Search Archived Marriage Records
James M. Shepherd
James M. Shepherd was born August 2, 1946 in Salem, Oregon.
He died suddenly in Medford, Oregon on June 21, 2004 after a short illness.
James attended school in Salem, Oregon.
After he graduated from high school, he became a Navy hospital corpsman during the Vietnam war, was decorated and served with honor among the United States Marines.
After he was discharged from the Navy, he attended art school and became a proficient artist, specializing in watercolor.
He is survived by his father Warren R. Shepherd, his brothers, Michael J. Shepherd, William R. Shepherd and his sister, Janice M. McCown.
For the past 25 years he has lived in the forest of the Cascades, painting and working wood out of his hand-built cabin in the Green Springs.
If tears could bring him back, he'd be smiling here among us. Good-bye my brother, my son, our friend.
Ruth Oimoen
Ruth Oimoen, long time resident of Ashland, died early Saturday morning at Count Your Blessings, a Medford foster care home, from long term Alzheimer's complications.
During her last days, she was lovingly surrounded by family members and caregivers who played and sang her favorite hymns.
Her love for music and crafts were an integral part of her being throughout her life.
Her 94th birthday was on May 27.
She and her deceased husband, Casper Oimoen, observed their 65th wedding anniversary prior to his death in 1995.
The Oimoens resided in Ashland for 30 years, during which time they enjoyed celebrating many milestones with their daughter Sonja's family: Lesa, Theron, Nada and Gary Afseth.
Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Sonja and Larry Stalions, of Medford; grandchildren: Mike and Lesa Wooton of Newberg; John and Nada Gross of Salem and Theron and Kim Afseth of Mt. Shasta, CA; great grandchildren: Lindsey, Christina, Mikayla and Natalie Wooton, Skylar Gross; and Haley and Makila Puikunas; and a sister, Docela DeBerry of Redding; CA. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Delores; her parents, William and Pearl Edwards; a sister, Wilma St. John; and a brother, Lyle Edwards.
Ruth was an excellent cook and enjoyed being a hostess. Harpist Laurie Hunter will play at a gathering later this summer at which time a rosebush will be planted in Ruth's memory on the grounds of Ashland's First Presbyterian Church.
Those interested in attending may call 857-9394 for further information.
Her ashes will be buried in the Oimoen family plot in Minot, ND, with Memory Gardens of Medford are in charge of the cremation.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Medford Providence Hospice; 1660 East McAndrews Rd; Medford, OR. 97504.
Alfred B. Behrsin
Private memorial services will be held for Alfred B. Behrsin, 84, of Ashland, who died Thursday, June 17, 2004 in Ashland.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Commission for the Blind, or the Lions Sight and Hearing Center, 228 N. Holly Street, Medford, OR 97501 for both.
Mr. Behrsin was born February 11, 1920 in Liverpool, England.
He has lived in Ashland since 1984. Survivors include his wife, Nellie A. Behrsin of Ashland; sons, A. Jan Behrsin of Kensington, CA and Ralph B. Behrsin of Encinitas, CA; two grandchildren.
Arrangements: Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Ashland.
Charlene L. Merriman
The memorial service for Charlene Louise Merriman will be 4 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2004 at Ascension Lutheran Church, Medford.
Officiating will be Rev. David Rapp.
Mrs. Merriman, of Ashland, died June 21, 2004 in Central Point.
She was born February 28, 1930 at Fort Sheridan, Iowa the daughter of Minnie and Charles Anderson and raised in Sioux City, Iowa.
On May 27, 1951 at Sioux City, IA she married John Burton "Burt" Merriman, who preceded her in death in 1991.
She graduated from State University of Iowa in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
They moved to Ashland in 1966. Mrs. Merriman earned a Masters in Education from Southern Oregon College in 1968.
She taught in elementary schools in the Medford School District and worked with the Student Teacher Program at Southern Oregon College.
She was an active member of the Oregon Federation of Republican Women where she was president from 1989 to 1991.
She volunteered with the Special Olympics Program and the Children's Advocacy Center and was an avid supporter of the youth program at Ascension Lutheran Church, Medford.
Surviving are: 2 sons, Brian C. Merriman and his wife, Serena of Central Point, and J. Brent Merriman of Ashland; one daughter, Barbara 'Bobbi' Merriman-McClain and her husband, Rob of Seattle, WA; and grandchildren, Zachary McClain, Toray McClain, Jennifer Merriman, Breana Merriman, and Jesse Merriman.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Southern Oregon Humane Society, 2910 Table Rock Road, Medford, OR 97501 or to the Youth Program at Ascension Lutheran Church, 2617 E. Barnett Rd, Medford, OR 97504.
Arrangements under the direction of the Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.
John X. Golich
The memorial service for John Xavier Golich will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2004 at the Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.
Interment will be in Worth, Ill.
Mr. Golich, 57, of Ashland, died Friday, (June 18, 2004) at his home.
He was born October 8, 1946 at Chicago, IL., a son of Elinor and John Golich.
He served in the United States Marine Corp., where he earned the rank of Major.
He flew as a commercial pilot from 1976 to 1995 when he retired due to ill health.
He moved to Ashland in 1999.
Survivors include; two sons, Nate Golich of Westminister, CO, and Scott Golich of Corpus Christy, TX; his sister Mary Ellen Golich of Palos Heights, IL; and his partner Biatris Mulder of Fallbrook, CA.
Arrangements: Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.
John Haddaway McClendon 1921 – 2004
John McClendon, 83, husband, father, teacher, and scientist, passed away Tuesday (June 22, 2004) after a short illness. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 17, 1921, to Jesse Francis and Margaret (Stewart) McClendon.
John graduated from the University of Minnesota before training as an officer in the U.S. Army.
During World War II he studied the Japanese language and served in Japan from 1945 to 1947.
There he met Betty Virginia Morgan, of Fort Worth, Texas.
They both worked in Tokyo in General MacArthur's headquarters.
After their marriage in 1947, they returned to the United States.
In 1952, John earned a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania.
He taught at the University of Delaware in Plant Physiology from 1954 to 1965 and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, until his retirement in 1989.
He and Betty retired to Ashland that year.
Throughout his career and into retirement, John was the author of many scientific and lay articles on population, recycling, evolution, and plant physiology. He was a man of many interests, including world population, democracy, wine-making, remodeling, genealogy, gardening, birding, and Japanese art. (His father, as a visiting professor, took the family, including an older brother, Stewart, to Japan for a year in 1932.)
After retirement, John continued his interests in the Native Plant Society, Ashland Tree Commission, and Alternatives to Growth Oregon.
His inquiring mind and passion for the earth remains an inspiration to all who knew him.
John is survived by his wife, Betty, their three daughters, Susan McClendon of Atlanta, GA, Lise Webb (Kipp) of Billings, MT, and Natalie McClendon (Mark Turner), of Bellingham, WA; and four grandsons, Evan and Nick Webb of Seattle, WA, and Zachary and Ian Turner of Bellingham, WA.
Also, surviving is his brother, J. Stewart McClendon, of New York, NY, and family, and his cousin, Janet Stevenson, of Warrenton, OR, and family.
A celebration of his life will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, at the Unitarian Fellowship, 87 Fourth Street, Ashland. Scottish attire welcomed.
Memorials may be sent to the Unitarian Fellowship, or to the Environmental Defense Fund, at Environmental Defense, 1875 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, or www.environmentaldefense.org.
Odessia Harris
A memorial gathering to celebrate the life of Odessia Harris will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 2, at Odessia's home.
Odessia, 63, of Ashland, died Monday (June 28, 2004) at Linda Vista Care Center, Ashland.
Memorial contributions may be made to: The Odessia Harris memorial fund, at any branch of Bank of America.
Odessia loved life. She will be remembered for her caring free spirit. To know her was to love her.
Survivors include; her two loving daughters, Beverly Harris, and Alanda Harris King, both of Marietta, GA; her two grandchildren, Mark Joye and Christina Ahrens; four sisters; three brothers; nieces; nephews; and many loving friends.
Family and friends may pay their respects from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July, 2, at Rogue Valley Funeral Alternatives, Medford.
