Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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September 2, 1922 – November 11, 2023 Longtime Leaburg, Oregon resident, Sunnie Marr Burger, age 101, passed away peacefully in her sleep at Cascade Place in Enumclaw, WA on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2023, from age related causes. Sunnie was born on September 2, 1922 in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of Ethel and David Weitz. She had two older sisters, Millie and Alice. In 1942 her family moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, CA. The country was at war and the Army had a need for women, so Sun...
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Victor Kirk Vidal. Father, husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. Victor left us too soon on July 24, 2023. Born on Nov. 9, 1958 in Carmel, California to Arthur and Merrellyn Vidal. He and his family moved to the McKenzie River in the early 70s. Victor attended McKenzie High School in Finn Rock, Oregon. Victor later became a Groundsman traveling throughout the PNW in the 90s/early 00s and was a coach to many, always inspiring the power...
Kenward F. “Skip” Cosper of McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, died in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 26, 2023, and is survived by his wife, Katheryn Townsend Cosper and his two children, Darcy Buck and Elora Cosper. Skip was born February 6, 1939, in Plentywood, Montana to Ransom and Norma Johnson Cosper. His family moved to Oaksdale, Washington in 1943, where his father ultimately became Superintendent of Schools, and the family, as a whole, took up subsistence farming. Cosper graduated sa...
On July 3, 2023, Joyce Brooks passed away peacefully at the age of 91 in Puyallup Washington. She was born Dec. 3, 1931 in New Haven, CT to Pasquale and Lillian Pocaro. She spent most of her childhood in Uxbridge, MA before moving with her parents to Southern California. In 1962 she married Pierce Brooks in Capistrano, CA. and in 1969 they moved to Springfield, OR where her husband became Chief of Police. In 1977 he became Chief of Police for Eugene and they moved to the McKenzie River area they...
Springfield, OR. Elvira “Ellie” Harris was bom March 14,1932 in East Barnum, Connecticut, and passed away in family arms on February 10,2023 in her Deerhom community home near the McKenzie River. She had valiantly fought reoccurring cancer and, towards last, a stroke resulting from cancer treatment. Her life's adventures included being a spouse of a submariner and a respiratory therapist, plus a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Until retirement Ellie was a commercial actor, medical di...
William “Bill” David Burwell, age 73, of Rainbow, Oregon, passed away Friday, February 17th, 2023 due to complications from cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Born in 1949 to David and Gale Burwell, Bill grew up learning to float Oregon’s rivers, explore Wilderness trails, and work in the woods. Throughout his life he had a strong sense of the surrounding land and forests, and an interest in indigenous ways of life. In 1967 Bill graduated from Thurston High School with a football scholar...
Closen Francis Christian, Jr., 86, of Eugene, passed away at home in Eugene on February 26, 2023. Closen was born on March 24, 1936, in Crescent City, California, to Closen Christian Sr. and Georgene Leishman Christian. The family lived in several logging camps before finally settling near Finn Rock, Oregon, in the early 1940’s. Closen attended Springfield High School, graduating in 1954. Closen married Lydia Anderson in 1955, and together they raised three children in the Mohawk Valley east o...
February 26, 1921 – December 26, 2022 After an amazing full life, Donald Lavell Persinger passed away peacefully on December 26, 2022 just shy of his 102nd birthday. Don leaves to cherish their memories , wife Denta and family, in-laws Lynne and Doug and family, daughter-in-law Kathy Persinger, son-in-law Mike Kennedy and 4 grand children , Heather, Adam, Ryan and Hailey and great grandchildren Ulysses, River and Henry. Don was predeceased by his two older brothers, Les and Frances, his first wi...
EUGENE - Sandra Tippetts Dodds was born June 7, 1935 in Lovell, Wyoming. She died peacefully on January 3, 2023, surrounded by daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She grew up on a farm in Lovell with her twin brothers, Gerry and Jerry. She was active in 4H, and became a skilled seamstress and an accomplished quilter. She especially loved creating quilt tops and quilting them by hand. She has gifted children and grandchildren many beautiful quilts to be cherished for...
Ann Elizabeth Robson, 91, of Eugene, Oregon, passed away on October 28, 2022, with dementia. Ann was born in Bellingham, Washington, on October 24, 1931, to parents Rachel (Robinson) and Ralph Hensley. She is survived by her husband, Clayton Robson, daughter Jocelyn Whitfield, son Ladd Robson, son Rand Robson, sister Gretchen Morris, and brother Peter Hensley. Preceding her in death were their son Duncan (SIDS) and son Lance. She graduated High School in Aurora, Illinois, in 1949. She attended...
Jeremy Christopher Gabriel Sewell was born to Carolyn Gabriel and Ralph Sewell on August 19, 1979, at Lucinia Birth Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon. His brother and five sisters were among the sizable group present that welcomed Jeremy into the world. On January 21, 2022, at the age of 42, Jeremy journeyed beyond this life. He is survived by his high school love and wife of 16 years, Angela (Broom) Sewell (Their relationship spanning 24 years.), his daughter Emalyn, and son Mason. He felt such...
August 15, 1934-February 7, 2022 Shari Parker passed away on February 7, 2022, at the age of 87 of age-related illness. Shari was born in Vida, Oregon to Richard Eugene and Dorothy Josephine Dare on August 15, 1934. Shari attended schools in Deerhorn, Klamath Falls, and graduated from Springfield high school in 1952. Shari married Robert (Bob) Parker on August 26th, 1956, in Deerhorn. Bob died in 2016. Shari was a homemaker who enjoyed bowling, golfing, camping, gardening, rock hunting, and...
Springfield, OR. Janet Isabel Larson Scofield passed away peacefully at home, on January 1, 2022. She was 92 years old. Janie was born on a cold day, January 26, 1929, on the Charlie Borche Ranch, in Harding County, South Dakota. She was raised by her parents, Arnold and Martha Olson Larson, on family ranches homesteaded by her paternal and maternal great-grandparents. Janie had an older half-sister Ruth, and five younger brothers: Jim, Bill, twins Keith and Kenton, and Pete. She graduated from...
9-25-63 to 1-10-22 Long time resident of the McKenzie valley, Jeannette Rae Thomson, passed into eternity on January 10th 2022 from her battle with lung cancer. Jeannette was born to Ira York and Patricia Thomson JR on September 25th, 1963. She has one brother, Ira York Thomson III and sister-in-law, Hollie Thomson of Hamilton Mt. Two nephews, Ira Joseph Thomson and John Paul Bell, Two nieces, Naomi Thomson and Sarah Harris. Jeannette grew up on the McKenzie enjoying the Gate Creek swimming...
Dalton Armand Miars fell asleep in death in Lane County on December 22, 2021 at the age of 30, due to a tragic accident. Dalton lived his entire life in the state of Oregon. He was born in Eugene, June 17th, 1991, and spent the first few years of his life living in Springfield. At the age of 6 he moved to Marcola for a year. From there he and his family resided in Leaburg where he spent the rest of his youth. While growing up, more than anything else, he loved to spend time with his dad, Jeff,...
Barry Wayne McWilliams pass-ed away on August 14, 2021, at his home outside Whitehall, Montana. He was 79 years old. Barry was born on February 17, 1942, in North Hollywood, California, to Leigh and Irene (Hewitt) McWilliams in a hospital with blackout curtains due to the fear of Japanese invasion of the west coast following Pearl Harbor. He spent his younger years in what he referred to as an "immigrant home" where three distinct families shared a small three-bedroom house with wall-to-wall...
Guy E. Lewis, a resident of Yreka and a retired U.S. Forest Service firefighter, died suddenly April 14. He was 70. Born in Philadelphia ,PA, Lewis attended public schools in that city. He graduated from Solebury School in New Hope, Pa., and attended Haverford College, Haverford, Pa. Early in the second semester of his sophomore year at Haverford, Lewis and several of his friends decided on the spur of the moment to drop out and drive to California. (It was 1970-people did things like that then....
Laura Olson Laura Olson Long time Leaburg resident Laura Maxine Olson passed away in her sleep on December 31, 2014, at RiverBend Hospital in Springfield. She was born on June 16, 1927, in Baker City, Oregon, to Rhetta and Arthur Olson. She grew up in North Powder and the family later moved to Corvallis and Portland. Laura graduated from Jefferson High School in North Portland in 1945 and was accepted into the journalism program at the University of Oregon in Eugene and was a member of Delta Delta Delta. After college Laura attended Radcliff...
MANZANITA, OR: Jeanette Louise Mastrantonio died on May 8th in Manzanita. She was 73 years old. She was born on September 1st, 1938 in Eugene. She graduated from the McKenzie River High School and the University of Oregon. She was the first Public Information Officer for the Willamette National Forest in Eugene and was transferred to the Pacific Southwest Research Station in Berkeley, California as an information specialist. She started a quarterly publication for forest managers, Forestry Research West, and returned to Portland as a...
Steven L. Austin, 53, of Spirit Lake, Idaho, and Walterville, Oregon, passed away on July 5th at the University of Washington Medical Center’s Cancer Clinic surrounded by friends and family. Memorial services will be scheduled in early August....
