Spring Newsletter 2022

​Spring 2022
 
Greetings from the Home of the Eagles . . . 
 
After nearly two years and in the near future, it appears the “pandemic” is going to be officially called OVER!  Good Riddance!! Don’t ever come back!!  Done, over . . . stay away!!  No more masks or social distancing!!  May the good times RETURN!!  

The All-School Reunion is beginning a new era under the guidance of Wayne Van Loon (65).  Please join me in expressing many thanks and kudos to Kay Van Krevlen (60) for her years of devotion to this annual event.  Although he hasn’t requested it, I am sure Wayne would appreciate any assistance that any of us can offer to maintain and sustain our annual school reunion.  Wayne did verify that the reunion will continue to be on the second Sunday of each August . . . with that day falling on the 14th of August, 2022.  Former Eagles can plan on gathering at about 11:00 am at Pass Creek Park in Curtin with the general potluck to begin at about noon.

As I indicated in the Fall newsletter, I have been able to get inside YHS and have “in-person” meetings with the graduating seniors regarding the YAA scholarship program. I am fortunate to work with a highly competent, motivated and passionate YHS teacher who shares the YAA goal in helping to secure successful post-high school experiences for our kids . . . Ms. Kristy Westbrooks. These meetings have included many discussions on post-secondary education options.  In previous years, my discussions with the graduating seniors have always included post-secondary options that are also of the non-traditional college pathway. However, we have rarely receive YAA scholarship applications pursuing the non-traditional college pathway.  In fact, we have received only two such applications including one student whom attended a culinary training program in Portland and is now a chef at the Village Green in Cottage Grove.  By the time you receive this newsletter, I will have met with this year’s graduating seniors on four different occasions.  My unrelenting message to seniors constantly reinforces the YAA core belief: . . . “post-secondary education is critical to the future success of each graduating senior of YHS.”  I assure each graduating senior that the Yoncalla Alumni Association is here to help him/her take those first steps to secure their chosen post-high school training option!  With this graduating class (Class of 2022), my discussions with the students have come with a heavy dose and emphasis placed upon the non-college options.  We have reviewed and discussed many of the different “trade” programs that offer wonderful job/career opportunities in a myriad number of fields.  We have also looked at various “apprenticeship” programs and compared the similarities and differences they offer to other trade programs.  Together, we are taking a closer look at these kind of programs by researching the training expenses, when and where such training takes place, and determining if other equipment or tools are necessary or required.  The military, too, offers training programs that have been a part of our exploration of post-secondary options.  As Yoncalla kids step out into the “real world”, they will likely secure employment positions in places like Roseburg, Eugene, Salem or even Portland.  While we talk about Yoncalla being an awesome place to raise a family, it has, however, little to offer young adults.  Consequently, our graduates are going to have to compete for employment against other folks and . . . “on their turf”.  All of these various options come with interesting challenges.  We try to identify the potential roadblocks and how we might overcome them.  Already, today’s graduating high school seniors are having to overcome a major challenge not faced by previous high school graduates . . . the Pandemic!  The Class of 2022 has missed nearly a year and a half of in-person classroom instruction.  It has had a devastating impact upon our kids (and all kids in Oregon and nationally).  Because I personally have some involvement with the schools, the horrible impact is crystal-clear in my vision.  Like last year’s graduating group (and for a few more years to come, I fear), these graduating seniors, more than ever, need our support, guidance and encouragement!  I have expressed to the YHS Class of 2022, my desire to see each of the graduating members be connected to some form of post-secondary training before they receive their high school diploma at the end of this school year. I made a promise to each of them that the Yoncalla Alumni Association would financially help to put him or her in a “starting” position in the pursuit of his or her chosen training option.  

Each year, while I am meeting with the graduating seniors, I always share with them the amazing generosity of the Yoncalla Alumni base.  I tell them they live in a unique and wonderful community supported by the most generous giving alumni base imaginable.  I would extend this challenge any other community of similar size and demographics to match this level of “giving”.   I don’t believe you will find another community and/or alumni base with this level of generosity and support for its young people!  I truly believe Yoncallastands above all others on this issue!
 
Thank you to all Yoncalla High School Alumni!!
                                                                                
Terry Duncan (69) 
President, Yoncalla Alumni Association

         Yoncalla Alumni Association Board of Directors
Terry Duncan (69) – President
Carl Van Loon (75) – Vice President
Betty (Tucker) Duncan (75) – Secretary
Stella (Rychard) Myers (71) – Treasurer
Rob Bragg (67) – Director
Nancy (Cox) Benzel (69) – Director
​

Contributions to Date
Class of 2022
 
The Yoncalla Alumni Association has completed our first decade of awarding scholarships to graduating seniors of Yoncalla High School.  Approximately $153,000 has been distributed to various graduating students in those first ten years!
 
Honorary Contributions:
Richard Santos (83) – Yoncalla; Bill LaMar (51) – Eugene; Lila (Lee) Brannon (73) – Drain; Barbra (LaMar) McKirdy (50) – Eugene; George Murdock (Superintendent) – Pendleton; Francis Coggswell (55) – Roseburg; Mary (Farrell) Andews (60) – Newberg 
 
Memorials:
Max Dodd (42) by Jeanette (Dodd) Crites (69) – Roseburg; 
Anna (Langdon) Ellington (63) by Virgina (Langdon) Westfall (59) – Fremont, CA; Mary (Langdon) Johnson (69) – Wallowa; Elva (Langdon) Toy (72) – Yoncalla; James Langdon (80) – Oakland; Melissa (Toy) Derrick (95) – Lakeview; Connie Toy (98) – Sutherlin; Dorthy Langdon (74) – Oakland  
Don Rychard (46) by Jerry and Vivian (Payne) Nash (62) – Salem
Bid (Otho) Sanders (56) by Terry (69) and Bonnie (Dupper) Duncan (67) – Yoncalla; James Wamsley (58) – Cottage Grove; Wayne Van Loon (65) – Beaverton; Marlow (52) and Lola (Highley) Fullbright (56) – Yoncalla; Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) - Yoncalla; Bud Sanders (55) - Joseph
Richard Joslyn (12) by Terry (69) and Bonnie (Dupper) Duncan (67) – Yoncalla; Deanna (Mast) Derrick (83) - Roseburg
Roy Langdon (68) by Mary (Langdon) Johnson (69) – Wallowa; Elva (Langdon) Toy (72) – Yoncalla; Melissa (Toy) Derrick (95) – Lakeview; Connie Toy (98) – Sutherlin; James Langdon (80) – Oakland 
Ronald Lee Powell (57) by Maryann Powell – Prineville
Doris (Kingery) Means (44) by Dorothy Langdon (74) – Oakland; Molly (Kingery) Anderson (54) – Glenham, SD; James Langdon (80) – Oakland 
Cynthia (Lee) Root (68) by Dorothy Langdon (74) – Oakland; James Langdon (80) - Oakland
Nina Duncan by John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA
Steve Means (75) by John Duncan (75) - Airway Heights, WA
Dick McHaffie (75) by John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA
Nina (Bryant) Noffsinger (75) by John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA
Marie (Blanchfill) Smith (75) by John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA
Vicki (Crites) Duncan (71) by John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA
Walt and Sandy Speer (Teacher) by Steve Speer (76) – Spray
Linda Speer (79) by Steve Speer (76) – Spray 
Ted Bowman (58) by James Wamsley (58) – Cottage Grove; Jim Hudson (59) – Salem 
Frances Huntington (62) by Susan (Huntington) Neal (70) – Ridgefield, WA
Howard Loyd (59) by Jim Hudson (59) – Salem
Ted Bowman (58) by Jim Hudson (59) – Salem
Bill Thompson (63) by Diana (Thompson) Davison (65) – Roseburg
Mary (Putman) Crossfield (70) by Cindy (Payne) Johnsrud (70) – Drain
Ray Benzel (69) by Richard Santos (83) – Yoncalla
Marvin Highley (52) by Marlow (52) and Lola (Highley) Fullbright (56) – Yoncalla 
Kimberly Campbell (78) by Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) – Yoncalla; Deanna (Mast) Derrick (83) - Roseburg
David Knowles (66) by Roxanna (Stark) Jennings (66) – St. Helens
Janelle (Payne) Heatherington (66) by Roxanna (Stark) Jennings (66) – St. Helens
Linda (Allen) Monroe (66) by Roxanna (Stark) Jennings (66) – St. Helens
Bonnie (Sehlin) Boan (66) by Roxanna (Stark) Jennings (66) – St. Helens
Marli Haller (87) by Deanna (Mast) Derrick (83) – Roseburg
Paul Allen (48) by Jim Metz (50) - Eugene
Elmer and Norma Dupper by Virgina (Langdon) Westfall (59) – Fremont, CA; Rick (71) and Betty (Tucker) Duncan (75) – Yoncalla; Carol (Coons) Wigle – Philomath and Steve Coons Estate; Diane Kokos – Yoncalla; Terry (69) and Bonnie (Dupper) Duncan (67) – Yoncalla; Justin (97) and Melissa Duncan – Central Point; Tara (Duncan – 01) and Casey Glover – Franklin, TN; Mary Ellen Lasswell (teacher) – Yoncalla; Kenny and Stella (Rychard – 70) Myers – Yoncalla; Jim and Patty Russell (teacher) – Yoncalla; Roger and Melody Boucock – Roseburg; John and Cheryl (Huntington – 67) Patterson – Myrtle Creek; Elva (Langdon) Toy (72) – Yoncalla; Melissa (Toy) Derrick (95) – Lakeview; Connie Toy (98) – Sutherlin; (All contributions to the memory of Elmer and Norma Dupper are dedicated to the Devin Duncan Memorial Scholarship . . . their grandson)
Ernie Bean (65) by Melissa (Toy) Derrick (95) – Lakeview; Connie Toy (98) – Sutherlin; Elv (Langdon) Toy (72) – Yoncalla  
Mary Diana (Thompson) Brady (62) by Rodney Thompson (60) – Pendleton 
Marvin Basel Thompson (46) by Rodney Thompson (60) – Pendleton 
Dennis Thompson (66) by Rodney Thompson (60) – Pendleton 
 
Memorial Scholarships:
Charolette Wise Memorial Scholarship:
 
Don Kingery Sr. Memorial Scholarship: Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) – Yoncalla; Jim Metz (50) – Eugene; Francis Coggswell (55) – Roseburg 
 
Quentin Rychard Memorial Scholarship: Deanna (Mast) Derrick (83) - Roseburg
 
J. R. Van Loon Memorial Scholarship: Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) - Yoncalla
 
Bill Lasswell Memorial Scholarship: Francis Coggswell (55) – Roseburg; Kay Van Krevelen (60) Roseburg; Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) - Yoncalla
 
Devin Duncan Memorial Scholarship:  Nicole (Meeuwsen) Reif (95) – Buckley, WA; John Duncan (75) – Airway Heights, WA; Bob (54) and Lois (Parks) Campbell (55) – Yoncalla;