PHOTOS BY JENNIFER COLTON
[quote style=”2″]Umatilla Honors Longtime Volunteer Virgie Jarrell[/quote]
People filled the former Umatilla Senior Center this weekend to crown Virgie Jarrell the “queen of Umatilla.” The celebration came as quite a surprise to the 90-year-old.
Jarrell’s son, Phillip, came to visit his mother for her birthday and told her they were going to Hale’s in Hermiston for dinner. Instead, the car was soon flanked by Umatilla Police officers.
“I said, ‘I hope I don’t get a ticket on my birthday,’ ” Jarrell said. “Then we turned, and I kept telling him (Phillip) we were going the wrong way.”
“I couldn’t believe it. I am flabbergasted,” Jarrell said. “I’ve never been so surprised in all my life.”
The Umatilla City Council unanimously declared Oct. 18, 2014, as Virgie Jarrell Day in Umatilla, honoring the two-time Umatilla Citizen of the Year for all she has done for the community.
Carolyn Hojaboom worked side-by-side with Jarrell for seven years.
“We did all the shopping and prepping and the cooking,” she said. “We’d make lemon meringue pies, pumpkin pies, everything from scratch. Virgie would make pizza from scratch. That was memorable. She’s roll out the dough, make all the toppings.”
Hojaboom said Jarrell would always remember to make special pizzas for regulars, such as for people who couldn’t eat sauce or cheese.
“She always took care of everyone,” Hojaboom said.
Jane Weston, a former senior center volunteer, said she had many fond memories of serving alongside Jarrell.
“We had more fun than anything,” Weston said with a laugh. “One day, Virgie and I had these long breadsticks and we got to (sword fighting). We laughed so hard. She was great to work with. She’s just meant so much to so many people for so long.”
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