From the Writer’s Corner

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Dick Shanahan

There was a lot of hyperbole when it was announced that the world population had reached 8 billion people. That is a lot of little heaters on the planet. Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | 10 Comments

Jan Turley Memoriam

Posted on September 28, 2024 by webadmin

Timber Valley lost a vibrant, forever young member when Jan Turley passed away Sept 22, 2024 after battling shingles and a return of her leukemia. We will always remember: an avid Master Gardener, her yard awash with the plants she loved, a pinochle player with “the big boys”, a determined Fast Track player with “the girls”, a believer in Jesus, a lover of the Lamplighter cuisine, and so much more.
Always a big smile and her favorite phrase, “Well, there ya’ go”. She will be missed by many.
Jan was married while still in High School to the love of her life and she and Bill were married over 50 years. They travelled together to Eastern United States and then moved into Timber Valley June 3, 2014. Bill preceded her in death August of 2016. Jan is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Sandra and David Fletcher, Lot 76 in the park and her daughter, Stacey Crain, grand and great grandchildren and her Mother-in-law. A Memorial is being planned.

Posted in Announcements, Obits | 4 Comments

TVs Sutherlin Chamber of Commerce Ambassador

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Dick Shanahan

Tables were turned at the Friday, September 20 Social Hour. After handing out many pens to speakers over the past couple years, Sharon Elliott was presented with her own very special “magical pen” by Richard Hickethier. Sharon delivered an, as usual, entertaining presentation on her training experience as a Sutherlin Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. Complete with a slide show, put together with Richard’s help, she talked about the intense 5-day training in Lebanon, OR and what it means to represent a city as an Ambassador. The experience included learning about the city of Lebanon, activities available in the area, touring some of the businesses, and a train ride. One very interesting tour at the College of Osteopathic Medicine… something about labor and delivery of robot babies? You had to have been there.

Don’t want to miss the next interesting social hour speaker!

Dar Hoch

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Science and Fashion. It’s in the bag.

Posted on September 18, 2024 by webadmin

At the request of one or two, okay a hatload of readers, this piece will be brief.

I have been a long time devotee of the art of observation. And education. And conversation. And all the other tions that allow us to study the world around us. I’ll call us the Tion Society. We watch, learn and discuss the events and changes caused by our spinning orb. Many changes are gradual and occur over eons . Many are radical and happen quickly. Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 11 Comments

The Window Box

Posted on September 13, 2024 by webadmin

The fairies were asked to leave the window box in the Office. While decorating for the Autumn months, Henrietta moved back into her cozy home. Upon settling in, a new friend joined her amongst the leaves and pine cones. We would like to introduce Samantha “squeaky” Squirrel. She arrived via special delivery from John Froyd #106. The Office has turned into a wishful place for cooler weather and the turning of the leaves. The wise owls, Bob, Bruno and Bert, keep watch so those pesky fairies don’t return until Spring.

Adding to the security in the Office, guarding the window box are Hoot, Hootie and Whooty.

Happy Fall, Y’all.
~ Kim

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Helen Schrader Memoriam

Posted on September 5, 2024 by webadmin

Timber Valley lost a long time and treasured member on August 31, 2024 when Helen passed away. Helen was born in Chicago on December 13, 1936. She and her family moved to Bandon, Oregon in 1949 where her father and partner built and operated the Bandon Wayside Motel. She would graduate from Bandon High School and marry her sweetheart Gene Schrader in 1954. This past June 12 th Gene and Helen celebrated 70 years of marriage!
Helen’s passion in life was her family and music. Many of us know Helen because of her love of playing the piano. She began playing when she was 3 years old and could play just about anything by ear. She played on Sundays for her church, the Calapooia Free Methodist Church in Sutherlin for many years. She also enjoyed playing at area assisted living facilities, sharing her upbeat songs with so many. Helen was a lifetime member of Eastern Star and served previously as the Grand Pianist for the state of Oregon playing for audiences up to 1000 people.
Helen also loved to travel. Special trips included a trip to Germany and another to
Hawaii. Upon retiring Gene and Helen bought a 5 th wheel and began traveling the
United States and spending time hosting in state parks in Oregon. In 2007, they
became permanent residents of the Timber Valley SKP park, eventually settling in #70.
Mom loved their SKP home and felt loved and supported by all who knew her. They
remained in the park 17 years until this past August when they moved into Callahan
Village in Roseburg.
Helen is survived by her husband Gene, sons and daughters-in-laws Don and Jeannine
Schrader (Gold Hill), Ken and Julie Schrader (Colorado) and daughter and son-in-law
Mindy and Mark Rund (Sutherlin). Mindy and Mark are Timber Valley members and
have just moved into the park, renting #57. She is also survived by her brother and
sister-in-law Bill and Lora Wehner (Bandon). Helen has seven grandchildren and ten
great grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews. Helen was loved by all.
There will be a celebration of life for Helen on October 19 th at 11am at the Calapooia
Free Methodist Church in Sutherlin.

Posted in General Interest, Obits | 4 Comments

LAUGHTER

Posted on September 4, 2024 by webadmin

How long has it been since you laughed until tears ran down your cheeks – happy tears? Laughter is not only good for the soul it is good for your health. Laughter releases endorphins known as Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Work, Featured, General Interest | Tagged | 2 Comments

DICK RAUSCHER, MEMORIAM

Posted on August 30, 2024 by webadmin

DICK RAUSCHER, MEMORIAM
Timber Valley lost a very important and valued member on August 20, 2024 when Dick Rauscher passed away. Although he and Melinda were only in the park about two years, he was a positive influence in many lives. Dick started the Support Group and helped many who were struggling with the grief that comes from losses.

Dick and Melinda were very active with the Timber Valley Garden, helping the infant group to develop and grow into the great asset it is in the park today. A Group member says, “Dick was the perfect facilitator for our group. He will be greatly missed for his caring and gentle approach.”

Dick was born in upstate New York October 3, 1942 and obtained a BS in Engineering there. He soon discovered he wasn’t happy with that lifestyle. At thirty year of age, with a wife and three children, he moved onto 27 acres and began what he termed a “self-reliant living” style.

Subsequently, he decided to become a pastor and was ordained an elder in the United Methodist Church. To that he added becoming a “psychology and mental health counselor”.

He wrote and published three books on his counseling and mental health philosophies. He also wrote the “Stony Hill Newsletter” blog.

Dick and Melinda were married on New Year’s Eve 1990. They traveled extensively in the USA and did many years of volunteering for Oregon State Parks, the BLM in Utah and Ochoco National Forest

Dick is survived by his wife, Melinda, sons, Tom Rauscher, Conrad Rauscher and daughters, Kristine Bianche of Rochester, New York and Jennifer Stuckless of Portland, Oregon.

In lieu of flowers, the family of Dick Rauscher has asked that memorial contributions be sent to CHI Mercy Health Medical Center in his name.

Visit https://mercyfoundation.ejoinme.org/…/818297/Default.aspx and request that your
donation be given to the ICU is his name.

Melinda will be staying in the park.

Posted in General Interest, Members, Obits | 6 Comments

Live Life Positively

Posted on August 28, 2024 by webadmin

Posted in Opinion/Editorial | Comments Off on Live Life Positively

Coffee and T

Posted on August 26, 2024 by webadmin

Sometimes a full table at The Ratcheds Senior Center is comprised of just one person. Now don’t get me wrong. T Rex (fka Thomas King) is a good friend. We’ve had some really great conversations and he’s a brilliant thinker. But every once in a while he can get so wound up a conversation can become a soliloquy. He doesn’t try to dominate the agenda but his energy and enthusiasm kinda hangs over the table like a force field. Sometimes he’s a scholar. Sometimes a curmudgeon . Sometimes his words are profound and you are back in school. Hanging on every syllable. Other times they are so shocking and off the wall you stare in disbelief. Either way T is heard. Today he’s a little more wound up than normal because Wanda is out of town and he has no adult supervision.

“There’s just too much stuff that’s too hard to understand. Last week I accompanied Wanda to a visit with her heart doctor. We sat in the waiting room where they have a closed circuit tv so you don’t get bored and realize how long you are waiting. Now this particular loop is telling you how to avoid coming here in the first place. Eat the right food, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water and eat a bunch of fiber to keep you going. Literally. I don’t get it. Why on earth would you spend beaucoup bucks getting your degrees and learning your trade. Beaucoup more bucks buying or setting up a practice, buying equipment and hiring staff so you can tell people how to put you out of business. The old time dentist had the right idea. Get a checkup, you get a lollipop. Repeat business guaranteed.

I hate when people or companies do stupid stuff. I mean, for crying out loud,
THINK!!! For example, I got a mailer the other day from the Pluto Society. The cremation people, not the Disney dog. Well guess what. They invited me to come to a sales pitch for their services. THEY WERE HAVING A BARBECUE. The cremation people wanted to pitch cremation at a BARBECUE. I guess nobody remembers Soylent Green. Boggle it if you want a chuckle. I say again, THINK. Watch tv and you’re gonna see a commercial for a weight loss drug. Followed by an ad for pizza. And one for beer. But pay attention and you’ll see nobody drinking the beer. It’s gotta be really crappy beer if nobody’s drinking it. So why buy it in the first place. What’s that all about?”

T takes a long slug of coffee and our vegan chef, Sue Keeney, sticks her toe in the water. “T, I agree with you one hundred percent. I get frustrated when supposedly educated and intelligent people butcher the English language.”

“Sue, you have no idea. I was talking about this with Sister Mary Annette the other day. You know her, she runs the puppet show over at the church. Somebody makes up words and put in letters at random so you can’t figure out how to pronounce them. Phlegm for example. Ghoul ! PSEUDO! Who in the world decided on that. And another thing,” he rants,” The other day I was reading about the Flat Earth Society. I mean supposedly smart people think the earth is flat instead of round. Flat is flat and round is round. I bet those are the nitwits that invented the word FLATulence. Well I know where it comes from and it’s for sure got to be round. Think about it ”

Stay tuned for further adventures from Ratcheds By The Sea. A beautiful town on the coast. Where everyone is beautiful and at least one degree off center.

Fred Prout

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 4 Comments