SHOLLENBERGER, Keith

The Record-Courier 3 Sep 2012 On Aug. 24, 2012, the Lord received his son, Keith Shollenberger, into His loving arms. A memorial gathering will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane, Baker City, Ore. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. A reception will be held in the Nazarene Church Fellowship Hall following graveside services. Keith was born Sept. 10, 1951, in Yakima, Wash., to Marvin and Marjorie (Ziegler) Shollenberger. His mother often told a story about a picture of a tree Keith drew for her when he was a small boy. On the tree were orange “balls”. When his mother complimented him on the beautiful “orange tree” he drew for her, Keith corrected her by saying, “No, it’s a pumpkin tree!” For those who knew Keith, that picture truly reflected the man he was and the life he lived. In his youth, Keith developed an interest in music, especially the guitar. During his college days at Washington State University, he nurtured this musical ambition by playing in a “band” with friends. On November 23, 1984, Keith married his eternal sweetheart, Marilyn Haynes, in Gardnerville, Nev. Marilyn, too, had a fervor for music. With this shared passion, their life together took root. Keith and Marilyn spent many years raising their family on “the ranch” in Unity, Ore. During the summers, in addition to kids, hay and potatoes, Keith worked as a seasonal firefighter for the Oregon Department of Forestry. There were many summers the ranch was a fire camp, dispatch center and even a heliport. Year after year, Keith and Marilyn opened their hearts and home to many a firefighter. In 1996, the ranch was sold and Keith was hired as an Assistant Unit Forester for the Oregon State Department of Forestry, Baker Sub Unit. Throughout his career, Keith served as an Incident Commander, was certified in Air Attack, taught wild land firefighting courses at a college level, and attained multiple other fire suppression certifications. After 34 years of service for ODF, Keith retired in 2010. Keith and Marilyn continued to cultivate their enthusiasm for music when they purchased the Rainbow Records music store in 1997 from the previous owner, Jimmy Lloyd Rea. For the past 15 years, Marilyn’s Music Plus has been a melodious presence on Main Street where Keith and Marilyn could be found jamming with local musicians and entertaining local listeners along with their band Salt Lick #39. While family, friends and music were his priorities, Keith also loved to fish. He would often escape to the Snake or Columbia River, simply to relax with rod and reel in hand. When fishing wasn’t an option, he enjoyed woodworking, camping, hunting, gardening and traveling with Marilyn. Keith was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene, the NRA, and the Elks. He was a cherished husband, an adored son and brother, devoted father and grandfather, and a treasured friend who was always willing to lend a helping hand to those who needed him. So, as you can see, Keith couldn’t settle for oranges on his tree of life. He created an existence that was a little bigger and a little more harmonious, with a love that could grow like pumpkins. Keith is survived by his wife Marilyn Shollenberger, of Baker City; parents, Marvin and Marjorie Shollenberger of Mesa, Wash.; daughter Amy (Scott) Johnson and their children Zachary Keith, Zoe Marie, Cameron, Megan and Tristan of Boise, Idaho; son Bryan Shollenberger of Walla Walla, Wash., and his children Jayda and Katelynn; daughter Laura (John) Hoopes, Baker City, Ore., and their children Jayda and Katelynn; daughter Lauren (John) Hoopes, Baker City, Ore., and their children Joelle (Evan) Crowther, Kenneth (Abby) Cockram, Alicia (Ben) Spalding, Jamie Cockram, and Kristen Hoopes; son Tom (Tracy) Caylor of Shoshone, Idaho, and their children Caleb Greenwood, Jordon Greenwood, and Hanna and Michael Caylor; three great-grandchildren Cora, Kayson, and Mayci; sister Gayla (Chuck) Ernst of Walla Walla, Wash.; brother Kenneth (Nancy) Shollenberger of Dale, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews including Celinda Linscott and her son, Austin Peck, of Baker City, Ore., Jacob Westgaard, of Clackamas, Ore., and Brandon Henner, of Haines, Ore. Keith was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Pete and Mary Haynes, and sister in-law Cindy Haynes. The family suggests contributions be made to the Northeast Oregon Compassion Center through the Nazarene Church or Gray’s West and Company Pioneer Chapel.