Death called two of the Grande Ronde valley’s foremost pioneer women during the weekend, when Mrs. Mary Spencer, 83, died Friday afternoon and Mrs. Mary Foley, 72, early Saturday morning.
Each had been closely associated with, and helped make, the history of this country for 71 years, each having settled here in 1865.
Funeral services for Mrs. Spencer were held at the Snodgrass & Zimmerman chapel yesterday afternoon, with Rev. Paul De. F. Mortimore in charge. Burial followed in the cemetery at Island City beside her husband, Joseph Spencer, who died August 26, 1911.
Mary Josephine Buchanan was born in Iowa February 26, 1853. She crossed the plains to the Oregon country with her parents in 1865, locating in the Grande Ronde valley where she lived until her death. She was married to Mr. Spencer in December 1871, in La Grande. Three of her 10 children preceded her in death. She died after a long illness at her home here, at the age of 83 years, 4 months, 7 days. Mrs. Spencer was a member of the Christian church.
Survivors include 7 sons; Marion, Jesse, Charles, Roy, Fred, Lawrence and Bert; a brother, Joe Buchanan, Burns; a sister, Mrs. Eliza Martin, Moro; 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The La Grande Evening Observer
Monday, July 6, 1936
Front Page
Contibuted by: Tom Childers