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Newspaper Archive of
The Goldendale Sentinel
Goldendale , Washington
August 5, 2004     The Goldendale Sentinel
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August 5, 2004
 
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USE SUBJECT TO LICENSE AGREEMENT. REPRODUCTION, DISSEMINATION, STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION PROHIBITED. PAGE 16 AUGUST By SAM LOWRY News Reporter The news hit hard in Goldend'ale that Tom Seifert and climbing partner Gary Gentz of White Sahnon had been killed in an accident late last week. Seifert had been an active and beloved member of the Goldendale community since he moved here in 1978. "We lost the best part of us," said Steve Royall, plant manager at Calpine's Goldendale Energy Center, where the two climbers met and worked together. "Both guys were highly respected and loved by [Calpine] staff," Royall said. "It is a loss.., on a personal level." Gen~ was an "Operator A," running the control room, and Seifert an "Operator B," with outside-the-plant duties, together operating the plant as part of a team. 'q'hey were drawn together by their love of the outdoors... They were the best of friends," Royall said. Gentz, a former plant manager who had been in the electric power business for 25 years, moved to White Sahnon three years ago with his wife, Sandy, "because he loved the outdoors," Royall said. "Gary has been adventurous from practically the day he was born," said Sandy Gentz. "He was a wonderful husband, father, and friend. All of my family loved him. He really loved - especially lately - nature. I know that t 1 Contributed photo Just for fun, Tom Seifert and Gary Erickson of Goldendale hauled a campaign sign to the summit of Mt. Hood this sprin'g. he had a strong faith.., in the way you should treat people. Gary was just nice - to me, to everyone." Seifert was new to the power busi- ness, having embraced a mid-career move to Calpine this year after several years as business development special- ist for die Kliekitat County Economic Development Department. "There is a big hole right in the mid- dle of my chest," said Dana Peck, Seifert's colleague at Economic Development. "He was an incredible guy, mad he did more for this county than most people even begin to real- ize." County Commissioner Joan Frey, who worked closely with Seifert on projects that included retrieving the vintage steam locomotive that now occupies its own museum in Wishram, called him "probably the most i~redi- ble person I've ever worked with." The words she enjoyed hearing him utter, Frey said, were, "Sure, I can do that," referring to has habit of being perpetually "positive, energetic and kind." "All I can tell myself now is how lucky I was to have worked with some- body like him," Frey said. "He tends to make a better person out of you - if you pay attention." Of her friend's death during an adventure, Frey said, "He went the way he lived." Seifert was first known locally, before working for the county, as a beer distributor. He went into partnership with his father, Bud Seifert of Vancouver, in 1978, after attending Washington State University. He moved to Goldendale for the job, met and married Judy McKinney - and stayed, his father said. 'q'om loved Goldendale and loved raising the girls here." he added. The Seiferts have two daughters, Kimberly and Alanda. "He was a great father, business partner, and friend... You'd know which a person was talking~ they called him Tom, Thonlas." The elder Seifert said built the distributorship successful business. He awards. He sent me and: Alaska, San Diego, the and Hungary - he won didn't want to go, so One of four children, was born in Port An in Vancouver, where he: from Columbia River High! Seifert played baseball ball in school, and his carried into his adult Goldendale. He coached baseball at Goldendale and he make the Hood "He started helping GHS Principal Mike "We lost one JV coach. teered.., and did it for years. He donated his Seifert generated all the build the field, Lindhe the need for a nice all, and it was his idea recognition," to others "His interests were I'm sure you could talk to: and hear lOO different was wonderful." r memorial be held in gym on Saturday, ACCIDENT from page I Eriekson said. "But your anchor's only as good as the rock." Most Cascade volcanoes, including Washington, have notoriously poor rock. Burright told The Sentinel that according to Mark Foster, who led the party that found the men, one climber undoubt- edly fell and pulled the other off. One or the other may have been belaying, braced to the rock, according to Foster, but probably not anchored using hardware. Eriekson said his friends, both practiced mountaineers, had been training recently at Horsethief Butte for rock climb- He imagines them getting into a situation that frightened them - "where the ground moved under them" - causing an error, or where the leader was hit by a falling rock. AIRPORT from page I which would be covered by the FAA. "I think it really translates into a priority of needs," Miller said, noting that overall airport capital needs total some $7.8 million, excluding 2-20, 95 percent of which could be paid for by FAA funds. In additiofi, if part of the runway were converted to a taxiway, as is planned, it would be eligible for 95 percent FAA funding. If the other runway portion were converted to tar- mac, it could also be eligible. "And it's not strictly a cost issue," Miller said. He considered industrial development at the south end of 2-2o as a significant factor on the financial success of the airport. A pilot in the audience asked why development couldn't take place on other portions of the airport. "We designed the sewer system to serve that part because, frankly, it has been envisioned as an industrial park since at least the 199os," explained Dana Peck, Klickitat County's economic development director, who stepped up to talk about development and marketing. "And if you go out and tramp around that property, it's actually flat. From an indus- trial developer's perspective, that's the best ground." A variety of officials spoke about other airport projects, including an instrument land- ing system, runway lighting and resurfacing, aircraft hangars and terminal improvements. But when the meeting was opened to public comment, the main topic of discussion was drag racing. "A lot of people are here because of that issue," said Jerry Jeffers, who described himself as a pilot and former drag racer. Jeffers asked for a show of hands indicating who was there because of drag rae- ing, to which more than half of the audience responded. "Runway 2-20 is a great place to have [drag racing]," Jeffers said, adding that drag racing is a great way to help support the airport, and allow the public to use it. "It is the general public that supports the airport, not the pilots," he said. Other audience members also spoke about racing, either once a year, or on a more regular basis. "I think it is one of the best things to happen to the air- port," said Dave Farley, noting that it raised almost as much money as a month's hangar rental revenue One man asked to consider remainder of the 2-20 to alternate ing racing and once the 35-foot to a taxiway is set Councilors sioners made no regarding the way 2-20. The Dalles City set to address the Monday, Sept. 13, Kliekitat already supporting the economic poses to the Is your family photo album missing a picture? We may have it at The Goldendale Sentinel. Stop by