The INDEPENDENT, December 13, 2007
Page 17
How another community newspaper views the Flood of 2007
From page 16
and when you turn the corner
there heading into town they
have this huge pile of debris
and it just takes your breath
away,” Spiesschaert said.
Clark McGaugh, publisher of
The Independent in Vernonia,
said the pile is called “Mt.
Trashmore.”
McGaugh spent most of the
week helping dig his mom and
neighbors out of muck and get-
ting his office back online. The
paper missed its deadline last
week but hopes to have an is-
sue on the press this week.
McGaugh said he was
stunned by the volunteers’ re-
sponse.
“They’ve pulled people off
rooftops and the like. Every-
body just performed exempla-
ry,” McGaugh said. “We’ve lost
no lives and everybody has
been accounted for and is OK.”
Even so, the town is still in
dire need of men’s clothing and
cash donations.
That’s exactly what Forest
Grove’s two Rotary clubs have
rounded up. So far, the groups
have sent off $750 cash and
1,290 gallons of drinking water
along with other donations that
have trickled in. Pacific Univer-
sity, meanwhile, has pledged
$1,000 to the cause.
The City of Forest Grove has
been sending drinking water
and about seven cords of split
oak firewood from trees that fell
in city parks, according to City
Manager
Michael
Sykes,
whose mother had to be evacu-
ated from her home in Vernon-
ia.
Cedar Canyon Bottled Wa-
ter, of Forest Grove, threw in
another pallet of water, and the
Hillsboro Rotary Club held an
auction to raise money for Ver-
nonia.
The outpouring of support
from Washington County is pro-
vided a needed cushion for the
town that is awaiting federal
disaster assistance.
With Saturday’s declaration
of an emergency, federal aid
will now be available to Vernon-
ia residents without insurance.
Abby Kershaw, spokes-
woman for Oregon Emergency
Management, said that resi-
dents of Columbia, Tillamook
and Clatsop counties should
call FEMA directly (1-800-621-
FEMA) to apply for aid, which
can come in a number of forms,
including emergency food
stamps.
Kershaw doesn’t yet know
the exact toll of the damage in
Vernonia or anywhere else. Her
agency is rushing to keep up
with the quick speed of the fed-
eral and state responses.
“This declaration came
faster than blue blazes so we’re
trying to back our way back into
the numbers,” Kershaw said.
Gilbertson said that the
speedy response has helped
get Vernonia on track. Now it’s
just a matter of cleaning up the
mess and getting back to nor-
mal.
The holiday season won’t
wait for that, however.
“We’re just taking it day by
day,” Gilbertson said. “Vernonia
is an awesome little town and
we’re going to pull out of this.”
son, Rick Pugh; a daughter, Terri Pern-
steiner; and a grandson.
Survivors include her husband; a
son, David Pugh of Vancouver, Wash.;
two daughters, Claudia Kinman of St.
Helens, and Linda Jacobus of Red-
mond; life-long friend Joyce Jones; 12
grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchil-
dren.
Remembrances are suggested to
Compassion Ministries or The Salva-
tion Army.
Tualatin Valley Funeral Alternatives
in Hillsboro was in charge of arrange-
ments.
Banks and Forest Grove school dis-
tricts for over 20 years.
He was preceded in death by his
wife; a daughter, Bettie Lou; and one
grandson.
Survivors include two sons, Robert
and Larry; a daughter, Marilyn Her-
mens; four grandchildren; and one
great-grandson.
Remembrances are suggested to
Forest Grove Senior Center, P.O. Box
784, Forest Grove OR 97116.
Duyck & VanDeHey Funeral Home
was in charge of arrangements.
moved his family to Oregon. He was a
reserve police office with the Newberg
Police Dept., then did sheet metal
work. He worked for Tektronix for 20
years, then other companies before re-
tiring in 2005.
He was preceded in death by three
brothers, Marvin, Raymond, and
Howard; two sisters, Lois Holland and
Glena Jenson; and one great-grand-
son.
Survivors include a son, Leonard; a
daughter, Teresa Buchholz; three
brothers, Gary, Larry, and Doyle; three
sisters, Darlene Gibbs, Bonnie Libby,
and Lucille Morris; 10 grandchildren,
and one great-granddaughter.
Attrell’s of Newberg was in charge
of arrangements.
In 1963, she married Gary Trout.
They made their home in Aloha before
moving to her family’s homestead in
1993.
She was preceded in death by a
brother, John W. Peters.
Survivors include her husband; two
sons, Bob Trout of Banks, and Doug
Trout of Aloha; one daughter, Debra
Kenyon of Independence; two brothers,
Merle Peters of Forest Grove, and Ver-
le “Butch” Peters of Roy; four grandchil-
dren; nieces and nephews.
Remembrances are suggested to
St. Francis Grade School, 39135 NW
Harrington Rd., Banks OR 97106.
Duyck & VanDeHey Funeral Home
was in charge of arrangements.
Obituary
ARTHUR MELVIN BARROW
Arthur Melvin Barrow, 92, Cornelius,
died November 21, 2007. A funeral
mass was celebrated November 27 at
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, in For-
est Grove, with the Reverend William
Holtzinger, celebrant. Interment was at
St. Francis Cemetery in Roy.
Mr. Barrow was born October 23,
1915, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Arthur
Louis and Jessie Belle (Hamilton) Bar-
row. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1939, he married Agnes C.
Jaracz. They made their home in Ohio
until moving to Cornelius in 1984. He
was a professional musician before go-
ing into the family business, Barrow
Sign Company, started in 1909 by his
father. He retired in 1983.
He was preceded in death by his
wife; an infant son, Ronnie; and a sis-
ter, Arline Gosnell.
Survivors include two daughters,
Donna L. Lawless of Forest Grove, and
Beverly J. Bernath of Banks; five
grandchildren; and nine great-grand-
children.
Remembrances are suggested to
Hospice of Washington County, 900 SE
Oak St., #202, Hillsboro OR 97123.
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home
of Forest Grove was in charge of
arrangements.
ARLETTA M. E. FRACE
Arletta M. E. Frace, 68, Scappoose,
died November 24, 2007. A memorial
service was held November 28 at the
Westside Chapel in Lake Oswego. Pri-
vate interment was held at Willamette
National Cemetery in Portland.
Mrs. Frace was born December 11,
1938, in Chehalis, Washington, to Otto
and Laverna (Jones) Hinton. Her family
settled in Scappoose when she was a
young girl.
In 1974, she married John D. Frace.
They made their home in Scappoose,
then North Plains and Vernonia, before
returning to Scappoose 10 years ago.
She worked as an EKG technician at
Good Samaritan Hospital, as a nurse’s
aid and as a doctor’s assistant.
She was preceded in death by a
VONA MARY HARVEY
Vona Mary Harvey, 81, formerly of
Vernonia, died October 21, 2007. A me-
morial service was held at Evergreen
Lodge in Federal Way, Washington.
Mrs. Harvey was born February 14,
1926. Her maiden name was Weidman.
She graduated from Vernonia High
School in 1945. She was owner and
manager of Village Daycare and pre-
school for 36 years.
Survivors include her husband,
Alex; a son, John Harvey; two daugh-
ters, Mary Sotherlund and Joanne Har-
vey; three brothers, Lorin Weidman,
Paul Weidman, and Bob Weidman; a
sister, Juanita Davis; two granddaugh-
ters; four great-grandsons; nieces and
nephews.
Remembrances are suggested to
the American Heart Association.
VINCENT L. HERMENS
Vincent L. Hermens, 91, Forest
Grove, died November 20, 2007. A fu-
neral mass was celebrated November
29 at Visitation Church. Interment was
at Mt. View Cemetery.
Mr. Hermens was born February 10,
1916, in Verboort, to William and Annie
Hermens. He grew up on the family
farm and attended Visitation Grade
School.
In 1940, he married Mary Ann
“Babe” Meeuwsen. They made their
home in Verboort, until moving to For-
est Grove in 1972. He was a farmer
and also worked as a custodian for the
ROBERT RAY KELLER
Robert Ray Keller, 55, Vernonia,
died November 21, 2007. Private inter-
ment was held.
Mr. Keller was born March 4, 1952,
in Forest Grove, to Lester and Bonnie
(Bell) Keller. He was raised in Forest
Grove and attended Dilley School. He
served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam
era. He moved to Vernonia in the
1980’s. He worked as a logger.
He was preceded in death by his
parents.
Survivors include his companion,
Sue Owen of Vernonia; three sons,
Sean Ray of Oregon City, Jude of Brea,
California, and Andrew of Oceanside,
Calif.; two daughters, Nicki Keller of
Milwaukie, and Adrienne Camille John-
son of Brea, Calif.; a step-daughter,
Deon Mariana of Milwaukie, Wisconsin;
and three grandchildren.
Remembrances are suggested to
the family in care of Wauna Federal
Credit Union to help with expenses.
Tualatin Valley Funeral Alternatives
in Hillsboro was in charge of arrange-
ments.
LEON A. MUHR
Leon A. Muhr, 63, Manning, died
October 30, 2007. A private family serv-
ice has been held.
Mr. Muhr was born September 1,
1944, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to Cecyl
and Julia Muhr. He was raised in Ne-
braska.
In 1965, he married Mary Schostak.
When they divorced nine years later, he
MARYANN NELIA TROUT
Maryann Nelia Trout, 67, Roy, died
November 10, 2007. Services have
been held.
Mrs. Trout was born May 10, 1940,
in Forest Grove, to William A. and
Sylvia (Duyck) Peters. She was raised
on the family farm in Roy. She graduat-
ed from Banks Union High School in
1958, then earned a teaching degree
from Marylhurst College. She taught el-
ementary school in Portland for two
years.
Direct Cremation
475
$
Direct Burial
675
$
Plus Cemetery Costs
Tualatin Valley
Funeral Alternatives
~ There are Options ~
www.tualatinvalleyfa.com
237 West Main St., Hillsboro
503-693-7965
"A Trusted Name in Funeral Service"
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt
Funeral Home
Third Generation
Family Owned & Operated
Jeffrey Hoyt, Tina Rose-Reynolds,
Gregory Hoyt, Christopher Hoyt,
Ross Mathews, Jane Schneider,
Dan Raney, Yvonne La Mont,
Julieanna Finegan, Jose Lopez
Attendant: Ray Pelster
2308 Pacific Av. Frst Grv....357-2161
741 Madison Av. Vern.........429-6611
E-mail: Fuitenrosehoyt@aol.com
To sign the online guestbook or send
a condolence to the family, go to:
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