THE
CANYONVILLE ECHO
South
Umpqua Historical Society
Fall
2015 Volume 11 No. 4
The South Umpqua Historical Society had its
third quarterly meeting for 2015 at 2:00 p.m. August2, at the Pioneer Indian Museum led by Marilyn
Chandler, Board member. The minutes were approved. The Treasurers
report was also approved and accepted.
The addition of the present Pickett
Building is ready for the cement foundation and floor. We hope to be finished
with the outside by the end of November.
The Ford Foundation Leadership Project
Cohort 2 Project, the wagon shed, is moving right along. Our wagons are ready
and waiting. Good Doin’!
Thank you, Thank you Lilja Fund. The Lilja
Fund has sent us $10,000 for our 2016 utilities and book printing. Thank you so
very much!
We would also like to thank all of those
individuals who have contributed to our funds.
Happenings
Our Pioneer Days were successful once
again. Our Royal Court was wonderful. Canyonville Princess, Gracie Myers, told
us about Narcissa Whitman, 1808. Our Riddle Princess, Catherine Blaschka, told
us about Elizabeth Blackwell, 1821, first woman to get a medical degree. Our
second Riddle Princess, Tessa Powell, told us abut Diana Block, 1868, who lived
to be 104 years old. Great women, good job princesses.
Jean Bradley and Joanne Sandstede, Clough
family daughters, gave us a picture of
Melvina Baker Stumbo Elliff, their great grandmother. In our book by Bess
Clough, Melvina tells of “walking up the big canyon” in 1853. Thank you,
ladies.
VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME
We have had many visitors this season. One
lady from Mount Shasta thought this was a wonderful museum and that, this is
the way a museum should look. Thanks!
We also have two new members, Kristy
Sperling, Canyonville, and Carol Reeve, who came to visit with her friends from
their Senior Residence in Gresham,
Oregon. Carol enjoyed learning more about her family who had the Red and White
Store across from Promise Foods.
We also have five other visitors who I
believe are going to be staying a while. Our Ford Foundation Leadership Group
Cohort 2 brought us 5 much needed mannequins for our displays. They look great,
especially the cute soldier.
“Home of the Brave”
Friday, October 2, members of the
Historical Society went to the National Cemetery in Roseburg to honor and
remember Zane Becker. Zane was a native Oregonian, grew up in Riddle and lived
most of his 95 years in Canyonville. Zane’s best friend, Wes McCullah, went to
Wake Island to build a Naval Air Base, so Zane joined him in June of 1941.
As a result of December 7, and the bombing
of Wake Island, the military and civilian construction crew assisted the
military in defending the island, but were forced to surrender and Zane along
with his friends spent 44 months as POWs in China and Japan. One of the men he
met in the POW camp was Edwin Nye, the Science Guy. The war ended on Zane’s 25th
birthday, August 15, 1945. In 1981, after many years of working through the
Survivors of Wake, Guam and Cavite Group, Zane and his fellow surviving POWs
were granted retroactive veteran status in the US Navy. Zane was proud to show
his love for the U.S. and proud to display his WWII medals. Zane was also quite
the guitar player. The second Chet Atkins. Thank you Zane, for your love of
America!
The
South Umpqua Historical Society’s next membership meeting will be
SUNDAY,
NOVEMBER 1st, at 1:00 p.m. in CANYONVILLE
AT
THE MASONIC LODGE ON PINE ST, across from the Napa Store. Daylight savings time
is ending on Nov. 1. Don’t forget to set your clocks back.
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