Doris Oakes
1935-2003
Doris Oakes of Monroe, formerly of Cottage Grove died Feb. 24 of heart disease. She was 67.
Oakes was born Aug. 4, 1935, in Nevada City, Calif., to Merriam and Helen Carse Heyen. She married Kenneth "Bill" Oakes in Cottage Grove on April 11, 1959.
Her family moved to London, near Cottage Grove, when she was 12. She graduated from Cottage Grove High School in 1954, and she attended San Jose Bible College for one year before returning to Cottage Grove. She settled in Monroe after her marriage.
She worked for many years at the Monroe Post Office and at home raising her family.
She was a member of the Lancaster Church of Christ in Junction City. She enjoyed gardening, ceramics, cooking, camping, fishing and spending time with her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Virgil of Monroe and David of Junction City; a daughter, Tamara Myers of West Richland, Wash.; three brothers, Ron Heyen of Eugene, Dorian Heyen of Pasco, Wash., and Marvin Heyen of Cottage Grove; a sister, Joy Tullar of Cottage Grove; four grandchildren; and seven step-grand- children. Two infant sons, Kevin and Randy, died previously.
McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lancaster Church of Christ in Junction City or to the Monroe Fire Department in care of the funeral home.
Leona Thompson
1913-2003
Leona Mae Thompson of Cottage Grove died June 7 of age-related causes. She was 90.
Thompson was born April 13, 1913, in Eagle City, Okla., to George and Mildred Fairchild Elliott. She married Robert Orr in Kansas in 1933. They later divorced. She married Floyd Thompson in Eugene on July 18, 1974. He died Jan. 18, 1994.
She moved to Creswell in 1974 and later settled in Cottage Grove. She was a homemaker, and she enjoyed sewing and knitting. She was a member of the Creswell Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include a son, Delbert Orr of Colorado; two daughters, Violet Wasmundt of Fossil and Juanita Muller of Redmond; many grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
A funeral was held June 13 at the Creswell Presbyterian Church. Burial was at Creswell Pioneer Cemetery. England's Creswell Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Donna D. Cowdin
1936-2001
Donna D. Cowdin of Eugene died April 9, 2001, of heart failure. She was 64.
She was born April 23, 1936, in Coquille, to Edward and Lila (Strong) Decker. She graduated from Cottage Grove High School and attended two years of college.
She married Lloyd R. Cowdin in Winnemucca, Nev., on Dec. 28, 1962.
She worked as an accountant, and enjoyed gardening, reading and visiting garage sales.
Cowdin is survived by her husband; her mother, Lila Decker of Eugene; a son, Thad Cowdin of Springfield; a daughter, Shawna Cowdin of Bend; a stepson, Peter Cowdin of Berthoud, Colo.; a brother, Larry Decker of Boca Raton, Fla.; a sister, Deanna Cartmill of Cottage Grove; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
No service was planned. Andreason's Cremation and Burial Service was in charge of arrangements.
Ralph Poore
1909-2001
Ralph Poore of Cottage Grove died June 5, 2001, of lung cancer. He was 91.
Mr. Poore was born August 14, 1909 in Concordia, Kans., to Joshua and Bertha (Rundle) Poore.
He married Vera Poore.
Mr. Poore moved to Oregon from Kansas in the 1930's. He first lived in Clatskanie before moving to Cottage Grove in 1950.
He worked as parts manager at the Ford garage in Cottage Grove until he retired in 1975.
He was a veteran of WWII.
A cremation is planned. Lane Crematorium was in charge of arrangements.
Jean Bash Bolton
1928-2002
Albany resident Jean Bash Bolton died Oct. 17, 2002, of heart failure. She was 74.
Mrs. Bolton was a former longtime Cottage Grove resident and attended high school at Cottage Grove.
She was born Feb. 6, 1928, in Arcadia, Calif., to Robert P. and Marie Laird Bash.
She married Warren Merritt Bolton in Los Angeles on Oct. 4, 1944; he died April 26, 1985.
Mrs. Bolton moved to Cottage Grove in 1942 and lived there most of her life, having just recently moved to Albany. A homemaker, cook and beautician, she enjoyed spending time with her family, cooking and gardening, and was a member of the Church of Christ.
She is survived by her mother, Marie Bash of Springfield; sons, Robert S. Bolton of Shady Cove, Phillip B. Bolton of Eagle Point and son Michael W. Bolton of Austin, Texas; daughters Carroll S. Sorensen of Albany and Colleen M. Baxter of Eugene; a sister, Linda J. Straub of Cottage Grove; 26 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Sandra K Bolton, on Dec. 23, 1953; and by a brother, John P. Bash.
A funeral service was held Oct. 21, 2002 at 1 p.m. at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel, with a visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. the previous day. Burial was at Fir Grove Cemetery. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions in her name can be made to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 2680, North Canton, OH 44720.
Ernest Degerstrom
1913-2001
Ernest T. Degerstrom of Cottage Grove died of cancer April 10, 2001, at the age of 88.
He was born Jan. 1, 1913, in Askov, Minn., to Frederick and Selma Degerstrom.
He married Iris Bemus on April 15, 1936, in Askov. They moved to Cottage Grove in 1957.
Degerstrom was a fire control worker for the U.S. Forest Service. His hobbies included woodworking, hunting, fishing and camping.
He is survived by his wife; a son, Theodore Degerstrom of Cottage Grove; two sisters, Agnes Clausen of Pine City, Minn., and Ellen Muehlenthaler of St. Paul, Minn.; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
A visitation and funeral were held April 14, 2001, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Cremation and arrangements were handled by Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Sacred Heart.
Edith B. Wells
1922-2002
Edith B. Wells of Eugene, formerly of Cottage Grove, died March 5, 2002, of age-related causes. She was 79.
She was born June 2, 1922, in Salem to Frederick and Mildred (Love) Bynon. She graduated as valedictorian from Salem High School.
In 1948, she married Chester D. Wells in Washington. She lived in Brookings and McKenzie River before moving to Cottage Grove in 1965.
Mrs. Wells loved her grandchildren, and she enjoyed sewing, handcrafting and quilting.
She is survived by two daughters, Mary Louise Wells of Deer Island and Katherine Lorraine Edwards of North Las Vegas, Nev.; a son, Robert William Wells of San Anselmo, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
No service was planned. England's Eugene Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Edmond L. Dorgan
1937-2002
Cancer claimed the life of Edmond LeRoy Dorgan of Drain on April 10, 2002. He was 64.
He was born Oct. 31, 1937, in Brownsville to John Francis and Fern (Palmer) Dorgan. He graduated from Lebanon High School. He lived in Brownsville and Albany before making his permanent home in Drain for 32 years.
He married Dorothy Marie Carmen in Virginia City, Nev., on May 7, 1971.
He was a millworker in the plywood mills in Drain for 30 years. He loved spending time with family, fishing, camping, spending time outdoors and working on cars.
He is survived by his wife and mother; two sons, Brian LeRoy Dorgan of Cricklade, England, and Martin James Dorgan of Clayton, N.C.; two daughters, Debbie Marie Parker of Eugene and Lisa Lynn Yackamouih of Kingman, Ariz.; two brothers, Charles Gilfred Dorgan, whereabouts unknown, and John Francis Dorgan Jr. of Crescent City, Calif.; two sisters, Karen Denise Madarus of Kuna, Idaho, and Agnes Lenora Allen of Boise, Idaho; and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service was held April 13 at First Baptist Church in Drain. Burial was by cremation, and arrangements were made by Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia Society of America, Oregon Chapter, 6501 SW Madacam Ave., Portland, OR 97201.
Jerleen Y. Sloan
1934-2002
Cancer claimed the life of Jerleen Y. Sloan of Cottage Grove on May 31, 2002. She was 67.
She was born July 11, 1934, in Hartshorne, Okla., to James and Julia (Dunham) Morgan.
She moved to Oregon in 1955, and in January 1956, she married Kenneth L. Sloan in Roseburg.
She is survived by her husband; a daughter, Tracy Woodke of Creswell; a son, Timothy Sloan of San Diego; four sisters, Frances Hardin of Hartshorne, I. Mae Young of Phoenix, LaVona Nickson of Puyallup and L. Lancaster of Cottage Grove; a brother, James Morgan of Nebraska; and four grandchildren. A sister, Naomi Williams, preceded her in death.
A memorial service was held June 8 at the Church of Christ in Creswell. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium was in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2350 Oakmont Way, Suite 200, Eugene, OR 97401.
Marco Gherghetta
1992-2002
Marco Adrian Gherghetta of Oakland, Ore., died Aug. 22, 2002, in a swimming accident. He was 10 years old.
He was born in Roseburg July 24, 1992, to Jennifer Rodgers and Marco Gherghetta. He lived most of his life in Roseburg, attending Rose Elementary School, and moved to Oakland in 2001.
He enjoyed playing baseball and football, bicycling, camping and Scooby-Doo. More than anything, he enjoyed his family and friends.
Marco was elected Student Council Representative for his class at Rose Elementary during the 2001-02 school year, and he was a student volunteer at Rose Haven Care Facility in Roseburg.
He is survived by his mother of Oakland and his father of Umatilla; a brother, Nicodemus Dodson of Oakland; a sister, Leigha Gherghetta of Oakland; grandparents Wil and Lynn Broadbent of Salem and Debbie and Ray Wylie of Roseburg; great-grandparents Oliver and Onetta Martin of Yoncalla; his uncle and aunt Rhett and Sue Rodgers of Midland and Gregory and Patricia Gherghetta of Myrtle Creek; aunts Rachel Rodgers of Hillsboro and Heather Oliver and Lindsey Wylie, both of Roseburg; uncle Ryan Wylie of Roseburg; and many loving cousins.
A visitation was held Aug. 27 at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel. A funeral service was held Aug. 28 at the United Methodist Church in Yoncalla. Burial was at Yoncalla Masonic Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Umpqua Community Action Network (UCAN) Food Share, Roseburg, OR.
Dorothy Wilkerson
1930-2002
Dorothy Leona Wilkerson of Cottage Grove died Dec. 30 from complications of pneumonia. She was 72.
Ms. Wilkerson was born Feb. 23, 1930, in Buhl, Idaho, to Reuben and Mary Staten Waters. She married Paul William Ireland on Dec. 22, 1949. He died in January of 1962. She married Ray Shoopman on Sept. 13, 1962. They divorced in February of 1964. She married Pat Barnes on June 15, 1964. He died in July of 1967. She married Orval Wilkerson on June 24, 1969. He died in January of 2002.
She was a homemaker who lived the past 33 years in Lane County. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, pine needle basket making, leatherwork, camping, going to the beach and practical jokes.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Bill Ireland; a sister, Leora Dodge; a granddaughter, Aimee Ireland; and three of her husbands.
Survivors include two sons, Duane Ireland of Redmond and Dale Ireland of Ketchikan, Alaska; four daughters, Leona Kellogg and Marie Barnes, both of Sacramento, Calif., Marlene Edwards of Bellville, Ill., and Barbara Campbell of Cottage Grove; three stepdaughters, Julane Morgan of Washington, Sharon Whitney of Drain and Connie Poole of Cottage Grove; a stepson, Terry Wilkerson of Ontario; 34 grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
A funeral was held Jan. 7 at Cottage Grove Bible Church. Burial was at Fir Grove Cemetery. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Danny Ohlhausen
1945-2003
A memorial service was held June 12 for Danny Ray Ohlhausen of Creswell, who died June 8 at age 57.
Ohlhausen was born June 10, 1945, in Newport Beach, Calif., to Ernest Berry and Carolyn Goforth Ohlhausen.
He married Linda Becker in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 5, 1968.
He lived in this area for 36 years and worked as a machinist and as a timber faller. He was an avid hunter and loved to golf. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family.
Survivors include his wife; his stepfather, George Ohlhausen of Central Point; a son, Carl of Albany; a daughter, Christy Patterson of Cashmere, Wash.; six sisters, Marty Nieuwland of Palmetto, Ga., Georgia Lee England of Mount Vernon, Ill., Maria Berry of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., Diana Cox of Philomath, Lorene Becker of Monterey, Calif., and Sharry Hollett of Oakridge; two brothers, George Sherman of Medford and Eddie Becker of Lorane; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held June 12 at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel. Burial was at Comstock Cemetery in Curtin.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Comstock Cemetery in Curtin, care of Sue Black, 1134 Curtin Road, Curtin, OR 97428.
Louis A. Birrenkott
1926-2001
Louis A. Birrenkott of Cottage Grove died April 15, 2001, of cancer. He was 74.
He was born Aug. 3, 1926, in Bulah, N.D., to Chris and Pauline Birrenkott. He graduated from Dryden High School in Dryden, Wash.
Birrenkott served in the South Pacific for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
He married Alla Hrebeniuk on May 12, 1956, in Portland.
He worked in the U.S. Civil Service, employed for 22 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His hobbies included golf and woodworking.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Wayne Birrenkott of Sisters and Tim Birrenkott of Corpus Christi, Texas; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. today at Family Praise Center. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Birrenkott family, who will donate them to their favorite charities.
Dorothy C. Flatt
1921-2002
Dorothy Costin Flatt of Curtin died of pneumonia on April 10, 2002, at the age of 81.
She was born Feb. 2, 1921, in Bueyrus, Ohio, to Clarence and Gertrude (Rothchild) Henderson. She lived in California before moving to Oregon in 1957.
She married Gilbert Charles Costin in California on Aug. 9, 1940. He died April 14, 1974.
She married David D. Flatt in Drain on April 28, 1977. He preceded her in death the month before, on March 19, 2002.
As a homemaker, she loved spending time with family, her church and church activities, crocheting, farming and animals. She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and attended St. John's Catholic Church in Drain up until January 2002.
She is survived by a daughter, Susan Derrick of Curtin; a sister, Helen Miller of Drain; four grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was celebrated April 15 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Burial was at Comstock Cemetery in Curtin. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium was in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice.
Virl Guy Rodgers
1916-2002
Longtime Yoncalla resident Virl Guy Rodgers died of heart failure Aug. 23, 2002. He was 86.
He was born Aug. 5, 1916, in Geraldine, Mont., to Thomas and Florence (Eichkoldt) Rodgers.
He married Lola Mae Emery in Missoula, Mont., on March 12, 1941. They lived in Stevensville, Mont., until February 1943, then moved to Yoncalla, where he lived for 59 years.
Mr. Rodgers worked as a logger, sawyer and millwright for Bohemia Lumber Company, retiring in 1981. He liked to fish and hunt and enjoyed woodworking, woodcarving and raising flowers.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years; a son, Thomas Virl Rodgers of Yoncalla; and two sisters, Eunice Nelson of Laramie, Wyo., and Dovie Duus of Hamilton, Mont.
A visitation was held Aug. 29 at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel. A funeral service was held the following day at United Methodist Church in Yoncalla. He was buried at Yoncalla Pioneer Cemetery.
Clayton Harwood
1915-2003
A memorial service will be held March 2 for Clayton Leroy Harwood of Cottage Grove, who died Feb. 26 of age-related causes. He was 87.
Harwood was born April 21, 1915, in Bear Grove, Iowa, to Omar and Bethel Skinner Harwood.
He married Irma Barrett in Modesto, Calif., on Sept. 6, 1938.
Harwood lived in the Coos Bay area for many years and worked as a logger for the Weyerhaeuser Co. before retiring in 1980. He lived in Cottage Grove for 23 years.
His interests included cutting firewood and using his power saw. He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Albert of Sacramento, Allen of Klamath Falls and Alvin of Nehalem; six brothers, Rex of Elgin, Oscar of Amity, Walter "Buzz" of Roseburg, Neil of Cottage Grove, Ross of Eugene and Marvin of Scotia, Calif.; two sisters, Margie Herzberg of Eugene and Mabel Koch of Junction City; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held March 2 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Cottage Grove. A graveside service was held the same day at Silk Creek Cemetery. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Melba Joslyn
1938-2003
Melba J. Joslyn of Yoncalla died June 7 of emphysema. She was 65.
Joslyn was born Feb. 4, 1938, in Yoncalla to William and Lois Boan. She married Richard "Dick" Joslyn in Yoncalla in 1960. He died June 3, 1987.
She graduated from Yoncalla High School. She was a homemaker, and she owned and operated a small grocery store for five years. She enjoyed bowling, fishing, camping and gardening.
Survivors include two sons, Shane of Curtin and Brett of Salida, Colo.; three brothers, Jerry Boan of Madras, Charles Boan of Yoncalla and Dennis Boan of Las Vegas; two sisters, Virginia Underwood of Arizona and Sharon Calhoun of Coos Bay; and five grandchildren.
No service is planned. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel in Cottage Grove is in charge of arrangements.
Esther Greene
1931-2003
Esther Greene of Yoncalla died Feb. 25 of cancer. She was 71.
Greene was born May 23, 1931, in Menahga, Minn., to Willard and Gladys Hamm Swenson.
She grew up in Eugene and graduated from Eugene High School. She also lived in Las Vegas. She worked as a grocery checker.
She enjoyed cats, flowers and spending time with her family and friends.
Survivors include her husband, Raymond Greene; a brother, James Swenson of Eugene; and a sister, Marion Lauderbaush of Vancouver, Wash. Her husband, Hank Butler, and daughter, Joyce Marie, died previously.
A funeral was held March 3 at Wilson's Chapel of the Roses in Roseburg. Burial was in Roseburg.
David Brooks
1949-2002
Eugene resident David S. Brooks, M.D., who practiced in Cottage Grove during the 1980s, died Dec. 18, 2002. He was 53.
He was born Feb. 1, 1949, in London, England, to Peter and Riona (Young) Brooks. He grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and moved to Ossining, N.Y., at the age of 11.
He married June Feeks in Ossining, N.Y., May 30, 1970. He graduated from Yale University in 1971, after which he and June moved to Calgary. After he graduated from the University of Alberta in 1978, they relocated to Portland. They moved to Cottage Grove in 1981, where he practiced as a family physician at Riverside Medical until 1989. He was a founding partner of Oregon Medical Group.
Mr. Brooks was a gifted athlete. He lettered in football at Yale and throughout his life enjoyed tennis, biking, scuba diving, traveling and music.
He is survived by his wife and his father of Eugene; two sons, Christopher Brooks of Portland and Adam Brooks of Eugene; a brother, Graham Brooks of Peekskill, N.Y.; and two sisters, Amanda Hunter of Portland, Maine, and Valerie Brooks of Springfield.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 18, 2002, at First Presbyterian Church in Cottage Grove. Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Food for Lane County, 770 Bailey Hill Road, Eugene, OR 97402.
Peggy M. Raasch
1921-2001
Peggy R. Miller Raasch of Cottage Grove died April 19, 2001, of complications resulting from a stroke. She was 79.
She was born Dec. 20, 1921, in Scappoose to Elmer and Agnes (Evans) Smith. She graduated from high school in Hood River.
In 1943 she married Warren M. Miller in Hood River, and remained with him until his death. She made her permanent residence in Cottage Grove in 1965.
She married Vernon A. Raasch in Mountain Home, Idaho on June 3, 1970.
She was a homemaker and mother, whose interests included flowers, sewing and time spent with and for her grandchildren. She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Baptist Church and Ladies Aid of Trinity Lutheran.
She was the recipient of numerous needlecraft awards at the Western Oregon Exposition.
Her husband preceded her in death on April 10, 1997.
She is survived by two daughters, Janet K. Six of Ramona, Calif. and Sue Stenerson of Albany; a sister, Pearl Owenby of Cottage Grove; a daughter-in-law, Luana Raasch of Cottage Grove; a niece, Dixie Parker of Eugene; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held April 21, 2001, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Inurnment was at Fir Grove Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Building Fund.
Norman A. Johnson
1922-2002
Cottage Grove resident Norman "Arnie" Arnold Johnson, 78, died April 12, 2002, of age-related causes.
He was born Dec. 7, 1922, in River Falls, Wis., to Clarence and Geneva Johnson. After receiving a high school education, Mr. Johnson served six years in the U.S. Navy, receiving an honorable discharge.
He then traveled the United States, Canada and Mexico working in oilfields. He settled in Billings, Mont., as a rancher, and He was an avid horseshoe pitcher and was state champion in Montana in 1983. He also enjoyed collecting coins. He retired in 1985, moving to Cottage Grove in 1988.
Mr. Johnson married Dona "Pat" Stoltenberg in Cody, Wyo., on Aug. 28, 1967, a 14-year union that produced a daughter, Nikki Jolene Johnson. His ex-wife preceded him in death in March 1988, and their daughter preceded him in death on Aug. 13, 1998.
He is survived by three grandchildren, Kala, Gavin and Peace.
A graveside inurnment was held April 17 at Greenwood Cemetery. Major Family Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
