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Kira Larson-Banaszek
Kira Larisa Larson-Banaszek died in
Stevenson, Wash., May 8, 2009, at the age of 31. She was born in
Portland, Ore., to parents Judy Ann Carsten and Harold William
Larson on Oct. 1, 1977.
Kira received all of her education in
Skamania County schools, graduating from Stevenson High School
in 1996. Except for a few years in which she lived in Spokane,
Wash., and Hood River, Ore., Kira remained in the Stevenson
area. She worked as a waitress at the Hood River Hotel in Hood
River.
Kira most enjoyed being with her friends
and family. She had a quiet, sensitive and serene nature. She
could be fun-loving and enjoyed going to parties and holiday
gatherings.
Kira took pleasure in watching scary
movies and going shopping. She had a soft spot for animals and
was very fond of her two cats. Kira was a very good listener who
was always available to provide succor and council to her
friends. She will be dearly missed.
Survivors include her father and mother,
Harold “Butch” and Judy Larson of Carson, Wash.; brother, Sean
Larson, of Spokane; sisters Whitney Lathe, of Vancouver, Wash.,
and Sonya Larson, of Vancouver; grandmother Vernice Carsten, of
Sacramento, Calif.; and nieces and nephews Milana, Melissa,
Tanner, Dallas, Parker, Chase, Cassie and Nathan.
A celebration of Kira’s life will be
held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Rock Creek Center in
Stevenson. Gardner Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Ray Helt
Raymond Edgar Helt, 72, died in his
Carson, Wash., home on the evening of Monday May 11, 2009. The
death was due to complications from Parkinson’s and lymphoma,
which Ray had battled for many years.
Ray Helt was born Dec. 4, 1936, on the
family farm at Lower Carver Creek in Iron County, Mo., to father
Thomas Franklin Helt and mother Jesse Edna (Sutton) Helt. Ray
was middle of five siblings, four boys and girl. In addition
there were three adopted children.
Ray’s family moved around — from
Missouri to Kansas, Colorado and California. Ultimately, Ray
moved back to the farm of his birth in Missouri to be raised by
his grandparents, Jesse and Mary Helen (Jordan) Sutton.
His career was one of hard work, which
came to be his definition of self, and creed. Leaving schooling
behind, Ray worked in the woods with his uncles and neighbors as
a teenager, cutting hardwood stave bolts, mine props and timber
for railroad ties. He also worked the farm with his grandparents
and kept cattle of his own.
Other pursuits included a stint during
his early 20s in a California plating shop, and back in
Missouri, as a taxi driver, shoe factory worker, school bus
driver and owner of a coal delivery business.
In 1971 Ray moved his family to Carson,
Wash., and became a shareholder in Stevenson Co-ply, where he
worked until retirement.
While living with his grandparents on
the farm in Missouri, Ray met his future wife, Eileen Marie
Warren. They were married in 1954 and at the time of Ray’s death
had been married for 54 years. Their love and commitment to each
other grew stronger and sweeter as the years passed. Together
they had three children.
Ray possessed a quiet wisdom and wry wit
which he used to guide his children and grandchildren up to the
day of his departure. He and Eileen enjoyed caring for the
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ray’s passing leaves a
huge void in the hearts of his loved ones.
Ray Helt is survived by his wife, Eileen
Marie Helt; adopted sister, Bibi Lee; brothers Edward Gerard
Helt, James Carl Helt and Richard Dale Helt; son, Donald Ray
Helt; daughters Deborah Ann (Helt) Young and Darla Marie Helt;
nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at 11 a.m. May
15. at Gardner Funeral Home, 1270 N. Main St., White Salmon,
Wash., 509-493-1323).
Also on May 15, a 2:30 p.m. graveside
service will be held at the Berge Cemetery, 172 Berge Cemetery
Road, Home Valley, Wash.
The family wishes to extend thanks to
all who cared for Ray over the years, such as: Oregon Health and
Science University, Celilo Cancer Center, Mid-Columbia Family
Health Center, Hospice of the Gorge, and especially to
granddaughter Amanda Tanasse for her loving care in the final
weeks.
Cookie Eden
Cookie Eden was born in St. Louis, Mo.,
on July 25, 1924, and passed away peacefully on Sunday March 3,
2009, surrounded by her three children.
She is survived by daughters Brooke, of
St. Paul, Minn., and Leah (and husband) of Chicago, Ill., son,
Nick (and wife), of The Dalles, Ore.; her sister, Jeanne, of St.
Louis, Mo.; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Cookie had lived at Waverly Gardens for
a year and a half, after moving from Hood River, Ore., where she
retired near her son, Nick. Previously Cookie lived near
Northfield, Minn., where she tended 80 acres of fields and
forest while raising three children. She had two long-term
marriages, each with its own joys and sorrows.
Cookie loved birds and all growing
things. Through Brooke’s eyes she watched a determined phoebe
build a nest outside her window. She loved to wheel around the
paths and learned to identify bird calls in the trees near our
building.
After hearing from our resident
naturalist about the blooming of the blue bottle gentian, she
and Brooke wheeled down through the marsh path to find it — and
did! Her faithful companion, cat Boo, was a constant joy to her.
As many people do, Cookie had her
struggles with health later in life, and was gratified to find
good friends at Waverly Gardens to help her during this time.
She enjoyed meeting the many residents from interesting walks of
life. She was grateful for the joys of shared meals and
conversations each day, and for the loving kindness of all
staff.
Memorial services will be held in St.
Louis for family in May. Cookie’s family would like to extend
heartfelt thanks to residents and staff for their companionship
and care for our mother. Her life was richer because of you.
Chiyoko Ishizaka
Chiyoko Ishizaka passed away May 13,
2009, at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital with family by
her side.
A service to honor Chiyoko’s life is
planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at Asbury United Methodist
Church. Private graveside rites will follow at Idlewilde
Cemetery.
Everyone is invited to join family for a
celebration reception at the West Side Fire Department Rockford
Station on Barrett, following her funeral service.
Chiyoko was born Sept. 19, 1930, in
Okinawa, Japan, to Anike and Tsuru (Yogi) Uchima. This is where
she met James Ishizaka and they wed in June of 1954 in Okinawa.
James bought Chiyoko to Hood River,
Ore., where they settled on the family farm in the Oak Grove
area and started their family; they were blessed with four
children.
Chiyoko is survived and will be dearly
missed by her husband of 55 years, James Ishizaka, at their Hood
River home; four children and their spouses: Jean and Paul
Mallen, of Sandy, Ore., Karl and Teresa Ishizaka, of Yakima,
Wash., Sam and Jill Ishizaka, of Molalla, Ore., and Ray and
Muriel Ishizaka, of Hood River, Ore.; five grandchildren: Corie,
Stephanie, Jessica, Willie and Maggie; sister, Sachiko Dill of
Livonia, Michigan; and other distant family and friends.
In addition to her parents she was
preceded in death by a brother and sister.
The family would like to extend a
sincere thanks to the hospital, doctors, nurses and staff for
their care given to Chiyoko.
Arrangements are under the direction of
Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations),
1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000.
Please visit
www.andersonstributecenter.com to sign the family guest
book.
Linda Hull
Linda Jo Gerber Hull was born in Eugene,
Ore., on Nov. 21, 1946, to Joe and Dorothy Gerber. She was a
graduate of Willamette High School (1965) and the University of
Oregon (Go Ducks!).
Linda died of complications surrounding
appendix cancer at her home on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, among
loved ones. It was just one year ago, post-chemo, that she
celebrated by rafting the Colorado river through the Grand
Canyon with her husband and several friends.
In college, Linda married her high
school sweetheart, Lee Omlid, and found herself raising a
family. While her children were young, Linda was a co-owner of
family-owned McKenzie River Golf Course (Springfield) where she
spent much of her time and energy.
Post-divorce, Linda went to work for the
State of Oregon, in Eugene. While traveling in this capacity to
perform work in Hood River, she met the love of her life and
moved there in 1994.
Wherever she was, she developed strong
relationships that continued through her life, including special
ones from her recently retired last job at the Port of Hood
River. She was eagerly anticipating travel and time with her
many friends and family.
Many memories include special trips with
her close friend from childhood, Cheryl Carter; a tight bond
shared with longtime friend Carol Wallin; and her
“should-have-been” sister, Diane Omlid; among many, many others.
She cherished all visits and other interaction (e-mail and
phone) from many special friends and family during her last few
months on this earth.
Mother Teresa said, “One of the greatest
diseases is to be nobody to anybody.” Linda was somebody to
many. Linda exemplified LIVE FULLY, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE ALWAYS.
She inspired. Her life was led by faith, grace, hope, love and
integrity.
She was beautiful and strong; positive
and fun; selfless and stubborn; intelligent and dynamic; poetic
and silly; wise and supportive. She was a perfect listener and
the go-to for sage advice from friends, family and co-workers.
Her sense of humor was always on, even
through the difficult end. She didn’t sweat the small stuff and
found joy in everything — even during the last almost two years
living with the pain of cancer.
She defied medical convention by
surviving so much longer than expected, and she did this because
of her great joy for life and the love she had for others. She
is in the warmth of the sunshine, the whisper of the wind, the
renewal in the rain. She is an angel among us.
Survivors include her husband, the Hon.
Donald W. Hull; children, Scott Omlid, of Portland, and Jody
(Matthew) Filkins, of Lake Oswego; stepsons Jeremy Hull and
Chris Hull, both of Portland; brothers Richard (Sandee) Gerber,
of Eugene, and Gary (Cathie) Gerber, of Mesa, Ariz.; beloved
grandchildren Casey, Luke and Reese; and many friends, aunts,
cousins, nieces and nephews.
Linda loved her volunteer work in the
local schools, most recently in the SMART program. She enjoyed
traveling, gardening, hiking, sports, and being with her family
and friends. She especially loved her special time with her
cherished grandchildren, to whom she is known as “May-May Lin.”
To all who are going through the
experience of losing a loved one to cancer, from our family to
yours: a giant hug to help comfort you during this most painful
of times.
Memorial donations can be made to the
SMART program in Hood River or any charity of your choice. A
Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, in
Hood River at the Best Western Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina
Drive.
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