100 years ago — 1921

Pendleton’s Thanksgiving of 1921 is a day sacred to home and fireside. Family ties are strengthened during this autumn festival which in its observance commemorates that hardy spirit of 1621. Always a holiday of great significance, it is doubly so this year because of the nation’s interest in the disarmament conference whose principles are typical of Americans. Like the Pilgrims of old who worshiped and gave thanks before the feast, Pendleton people today attended municipal Thanksgiving services at the Methodist church. “Thanksgiving Day,” said Rev. Gressman, “is one of America’s institutions, its roots imbedded in the soil of religious inspiration. Thanksgiving Day finds its religious origin in spirit in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, which was the Feast of the Harvest, the annual Thanksgiving to God.”

50 years ago — 1971

Ken Rogers, Executive Vice President of the Inland Empire Bank, announced two management personnel changes in the Umatilla and Hermiston banks.

Jess Foster, former manager of the Umatilla Bank, will be the new Hermiston Office Loan Officer. He’s also been a member of the Hermiston Elks Lodge (No. 1845), Umatilla Chamber of Commerce, and director and president of the McNary Golf Club and Umatilla Development Cooperation.

Roger Bounds will be replacing Foster at the Umatilla Bank, as the new manager. Bounds moved from Washington, D.C. to Umatilla at the age of 5. He graduated from Umatilla High School as Valedictorian in 1960 and from Stanford University six years later, with a B. A. in economics. He completed ROTC at Stanford and then joined the Army, serving in the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company in Vietnam from April of 1968 to June of 1969.

25 years ago — 1996

Ralph (“Butch”) Parrish had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. The 27-year-old former Stanfield police officer was confined to a wheelchair after being pinned and dragged beneath a car driven by a burglary suspect in 1994. Not only did he suffer physically, but also mentally and financially when he was no longer offered a job at the Stanfield Police Department. For nearly three years after the accident, Parrish lived off of money from worker’s compensation and with anxiety about an uncertain future. Then, long-time friend and Boardman Police Chief Greg Sayles had an idea. The Boardman Police Department was in need of an office manager, and someone like Parrish would be ideal. Sayles contacted Parrish, and Parrish is scheduled to start his first post-accident job by July of next year.