uorres

F. Wittis Smith, 93, owner/operator of Coos Head Forest Products. Nonh Bend, Or., died July 18.

Mr. Smith began his career working for Weyerhaeuser Co., Everett, Wa., in the 1930s. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he founded Coos Head Timber Co. (now Coos Head Forest Products), leasing a sawmill in Coos Bay, Or., from Scott Paper Co.

Beginning in the early 1950s, he acquired McKenna Sawmill; partnered with Ellioft Bay Mill Co. ro open a veneer plant in Norway, Or.; added green veneer, stud and plywood mills at McKenna; opened Coos Head Builders Supply, North Bend; cofounded Menasha Coos Head Plywood, North Bend, and launched a distribution division out of the Port of Los Angeles, Ca., Coos Head Lumber and Plywood Co.

In the 1960s, he bought GeorgiaPacific's Bunker Hill mill, Coos Bay; Coos Bay Docks; Empire pulp mill, and timberlands to support his operations. He also started Durawood Treating, North Bend, in 1988, and truss plant Empire Wood Products, Coos Bay, in 1995.

Mr. Smith was a founding member of the Timber Operators Council.

Richard H. Gray, 85, former owner and president of Honsador Lumber, Honolulu, Hi., died July 2l

Prior to owning the company, Mr. Gray served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He also served as president of the Pacific Hardwoods Associut ion.

Gordon Girard, 78, retired cofounder and owner of Banks Lumber Co., Banks, Or., died June 24.

Mr. Girard started the company in l96 l, with his father-in-law, Victor Wilkstrom, and retired in 1989 when his sons, George antl Tom Girard, took over.

Bert Hagen, 82, retired lumber broker for Brooks Scanlon. Bend. Or.. died June 30 fiom cancer.

A native of Virginia, Mn., he served as a Navy lieutenant in WWll.

After the war. he ioined Brooks

Scanlon, retiring in 1983. Following his retirement, he served as board chairman of the local school district.

Alden Marvin Bartel, 75, owner of the fbrmer Coast to Coast store in Ronan, Mt., died of cancer July 5 in Ronan.

Mr. Bartel. his wife Belle and their children bought the store (later to become an Ace Hardware) in 1975. He retired in 1986.

Eel River Lumber Opens

As logs were still arriving at the yard, a crew of 39 employees began milling lumber July l4 at the newly opened Eel River Lumber Products' Mill A, Rio Dell, Nv.

The company is considering hiring up to 60 employees total and adding another shifi.

Some former Eel River Sawmill employees are working at the site, as well as some new employees.

Investment group Eel River Acquisitions Group bought the facility in April, after Eel River Sawmills closed fbur of its mills and laid off 375 people. It is in the process of buying more of its assets.

Financing OK'ed For Crown Pacific

Crown Pacific Partners. Portland. Or.. will receive $40 million of financing from CIT Group's business credit unit to help them run their business, after recently filing for Chapter I I bankruptcy protection against creditors.

A Phoenix, Az., bankruptcy judge approved the company's request, along with five afflliates, for "debtor-in-possesion financing," to give them enough liquidity to pay for products and services.

Home Depot Scam Artists Confess

Three people face up to five years in prison for conning hundreds of thousands of dollars from Home Depot stores throughout California.

John Patrick Hay, 58, Anthony Davenport, 59, and Linda Broderick, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud at Home Depot stores in Pittsburg, San Leandro, Milpitas and elsewhere.

The trio would copy Universal Product Codes from cheaper versions of faucets and light fixtures, attach them to more expensive counterparts and then return them, according to officials. By paying the cheaper price, they managed to pocket the extra cash or accept gift cards that were sometimes used to buy extra fixtures that had already been discounted from the scam, according to a six-month FBI investigation.

Under the terms of the agreement, they must repay $400,000 to Depot, given that they made more than $ 100 for each of the 1,000 faucets they bought. Defense lawyers said restitution is expected to come fiom $821,949 in funds seized after the arrest. In addition to up to five years in prison, they face a $250,000 fine and three ,/ears probation.

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