Obituaries

Mr. Erickson was born in 1926, and raised in Santa Monica, Calif. He was the only son of Franklin Hyrum Erickson and Sidonia Maude Murray.

In 1944 he enlisted in the Navy during World War II. His service included duty on the USS Alabama, USS Pine Island and USS Curtis. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

After serving his country, Mr. Erickson married Sidney Jean Peterson. The couple had met while working on a church play produced by his youth group in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This marriage resulted in three children, two sons and one daughter.

Shortly after getting married Mr. Erickson started what became a more than 25-year career in the motion picture industry. He spent his first few years working for MGM as a carpenter and foreman. That was followed by several years at 20th Century Fox -- working on such movies as "The Sound of Music," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Planet of the Apes," "Sand Pebbles" and "The Towering Inferno." Finally, he spent his last years working at Walt Disney to design and build various parts of the Orlando, Fla., Disney World theme park and the Bear Country Adventure at Disneyland in Los Angeles, Calif.

In 1968, the couple divorced. Mr. Erickson married Harumi Nakamura in 1974. In that same year they happened to visit Hood River, on a vacation. Captivated by the beauty of this Columbia Gorge area surrounded by Mount Hood and Mount Adams, he thought this would be perfect farming country. Always having a strong desire to own a farm, the couple found and purchased an orchard on Alameda Drive in Hood River.

The Ericksons owned and managed this orchard for 20 years. He sold the orchard in 1994, and moved to his final residence in White Salmon. While living in White Salmon, he served most of his time working as a financial clerk for his church -- the White Salmon Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During this service, he grew to know and love many of the residents of the White Salmon area.

Mr. Erickson is survived by his wife, Harumi; his sons Ned and Brian, and daughter, Eve; nine grandchildren (Angie, Nicholas, Amy, Peter, Lindsay, Sonny, Maxine, Aaron and Avery) and four great-grandchildren (Kayla, Clayton, Benjamin, and Sawyer).

FLORA MCGAUGHEY

A memorial service for Lyle resident Flora McGaughey was held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at Lyle Celebration Center in Lyle. Mrs. McGaughey died in Vancouver, on April 29, 2007, at the age of 73.

On Sept. 25, 1933 in Booneville, Mo., Archie and Roberta Alleman welcomed their baby daughter to the world. They named her Flora Lee Alleman. She grew up into a lovely young woman and met Charles Ronald McGaughey. On July 11, 1953, the couple wed. The McGaugheys subsequently shared 53 years of marriage.

Mrs. McGaughey loved participating in her church and took special pleasure in her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband Charles R. McGaughey of Lyle; her five children Charles Douglas McGaughey of Portland, Ore., Diana Poplin of Reno, Nev., John McGaughey of Fresno, Calif., Patrick McGaughey of Portland, Ore., and Valerie Eckman of Vancouver; 12 grandchildren David, Jeremy, Delbert, Kari, Angela, Amanda, Charlie, Jennifer, Tyler, Rhianna, Justin, and Brandon; 13 great grandchildren and two sisters Betty Stone and Helen Kay Daniels both of Independence, Mo. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Jim and George Archie Alleman.

She was laid to rest at the Lone Pine Cemetery in High Prairie.

Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon handled arrangements.

HELEN MAE KONA

Helen Mae Kona of White Salmon, died in Portland, Ore., on May 2, 2007. She was 67. Helen was born Jan. 5, 1940, in Meadow Grove, Neb., to Ruth (Risor) and Ervin Rodgers.

The family moved to the Tri-Cities when she was 5. They eventually moved to the White Salmon area and she met Lewis Kona here in 1958. They were married in 1960 and have made their home in White Salmon since. She worked for 25 years with DSHS. She enjoyed water skiing and shopping but her main focus was her family.

Mrs. Kona is survived by her husband Lewie; mother Ruth Rodgers, Bingen; three sons Tracy, Tulalip, Steven and Jason, both of White Salmon; sister Jean Green, Tillamook, Ore.; grandchildren Angela Kona, Bryan Kona, Jessica Kona, Kiana Kona, Danny Whitten, Jessica Breedlove, Fawn Kona, Seth Kona, Madison Kona and Rylee Kona; great grandchildren Brianna Richardson, Isaac Richardson and Anthony Kona.

Funeral services for Mrs. Kona were held Monday, May 7, 2007, at 2 p.m. at Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon with interment at the White Salmon Cemetery.

Send condolences to the Kona family by signing the online guestbook at www.gardnerfh.com.

VIRGINIA BRANDT

On May 1, 2007, 62-year-old Virginia Sharon Brandt died at her home in Bingen. She was born on June 5, 1944, in Big Fork, Minn., the daughter of Ruby (Sweedman) and Ernest Victor.

After spending her childhood in Minnesota, she moved to Oregon where she lived for six years. She then returned to Minnesota, only to return to Bingen where she settled and made her home. Her life was complete in Bingen, and she enjoyed close relationships with her many friends. Mrs. Brandt worked as a home health nurse. She was a great mother.

She was also very involved in the Eagles Lodge for a long time, in Minnesota and Bingen, serving as an officer in the organization. She loved the outdoors and was a vibrant woman who will be missed.

Survivors include her children Raymond Rich, Waterloo, Iowa, Sharon Brandenburg, Park Rapids, Minn., Susan Jackson, Shakopee, Minn., Rodney Rich, Bemidji, Minn., and Russell Rich, Nevis, Minn.; brothers Jerry Sweedman, Roger Latrace and Alan Latrace; 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother and a granddaughter.

A memorial service was held at the Eagles Lodge in Bingen on Sunday, May 6, 2007 at 1 p.m.

Gardner Funeral Home handled arrangements.

DELBERT "LEFTY" STEINDORF

Delbert Ernest "Lefty" Steindorf of Klickitat will be laid to rest in a private graveside service on Thursday, May 10, 2007 at Mt. View IOOF Cemetery in Goldendale. He died in The Dalles, Ore., on May 3, 2007, at the age of 83. He was born on Aug. 3, 1923, in Dover, Idaho, to Ernest M. and Otha R. (Barnhouse) Steindorf.

Mr. Steindorf moved to Klickitat in the early 30s and graduated from Klickitat High School in 1942. On June 5, 1945, he married Maxine C. Roesch. She died in 1987.

He played a lot of baseball during his life and, as a lifelong baseball fan, he hated the American League but loved the National League. He was a diehard Atlanta Braves fan. He also played golf and was an outstanding bowler.

Mr. Steindorf worked at the J. Neil's/St. Regis/Champion mill in Klickitat, retiring as dry kiln superintendent in 1986. He served honorably in the United States Army in WWII and was a member of the American Legion.

Survivors include his children Craig, Goldendale, Mike, Klickitat; Randy, Klickitat, and Gail Duback, Battle Ground; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Maxine in 1987 and sister Elaine Schmidt in 2003.

Columbia Hills Memorial Chapel handled arrangements.

BELINDA BALDWIN

White Salmon resident Belinda Marie "Bea" Baldwin died on May 6, 2007.

A celebration of life will be held on May 10, 2007, at 2 p.m. at the Hood River Alliance Church, corner of Rand and Montello in Hood River.

A complete obituary will appear in next week's paper.