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’41 friends forever: These ladies share the past, present, future
Fun-O-Rama fills Gateway
New zoning regulations proposed for Gateway
Nordbye leaves Parkrose a better place
Neighborhood District Attorney Program helps residents battle crime in their neighborhoods
Wired owner disconnects returns bar to Truong
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Memo Pad...

To fully serve the community, the Mid-county Memo offers this section to showcase upcoming special events, celebrations of milestones in our readers’ lives, those seemingly small accomplishments that often do not receive the recognition they deserve, and everyday events that should be shared with friends and neighbors.

To insure publication in the Memo Pad, please send submissions for each month by the 15th of the previous month. Memo Pad submissions for the July issue are due by Monday, June 16. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or mail editorial submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave., Portland, OR, 97230. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904.

One family’s national treasure
Hard work and plenty of it seems to be the secret of longevity for Gertrude Kuhl who celebrated her 100th birthday on May 20.
MEMO PHOTO: DARLENE VINSON
That’s how great grandson Scott, describes Gertrude Kuhl, who turned 100 years old on May 20.

This fascinating lady who now lives in adult foster care near Glendoveer, maintained her own home until a year ago. She pruned shrubs until age 97 and mowed her own lawn until the lawn mower was taken away from her. She says, “when there was work to be done, I was in there doing it.”

Coming from a family of eighteen brothers and sisters, Kuhl recalls climbing over snowbanks on her way to school in her native Minnesota, and the pranks her brothers were fond of pulling, especially on Halloween. At about age 14, one of her brothers decided he would teach her to drive their Model T. Everything was going along just fine for the first mile or so, when the brother spotted an oncoming vehicle. Convinced his sister would hit that car, he took control of the wheel and promptly dumped them in a ditch. And she has the scar on her elbow to prove it.

After high school, Kuhl went on to beauty school. An enterprising young lady, she opened her own styling salon in Minneapolis and worked ‘around the clock’ to support herself.

Eventually she married Daniel Kuhl whose work for Ford Motor Company sent them west to Portland. They had two children, Bill (who died recently) and daughter Dannis. Kuhl also has six granddchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and a 3 month old great-great granddaughter.

Always active in her church, Kuhl was involved early on in the development of David’s Harp, a community and drop-in center for adults with mental illness adjacent to Parkrose United Methodist Church on Northeast 111th Avenue and Knott Street.

When asked if she was very, very good or very, very bad in her youth, she said, “let’s not discuss that”! The twinkle in her eye told the tale.

Local pastor adds degree
Pastor William E. Taylor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church completes work on graduate degree awarded to him last month by the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.
PHOTO COURTESY OF
EASTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Pastor William E Taylor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 12525 N.E. Halsey St. since July 1975, recently completed his work on a two year post graduate “Certificate in Ministry and Technology” degree from The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS). In 1969, Taylor received his Master of Divinity from UDTS. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from St. Cloud State (MN) 1965. The CMT program required Taylor to travel to UDTS for one week in August of 2001 and again in 2002.

He has served churches in El Paso TX, Waterloo IA, Longview WA, Aberdeen and Hoquiam WA. Taylor also served the Roseway Presbyterian Church in a yoked ministry for five years until that congregation was disbanded and merged with another area Presbyterian Church.

He is married and on June 22 he and his wife Mary will celebrate their 35th Wedding anniversary. They have three grown children all of whom live in the Portland Metro area and two grandsons.

Taylor has been active with Parkrose Soccer Club as coach and referee being certified with US Soccer Association and Oregon State Soccer Assn.

He has served as Scoutmaster of the church’s Boy Scout Troop 699, as Chaplain at Camp Meriweather, Member of the Columbia Pacific Council Protestant Committee on Scouting. Is a charter member of the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters.

A life member of Girls Scouts of America he was awarded the Council service award. Taylor is an Honorary life member of Presbyterian Women and a life member of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity as well.

He has served on the Board of Directors of Snow-Cap Community Charities and three terms as moderator of the board. He has served on the board of Directors of the Gateway Area Business Association and served as Vice-President, President, and Fun-O-Rama Parade Chair. At the 1988 Mid-County Community Awards, he was selected Religious Leader of the Year - in 2000 he was again nominated.

Taylor is also a volunteer Chaplain with Woodland Park Hospital.

In 1998, The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary presented Taylor with “The Herbert E. Manning, Jr. Service Award” for distinguished service in pastoral ministry to the whole church and the world.

Taylor has traveled in a number of countries including: Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Reverend Taylor invites you to visit the church web site at www.eastminsterptld.org

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