Nova J. Heyduck

Nova J. Heyduck, 87, of Portland and formerly of Elgin, died Jan. 14 in Oregon City. She was buried beside her husband, Rob, at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Nova was born April 16, 1921, to Joseph E. and Clara Johnson Henderson in Elgin. She grew up on a ranch just east of Elgin on Henderson Road. Her fondest memories were of the time she spent there with her siblings, Dick, Verle and Helen Mae. She told many stories of riding to school on horses and spending many weekends with family and friends roaming the hills around the ranch on horses. She also told stories about spending summers at Maxville, a logging camp north of Wallowa. Her father was a logging foreman and had his own team of horses that he logged with.

After graduating from Elgin High School, Nova married her high school sweetheart, Rob Heyduck, June 9, 1939. They lived in Bremerton, Wash., for a short period and spent the remainder of their lives in Portland. They shared almost 68 years together before he died in March 2007.

Rob and Nova loved to go deer hunting and camping in Eastern Oregon and they enjoyed attending the Elgin Alumni Banquet every year visiting with classmates and many friends. They also enjoyed square dancing and traveling.

Nova is survived by a daughter, Sue Johnston of Salem; one granddaughter; one great-granddaughter; two nephews; and three nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rob; brothers, Dick Henderson and Verle Wisdom; sister, Helen Mae Collins; and three nephews, Kerry Henderson, Gary Prince and Jack Collins.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Salem Audubon Society, 189 Liberty St. NE, Suite 210, Salem 97301.

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