Sidney Van Schoiack, 88, of Hermiston, died on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at the Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston.
Sidney (Sid) was born in Heppner to Cleve H. Van Schoiack and Martha Jane McHugill Van Schoiack on July 12, 1926. He was raised on the family ranch in Heppner with his three brothers and two sisters.
Sid joined the Marine Corps July 11, 1944, and served with the occupied forces in Japan and was very proud of his service to his country as a Marine. Upon returning home Sid became an Oregon state policeman and it was in that capacity of service that he met and married the love of his life, Fern, in 1949. Fern had three children that he raised and adopted as his own: Richard (Montana), Sally (Salem) and Carol (Hermiston).
In 1980, his wife suffered brain damage from an unsuccessful surgery for a brain aneurysm and Sid spent the last 17 years of her life lovingly and devotedly caring for her, and was devastated at her passing in 1997. He and his wife raised their three children in a small town in Eastern Oregon when as mayor he and his wife were invited to the many functions and the dedication of McNary Dam by the Eisenhower administration.
He had many endeavors during his lifetime, but upon his retirement from Jefferson County in Madras, his favorite thing to do was to drive a cattle truck for a friend in Madras. He very much enjoyed his travels and the solitude of traveling to each destination.
Sid was moved to Hermiston in 2009 to be near family after suffering a life-altering illness. Although not expected to recover, he thrived under the loving care of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for the next five and half years until his final battle with pneumonia.
He will be greatly missed by those who love him, but is now finally home with his Creator and Savior, his parents, all of his siblings and his beloved wife Fern.
A graveside service with military honors was held at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery in Heppner on Saturday, April 25.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
