Obituaries for February 24 2009

Gienel Marie Umayam (Lattin) DelCurto, 28, died Feb. 20, 2009, at Richland.

Her funeral and a celebration of her life will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Richland Christian Church. Interment will be at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Friends are invited to join the family for a potluck reception after the interment at the New Bridge Grange.

Gienel Marie was born on March 30, 1980, at Phoenix, Ariz., to Patrick and Gloria Lattin. The family moved to Richland in June 1990.

Gienel attended Richland Elementary School and Pine-Eagle High School at Halfway, graduating in 1998. She went on to attend Southern Oregon University at Ashland where she received a bachelor’s degree in criminology.

Gienel and Chad DelCurto were married on June 10, 2006, at Richland where they made their home. They have one son, Conner John, who was born on May 15, 2008.

A remembrance for many was that Gienel was always “so nice” and her genuine smile, cute freckles and long dark hair always brightened everyone’s day, which complemented her work environment for a time at the Hitchin’ Post Grocery Store, the Shorthorn Restaurant and later at the U.S. Post Office in Richland.

She was also a very hard worker and dedicated in whatever she chose to do.

Gienel enjoyed spending time with her family, farming with her husband, scrapbooking, and quilting, among other things. She was a devoted mother and a loving wife.

After Conner’s birth, Gienel started having regular “photo shoots,” as she cherished each and every smile, giggle and move Conner made.

Gienel inspired a liveliness within the community that was much welcomed.

“She had a compassion for people from all walks of life and we were all deeply honored to have known her,” community members said.

The family extends a special thanks to John and Dorothy Randall and to Chad’s mother, Judy, for all the loving care they gave Gienel.

Survivors include her husband, Chad, and son, Conner, of Richland; father, Patrick Lattin, and his wife, Kathy, of Richland; mother Gloria Liwanag of San Diego; brother, Shean Lattin of La Grande; stepsister, Lisa Kaiser of Bloomington, Minn.; stepbrother, Eric Farstad of Richland; and numerous relatives of the Randall and Lattin families.

Memorial contributions may be made the Eagle Valley Cemetery or Eagle Valley Fire Department through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.