Staff & Board of Directors
Staff
Heather Farquhar, Executive Director
Heather was born and raised in Paradise, CA to Scottish immigrant parents. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in her early 20s. Heather has many years in the museum field, as well as a background in retail management and as an investigative assistant with a District Attorney’s office. She obtained a degree in history from CSU Hayward, with enough credits for minors in anthropology, art history, and religious studies as well, and a master’s degree in museum studies from J.F. Kennedy University. Heather worked as an intern with the C.E. Smith Museum of Anthropology, The Names Project, The Oakland Museum of CA, and the Hayward Area Historical Society, where she would later be hired. As the Collections & Historic Properties Manager for HAHS, she gained an extensive knowledge about collections management, historic property management, historic preservation projects, fundraising, and museum education. After 13 years, she became the Deputy Director at the Los Altos History Museum, where she expanded her knowledge to include organizational and financial management. Most recently, Heather was the Executive Director at the Shasta Historical Society where she helped the organization through the difficult COVID-19 period, modernize their technology and educational efforts, and created a structure that will propel them into the future. Heather’s love of history comes from listening to the stories her grandparents used to tell. In museums, she has found a way to help communities preserve and explore similar stories and there are so many stories to tell.
She is very excited about this opportunity at YCHS as she has personal connections to the area and believes the possibilities for the organization’s future are endless. Heather was introduced to Yamhill County history while researching a historic property she managed owned by William Meek and neighbor Henderson Lewelling, settlers in Clackamas County. Her son-in-law’s family is one of the oldest in Yamhill County, the Stahlnecker Family. Heather believes the YCHS is on the verge of great things and has just begun to scratch the surface of its potential. Outside of work Heather enjoys reading, dancing, travelling, family, is a past President of Clan Farquharson, U.S.A., attends Scottish games, loves a good Scotch tasting, and doing genealology.
Board
Dave Rucker, President
Fourth-generation Yamhill County resident Dave Rucker has rediscovered his hometown right here at the Yamhill County Historical Society and has been a board member for 8 years.
After graduating from Mac High, Dave was anxious to leave McMinnville and head for the big city of Portland to claim his share of fame and fortune. After 30 years in Portland and Eugene, and an occupation that allowed frequent travels to numerous metropolis cities, he realized McMinnville was his favorite town and he returned to Yamhill County in 2014.
Once settled back in Mac, Dave began to see how much home had changed. He felt more out-of-place than he’d expected until he came out to a YCHS event called Farm Fest. It was like someone had captured his first 17 years in McMinnville in a bottle. He saw friends from long ago, folks who knew his parents and grandparents, and of course, tractors, lots of tractors. The stories of founding residents and the familiar names of Century Farms and Families were on display throughout. Every kid was learning and every adult was remembering and teaching. Dave became a YCHS member and volunteer on the spot. The town and some of the people had changed, but the great thing about history- it doesn’t change.
After a few more trips to the Heritage Center, the importance of preserving and sharing our Yamhill County history sank in. Dave joined the Board of Directors in 2015 with the purpose of being a part of YCHS’s future. As a board member today, he still stands firm on that purpose, because every boy should have a place to call hometown.
Jim Sumerlin, Vice President
Jim was born and raised in the small town of Myrtle Point in southwestern Oregon. He lived in a small house next to his grandparents’ dairy and learned how to drive a tractor before he could ride a bicycle. Growing up in the country, he developed a lifelong enjoyment of hunting and fishing.
While going to college he married his high school sweetheart Jeannie. At the time he was working for Coos Head Builders, a small lumber yard in North Bend, Oregon. It was there that he became interested in woodworking, pastime he enjoys to this day.
In 1978 Jim worked as a part time Christmas driver for United Parcel Service. After Christmas he was hired as a full-time driver. Jim worked his way up from driver to Operations Center Manager. As Center Manager, he was transferred several times. The last transfer was to Tualatin. He chose to live in McMinnville at that time and has been in the same house for 26+ years now.
After retiring from UPS Jim was looking for something to do with his time and went to work for Parr Lumber in sales at the Newberg store where he spent another 10 years. After completely retiring and looking for something to do, Jim was introduced to YCHS by Walt Stahlnecker. He took over the wood shop operation 4 years ago and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2024. Jim really enjoys the camaraderie of all the volunteers and staff and is looking forward to many more years of service.
Pam Watts, Treasurer
Pam has been an active volunteer for the Yamhill County Historical Society for many years, most recently serving three years as President of the Society and now serving as Treasurer. She also supervised staff and administrative operations for several years, coordinated events, and has done a variety of other things needing to be done. She is pleased that during her involvement as President, the Society has grown, consolidated its operations, sold its Lafayette properties, constructed a new research center at the Heritage Center, and hired an Executive Director.
Pam has been in Yamhill County all her life – born and raised in Newberg, marrying a McMinnville boy (50 years ago!), and living and being involved in the McMinnville community all her adult life. Prior to retiring, Pam worked for several local businesses, holding administrative and sales positions in the legal, insurance, real estate and nonprofit arenas. She has coordinated a variety of events and enjoys meeting people and seeing how she can be of help.
Pam, Cliff, and their dog Max live in a 1914 farmhouse southwest of McMinnville, and gladly put up the rope swings and get the farm toys out to welcome their daughter, Janelle, son-in-law Ian, and granddaughters Isla, and Mara, to the farm whenever they can make it from Bonney Lake, Washington! The front porch is a welcoming spot for gatherings and the back field has hosted many family and friend reunions.
“I look forward to continuing my involvement with YCHS and helping further its mission to preserve and share our community’s history.”
Karen Christianson, Secretary
Alex Botten, Board Member
Alex Botten was raised on a small farm outside of Carlton, Oregon. He graduated from Linfield College in 1998 with a degree in business and started working at Northwest Logging Supply when he was a freshman in high school. He purchased the company in 1999. Alex has a wife and two daughters, and his family lives in McMinnville. He loves spending his free time doing farm work and raising cattle, along with fishing and hunting.
Alex recently served a 6-year term on the YCHS Board and held the positions of Secretary and Treasurer. He is also a volunteer maintaining the Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery. Alex enjoys giving his time and supporting the YCHS because it has become a huge asset to our community and a great education tool for all ages.
Charles Hillestad, Board Member
Donn Callaham, Board Member
Donn wound up here in Oregon by choice. He spent his first 25 or so years living in different states in very different parts of the country, and decided to live here because of the climate, rural atmosphere, and amazing abundance of plant life.
He first began at the museum as a volunteer in the Pioneer School program, as a blacksmith. Enjoying that, he moved on to interaction with the kids on the covered wagon and doing assorted hands-on woodworking with the kids, using 1800’s tools and techniques. He recently began his career as a schoolmaster at the museum schoolhouse and is trying hard to live up to the standards set by Carolyn, our recently retired schoolmarm.
Donn is also a greeter/docent every Saturday afternoon, diligently but politely urging our guests to let him tour the museum with them, explaining to them our eclectic and fascinating exhibits. The more time he spends here the more he enjoys both the local history and interacting with all the welcoming volunteers who work here.
Cynthia Christensen, Board Member
Cynthia’s father’s side came to Oregon via covered wagon and settled in the Hells Canyon region in 1880. Her mother’s side were WWII refugees from Estonia. Her mother had married a US Serviceman, and they were eventually able to settle and stay in the US.
She became interested in what life was like in the 1800’s from reading too many “Little House” and similar books. She hated formal history because of having to memorize dates and fell in love with “Living History” when she was 13 years old after visiting places like Jamestown. She wanted to work at one of those places when she grew older. When she had the opportunity to work in the bush in Alaska as a teenager, she took it as she was fascinated about how one lives without the “modern conveniences” that we take for granted.
Cynthia lives on a Century farm in a house built in 1863. She purchased the property from family in 1999. Most of her property is leased to a relative but she farms: Chestnuts, Christmas trees, and sheep. On a smaller scale, she also raises a variety of poultry, Nigerian dwarf dairy goats, two guard alpacas, one pony, a house cat, and two dogs who help out at Pioneer Days. She has 40+ acres of an ongoing oak savannah/woodland restoration project. In her professional life Cynthia has done biomedical research and taught high school science for many years. She is married with two daughters and two grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys hunting, knitting, spinning, weaving, gardening, canning, and travel.
She first volunteered with kids’ activities, and animals in 2008 at Harvest Fest and was helping out with our Pioneer Days program before she became a member. She joined the Society in 2010 and was on the Board of Directors in 2011. She has been on the board for more than 3 non-consecutive terms. Cynthia has also been the education Coordinator since 2012.
Natasha Dillon, Board Member
Natasha has lived in Yamhill County for 18 years. She was born in Portland and raised in Tigard but has strong ties to the Yamhill County area through her family. Natasha’s grandfather was born and raised in Willamina and his grandfather’s dentist chair is on display in the museum there. Her husband’s ancestors helped establish George Fox College (now George Fox University) back in 1891.
By day Natasha is Universal Banker at First Federal. She feels lucky to be able to work with businesses and people within our community daily to make their banking needs, wants and dreams a reality. She loves the connection and community that First Federal fosters, including all the volunteer opportunities they provide.
Natasha has been married for 17 years and has 2 awesome children. Her husband, Cory, and kids Harley and Wyatt love to volunteer in our community. Her family felt privileged to be able to volunteer this year at Harvest Fest and loved every minute of it!
She believes the connection with history helps us understand previous generations. If we cannot see, touch, or learn from our history, we are destined to repeat all the folies.
Peter Druckenmiller, Board Member
Charles Hillestad, Board Member
Kory Knutz, Board Member
Jack Maxwell III, Board Member
Erika Schlotfeldt, Board Member