Obituaries - February 19

Born in the toilet stall of the ladies’ room at University of California, San Francisco, by his young immigrant mother, Oliva Tomasi Braito, on June 10, 1912, and guided through his childhood by her and his father, John Braito, he grew up among four brothers and a sister in rural Vallejo, Calif.

He graduated Vallejo High School as a journeyman machinist at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and continued his government service there and at the Oakland Naval Supply Center for another 40 years.

When he was forced into retirement by a failed ear operation, which left him not only deaf but also permanently dizzy, he was not deterred from continuing his true vocation, cutting firewood; nor did it interfere with abalone picking, deer hunting or thoroughly enjoying life every day.

At the age of 17 he bragged to friends that he would marry the lovely (and unsuspecting) neighbor girl, Vera Elizabeth Fanny Hussey. Together they raised four children and delighted many nieces and nephews with their regular company. Upon retirement they built their dream house in Little River, Calif., where they lived until 1993 when they moved to Hood River to be near their youngest daughter Melissa and her husband, Bob Thayer.

Fred was preceeded in death by his son Jeffrey, grandchildren Steven and Jeffrey, and two brothers, Arthur and Urban. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Vera; his children, Melissa, Susan and Jerry; brothers Carlo and Leo; sister, Alba Baltz; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will be held in California in March. Memorial contributions may be made to the environmental or left-wing political organization of the donor’s choice.

Kenneth Reisner

Kenneth Reisner, a Hood River, Ore. resident, died Feb. 14, 2003, at his residence. He was 66 years of age.

Funeral services were on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003, at Anderson’s Tribute Center followed by graveside services with military honors at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore. Visitation was Feb. 17 at Anderson’s Tribute Center.

Kenneth Reisner was born June 6, 1936, in Seattle, Wash., to Cornelius and Margaret (Uden) Reisner. He lived in Onalaska, Wash., until age five and then lived in Cottage Grove, Ore. until finishing the eighth grade. He returned to Onalaska, Wash., where he graduated from high school. Following high school he worked at Meier and Frank in Portland, Ore. On Oct. 10, 1959, he and Roberta (Bobbi) Herman were married.

Ken joined the U.S. Army and served for over 15 years, retiring as Captain in 1971. He had resided in Virginia and then in Portland while having their home built in Hood River. They moved into their home in 1972. He worked for Braun Enterprises in The Dalles, Ore., since 1988.

Ken was a member of the Odell Baptist Church, the V.F.W. and Point Man Ministries. He also enjoyed traveling, camping and gardening.

He is survived by his wife, Bobbi, of Hood River; son Kenneth Neal Reisner and his wife, Tina, of Gladstone, Ore.; daughter Kimberly Hernandez and her husband, Marco, of Emporia, Kan.; son Don Reisner and his wife, Terrie, of Salem, Ore.; mother Margaret McNeil of Hood River, and sister Doris Brown and her husband, John, of Phoenix, Ariz. Seven grandchildren, Marco, Max and Cecilia Hernandez, D.J., Heather, Daniel and Justin Reisner and several nieces and nephews also survive.

His father Cornelius and his brother, Donald, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to Frontier Missions or the Odell Baptist Church c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont, Hood River, OR 97031.

Phillip Harnar

Phillip Ross Harnar, a Parkdale, Ore., resident, died Feb. 15, 2003, at Providence Medical Center in Portland, Ore. He was 63 years of age.

A celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center.

Phil Harnar was born Nov. 9, 1939, in Coos Bay, Ore., to Ed and Velma Burris Harnar and was raised and educated in San Jose, Calif. In 1954 he entered the U.S. Army serving in Vietnam, Germany, Korea and Panama. He retired as Master Sergeant in 1975 and had been awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Sharpshooter Medal.

On Feb. 12, 1965, he and Gayla Goss were married. Phil’s hobbies include visiting coffee shops, collecting cars, guns and knives, hunting, horses, motorcycles and playing the guitar and singing.

He is survived by his wife if 37 years, Gayla Harnar of Parkdale, Ore.; son Michael Leavitt and his wife, Debbie, of North Carolina; son Ricky Senter and his wife, Shelly, of Haines City, Fla.; daughter Vallery Klitch and her husband, Shawn, of Payette, Idaho; sons Loren Harnar and his wife, Marie, of Cascade Locks, Ore.; James Harnar of Tucson, Arizona; London Harnar and his, wife, Julie of Wasilla, Alaska, and Scott Harnar and his wife, Erika, of Troutdale, Ore., and brother Ed Harnar of California. Seventeen grandchildren also survive.

His mother, father, twin brother and a sister preceded him in death.

Private interment will be at Hillcrest Burial Park in Kent, Wash.

Norma Radliff

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Norma Kay Radliff left this earth to be with the Heavenly Father in Heaven on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003.

Tribute service will be held on Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, at 4:30 p.m. at the Hood River Valley Christian Church.

Norma was born Nov. 19, 1946, in Portland, Ore., to Charles and Opal (Alexander) Catron and was raised and educated in The Dalles, Ore. She received her Associates Degree in Graphic Arts from Clackamas Community College. Norma lived in Goldendale, Wash., from 1989 until 1993 when she returned to Hood River. She most recently was employed at Your Rental and Party Center as a balloon artist. Norma’s laugh and smile would light up a room just as her light is shining bright in Heaven. Her unconditional love was truly a blessing to all who knew her. She is alive and well in our hearts eternally.

Norma touched many lives with her kindness, love for others and her deep desire to make a difference in our world. She is survived by her husband, Dick Radliff of Hood River, Ore.; daughters Denise Howes and her husband, Robert, of Hood River, and Michele Bardes and her husband, Corey, of Dayton, Ore..

She is also survived by her sister, Patricia Patterson; brother, Jack Catron and best friend Sandy Locke. Six grandsons, Jesten, Matthew, Josh, Nick, Jayme and Riley and one granddaughter Hannah also survive.

Private entombment will be at Idlewild Mausoleum.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Norma Kay Radliff Memorial Fund, c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center 1401 Belmont Hood River, OR 97031.

Jalo Hill

Jalo Herman Hill (Frank Hill) died on Feb. 11, 2003, at Parkhurst House in Hood River, Ore. Mr. Hill was a long time resident of Odell and Hood River.

Funeral services will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, at 1 p.m. with burial to follow at Idlewild Cemetery.

Mr. Hill was born on a wheat ranch in Little Belt, Mont., on June 17, 1906. He was the son of homesteaders Mary and Adolph Hill, who immigrated from Finland at the turn of the 20th century. When he was seven years old, his family, including four siblings, moved to Raymond, Wash., where they developed a small dairy farm. He remained in that area until his move to Odell in 1953.

In 1937 he married Ingeborg Ellingsen, who preceded him in death in 1998. They met on a summer’s day when Inga spotted him picking wild flowers for the church altar. Together they reared three daughters, Kathleen, Alice and Dorothy.

Frank lived during an exciting time in our country’s history; the emergence of automobile transportation, the United States’ involvement in two world wars, the Great Depression, and the industrialization of the United States. Because of this, he had a very diversified work history. As a youth, he farmed with his family using work horses to pull the plow; then as automobiles became available, he used the horses to help construct some of the very first roads between neighboring communities in southwest Washington. He cut the logs and whittled them to shape pole bridges across the streams.

During the depression he raised and marketed turkeys. Then he worked as a logger, felling trees up to 12 feet in diameter to help build ships during World War II. Later, he drove a gravel truck, owned a small dairy farm, owned and operated the Odell Variety Store, worked in the fruit packing plants, and acted as foreman for Mits Takasumi’s fruit orchard. He espoused the value of hard work and the nobility of doing every job well.

In addition to being a hard worker, Frank was a devout Christian. As a younger man, he belonged to Our Savior Lutheran Church in Raymond, Wash., to which he trucked 10 to 12 children every Sunday. Frank taught Sunday School classes for many years and later served as Sunday School Superintendent. In Hood River, he and his wife, Inga, were active in Immanuel Lutheran Church. Over the years, they ministered to many sick and elderly members of the congregation.

Frank was definitely the moral leader of his family, holding devotions in his home every day. His children also remember him as a gentle man who lived and died with dignity. He was always eager to work for, and to have fun with his family. He drove them to ball games, sat through concerts and PTA meetings, built a sled during an unusual winter to pull them miles through the snow, and worked side by side with them in the fields, the variety store, and the orchards. Mr. Hill is survived by three daughters, Kathleen Frost, Alice Sears and Dorothy Campbell. He also leaves eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. In addition, he will be remembered by his friends, his church family, and by the many caregivers who bestowed loving care during his declining years.

Memorial contributions may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church c/o Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont, Hood River, OR 97031.

Faustino Garcia

Faustino Garcia, age 52, died Feb. 12, 2003, in Hood River, Ore.

A Rosary for Mr. Garcia will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003, at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Interment will be in Tapachula, Mexico.

Arrangements by Anderson’s Tribute Center, 541-386-1000.