Elvin LeeRoy Ballou
May 15, 1926 ~ July 17, 2020
Elvin LeeRoy Ballou was born May 15, 1926, near Cleora, Oklahoma, to Hiram K Ballou and Ruby Odessa Jefferies Ballou. He went to meet Jesus face to face on July 17, 2020 at the age of 94. Elvin passed away of natural causes. He was the oldest of 14 children, eight of whom survived into adulthood.
At the age of 15, Elvin left home to live with a retired doctor in his community, the Ozarks of Oklahoma, to work for room and board so he could finish middle school and attend high school. His parents, at that time, moved to Wilder Idaho for work. When Elvin turned 18 in May of 1944, he joined the Army. After 13 weeks of basic training, he was sent to Europe to fight in WWII. He was a bazooka man in Company C, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He quickly reached the rank of sergeant. He was very proud of his service to the United States of America.
When the war ended, Elvin came back to Wilder to complete high school, where he met Frances Jane Howell, the home economics teacher. They married in 1948. They would have celebrated 72 years of marriage in November. Elvin attended College of Idaho where he earned a bachelor’s degree, then he earned a Master of Science degree from Eastern Oregon University. Elvin taught for over 34 years, 32 of those in Nyssa, teaching grade school, middle school and high school. He was a junior high wrestling coach for several years. He also farmed south of Nyssa. Elvin and Jane were active members of the Ontario Church of the Nazarene. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, bagging a bighorn sheep at the age of 87!
Elvin is survived by his wife, Jane, and children: Linda (Tom) Ady of Boise, Don (LaDonna) Ballou of Phoenix, and Joy (Merle) Saunders of Nyssa, four grandchildren: Tommy (Allison) Ady of Eagle, Jill Saunders of Dallas Texas, Megan (Brandon) Mott of Fruitland, and Kate (Jordan) Fenters of Klamath Falls. They have seven great grandchildren: Tommy, Tynan, and Izzy Ady, Eli and Blaine Mott, and Louise and Ann Fenters. He is also survived by brothers Ernest Ballou of Nyssa and Ervin Ballou of Eagle.
A celebration of Elvin’s life will be held on Friday, July 24, at 10 a.m. at the Nyssa Hilltop Cemetery.
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Donald Vandeweghe
July 15, 2020
Donald Vandeweghe passed away in the early morning of July 15, 2020. He was 78 years old.
Don leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Kliffie Vandeweghe; two daughters Kris Vandeweghe and Kathleen Turner (Dan Turner); son Jason Vandeweghe: 11 beautiful grandchildren – Levi, Zachery (Allison), Ian, Dallon (Elizabeth), Hallie, and Alex, Jake (Alicia), Ben (Rachel), Abby, Erin, and Carly; four great-grandchildren – Paisley, Preston, Cleo, and Paige; and many other family members he considered close including a special niece, and many friends in the community.
Don was born in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from high school, he enlisted into the U.S. Air Force at 17, with his father’s permission. In his Air Force career, Don became a beacon of patriotism, service, dignity, courage, and quiet, high-profile success. He was a veteran of two foreign wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He accumulated over 15,000 flight hours, including many combat missions while serving during the Vietnam War. His service during Vietnam allowed him to serve as a flight engineer aboard Air Force One during the Ford administration. Don was in the air with President Ford when he was sworn in as president following the tenure of President Nixon. He retired after serving for 20 years, honorably discharged. One of his favorite parts about flying were the 40,000 foot sunrises he enjoyed from inside a cockpit.
Early on in his Air Force career he was stationed in Mountain Home, Idaho. It was in Mountain Home that he met his sweetheart Kliffie. After courting one another, and after Don became best friends and fishing buddies with Kliffie’s dad, they were married. Their marriage blossomed, and led to the births of their three children. Their lives together included crab fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, moving often between DC and California, camping, laughter, hot rods, hard work, and home movies. They were later sealed for all time and eternity to each other and their children in the Boise Idaho Temple.
After retirement, Don and his family followed Kliffie’s father Rol Gholson to Vale, Oregon. Don worked for the Vale School District as the transportation supervisor. After their three children graduated from high school, Don and Kliffie moved to Madras, Oregon, where he worked as transportation supervisor for the Jefferson School District. He later retired and he and Kliffie moved back to Vale. There, they spent years building a new home and watching their grandchildren grow up and become successful. They loved their family and grandchildren, and were very proud of them. Don always looked forward to visits from his grandchildren, and was always very glad to see them walk through the door.
Don always made sure to quietly take care of those around him, whether they were family, friends, or strangers. He never forgot about those who made an edifying impact on him, and he made sure to pay forward the efforts afforded him to those he encountered in his own life. He continued to serve his community through his church home, speaking at school assemblies about Viking Pride, sharing secrets about fishing and hot rods with his grandchildren, driving farm truck during harvest season, trips down south during the winter with Kliffie, and advocating on behalf of those with special needs.
Don was a patriot, an Air Man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a servant, and a man of God.
A viewing for family and close friends will be held July 24 from 6-8 p.m. at Lienkempers Chapel in Ontario. Funeral services for all interested will be held July 25 from 1-2 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vale.
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Service Change:
JIM REED CELEBRATION: Due to government restrictions the August 8 Celebration of Life has been cancelled.
Immediate family will be meeting at the Reed residence to be with Pat. Anyone that would like to pay respects to Pat may drive by in your tractor, truck, or horseback, parade style between 5:30-6 on the 8th. Plans are to have Celebration in September.
In lieu of flowers memorials can be made at Malheur Federal Credit Union Vale branch, with checks payable to Patrisha Reed on memo Jim Reed Memorial.
DEATHS:
• Joyce Elaine Shaw, 83, of Payette, died July 12, at a local assisted Living facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
• Maria Elena Contreras Gallegos, 59, of Ontario, died July 13, at home. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
• Anastacio C. “Don” Gonzales, 97, of Ontario, died July 15, at a local assisted living facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
LEARN HOW TO PLACE AN OBITUARY: Contact Autumn Butler, Enterprise office manager, at [email protected] or call 514-473-3377.