George Eugene Hohnstein

Gresham resident George Eugene Hohnstein passed away on October 31st, 2009. He was 73. A memorial service will be held at 12 PM on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home with a reception to follow.

George was born on October 25, 1936, in Portland, OR to George and Leona (Freauft) Hohnstein. He graduated from Parkrose High School and attended Portland Community College. From 1953 to 1957, George served in the United States Coast Guard. During that time, he married Jeanne Anne Porter, his wife of 51 years, on October 27th, 1956. He pursued a career in banking, working for First National Bank, First Interstate Bank, and Wells Fargo.

He joined the America’s Bankers Association in 1961. In 1977, he earned an associate’s degree from Portland Community College. He also attended the American Institute of Banking in 1977. He was also Graduated from Pacific Coast Banking School, Class of 1977.

George was a member of the Elks Lodge. He enjoyed spending time at The Cove Ranch.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanne. He is survived by his son, Jeff Hohnstein of Gresham; daughter Darla McPheeders of Gresham; sister Georgiann Conway of Tacoma, WA; 3 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchildren.

Donations may be sent to Providence Oncology.

"A Eulogy in Final Rememberance for George "Gene" Hohnstein - My Best Friend"

Presented by Bob Hall at the memorial service on Saturday, November 7th, 2009.

Thank you -

For letting me say a few words in honor of George Hohnstein. This privilege I do on behalf of his son Jeff, daughter Darla, other members of his family and for all his many friends gathered here today.

Please forgive me if instead of reference to George as George. I was introduced to him some 45 years ago as "Gene" Hohnstein by Dick Messmer. The name Gene stuck with me throughout all this time.

At the time Gene and Jeanne were living in a small home behind Jeanne’s folk’s home. He had recently been discharged from the coast guard. The poor lad had really tough duty. One day when he was in boot camp, he was detailed to paint the wall leading up to the commanding officer’s head quarters. All at once Gene heard “Now hear this. Now hear this. All men who would like to volunteer for duty in Hawaii report immediately to the CO’s office.” Hohnstein hit the top of the stairs and into the headquarters office in all of about three seconds. All of his service time was spend in Oahu two months at sea and two months shore duty. When on shore leave, he shared an apartment with several other guys. What do you bet that he had a good time?

It was some years later when the Hohnsteins were in their first home on 117th Street. Gene thought it would be neat to build a boat from a kit in his garage. He could build most anything out of wood. The boat, though small, turned out excellent, but Gene was never satisfied. A year or two later, he and Jeanne went to the Portland Boat Show. He fell in love with a fiberglass inboard, outboard boat. Twenty-four hundred dollars later, the Hohnsteins were the proud owners of a new boat. I might add I was envious. Vacations in those days centered around the water. Detroit Reservoir, Prineville Reservoir, Lake Shasta and of course the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. One more time over the Fourth of July a bunch of us were camped at Detroit Reservoir. As it grew dark, the kids wanted their sparklers. As I stood there taking in all the fun, Jeff launches his sparkler across this small inlet. It was a thing of beauty as it came to rest in some camper’s boat across from us. We all stood there waiting for the boat to explode. Luckily nothing happened. The next morning Gene went over and found the owner of the boat and explained what happened. It burned one seat but not a lot of damage.

The Hohnsteins would go camping at Lake Shasta with their neighbors who owned very fast boats. Gene would arrive sometime later in his much slower inboard-outboard. This really got to our boy. His next boat was a low slung craft powered by 115 HP Mercury. He never came in last again.

It was Jodie’s and my 25th wedding anniversary. Our daughter Shelley had a surprise party for us. Among the guests were Jeanne and Gene. While talking to Jerry Hoover and Gene, I was discussing our next “Gold Trip” that Jerry and I had planned in Nevada. Gene said he would love to go with us, just let him know when we were leaving. We said “Fine with us”.

On Gene’s first trip and our last night out, Jerry and I realized that we didn’t initiate him into our two man fraternity. With a good fire going we got on each end of his cot and carried him over the bonfire. Yep, it woke him right up. When he got home he told Jeanne “I’ll never go with those two loonies again.” But as time passed we planned our next trip and wild horses couldn’t keep him from going. So, for over the next twenty years and thousands of miles later we traveled in Jerry’s Dodge van. Our yearly adventures took us into California, Idaho, Oregon and most of all, our beloved Nevada. We visited Old Gold camps, ghost towns, old mines and places so remote coyotes refused to live there. Virginia City was our first and foremost destination to start our trips. Our favorite places were the “Sharon House” and “The Union Brewery Saloon.” They were both around in Mark Twain’s day. The Sharon House had the best Chinese food this side of the Mississippi. The Union Brewery – well that’s another story. There is so much history for a town so wild and still going.

During the same time, Paul Oakdon, part owner of the “Cove Ranch” invited Gene to spend a weekend at the ranch. The Cove Ranch is located between Spray and Fossil up Alder Creek, a very remote 450 acres. Gene would come back and tell me how much fun they would have up there. He had my attention. I was finally invited and discovered it was everything he said it was. Gene was a good teacher telling of many historic facts about the country, such as Indian Mountain, the Hogey Doogy Mountains, and Rattlesnake Ridge for starters. At one time the only school in the area. It so happened the Wheeler County Sheriff Olslo Coldaris went to school there.

I don’t remember exactly how Super Bowl Sunday got started at the Ranch, but for 18 or more years, a dozen or so would head up to the Ranch. There was no TV reception, so we had to go into Spray which is 10 miles away, or Fossil. This was always after John Kenny would prepare a great breakfast for all of us, with Gene’s supervision.

Gene was meticulously neat and clean. One time at an old gold mine, Jerry and I came back into camp only to find our boy was washing his hair with the last of our water. He could get a little crotchety, as many of you could attest to. We didn’t say anything.

There have been many things unsaid here today for it is impossible to sum up a man’s life in so short a time. We can all learn from Gene’s examples in life. His doctrine was simple: love of family, be a person of your word, don’t cheat and most of all don’t lie and be your own man.

The Cove will surely miss him and so will all of us.

Thank you.