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Leslie Owen Weatherill, 97, died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 in Woodburn, Oregon. He was born December 13, 1921 in Falls City, Oregon. “No bigger than a buckshot” one of his uncles commented. From then on he was called “Buckshot” and then just “Buck”. When he was two, his parents, Charles and Annabelle, moved with his brother, Alvie, to Silverton where he became big brother to sister Celia. He lived in Silverton throughout his grade school and high school days, moving eleven times within the town, always with a cow in the backyard and a sumptuous garden to get them through the depression and lean years. Buck followed in his mother’s footsteps and became a devout Catholic at an early age, serving as an altar boy and always lending a helping hand wherever he could. He was a natural athlete and excelled in all sports in high school, becoming the captain of the football team, his favorite sport, when he was a senior. After graduation he joined the 41st National Guard Infantry Division and on December 7, 1941 the 41st was called to protect the Northwest coast from Japanese invasion. Soon after, the 41st mobilized for South Pacific duty, and were sent to overseas. A true American hero, he trained in Australia and fought the Japanese army in New Guinea, Biak Island, and the Philippines. He did not see American soil for four years, returning at the end of the war in August, 1945 to relieved and grateful parents. After returning, he met the love of his life, Jean McClanathan. It was love at first sight, he liked to say. They courted for one year, while he attended University of Portland and she attended University of Oregon. They were married August 25, 1946 and moved to Vanport, Oregon where their first child was born. After the historic Vanport flood, in which they lost all of their possessions, Buck continued his studies and graduated with a teaching degree in English and Science. He moved his growing family to St. Paul, Oregon where he taught and coached for fourteen years, taking St. Paul’s football team to the state championship in 1959. By now he had four children to raise on one small salary, so he worked summers to make ends meet and continued in the Guards for another twenty three years, before retiring as a Captain. He moved his family to Woodburn in 1959, switching from St. Paul parish to St. Luke parish, where he was an active member for sixty years. He taught English at WHS and coached every sport, ending with golf. He was very proud that one of his golfers won the state trophy. In 1972 he and Jean hosted Tim Bakalakos, a foreign exchange student, for one year. They remained close until his death. He finally retired in 1984 but that did not stop him from devoting hundreds of hours to volunteering with St. Vincent De Paul. He served as President of that organization for nine years, helping local families with everything they needed in order to take care of their families. He brought communion to the elderly in their homes, did perpetual prayer at 3:00 in the morning at Sacred Heart parish in Gervais, OR, and was a reader for mass for many years. He was an avid golfer and won many golf tournaments, trophies, and scored five hole-in-ones! He was named the number one golfer at Senior Estates several times, and was quite proud of his golfing achievements. He and Jean enjoyed traveling and took many tours to Europe with friends. He loved to garden and had a green thumb. Golf and gardening were the two things he missed most when he moved to assisted living at age 94.

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Leslie "Buck" Owen Weatherill

December 13, 1921 - September 17, 2019