The Applegater

2 Winter 2015 Applegater 'You walking?' BY AUDREY ELDRIDGE This was a common email that I would receive from Kaye Clayton around 6 am. It was her way of figuring out which of us (Rhonda Updike and/ or me) would be walking with her. Every morning for decades, unless she was very ill or out of town, Kaye would take a mellow hike though woods and back roads (almost two miles in total), passing by Rhonda's road and then my house. While we walked, she taught us much about the history of our valley and the unique botany of the area. We both gained a deep appreciation of her, as well. One of her favorite locations on this hike was the log cabin where Julie Wheeler was born. It is no longer there, but the area has the most beautiful field of native sweet peas. Kaye also loved to scout the area for the rare fritillaria and other wildflowers. We sometimes took other local hikes to see what might be blooming elsewhere. I can still see her smiling and pointing to a morel that a group of Enchanted Forest hikers (whose p a c e w a s f a s t e r t h a n o u r s ) h a d passed by without noticing. K a ye w a s a true supporter of her community. She was an avid reader, a volunteer at the library, and very active in the Friends of Ruch Library (FORL), where she served as president for six years. During that time the librar y closed for six months, and Kaye was instrumental in creating a lending library out of the A-Frame Bookstore. She kept the A-Frame Bookstore running for the last several years and oversaw the FORL's annual book sales. She also helped proofread and prepare the Applegater for mailing almost every quarter, pitched in at the Grange for its major events, coordinated the FORL booth during Buncom Day, and was a long-time member of WHOW (Women Helping Other Women). You could often find Kaye attending performances of local choirs and musicians and at benefits for m a n y A p p l e g a t e Va l l e y n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s . K a y e w a s t h a t q u i n t e s s e n t i a l v o l u n t e e r w h o understood that a vibrant community needs everyone to contribute what they can. She also enjoyed haunted houses and purple, green or blue hair highlights. is year, her children surprised her with an 80 th birthday party. A large group of Applegaters showed up (and managed to keep it secret), and she was thrilled! She was blessed with many thoughtful gifts and tributes. The picture above shows Kaye modeling her new tattoos, a gift she received at the party. After her party she was able to take a road trip that was on her bucket list. It is difficult to share the uniqueness of a person like Kaye Clayton in a few short paragraphs. But if you see me and want to hear about Kaye the Squirrel Charmer or why she earned the title "Maniac" (nothing to do with being crazy) or where some of her favorite hikes are, I could easily share. However, I never found out exactly where her secret morel collection spot was, so don't ask! (Or…did I?) Audrey Eldridge grandmaaudrey2@gmail.com The Applegate loses a true community supporter …and the Applegater loses a comma-loving proofreader extraordinaire, who stuck with us through thick and thin for many years. We could never thank her enough for her support, not only with proofing, but also with the arduous task of preparing the paper for mailing. ank you, Kaye—you are unforgettable. Kathleen (Kaye) Clayton July 15, 1935 - October 15, 2015 It seems like forever that Kaye Clayton has been involved with the Applegater. She was a tremendous asset to the paper over the years—she proofread articles, proofed the final layout as the paper went to press, and was always available to help prepare the paper for mailing, a lengthy process. Back when I was working on the Applegater, we would always have a good laugh when I picked up corrected proof sheets from her. e laughs were usually at my expense and mostly about my spelling disorder with words of more than four letters. On one of those proof-pickup days, Kaye gave me the inside scoop on the CatBib when I told her how our cat Chloe had become such a bird killer. One of her cats was sporting this latest pussy- ware, and Kaye said the CatBib really did prevent the cat from slaughtering birds. Unfortunately, I had to pass on this novel invention when I thought that Chloe might claw my jugular as I slept. In between issues of the Applegater, I would run into Kaye in the Bi-Mart parking lot. Standing on the black asphalt, with temperatures around 100 degrees, we would discuss events taking place in the Applegate. e last time I spoke with Kaye was in that parking lot. I asked her if Bi-Mart had become her second home. She said, "No, but I'm sure it's yours. I always run into you here." I will miss Kaye. J.D. Rogers 541-846-7736 BY J.D. ROGERS Kaye Clayton, an Applegater asset Kaye, at her surprise 80th birthday party this year, shows off her "tattoos," a gift. From left to right, Kaye Clayton with Audrey Eldridge and Thalia Truesdell at the Applegate Grange-GACDC Mother's Day event 2015. Thank you, Beate! Beate Foit has been keeping the Applegater's books for more than a year, putting up with all sorts of nonprofit newsmagazine anomalies, and keeping it together in stride. She recently left the Applegater team, but we want her to know how much she was and is appreciated. It's a complicated and sometimes challenging role, that of bookkeeper. So thank you, Beate, for your precision and patience, and we wish you the best always. (By the way, it turns out that Beate is both a bookkeeper and a poet! A poem of Beate's appears on page 6.) Handcrafted 'Applecrates' for sale Beautiful planters called "Applecrates," built with donated local wood and volunteer labor, are for sale. All proceeds will help sustain the Applegater. You can see these useful and long-lasting Applecrates at Applegate Valley Realty, 935 N. Fifth Street, Jacksonville. e price of a stock planter box (see photo), 12" wide x 22" long x 14" deep, starts at $40. For more information or to volunteer to help, call Chris Bratt at 541-846-6988. Join us for a celebration of the authors who generously donated their talents to create From the Heart of the Applegate: Essays, Poems, and Short Fiction by Applegate Writers. e anthology will be going to press soon and will be available for purchase—and autographs!—at the reception. Sunday, January 24, 2016 3 to 6 pm Applegate River Lodge 15100 Highway 238, Applegate Appetizers will be served. Wine will be available for purchase. Live Music • Raffle Prize • Free Admission You're invited! Authors' Reception From the Heart of the Applegate

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