Lonny Ray Draheim

Lonny Ray Draheim

Lonny Ray Draheim died on his 54th birthday, June 9, 2009, as a result of an airplane accident near Elim, Alaska.

Lonny was born in 1955 in Eureka, Calif., a son of Rod and Babe Draheim. 

Lonny moved as a young child with his family to Jefferson, and then as a pre-teen to Medford. He graduated from Medford High School in 1973. He moved to Brookings in 1974.

In 1977 he met Suzette Lussier and they were married on May 18, 1978, in Azalea Park. Their daughter, Jill, was born in July of the following year.

Lonny and his father, Rod, worked in a construction partnership until Rod’s retirement.  Lonny then owned and operated Lonny Draheim Construction and built many homes and structures in the area. He had a lifelong love of sports and was instrumental in starting and running the Brookings Men’s Softball League in the late 1970s and 1980s. He was also instrumental in building the original baseball fields at Bud Cross Park and Agnew Park.  Lonny also ran and played in the local Adult Men’s Basketball league for several years. Lonny was also the first to volunteer for community projects including Kidtown, the Health Clinic at the high school, the original Snack Shack at Bud Cross Park, the restrooms at the port and numerous other service projects.

He was a member of the Brookings Flying Club, the CCHBA, the NRA, AOPA and the Elks Lodge 1934.

Lonny had a great love of animals and always had a menagerie of them at his ranch. He had a unique and special way with them.

As a family member said of him, “They don’t get much better than Lonny.”

Lonny leaves behind his wife Suzette, his daughter and son-in-law Jill and David Jensen and their two children Alayna and Dustin of Eugene, his parents Rod and Babe Draheim, his brother and sister-in-law Ron and Cindy Draheim, and sister and brother-in-law Debby and Shane Blofsky, all of Brookings; and several nieces and nephews. He also leaves his beloved dogs Charlie and Abby.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 27, at Trinity Lutheran Church, at Second and Easy Streets, Brookings.   Rev. Dr. Gordon Myrah will officiate.

 Remembrances may be made in his name to the Lonny Draheim Memorial Fund, in care of  Chetco Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 3000J, Harbor, OR 97415. The funds will be used for Brookings-Harbor High School athletic programs.

Submitted by Redwood Memorial Chapel.