Othello's Hafer remembered by family at ag hall of fame dinner

The Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame officially inducted Adams County's Orvalla Hafer at a dinner ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 17 in Pasco.

Hafer, who was honored with the "Pioneer Award," was inducted along with three other people or couples. Hafer's induction was particularly emotional, however, as she was being honored posthumously. Hafer was introduced by her grandson Jacob and her award was accepted by her daughter Holly Kenner.

Orvalla Hafer and her husband, Raymond, settled in Adams County and established Hafer Farms in Othello. Orvalla spent a lot of her life volunteering and teaching farming to the next generation.

Her grandson said one of the things he most remembered his grandmother by is her work ethic.

"Those of you who had the joy of knowing my grandmother knew the hard worker she was, and how she loved to work to promote others over herself," Jacob Hafer said at the award dinner.

Jacob talked about his grandparents starting the farm and struggling to keep it open in the early days before it became what it is today. He talked about one year when the couple was struggling to pay the land payment, Orvalla raised and sold enough calves to cover the payment.

"She saved the farm," Jacob Hafer said. "And she remembered that forever."

Kenner talked about her mother's dedication as a volunteer. She recalled a time when Orvalla told her she was coming to visit.

"She said, 'I'm going to get some apples and then I'm going to take them to the old people,'" Kenner said. "She was 80 at the time. So she was busy helping people her whole life, right up to the end."

Throughout her life, Orvalla volunteered with several organizations, including 4-H, the Adams County Fair Board and the Othello Jr. Livestock Sale Association. She also was a founding member of Columbia Basin Jr. Livestock Show and Memorial Garden.

Hafer passed away in Spokane in 2017.

Hafer was one of two inductees being honored with the Pioneer Award. Jim and Cindy Lancaster of Franklin County also received the award.

The other inductees were honored with different awards. Greg and Shae Frichette of Frichette Winery won the "Rising Stars" Award. Dennis Munden, who taught ag at Kamiakin, Columbia, Pasco, Warden and River View High Schools, was recipient of the The Agriculture Advisor Award. Finally, Pasco's Denny Hayden received The Stewardship Award.