Family: Milestones

BIGGER 95th

Garnet Bigger celebrated her 95th birthday with all of her children, seven grandchildren and 14 of 15 great-grandchildren on March 6, 2016 with a reception. Family came from Michigan, Maryland, Oregon and Washington to share in the Irish-themed party at the…

HIEBERT 90th

Elizabeth “Betty” Hiebert celebrated her 90th birthday in Puget Sound, Wash., with family members. She was born Nov. 23, 1925, to Ethel and Jasen Johnson in South Dakota. She along with six siblings grew up on the farm there. Her father, prior to becoming a…

EMERSON 90th

Evelyn Emerson, a member of the Billings (Mont.) Church since 1949, celebrated her 90th birthday at a brunch with her four daughters and their families.

Evelyn Poole was born April 21, 1925, on a homestead near Roundup, Mont., and has lived in…

MORTZ 90th

Family and friends of Harold Mortz joined in a surprise birthday party on Nov. 1, 2015, at the Adventist Community Services Center in Salem, Ore., to honor his 90th birthday. Family members came from Illinois, California and Washington. His daughters and…

TADEJ 90th

Peter Tadej celebrated his 90th birthday by returning to Fort Benton, Mont., where he was born, Aug. 20, 1925. Many of his Montana relatives joined him. Upon returning to Walla Walla, Wash., where he lives with his wife, Jeanie, there was a second birthday…

GAY 90th

Mace Gay celebrated his 90th birthday several times: once with his daughter Carmen, who shares his birthday; another celebration with the family of his wife, Lenella, in Seattle, Wash.; and finally with a Gay family reunion at Grand Ronde, Ore.

Mace was…

FENTON 90th

Jean Fenton's family surprised her with a 90th birthday celebration with her friends at the Eagle Church on July 25, 2015, in Eagle, Idaho. She was then treated to a weekend with her entire family.

Jean June Johnston was born Aug. 13, 1925, in St.…

WAGEMAN 100th

On Oct. 11, 2015, approximately 100 relatives and friends gathered at the fellowship hall of the Newport (Wash.) Church. They were there to help celebrate the Oct. 13 100th birthday of longtime church member Minnie Wageman. Relatives in…

SCHMECHEL 90th

Kaye Schmechel ("Grandma" to all who know her) celebreated her 90th birthday on Oct. 3, 2015, with her church family at a potluck in Newburg, Ore. She celebreated again with her immediate family on the evening of Oct. 10.

Kaye Pauline Boepple…

CASEBOLT 90th

Gerald Casebolt celebrated his 90th birthday on July 26, 2015, at the Better Living Center of the Roseburg (Ore.) Church. His siblings, children, a daughter from Australia, a grandchild, great-grandchildren and many friends from the church attended. Gerald…

DRESSEL 95th

Paul Dressel celebrated his 95th birthday with little fuss.

Born June 11, 1920, in Los Angeles, Calif., Paul wasn’t raised an Adventist, although his grandparents were members of the church. Their influence on him was very positive. His father had…

STEPHENS 90th

Alva L. Stephens celebrated a belated 90th birthday on Sabbath, May 2, at the Falls City (Ore.) Church, with family and friends.

Alva was born on March 27, 1925, in Newberg, Ore., the youngest of nine children. He grew up in the Lincoln City, Ore.,…

JACKSON 90th

Benjamin F. Jackson was born Aug. 26, 1924, in Colville, Wash., the oldest of five children (he has four younger sisters).

Between the ages of 4 and 12, he moved with his family to Camas, Wash. For health reasons, his father was advised to move…

MOORE 95th

Wayne Moore celebrated his 95th birthday this March at a restaurant in Walla Walla, Wash., with his family.

Wayne Erland Moore was born in Blue Earth County, Minn., near Mankato, on March 8, 1920. He was the second of four…

HIEB 90th

Archie Hieb celebrated his 90th birthday on Aug. 1, 2014, in Walla Walla, Wash., with a three-day backyard gathering with more than 50 family members. Family enjoyed the shade of a big tent, BBQs, lawn games and bonfires.

Archie was born Sept. 25,…

BUNDS 90th

Carol E. (Fischer) Bunds celebrated her 90th birthday with her new church family in Cottonwood, Ariz., on Jan. 10, 2015. Both of her daughters, Karen Mercer of Cottonwood and Bonnie Lass of Thompsonville, Ill., attended. Carol was born Jan. 9…

TAYSOM 100th

The Pocatello Church honored the 100th birthday of Avis Taysom on Jan. 10, 2015. Avis celebrated with her church family, her son, and several of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the small event.

Avis Grenfell was born in Hillsboro,…

SCHWARTZ 90th

Francis Schwartz celebrated her 90th birthday with a picnic at home with her family and at the Startup (Wash.) Church.

Francis was born July 28, 1924 in Los Angeles, Calif. She was a student nurse and received on-the-job training at a hospital…

WENDELL 90th

Phil Wendell celebrated his 90th birthday on Oct. 5, 2014, with his wife, children and grandchildren.

Phil was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on Oct. 5, 1924. He married his wife Betty in 1978 and they have one son, two daughters, 9 grandchildren and one…

McCOY 90th

Thelma McCoy was born Nov. 3, 1924, to Alfred and Jennie Johnson in College Place, Wash. She joined two older brothers, Arden and Melvin.

In 1926, the family moved to a farm in Minatare, Neb., where she grew up. Her father taught the rural school and…