 9-1-1 is there for us when we need them To the Editor: When we first got 9-1-1 serv ice in Columbia County, it was something new, we weren’t sure about it and we certainly weren’t used to it. Now, we count on 9-1-1 being there, an essential service we don’t even think about because we KNOW it’s there when we dial 9-1-1. And it’s not just knowing 9-1-1 is there, it’s knowing that a real person is there, always answering the call, 24/7. There aren’t a whole lot of things we can count on to al ways be there for us. Columbia 9-1-1 is one of the few we CAN count on. Which is why we’re voting YES to renew Columbia 9-1-1 operating funds, and we encourage everyone else to vote YES, too. Don & DeLoris Webb Vernonia MARVIN A. GEHRKE Marvin Arnold “Arnie" Gehrke, 80, Forest Grove, died September 27, 2003. A memorial gathering was held October 3 at the Forest Grove Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. No. 2440. A private gathering was held to spread his crea- mated remains at Lawyer’s Canyon in Idaho, where he spent many hours of his youth fishing. Mr. Gehrke was born March 4, 1923, in Nezperce, Idaho, to Roy and Laura Berry Gehrke. He grew up in Nezperce. In 1954, he married Aloma L. Al bers. They lived in Texas and moved to Forest Grove in 1956. He worked as a ranch foreman, an ambulance driver, a steelworker, in the shipyards of California as a welding in spector, and in car sales, in Portland, for Riviera Motors and for Carr Chevro let in Beaverton. Mr. Gehrke was a member of the Grangeville, Idaho, Elks Lodge and the Forest Grove Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. No. 2440. He was preceded in death by a daughter. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Roy of Nezperce, Idaho, and Arnold of Forest Grove; three daughters, Toni Palmer of Buxton, Lisa Gehrke-Vogt of Tillamook, and Mona Hoilien of Forest Grove; a brother, Delwin of Ferdinand, Idaho; 10 grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Forest Grove Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements. ROY W. OAKES Roy Waldo Oakes, 72, Hillsboro, died October 8, 2003. Graveside serv ices, Flag Honor Presentation and in terment were held October 10 at the Mist Cemetery. Mr. Oakes was born September 2, 1931, in Brooks, to Milton and Myrtle Taylor Oakes. He grew up in Vernonia. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1950, during the Korean Conflict, and was dis charged in 1954. In 1971, he married Arminda L. LaLonde. They lived in Hillsboro. He worked for the United States Postal Service from 1961 to 1987. Mr. Oates was a member of the Beaverton Foursquare Church. Survivors include his wife; a son, David G. of McMinnville; three daugh ters, Leona Mae Adams of Spokane, Wash., Colleen A. Hall of Bend, and Zelirtda M. Dubane of Beaverton; a stepdaughter, Kathleen Johnstone of Seattle, Wash.; brother, Jerome of Brownsville; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Remembrances are suggested to Beaverton Foursquare Church, 13565 Angel Memorials Granite Markers Privately owned Not a funeral home or cemetery SW Walker Road, Beaverton, Oregon 97005. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Forest Grove was in charge of arrangements. DORMAN M. MOEHNKE Dorman Michael Moehnke, 97, Hay ward Hill, near Banks, died October 7, 2003. Funeral services were held Octo ber 11 at Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Forest Grove, with Reverend Gene Upton, Pastor Emeritus of Tu alatin Plains Presbyterian Church in Hillsboro, officiating. Private interment was held. Mr. Moehnke was born May 15, 1906, in Kelso, Washington, to John G. and Rose Bullard Moehnke. He grew up in Beavercreek and graduated from Oregon City High School. In 1940, he married Helen M. Berwald. They lived in Jewell and Alsea and moved to Hayward Hill in 1945. He worked in the logging industry, for his father from 1926 to 1936, then for 3-M Logging Company in Alsea. He and his brother owned and operated Moehnke & Berwald, a logging and land clearing company. Prior to retiring in 1971, he worked for Purvine Logging as a loading engineer. Mr. Moehnke served on the Banks School District school board. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Lovelle, Twyla Repp, and Ir- malee Whitaker. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Michael J. of Banks, and Robert H. of La Center, Wash.; three daughters, Lin da L. Rieben of Banks, Irene O. Mott of Conifer, Colo., and Ella M. Duyck of Parkdale; 11 grandchildren; one great grandchild; nieces and nephews. Remembrances are suggested to Doernbecher’s Childrens Hospital, 1121 SW Salmon, Suite 201, Portland, OR 97205-2021. Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Forest Grove was in charge of arrangements. "A Trusted Name in Funeral Service " Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home S e c o n d G e n e r a tio n F a m ily O w n e d & O p e r a te d JEFFREY & DEBRA ROSE-HOYT DERREL & DEANN ROSE TINA ROSE-REYNOLDS JANE SCHNEIDER, ROSS MATHEWS HECTOR DE LOS SANTOS Attendant: RAYPELSTER 2308 Pacific Av. Frst Grv....357-2161 741 Madison Av. Vem......... 429-6611 E-mail: Fuitenrosehoyt@ aol.com Personal home visits at no extra charge Prices start at $320 including design and lettering Wendy Sears 503-429-1523 INDEPENDENT ...ACTION ADS $ 4 .5 0 fo r firs tIO W o rd s 10c e a c h a d d itio n a l w ord. Inexpensive - Effective 5 0 3 -4 2 9 -9 4 1 0
