Wasco County Pioneer Association Names 2026 Pioneers of the Year

May 4

Written By Columbia Community Connection

Wasco County Pioneer Association:

By Carolyn Wood

The Dalles, Ore., May 4, 2026 — Wasco County Pioneer Association named James A. Olheiser and Ruth Ann Rondeau Cutler the 2026 Pioneers of the year, Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the 104 th annual meeting of the organization, held at St. Mary’s School gymnasium in The Dalles, Oregon

Attendees had the opportunity to view 30 of the association’s collection of over 250 historic picture boards. The meeting was opened by President Sam Woolsey after a traditional salmon luncheon.

Pioneer Man of the Year James A. Olheiser

This year’s Pioneer Man of the Year, James Olheiser, arrived in The Dalles in 1984. His first job was at Spooky’s. His grandparents were German, whose ancestors fled to Odessa, Russia, long before they emigrated from Odessa to the United States. Both sets of his grandparents arrived in Mott, North Dakota, in about 1900, where they established homesteads. His parents met and married in North Dakota, migrated to Oregon, and lived near Mt. Angel, where Jim was born, the youngest of 10 children, 8 boys and 2 girls. When he was 4 or 5, the family moved to Prineville, where his dad had a dairy farm. His first job away from the farm was at age 14, working in a restaurant. Jim attended grade school in Prineville and graduated from Crook County High School in 1982.

In The Dalles, he met and married his wife of 36 years, Lee Ann Gilmore. They married in 1988 and have 2 daughters. In 1990, Jim took over managing the family business, Gilmore Fish House in Dallesport, which seasonally sells fresh salmon plus the smoked salmon. He started the catering business to put his daughters through college and veterinary school. The love of animals led them to the veterinary business. His wife works for a veterinarian and daughter Hailee is a veterinarian; second daughter Hannah is married to a veterinarian and also work in the veterinary business.

Jim's first connection to the Wasco County Pioneers was when he worked with Alvie Clark preparing the luncheon for the Pioneers when we met at the Calvary Baptist Church. Jim has continued providing the great lunches for the Pioneers’ annual gathering, the first Saturday of May each year, since 2000, when Alvie retired. Jim is the proud “PopPop” to 3 grandsons. We thank Jim for his many years of serving great Salmon luncheons to the Wasco County Pioneers.

Pioneer Woman of the Year Ruth Ann Rondeau Cutler

Our pioneer woman this year is Ruth Ann Rondeau Cutler, born to Ester Rita Anthony and Oliver Joseph Rondeau of Dufur. Her folks met when her mother was helping cook for the harvest crew, and Oliver was working for the Rondeau family ranch.

Ruth is a 5th-generation Oregonian. Her great-great-grandmother, Mary Pigget, came to America from Ireland and then traveled around Cape Horn by ship to Oregon. Her great-great-grandfather, Milo Cushing, came to The Dalles with U.S. Grant’s troops on horseback to Fort Dalles. They met here and married, then homesteaded near Cushing Falls south of Seufert Park on 15 Mile Creek. Their son, William, married Josephine Kneble and enlarged the Cushing Ranch. Ruth’s grandfather, Eble J. Anthony, married Elizabeth Cushing; he helped on the farm and worked for the railroad and telegraph office.

Her mother, Rita Anthony, married Oliver Rondeau, who became a farm equipment mechanic working for the Muller Case Equipment Dealer. Her family lived on Old Dufur Road near her cousins and was part of the 10th Street Kids who played ball in the street with neighbors Mary Bursley Davis, Les Cochenour and cousin Anita Anthony Ordway. Ruth attended St. Mary’s then The Dalles Junior High and graduated from TDHS in 1961. Ruth attended Marylhurst College where she majored in art and business. In 1967 she married Glen Cutler and move to Mosier. An artist he created many fine stained-glass pieces. They had two sons, Mike and David also artists. Ruth has been a long-time Pioneer and faithful Wasco County Historical Society member, serving as secretary for many years. She is another connection to the Rondeau, Cushing, Howell, Oades, Anthony, Campbell, Remington, Wagonblast, and Metteer pioneer families, who were all early settlers of North Wasco County.

The Wasco County Pioneers were organized in 1922 and hold their luncheon annually on the first Saturday of May. Anyone with an interest in local history is welcome to become a member. For more information, contact the Fort Dalles Museum or the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.