RUSSELL E. AND LEATRICE [PAVLIK] VAKOC
Russell, son of Jerry and Nora Schreier Vakoc, was born on February
16, 1920. He attended country school and graduated from Verdigre
High School in 1936. He worked for his parents on the farm in the
Verdel area until he enlisted in the Air Corps in February of 1943.
On April 28, 1943, he married Leatrice Pavlik, daughter of Edwin D.
(Slim) and Christina Pavlik, in Omaha at St. John’s Church at
Creighton University. The next few years were spent traveling with
the Air Corps. One son was born on April 23, 1945, at Langley Field,
Virginia. Their second son was born April 2, 1946, in Oakland,
California, with Dr. John Melvin in attendance. Dr. Melvin was a
former Verdigre physician during the 30s.
Russ and Lee lived in Texas, California, and Louisiana during their
military days. After he left the service in 1946, they settled in
Medford with their two sons. They were encouraged by Russ’ Uncle Joe
and Aunt Julia Vakoc, former Verdigre residents, who had also made
Medford their home. Russ first had a chicken ranch, raising hundreds
of “fryers” and hens for eggs. Uncle Joe and Aunt Julia were a
tremendous help in assisting Russ with getting this operation off
the ground. It wasn’t very successful and by this time Russ had
gotten a job driving a Texaco Gasoline truck and delivering gas to
various business places up and down the mountains. Russ got
acquainted with the countryside and learned to love it all. His
leisure time was always spent hunting and fishing (including ocean
fishing) and Lee’s leisure time was spent canning the salmon and
clams they brought home. Within a year’s time Russ was introduced to
the logging and lumber industry of the state which eventually became
his life’s work. He was a mill foreman for nearly 23 years.
[pg 441 photo Russell E. and Leatrice [Pavlik] Vakoc and sons:
Jerry, Douglas, Martin, Dennis, and Randy]
Three more sons were born to them. Besides caring for the family,
Lee enjoyed the big gardens they raised each year and flowers and
yard work which she still loves to do.
Russ and Lee were members of the Sacred Heart parish in Medford and
the boys attended the Sacred Heart Grade School and graduated from
St. Mary’s High School.
In 1971 Russ, with an associate, built a computerized saw mill in
Mt. Shasta, California, and the following year he began working for
Louisiana Pacific as a mill manager. This led to much traveling once
again. The first trip was to the island of Annette, Alaska. He
updated the saw mill at Metlakatla and became their manager for one
;year. The next move was to Seward, Alaska, then to Flagstaff,
Arizona, and back to Renton, Washington. In 1975, tiring of moving
around, they decided to settle down in Medford once again in their
own home, which they had kept, and get back to hunting, fishing, and
camping. They were hardly settled when Russ learned he had Hodgkin’s
Disease. After much turmoil, examinations, testing, and two
surgeries, Russell passed away on July 19, 1975. In 1977 Lee sold
the family home in Medford and came to live with her widowed father,
Slim Pavlik. It seemed to be the most logical solution to both of
their situations and indeed, proved to be the answer to Lee’s
question, “Now, what do I do?” It was a great joy to be with “Dad”
and her brothers and their families, and become reacquainted with
the people of Verdigre, especially the young generations. She picked
up where she left off in Oregon, that is, growing vegetables and
flowers and constantly digging and planting somewhere in the yard.
She did quite a lot of traveling, visiting her sons and their
families, and her brothers, Keith and Ken and families. After her
father’s death in 1982, Lee decided to make Verdigre her permanent
home.
Russ and Lee had five sons: Jerry, born living, graduated
from high school in 1963, attended Oregon State at Corvallis for two
years and received his degree in Computer Science at Washington
University in 1986. He married Janelle Johnson in 1965, and has two
daughters, Michelle, 19, and Erika, 14. He now lives in Kennewick,
Washington, and works for Exxon Nuclear Corporation. Jerry and
Janelle are divorced.
Douglas, born living, graduated in 1964 from high school and
in 1968 from the Oregon University in Eugene. He worked at Honeywell
in Minneapolis, met Jane Carnahan there, married in 1965, and moved
to Denver. In 1977 they moved to Tigard, Oregon, and Doug began
working for the Freightliner Co. of Portland which is now known as
Daimler Benz Corporation. They have three boys: John, 14, Ben, 13,
and Mark, 10.
Martin, born living, graduated in 1970 and attended a
technical school to learn welding. He worked for Portland Chain and
the Weldon Company of Portland, Oregon. He resides in Willamina,
Oregon, near the coast on a small acreage He married Carolyn Parrack
in 1973, and they have two children: Brian, 11, and Jennifer, 8.
Dennis, born living, graduated from high school in 1971, and
attended Southern Oregon College at Ashland for two years. In 1974
he began working for Dun and Bradstreet and this job has taken him
to many interesting places, one of which was Honolulu for 2 ½ years,
which made it possible for his mother to visit the beautiful
islands. He married Glenda Pendergast in 1974 and they now live in
Allentown, Pennsylvania, with their three sons: Chris, 7, David, 5,
and Adam, 1.
Randy, born living, graduated from high school in 1972 and
from Oregon University in Eugene in 1976. He earned his C. P. A. in
1977 and worked for Peat, Marwick and Mitchell in Portland until his
transfer to Dallas, Texas, in 1982. He is employed by Sunbelt, a
national mortgage corporation, as Chief Financial Officer. Randy
married Valletta Waine in 1973 and they have two daughters,
Stephanie, 8, and Julie, 6.
Pages 441, 442
