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Vernon Lockwood
Vernon Lockwood was born April 18, 1923,
in Bellingham, Wash., and died June 5, 2009, in Woodburn, Ore.,
of Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife of 65 years,
Elizabeth; a daughter and son-in-law, Edward and Elizabeth Nimmo,
of Portland; and two sons, John Lockwood and Andrew Lockwood,
both of Salem. He also has three grandchildren: Katherine Nimmo
Rosenbaum (Andy), of San Jose, Calif., Christopher Nimmo
(Jennifer), of Providence, R.I., and Cameron Nimmo, of Sao
Paulo, Brazil; and three great-grandchildren: Aidan, Alexander
and Ava Rosenbaum.
Vern attended Washington State College,
where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. He enlisted in the
Naval Aviation Cadet program in 1942, from which he was
commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine
Corps and earned the designation of Naval Aviator.
He served in the Central Pacific and
Okinawa during World War II, flying the F4U Corsair and
completing 72 combat missions before returning to Walla Walla,
Wash., in 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He served again during the Korean War from 1950 for four years,
flying and testing Navy helicopters.
Vern’s work career included 37 years
with Pacific Power & Light, serving in the Walla Walla, Astoria
and Hood River districts.
Upon retirement from PP&L in 1983 he
obtained a real estate license and pursued a second career for
15 years, ending as a real estate broker. During part of that
time he worked as a contract right of way agent for Northwest
Natural Gas Company.
Vern was past president of Lions Club in
Astoria and past president of Hood River County Chamber of
Commerce. He was an active member of Grace Episcopal in Astoria,
St. Mark’s Episcopal in Hood River and St. Mary’s Episcopal
Church in Woodburn.
He was also on the Senior Estates board
of directors. He was a life member of the Masonic Lodge and
Order of Eastern Star.
Memorial services will be held Saturday,
June 13, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Woodburn.
Contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church or to
Parkinson’s Center of Oregon, OHSU Foundation, 1121 Salmon St.,
Suite 200, Portland, OR 97205-2021.
Clifton Graber
Clifton Edgar Graber, 92, passed away
peacefully on Thursday, May 21, 2009, at his home in Hood River,
Ore., with devoted daughters and families in close attendance.
A longtime resident of Kennewick, Wash.,
Clifton was born in the family’s orchard home in Wapato, to
James and Gertrude Graber on Feb. 16, 1917. He attended and
graduated from schools in Wapato.
Clifton completed three years of college
at Washington State University before joining the Army Air Corp.
He met his future wife, Opal, on a blind date and they were
married three years later in Yakima on July 11, 1942.
Clif and Opal enjoyed 64 years of a
loving and devoted marriage. The day of their wedding, they
hopped into a car with their friends and drove day and night to
catch a train to Savannah, Ga., so that Clif could report to
duty in the U.S. Army Air Corp as a second lieutenant.
They were stationed also in DeRidder,
La., and Rice, Calif., until 1943, when Clif was shipped
overseas to serve our country in World War II in the Southwest
Pacific.
During the war, Clif flew his A-20
Bomber, “Olga” (Opal’s middle name) on 13 fighter missions and
90 bombing and strafing missions. Promoted to the rank of major
and then lieutenant colonel, Clif received many honors during
his service, including two Distinguished Flying Crosses and two
Air Medals.
Maj. Graber was the 389th Squadron
Commanding Officer and then moved to the 312th Bomb Group
headquarters as group operations officer. He continued dual
duty: Major Graber (his men referred to him as “Smiling Jack”)
inspired his troops and continued to lead the 389th in combat,
as his successor had no combat experience.
As squadron leader, Major Graber was
proud that all men flying in his squadron returned safely to
base after each mission.
Clif and Opal exchanged letters every
day, until Clif returned home from war. Following the war, they
settled in Yakima and Clif was hired to work for Yakima
Hardware.
In 1951, Clif, Opal and three daughters
moved to Kennewick, where they resided for 58 years. Mr. Graber
was the hardware manager at Washington Hardware.
In the early 1960s, he worked as an
insurance agent for American Hardware Mutual. From the 1970s
until he retired as an Associate Broker at the age of 80, he
worked in residential and commercial real estate. He was active
in community service in the Tri-Cities. For a number of years he
was a member of Kiwanis and served on the Kennewick City
Council.
Clif was loved and highly esteemed by
family, colleagues and friends. He loved golfing, fishing and
hunting with sons-in-law, friends, nephews and brother and
vacationing with family on camping trips. He and Opal enjoyed
playing bridge and were longtime members of a local bridge club.
In late 2008, Clif moved to Hood River, Ore., near daughter
Janet’s home.
Clif is survived by daughters and
sons-in-law Janet and Jim Hamer, of Hood River, Ore., Dorothy
and Rick Lyle, of Keizer, Ore., and Carol and Lynn Carlson, of
Naches, Wash.; grandchildren: Kathleen (Mansfield) and Dale
Wolfley, Jennifer (Mansfield) Garber, Mary Ann (Carlson) and
Robert Elizondo, Caroline Mansfield, Jim Mansfield, Bjorn and
Alina Carlson, Jamie and Amanda Hamer, Patrice and Dan Luneski
and Kristen and Jack Reakoff.
He is also survived by
great-grandchildren Lyla Carlson, Beth Elizondo, RJ Elizondo,
Douglas Rogers, Delaney Rogers, Taylor Ann Garber, Stone Wolfley,
Maverick Wolfley, Carly Mansfield, Wyatt Egeland, Jaden Wolfley,
Talley Wolfley, Emilio Elizondo, Abi Hamer, Livvy Hamer, Zoe
Egeland and Kyle Garber; and great-great-grandson, Austin
Elizondo.
Also surviving are his sister, Doris
Graber; brother and wife Grant and Ruth Graber; nephews and
wives Gary and Peggy Graber and Guy and Trish Graber; and
great-nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his wife,
Opal Olga Norgard Graber, in 2006, and by his parents, Gertrude
and James Graber; and nephew Jimmy Graber.
A private family gathering has been
held. A small inurnment ceremony was held on Monday, June 8, at
the Desert Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum in Kennewick.
The family gives heartfelt thanks to
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, Oregon Veterans Home,
mid-Columbia Medical Center, Parkhurst House and Heart of
Hospice.
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