Irene Ollis

On July 2, 2008 Irene Ollis, 92, a resident of Illinois Valley since 1955 and co-founder of the former Ol’ Joe’s Mobilehome Park in Cave Junction, died of natural causes at a care center in Eugene.

A private family service will be held with Southern Oregon Cremation Services in charge of arrangements. No public service will be held.

Mrs. Ollis, the youngest of seven children, was born in Bridge, Ore. in 1915.  She married Joe Ollis in 1935, and he died in 2002. Together they operated a construction company; and a small ranch, where they raised cattle.

Later they built a 117-space adult mobile park (Valley River Village) and a 37-space RV Park “Ol Jo’s” on Ollis Road in Cave Junction. Together the couple built hundreds of miles of access roads in Southern Oregon and Northern California for the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Corps of Army Engineers, and Bureau of Land Management along with some smaller dams, including the one at Lake Selmac.

Mrs. Ollis loved to travel with her husband to the South Pacific, especially Fiji. She enjoyed romance novels, gardening, and visiting with family and friends. She was quite active with the Eastern Star, and was a Life Member.

Mrs. Ollis is survived by her son, Howard Ollis, of Eugene; two grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

Wayne Breashears

Selma resident Wayne Breashears, 73, died Sunday, June 29, 2008 at his home.

A visitation will held Wednesday, July 2 at Selma Baptist Church preceding a funeral service the same day in the church with Pastor Monty Pope officiating. Interment was at Lindsay-Strathmore Public Cemetery in Lindsay, Calif.

Mr. Breashears was born Oct. 3, 1934 in Plainview, Ark. to Olas & Vivian (Cochran) Breashears. On Aug 28, 1954 in Lindsay, he married Phyllis Todd. He worked at Armstrong/Pirelli Tire Co. in Hanford, Calif. for 34 years. In 2001 he moved from Visalia, Calif. to Selma.

He was a member of First Baptist Church in Selma. He enjoyed fishing and deer hunting.

Besides his wife, Phyllis Breashears, of Selma; he is survived by a daughter, Cheryl Wray, of Visalia, Calif.; a son, Tom Breashears, of Tulare, Calif.; two sisters, Ellen Scott, of Visalia, and Jane Branum, of Porterville, Calif.; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Jack Breashears, in 2007.

Illinois Valley Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be made to the family at www.since1928hull.com.

David Max Noel

Former longtime Illinois Valley resident David Max Noel, 76, died May 23, 2008 at his home in Roosevelt, Ariz. after a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Noel was born in 1931 in Pampa, Texas. He moved to Illinois Valley when he was a teen-ager, and graduated from the former Kerby Union High School. He later enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

Mr. Noel is survived by a son, Rick Noel, of Cave Junction; three daughters, Glinda Rabock, of Pinedale, Ariz., Linda Bumpkins, of Albuquerque, N.M., Patty Weiss, of Show Low, Ariz.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Kristopher Lamont Kane

A celebration of life was held Saturday, July 5 in Eugene at Major Family Funeral Home for former Cave Junction resident Kristopher Lamont Kane, 32, who died Tuesday, July 1, 2008.

Mr. Kane was born in Grand Junction, Colo. on July 1, 1976 to Dale & Michelle (Watson) Kane. He married Melissa Ann Marsh on Aug. 10, 2005 in Grants Pass. Mr. Kane was employed in welding fabrication.

Surviving are his wife, Melissa Ann Marsh, of Medford; his mother, Michelle Watson, of Oklahoma; his father, Dale Kane, of Kingsville, Texas; a sister, Danielle Watson-Tabor, of Oklahoma; two sons, Kolton Kane and Kaleb Kane, both of Eugene; and three grandparents.