JAMES E. BRADY

Nov. 6, 1943 – May 31, 2003

James E. Brady, 59, of Madras died May 31 at his home. He was born Nov. 6, 1943, at Gladstone.

On Oct. 29, 1966, he married Connie Sabin in Reno, Nev., and they settled in Bend. In 1978, he and his family moved to John Day and purchased the Grant County Insurance Agency.

Jim raised his two daughters, Shannon and Jennifer, in John Day and then moved to Portland in 1989. As a graduate of Oregon State University, Jim was a true Beaver Believer through the good times and the bad. He loved OSU football, camping, fishing, hunting and snowmobiling, but will mostly be remembered by friends and family as a man with a contagious laugh who could always tell a good story around the campfire and bring a smile to your face.

Jim is survived by his spouse, Connie Brady, of Madras; his daughter, Jennifer Brady, of Bend; and his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Shannon, Lance, Lane and Mackenzie Woodcock, of John Day. A celebration of life will be held June 28 at Hockie Flats, in the desert east of Juntura.

BETTY (KENT) DRINKWATER

Nov. 11, 1919 – June 11, 2003

Lifelong Prairie City resident Betty Drinkwater, 83, died June 11 surrounded by her family at her home in Prairie City.

Betty was born Helen Elizabeth Kent on Nov. 11, 1919, in the old officers quarters at what was once Camp Logan located six miles up Strawberry Creek near Prairie City. Camp Logan was located on what became a cattle ranch owned by her parents, the former Roger and Alma Kent.

Betty grew up on this ranch, going to the little one-room school located on the hill one half mile west of the ranch. Betty attended this school until her eighth-grade year, after which time the school was closed and she continued her schooling at Prairie City High School. Betty developed several very close friendships while attending high school, and they remained her very special friends throughout their lives.

After graduating from business college in Los Angeles, she returned to Prairie City, where she renewed her acquaintance with Alvan Bogue. They soon were engaged and married in Payette, Idaho, in August 1940.

Alvan had just completed college at the University of Oregon and was awarded a coaching contract at Hillsboro High School. As the war took its toll on young teachers, Alvan was soon the athletic director and coach of the varsity football, basketball and track teams.

In 1945, Betty and Alvan left Hillsboro to operate the ranch on Strawberry Creek. Betty and Alvan were blessed with two children, John and Judy.

After Alvan’s death in April 1954, Betty continued to operate the ranch in conjunction with her folks until their retirement in 1957.

On Jan. 23, 1963, Betty married Billy S. Drinkwater in Boise, Idaho, who was her faithful and loving companion until her death.

Betty was a faithful and devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She did her best to live the teachings of her faith, which included loving all of her neighbors and to always speak kindly of them. She taught by example. Rather than finding fault in others, she found the good in each of them. Many people throughout the John Day Valley were recipients of Betty’s wisdom, kindness and generosity. Many were recipients without ever knowing the benefactor. That’s the way she wanted it.

Betty is survived by her husband of 40 years, Billy Drinkwater; her son, John Bogue and Irene; daughter, Judy Haguewood and husband, Jerry; her stepchildren, Ronnie Drinkwater and his wife, Carolyn, of Des Moines, Wash.; Jean Greear of Boise; and Jerry Drinkwater and his wife, Sue, of Hermiston. A stepson, Jay Drinkwater, preceded her in death. She is survived by 18 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday, June 16, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in John Day. Those who wish may contribute to the Redmond, Sisters and Grant County Hospice Program, P.O. Box 730, Prairie City, OR 97869. Bishop Funeral Chapel in Pendleton was in charge of arrangements.

BERT “FAY” ALEXANDER BURRIL

Jan. 23, 1917-June 12, 2003

Bert “Fay” Alexander Burril, 86, of Prairie City died June 12 at his home.

He was born Jan. 23, 1917, at Homedale, Idaho, to Conrad Burril and Linda (Hinton) Burril.

On April 5, 1945, he married Janet Elizabeth Mackenzie in Homedale.

The couple spent most of their younger years at Rockville, raising five children while working at the Bar 71 Ranch.

Mr. Burril loved livestock and his mustang horses, and he loved to rope, trap and break the mustang horse. His brand on the horses was the bar cross.

There is a basin called the Bar Cross Basin named after him, for all the horses he caught there and in the Owyhees.

In later years, his love of roping got him into the team-roping event at local rodeos, and he had a number of buckles to show for his success.

Mr. Burril could smell roping for miles and also loved to hunt and fish with his many friends.

He is survived by his three sons and their wives; Pete and Cheryl Burril of Wilder, Idaho; Joe and Karen Burril of Wilder; and Bob and Diana Burril of Prairie City; one daughter and her husband, Helen and Lorin Porter of John Day; two brothers, Lyle Burril of Kuna, Idaho, and Glenn Burril of Baker City; two brothers-in-law, Stewart Mackenzie and his wife, Jane, of Loomis, Calif., and Duncan Mackenzie and his wife, Adean, of Rockville; six grandchildren, John Allen, Gus, Joy, Jay and Christin; one great-grandchild, Mason, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet, three brothers, Donald, Clyde and Lex; a sister, Lyla; a son, John; grandchild, Janet Fay; and a great-grandchild, Aiden.

Services were held Saturday, June 14, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, with burial in the Prairie City Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Grant County, 246 W. Front Street, Prairie City.

Autumn Funerals in Bend was in charge of the arrangements.

ROBERT JOHN SHANNON

March 30, 1931-June 9, 2003

Longtime Eastern Oregon resident Robert John Shannon, 72, died June 9 at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston.

He was born March 30, 1931, in Wallace, Idaho, to Robert G. and Louise Arnold Shannon and had been a resident of Hermiston since 1969.

On June 16, 1951, Mr. Shannon married his wife, Georgette, in Portland.

He was a veteran of the Korean War where he served in the U.S. Army, and after leaving the service he joined the Oregon State Police.

Mr. Shannon served as a trooper at the Pendleton and John Day posts for eight years before joining the John Day Police Department, where he served as chief of police for three years.

In 1969, he became Hermiston’s police chief, a position he held until retirement in 1991. Mr. Shannon was responsible for giving Hermiston the first 911 system in Eastern Oregon.

He was past president of the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, and was appointed by the governor to three different Oregon state boards and task forces related to law enforcement. In 1971, he earned an associate’s degree in law enforcement from Blue Mountain Community College and later taught criminal justice courses at the college.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two aunts and one uncle. Mr. Shannon is survived by his wife, Georgette E. Shannon of Hermiston; sons, Robert Joseph of Umatilla, Michael of Germany and Mark of Nevada; daughters, Sharon Shannon of La Grande, Rose Marcum, Cindy McIntyre, Susan Callahan and Kathy Moore, all of Hermiston; sisters, Sharon Bierek of Philomath and Sally Shannon of Portland; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; two aunts; and many nieces and nephews.

Recitation of the Rosary was held Monday, June 16, at the Burns Mortuary Chapel. A memorial mass of Christian burial was held June 17 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church with burial in the Hermiston Cemetery. Disposition was by cremation.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church building fund.

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston was in care of arrangements.