James Arthur Sayer

James Arthur Sayer, of Island City, died July 24, 2010 from complications from diabetes. He was 84 and died at a local care facility.

Mr. Sayer was born November 27, 1925 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, to Arthur and Genevieve Sayer, the youngest of 4 children. His childhood involved many activities; the most important to him was the Boy Scouts of America. He became an Eagle Scout in 1941. He left White Bear Lake High School in January of his senior year in order to enter University of Minnesota in the school of forestry. He was allowed to enter without a high school diploma because he had passed his entrance examination. This was a privilege extended to high school seniors during the war. He completed 2 years of college before serving his country during WWII in the army in the European Theater. After the war, he completed his Bachelors Degree of Education and a Masters of Education. He taught in central and northern Minnesota before heading for the warmer climate of southern California. While teaching high school, in Bakersfield, he met fellow teacher, Viola May Little, whom he married in March 1956.

They moved to Hillsboro, Oregon in 1960. He was an electronics engineer for Tektronix. He spent the rest of his working career at Tek and ended up as manager of the Education and Training department. In 1963, the family had moved from Hillsboro to a farm between Forest Grove and Banks where James could farm in addition to working full-time. They raised filberts, strawberries, raspberries and milked 20 cows. He also served on the local school board, on school budget committees, Boy Scout task force, and E.S.D. boards. After his retirement in 1983, he farmed full- time until they moved to the Summerville area in 1988. His wife Viola, died in 1993. He was blessed to meet and marry Eleanor Pickett in 1994. In 1998 they moved to Island City where he served on the Union County ESD board, was active in his church and enjoyed puttering around his garden. James Sayer was generous, hard-working, honest, loyal, and patriotic.

Survivors include: wife, Eleanor of Island City, Oregon; daughters, Anna Ashby of Newberg, OR, Carolyn O'Brien of Rhinelander, WI, Charlotte Daniel of Salem, OR, Martha Meyer of Littleton, CO and Peggy Shouse of Denver, CO; step-sons Dale Dial of Winston-Salem, NC, Richard Dial of Port Orchard, WA and Jim Pickett of Las Vegas, NV; step-daughter Lynn Counts of Goldendale, WA; brother Robert of Oakland, CA; sister Helen Tilbury of Racine, WI; and 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, John; and wife Viola.

A graveside service will be held Friday, July 30, 2010 at 2:00 at Grandview Cemetery in La Grande. There will be a reception following at Trinity Baptist Church, 2705 Geckler Ln., La Grande. The family asks that memorial contributions be made to Trinity Baptist Church c/o Daniel~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th St., La Grande, OR 97850.

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