PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

October 4, 2012

After 40 years of working at the Waitsburg Grocery Store on Main Street, Beryl Witt is retiring. Witt, 74, also known lovingly in the store as "Beryl-ie Buns" and "Beryl-ie Bird" was showered with hugs, praise and memoires last Friday at the store. Grocery store patrons enjoyed cake and told Witt the store would be a different place without her. "The Waitsburg Grocery is not going to be the same," co-owner Trina Cole said. Witt said she moved to Waitsburg in 1948. She held down various jobs in town and worked in the cannery. All three of her children, now grown, Carol, Tony, and Patty, attended Waitsburg schools.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 9, 1997

[Photo Caption] Kelly Thomas was installed as Worthy Advisor of Rainbow Girls Assembly No. 68 last Sunday. She was crowned by her grandfather, A. S. Pearson, Sr. as sister Stacy Thomas looked on.

Fifty Years Ago

October 5, 1972

Commercial Club gave E. V. "Mik" Mikkelsen a standing ovation Tuesday night for putting on what President Don Thomas described as the "most successful salmon barbecue that the club has ever had." Mik said that he wanted to thank his faithful crew who helped to serve nearly 800 people in a little over one hour and thirty minutes. Seven hundred and seventy-three lbs. of salmon were served with one fish to spare. The Club voted to thank Whitehouse-Crawford for the use of lumber for the event. Secretary Ivan Keve reported that $2,323 was collected on tickets with expenses of $1,815 for a net to the club of $507.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

October 10, 1947

Mrs. Fred Harris was elected president of the junior womens clubs at the convention at Pomeroy Oct. 4. Mrs. Jack Clodius was named editor.

Donna and Verla Jeremiah have entered nurses training at St. Mary Hospital in Walla Walla. Raymond Jeremiah is attending Whitman College after transferring from Montana.

Bert DeLorimer, Henry Walker, and Albert Archer, three bachelor gentlemen in their eighties, enjoyed dinner together at Mr. Archer's home Sunday.

One Hundred Years Ago

October 13, 1922

Rev. R. L. Bussabarger, pastor of the Christian Church of this city was quite seriously injured Monday when the gun with which he was shooting Chinese pheasants exploded frightfully, mangling his left hand.

The Waitsburg Temple of Pythian Sisters gave a silver tea in the K of P Hall Saturday afternoon. A very enjoyable program was given during the afternoon consisting of a piano solo by Evangeline Abbey, Frances Samuel, and Dorothy Call. Mrs. D. P. Bailey pleased the guests with a reading.

The J. V. G. Club met Thursday at the home of Mrs. Alpha Fox. Those present were Mrs. Hobart Bruce, Mrs. Averiel Monnett, Mrs. W. E. Crouch, Mrs. Ruth Newland and the Misses Dorothy Adams, Audrey Shaffer, Wilma Shaffer, Ethel Brown, Ila Nichols, and Rose Slater.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 8, 1897

Perry Abbey left on Saturday evening for Portland to attend business college. Perry is one of Waitsburg's promising young men and we have no doubts of this success.

M. H. Keiser has a cow which is certainly "worth her keep" for in addition to furnishing all the milk and butter for the family, Mrs. Keiser sells a gallon of milk per day and keeps three other families supplied with butter. If anybody in these diggings has a better cow let him trot her out.

A good many hogs are being marketed this week, the present price of wheat making feeding unprofitable. The prevailing price is 4 ½ cents.