Halfway, Oregon
Mary Belle LaRue, 69, a longtime resident of Halfway, died June 10, 2003, at her home.
Her graveside service will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Pastor David Myhill of Pine Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. Vault interment will follow the ceremony.
Mary was born Aug. 24, 1933, in Hopkinton, Iowa. She was a daughter of Manley L. and Florence M. (Davis) Ratcliff. The family moved to Halfway in December of 1935 when Mary was just a baby.
She lived and received her schooling in Halfway, graduating from Halfway High School. Before graduation, she went to work for Ernest and Elaine Huff at the Pine Telephone System in 1950. On Sept. 15, 1951, she married Lester “Bud” LaRue at the Christian Church in Halfway.
Mary worked for the Pine Telephone Company for a total of 45 years and retired in August 1995. After her retirement, she and Bud enjoyed life. She was a loving person and cared deeply for her friends and family. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, VFW Post 7847 in Halfway.
Mary was and is the “best.” A kind, loving and loyal wife and mother, honest, generous and genuine to all. She is and will be forever loved and missed.
She is survived by her loving husband of 51 years, Lester Earle “Bud” LaRue of Halfway; son, Bert Manley LaRue of Nyssa; daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Daniel Kloss of Albany; grandchildren, Hayden and Mikayla Kloss of Albany; sisters, Berdina Huff of Halfway, Ruth Walters of Hermiston and Betty Tucker of Stanfield; special and long-time friends, the George Fenton families of Umatilla, Jerry and Nona Woods of Hillsboro and Don and Bonnie Vannice of Halfway and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Florence May Davis Ratcliff and Manley Lawton Ratcliff; sisters, Phyllis Ratcliff and Virginia Ratcliff; and brother Manley Ratcliff Jr.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Halfway Ambulance Fund through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, June 13, 2003
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor