By the
Trout Lake Newswriters
Sandi Thygesen, 395-2318
Terry Scott, 395-2760
Congratulations to Joe and Eula Smith who will be the honorees of the Trout Lake Fair this year.
Joe and Eula Smith met in high school. Eula had always lived in White Salmon and Joe moved there from Wyoming when he was 13. They worked at Dickey Farms in the summers and their "group" was other high schoolers who worked there.
Before Eula's junior year, they were a couple. They married in 1959. Joe continued to work at Dickey Farms full time, while Eula stayed home with their children and babysat others. They had four children, Veronica, Teri, Joe(y) and Lanny. When Joey started school, Eula went back to work at Dickey Farms. After a couple of years she went to work at Jantzen and worked there for seven years. In the meantime, Joe had changed jobs and worked for Chevron as a fuel truck driver. He delivered to Trout Lake and told Eula that he really liked it and if he could find a job that would support the family, he'd like to move here.
The opportunity came in 1979, when they bought the station that became Joe's Valley Service from Ray and Luella Holtman. They moved to Trout Lake on Feb. 17, 1979, (Eula's birthday), with three of their four children and two extra children who lived with them. Veronica had married and no longer lived at home. Eula continued to work at Jantzen until 1980, when she began working with Joe at the station.
Joe was active in Little League and Scouting, which means Eula was, too, no doubt. They've both been an active part of their grandchildren's lives, helping out moms and dads when they're needed.
They retired on June 15 this year, turning over the station to Andy and Cheri Van Laar. Their retirement plans include camping in their new travel trailer, traveling, getting settled in their new home and gardening. They've already begun a walking routine, joining the Sanders, Hills and Woodruffs.
The community has been blessed with this extraordinary couple. Their smiling faces and wonderful personalities have become part of our everyday experience. As Joe said when we were talking about friendships, "Eula's my best friend, and after working with her most of our lives, I can't imagine turning around and not seeing her there." That's how we all feel about both Joe and Eula, so it's our good fortune that we will continue to see them, even in their retirement. Don't be surprised to pull into the station and have Joe or Eula wait on you, as the plan to "spell" the Van Laar's vacation time.
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