Bill Moss

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Jackie Deal

A quiet man with a gentle smile; he reminisces about the beginnings of our Timber Valley Park. Bill Moss was born in Oklahoma in 1929. He ran an Auto Parts store in Roseburg and then retired to go into Real Estate in Sutherlin. He was on the original list of owners and also on the Land Search Committee entrusted with finding a home for Chapter Nine members. He was in Yuma when Roy Adams called and asked his help in getting money back they had put down on Oakland “flood plain” land and buying Sutherlin property instead. Bill says they looked all over and here was this wonderful place “right under our noses.” Bill went to the Sutherlin Planning Commission and helped put together 6 or 7 parcels to make up our 90 acres.
We’ve written about “ Leisure Valley”, the park planned here before it became Timber Valley .Fred Harrington “was a manipulator” who dreamed it up and made a presentation of “Leisure Valley” to all the important people he could round up (including Bill Moss) It was complete with models of the proposed nursing home, residences, motel, golf course etc. etc. Fred Harrington died in debt to the Federal Land Bank for over $300,000 (The purchase price of this property.) The property lay dormant for several years and the City of Sutherlin wanted it sold.
Bill suggested they offer $80,000 and it was accepted! After fees, right of way etc. it cost a little over $90, 000. It was March of 1988 that Chapter Nine approved purchasing the land and October 1988 when it was finalized. Bill has a copy of the “waiting list of August 8, 1988”; it has 350 names on it.
During the construction of the park, Bill ran a back hoe putting 10 yards of gravel on each lot. He’d start at 7 am and work until “finished”. There was only one driver for the 5 yard dump truck. So the truck would go to Roseburg for gravel, dump it on lot 121 and Bill would pick it up and dump and back blade it. They found springs on some lots and had to use extra gravel.
Numerous SKPS worked on the construction of the park; Bill says he counted as many as 30 SKPs working in “clean-up mode”. We owe Bill Moss a big thank you for his far-sightedness in helping to purchase and to build our wonderful park. Thanks, Bill, from all of us!

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Four Bees and a Jay

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Jackie Deal

There’s music in the park! You didn’t know? You haven’t heard them? They’ll be playing again August 16 at 3 p.m. and August 23 for the Anniversary party. The five of them bring years of music experience to our park.

Ed Bonham starts his story in Modesto, California where he helped form the band “Night Train”. They played for almost 20 years in California, including Modesto and Sacramento. Ed tells numerous funny stories about the band; it was during the reign of fancy outfits and they wore canary yellow suits. One time three lumberjacks came in and announced they were going “to beat up the band”. By the end of the night, the three became the band’s “protectors”.

After “Night Train” disbanded Ed formed “The Travelers”, a band that still plays in Quartzsite, Arizona to about 100 dancers weekly. In the beginning Ed said they were playing “about 50 gigs in one year.” Too much. “The Travelers” have played for about 20 years. Ed says, “I never considered myself a musician but I’ve earned a living at it.”
The group playing here in Timber Valley might be called “a pick-up group”. Ed heads it up, playing and singing lead. Ruby Bonham plays guitar and sings; the gentler, soulful music. About five years ago she started taking guitar lessons and then began singing.

Nathan Brown started playing with them four years ago. He adds some spice and variety to the group with comic songs. Nathan played in the Navy and traveled for a time with a band in Connecticut and Missouri. He started at age 16 when a neighbor who made guitars and fiddles taught him to play so they could demonstrate his instruments. Nathan plays with the Blue Grass and Old Time Fiddlers groups locally. Nathan says, “I never had a music lesson in my life.”

Dave Burns from Myrtle Creek plays a different type of guitar with more “riffs and runs” and also sings. He started playing guitar at age nine, “because my Mother made me.” He has played in California and Arizona. He says, “I made it through the disco age intact.” Currently he plays with a band the “High Chaparral” in Casa Grande in the winter. Unfortunately, Dave will be off traveling for the rest of the season.

Steve Jones (the Jay in the group) plays the “gut bucket”, happily plucking out a deep bass rhythm. He says he’s used coffee cans and other buckets but his current bucket comes from Wal-Mart. Different sized buckets give a “different voice”. He uses nylon string and sprays it with Silicone to keep his fingers from bleeding. He started this after he noticed people in the front row were developing “freckles”! Steve says his greatest joy is watching people laugh and enjoy his playing.

The group brings great LIVE music to the park. Come out and listen; it’s a lot more fun when you can watch the music being made.

Posted in Featured, General Interest, Members | 1 Comment

Ed Hedden… Friend, Neighbor… July 7, 2019

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Thom Hoch

Ed, and his beloved wife Pat, who died in 2018

Timber Valley was deeply saddened by the death of Ed Hedden on July 7th. Our grief is only lessened when we realize that his soul is at peace and he is once again with his beloved wife Pat. May they enjoy all eternity together. Our condolences to their children, families and friends.

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I’m including two heartfelt and emotional messages below from long-time members of our park. But if you’re particularly sensitive or feel strongly that certain subjects just shouldn’t be publicly discussed, please stop reading now.  

from Helaine…

Suicide has touched our park and our hearts. Our pride is in being able to take care of ourselves and our neighbors, yet it happened. Why? We may never know. Did we miss some telltale signs? Did we miss a call for help? Were we not attentive enough? Did we see the gentle smile and assumed all was well? Did that smile cover a tortured soul? Maybe.

But we are left with a feeling of loss mixed with guilt. Our heads swim with a sea of “what if” and “ I should have”. We want a do-over. Even if a do-over was possible it is very likely it would have happened anyway. Because we all have free will. As hard as it is to fathom, every BAD has some GOOD. Yes, it is a desperate act, and we hurt, but for that one soul there is peace and rest and the answers to un-asked questions. For us there is a deeper awareness of our neighbors and friends. We will be more cautious in assuming that when friends say they are fine, we will realize that they may not be telling the truth. We can help where we can and only when we are allowed to. We can listen more thoughtfully.

There was nothing we could do to prevent it. Once the decision was made it would be acted on. The guilt is not ours. Our obligation now is to listen, love and support our friends and neighbors.

from Jackie Deal…

We can try to ignore, pretend it never happened. But the memory lingers on.
He was a friend, neighbor,colleague. Quiet. Smiling. Loving. Perhaps he loved too deeply; the loss of his beloved wife, Patricia, was more than he could bare.
As an “honorary Indian” he believed deeply in a “spirit world”. He believed Patricia waited for him and longed for him to join her. For a year he fought depression, pain and an overwhelming desire to join her.

On July 7, 2019 he succumbed to his grief and took his own life. It is not for us to judge; we can only join his family in mourning his passing. His personal Indian totem was a feather, tattooed on his arm and in his heart.

When you see a feather floating in the wind: think of him. When you see a pure white flower: remember his love and grief.  Good bye Ed Hedden. We miss you.

Please leave a comment below if you’re so moved…

Posted in Obits | 4 Comments

Timber Valley Blood Donors — Thank you, great job

Posted on July 13, 2019 by Julianne G Crane

Nick Palmer (#128) registers with Red Cross volunteer and Blood Donor Recruiter Valerie Gordon (c)

First donor: Sue Eytalas (#166).

On Thursday, July 11, Timber Valley SKP RV Park hosted its first member Blood Drive. A team of five from the American Red Cross arrived before 9 a.m. to set up a donor center in the Clubhouse.

(L) Dar Hoch (#31) on the table; Peggy Russell (#11) answering health questions.

After signing in with the Red Cross representative, donors went through a mini-physical that included vital signs and blood iron levels. Folks then answered a health questionnaire.

(L) Bob Paxton (#143) donates blood, while Steve Williams (#81) gets his vitals taken.

Suzi Rupert (#68)

We had 27 members show up ready to donate. However, six were ‘deferred’ (they might be able to donate in the future) for such things as low iron levels, high/low blood pressure, use of certain medications, and small veins.

At one point, there was a bit of a wait , but people were good spirited and it turned into a  social event,  complete with Red Cross providing snacks and juice.

Waiting to be processed: (seated from left) renter Steve Higgins (#115); Jack Varner (#105); Norm Sherman (#161); Kristine Godbey (#147); & Veanna Fletcher (#86). Standing (from left) Linda Essex (#13); Red Cross nurse (in red); Del Healey (#117); Red Cross volunteer (in black); & Anita Covington (#140)

Donors: Thom Hoch (#31) front; Jimmy Smith (#197) rear.

Patti Healey (#117)

The Red Cross set the goal for Timber Valley at 18 units of blood. Well, we did that and more, topping out at 21 units–an excellent showing. According to Red Cross donor recruiter Valerie Gordon, our donations have the potential of saving 63 lives.

Bob Akers (#19) is a frequent blood donor

(Front) Aida Murphy (#56) and Fay Gordon (#168) stepped up to the plate, even though they had not donated in years.

Rob Hendershot (#82) and Gene Schrader (#70).

Julianne Crane (#197) donated the 21st and last unit of blood for the day.

Other Donors

Several additional people showed up to donate blood, but are not pictured here. They included Don Bush (#46), Joan Larson (#196), and Kim Beaudion (#116, renter).  Thank you all for being so generous and volunteering your blood for this extremely worthy event.

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Welcome Bill & Cheryl Henry – Lot 80

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Dick Shanahan

Bill and Cheryl Henry,  are our newest members.
They’ve spent seven and a half years on the road traveling from coast to coast and border to border. They have served as camp hosts at private, state and federal campgrounds and even as concessionaires at Yellowstone.
Home used to be Wenatchee, WA, but they plan to continue traveling. They share their home with a cat who is 13 years of age.
Please take a minute to introduce yourself and welcome them to our park.

Posted in General Interest, Members | 4 Comments

Not the Same Seattle I Remember…

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Helaine Hepworth

from the traveling desk of Helaine…

While I was away I had a chance to have a very nice Seattle dinner of crab cakes and salad. It was an upscale restaurant with entertainment provided. Well, not entertainment in the usual sense. When I first arrived at the place I thought there was a concert or at least a stage show about to start. Throngs of people were lined up on the sidewalk. They were standing, facing the street 6, 7, 10 deep. I entered the building and was led to my table by the window and now I could see that all of those people were waiting for one of the buses that would stop just outside my window. Along comes a big articulated bus and opens its mouth wide as dozens slip inside. The bus clamps it big jaws shut, and the signage changes to “Sorry, Bus full” and pulls away. Bus after bus pulls up, gobbles up as many humans as it can digest and pulls away. The crowd stays the same size as just as many arrive as are allowed on the buses. For awhile I fear all of Seattle is destined to be on this street corner waiting for a bus, but slowly, as I finished my dinner, the number of people and the number of buses became less. Dinner was done and rush hour was over.

This is not the same Seattle I left 22 years ago.

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Walt Schak, Lot 127, member since 1993

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Thom Hoch

Walt Schak, Lot 127, died June 26, 2019.  He had been residing at the Applegate Care Center here in Sutherlin.

A member of Timber Valley since October of 1993, Walt and his wife Beverly called Timber Valley their home for many years. Among other interests, they entertained themselves by searching yard sales with their keen eye for good deals on items they could themselves re-sell at a profit.  Walt also loved to read and was a frequent user of the Timber Valley Library.  Oh, and one more thing…  Walt loved attending as many community dinners and potlucks as possible… eagerly waiting in line (but usually at the head of the line) and then savoring the delicious morsels of home-cooked food while visiting with his friends. He knew what was important.

Walt was preceded in death by his wife Beverly in 2015. All of us mourn the loss of Walt, and send our best wishes to his family.

Posted in General Interest, Members, Obits, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Remembering Frank Johnson, Lot 15

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Thom Hoch

Aaron and great-grandpa Frank with their walking sticks.

Frank Johnson passed away the morning of Saturday, June 22, at Mercy hospital in Roseburg after taking a fall the previous Saturday.

He and his wife, Cathey, are long-time active leaseholders in Timber Valley, having gotten their lot in 1992. Frank (with Cathey’s assistance) is the “Johnny Appleseed” of Timber Valley, having planted 27 trees in just one year, as well as many others for the beautification of our park.  He has also volunteered on various projects throughout the park.

One of his hobbies was making walking sticks of varied materials, and always with a special flair. There are several being used by appreciative walkers in Timber Valley. Without a doubt, the most special one was a tiny one made of curly willow for his first great grandson, Aaron, when he was only 3 years old. That’s the two of them in the picture above, strolling across our golf course.

Frank was a man of many abilities and interests. After serving his country in the Navy during the Korean conflict, he worked as a policeman, for the Sheriff’s Department, and as a State Trooper in Alaska, where he also owned and operated a commercial fishing boat.

Cathey and Frank celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on March 30 of this year.

At his request, there will be no services.

Posted in Featured, General Interest, Members, Obits | 9 Comments

Helen and Gene Schrader Celebrate 65 Years Together

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Thom Hoch

Big Congratulations are in order for Gene and Helen Schrader, lot 70, who celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary this past Sunday, June 23rd. This energetic and talented couple has been an integral part of Timber Valley for many years.  If you haven’t already done so, extend your personal greetings when you see them around the Park.

Posted in Featured, Members, News | 2 Comments

Remembering Beverly Van Westen, #182

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Julianne G Crane

Dave and Beverly Van Westen on May 8, 2019 (Julianne G. Crane)

Beverly Van Westen passed on Thursday evening June 13, 2019.

She and her husband, David, lot #182, made Timber Valley their homebase in July 2018.

A little more than 17 years ago, David and Beverly met at a West Coast Swing dance lesson in Brentwood, Calif.

“We were both single, the same age, and at about the same expertise levels,” recalled David. “After a few weeks, we decided we needed to practice between lessons in order to improve.”

One thing led to another and fast forward five years, they married in 2007. Beverly continued as a “top notch” legal secretary for a law firm in Los Angeles County. David worked as a purchasing agent for McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach.

Born in Hawaii, Beverly identified herself as half-Chinese, half-Portuguese. Her two sons, from a previous marriage, still live in Hawaii.

Dave & Beverly Van Westen, 5/8/19 (Julianne G. Crane)

The Van Westens both retired at age 62 and became extended time RVers, exploring America about 10 months each year.

“We never had any particular destination in mind,” said David. “Every place we went we would stay for a couple of weeks, sometimes a month. We were never in a hurry.  We wanted to sample the neighborhood.” Along the way they became members of the Escapees.

Once they sold their house in 2013 they went fulltime. “We kept returning to the Pacific Northwest,” said David.

In 2014 they placed their names on the Timber Valley Active Wait List and about 3 1/2 years later became members.

Beverly loved taking short trips in their Lance camper and Silverado dually truck. “It has all the bells and whistles,” she said recently.  “It’s really cushy camping.”

Among other interest in the park, when possible, Beverly helped “pick up stix” with the landscaping crew.

There will be a Memorial in September. Details to follow. No flowers please. Make donations to the local cancer group.

Posted in General Interest, Members, News, Obits | 1 Comment