Newsroom

CORVALLIS - Agriculture and history have figured large in the life of Fred Warner, a Baker City resident who is one of the 41 men and women who were honored as Diamond Pioneers in October by the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences.

Warner and others added to the College's Diamond Pioneer Registry were guests at a luncheon hosted by Dean Thayne Dutson at OSU's CH2M HILL Alumni Center in Corvallis. Guest speaker was John V. Byrne, OSU president emeritus and a fellow member of the 2003 Diamond Pioneer class.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Diamond Pioneer Registry, honoring those 75 years and older for their contributions to agriculture, OSU and their communities. The award, begun when the college observed its 75th anniversary, has been given to 746 persons, including this year's group.

The Baker County Livestock Association and the OSU Baker County Extension staff nominated Warner for the registry.

Warner's Century Farm is now home to the sixth generation of his family. He is a past president of the Baker Livestock Association and a past chair of the Baker Valley Vector Control District board and the board of the Federal Land Bank Association of La Grande. He was a founding member of the Tri-County Wool Pool.

As an original member of the Oregon Trail Preservation Trust, Warner helped to establish the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center. He was a long-time member of the Oregon Trail Regional Museum and served on the state Oregon Trail Advisory Council. He was honorary wagon master for the Oregon Trail sesquicentennial wagon train.

Others honored include (by city): Adams: Virginia Tubbs; Central Point: Kenneth Beebe; Cornelius: Don B. Anderson; Corvallis: Alfred Haunold, John V. Byrne, Charles Leach, William McGuire, H. Joe Myers, Burdette Peterson, Roger Peterson and Dale Weber; Hillsboro: Peter Jensen; Halsey: Vincent D. Dobbin and Glen Grossen; Island City: Ralph Hart; John Day: Arlene Oliver; Keizer: Harold Youngberg; Klamath Falls: James Elings and James Kerns; Moro: John Shipley and Donald Thompson; Ontario: Keith Gressley, Isao Kameshige and William Panike; Pendleton: Robert Ramig and Virgil Rupp; Phoenix: David Lowry; Portland: H. Ronald Cameron; Shedd: Len Forster and Floyd Smith; Sisters: Don Grabe; The Dalles: John R. Thienes and Eldon Wagenblast; Tigard: Carl Froude and Beverly Froude; Tillamook: Carl and Irene Bosch; Wamic: Everett Metzentine.