10-22-07
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Farmers, ranchers, educators, research scientists and an award-winning author are among the 38 men and women honored Oct. 17 as 2007 Diamond Pioneers by the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences.
They were added to the college’s Diamond Pioneer Agricultural Achievement Registry during a luncheon hosted by Dean Thayne Dutson in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus.
The registry began 24 years ago, when the college observed its 75th anniversary, as a way to recognize those 74 and older for their achievements in agriculture and related fields and in their communities.
Diamond Pioneers are nominated by agricultural organizations, OSU departments and others.
The author awardee is William Kittredge, an Oregon native who was raised on a ranch in Warner Valley. Among his works is the award-winning book “Hole in the Sky.” He lives in Missoula, Mont., where he taught at the University of Montana. He had a Stegner Fellowship at Stanford, two writing fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and two Pacific Northwest Bookseller's Awards for Excellence. He was co-producer of the movie “A River Runs Through It.”
Others to be honored as 2007 Diamond Pioneers are listed, by city:
Corvallis: Thomas Allen, Jr., OSU horticulturist and artist; Larry Boersma, OSU soil scientist; Kenton Chambers, OSU plant taxonomist; Robert L. Stebbins, OSU tree fruit specialist; Benno Warkentin, OSU soil scientist; J. Lowell Young, USDA soil chemist Tom Zinn, OSU Extension Service.
Echo: Don Bennett and Doug Bennett, ranchers
Grants Pass: Henry Turk, gladiola bulb producer
Hillsboro: John Leffel, agriculturist
Independence: W. L. Andersen, OSU Extension Service, pilot
Joseph: Doug and Janie Tippett, ranchers
Junction City: Cleve and Ellie Dumdi, sheep producer, OSU Extension
Klamath Falls: Frank King and Eddie Meeker, cattlemen
LaGrande: Arleigh Isley, OSU Extension, judge
Lakeview: Louise Grothe, and Neil (C.J.) Taylor, livestock producers
Medford: Don Denman, attorney, conservationist
Merlin: Everett Seagoe, veteran 4-H leader
Monmouth: James D. Wilson, OSU administrator and livestock producer
Ontario: Tom Uriu, onion producer
Philomath: Thomas Bedell, OSU rangeland management specialist; Gene Newcomb, OSU nematologist
Prineville: William and Donna McCormack, ranchers
Redmond: Robert Huckfeldt, veterinarian
Shedd: Betty Jo Smith, agriculturist
Sublimity: Lawrence Fisher, grass seed producer
Wasco: Art and Marjorie Van Gilder, conservation farmers, horse breeders
Out-of-state honorees include, by city:
Connell, Wash.: Bill Bennett, livestock producer
Vancouver, Wash.: Fred Hagelstein, retired OSU Extension administrator
Cottonwood, Calif.: Ellington Peek, livestock marketer
NOTE TO EDITORS – There is a story posted about each community's Diamond Pioneer recipients on the Web. Go to http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=486&storyType=news and click on a particular community for a direct link. If you have trouble accessing these stories electronically, we would be glad to fax or mail you a story. Call Karen Zimmermann, 541-737-3717, for help.Len Calvert,
541-737-3380
Loretta Austin,
541-737-5813
News and Communications
Oregon State University
416 Kerr Administration Bldg.
Corvallis, Oregon 97331
541-737-4611
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