Wheelhouse

HERMISTON – Roy Peter “Pete” Wheelhouse, 78, died at the Hermiston Gun Club on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, at Burns Mortuary in Hermiston. There will be a private family burial at the Hermiston Cemetery.

Mr. Wheelhouse was born Sept. 16, 1929, in Sunnyside, Wash. to Roy H. and Mildred V. Cannon Wheelhouse. His father herded sheep in Horse Heaven, and when Mr. Wheelhouse was three months old, the family crossed the frozen Columbia River from the Washington shore to Blalock Island, where they lived in an old hotel that had been closed. The family lived in several towns, and settled in Arlington when he was a sophomore, where he was active in sports, was student body president, and graduated in 1948.

After graduation Mr. Wheelhouse did ranch work and attended Eastern Oregon College in 1949. He and his friend Bill Wickland went to work for Christianson Brothers, stock contractors, and took care of stock and rode saddle broncs and bulls in rodeos all over California, Oregon and Washington. He then worked for various ranchers and for his dad in the Ford garage in Arlington. He was drafted into the Army in 1951 and served at two stateside locations. In 1952 he won first place in the 53D AAA Brigade Pistol Championship.

In 1955 he married Karen Farley in Condon; the couple had three children and later divorced. He married Patricia Gray Hammett in 1967 in Lewiston, Idaho, and subsequently adopted her three children. He operated a service station and drive-in in Arlington, a tavern in Wallowa and, with his parents, Hale’s Tavern in Hermiston. He also tended bar at various locations and dealt cards; worked construction and fished in Alaska and spent time at the Umatilla Army Depot.

He was introduced to trap shooting in 1955, a sport he enjoyed the rest of his life. He shot all over the West and was a top shooter for many years. In 1957 he won the Oregon State ATA singles championship. He won the Sam Moore Memorial Shoot three times (an annual event sponsored by the Hermiston Elks for a number of years).

Mr. Wheelhouse was a life member of the American Trapshooting Association, the Hermiston Gun Club, Eagles Lodge, a 53-year member of the Elks Lodge and charter member of the Desert Arts Council. He loved the outdoors and hunted and fished from the time he was a small child. He had an uncanny eye for spotting wildlife. He was an avid reader; enjoyed tending his fireplace and valued his friends and family.

He is survived by his wife Pat; daughters Cindy Thompson of Hermiston and Narita Hoyt of Richland, Wash.; sons Bill Wheelhouse of Hermiston, Russ Wheelhouse of Lincoln City, Mike Wheelhouse of Hermiston and Richard Wheelhouse of Port Orford; brother Dick of Goldendale, Wash.; five grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a niece.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hermiston Library Endowment Fund, 235 E. Gladys Avenue, Hermiston, OR 97838.