Wistar Morris “Wis” Adair Jr., 75, of Dundee, a former Baker City resident, died June 10, 2001, at his home.
His graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Pleasant View Cemetery at Sherwood with Pastor Walter Dingfield officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Attrell’s Newberg Chapel.
Mr. Adair was born on Dec. 9, 1925, at Portland to Wistar M. Adair Sr. and Margaret L. Weeks Adair. He moved to Sherwood at the age of 9 and was reared on the family farm. He attended the local schools and was a 1943 Sherwood High School graduate.
He entered the U.S. Navy on Dec. 8, 1943, and was called to duty in the Asian campaign in the Pacific, including Okinawa, during World War II. He was honorably discharged on May 16, 1946.
He then attended Oregon State College, now known as Oregon State University, graduating in agricultural engineering in 1950. He was called again to serve his country on Nov. 7, 1950, during the Korean War. He served aboard the USS Dextrous, mine sweeping along the Korean Coast. He was honorably discharged on May 16, 1954.
He was a recipient of these medals: Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Expert Rifleman Medal, Korean Service Medal and the United National Service Medal.
He married Charlotte Meek on May 7, 1955, at Corvallis. They lived for a year and a half at Albany where he was a volunteer fireman for the Albany Fire Department and he worked as an irrigation engineer. They then moved to Mount Angel where he started working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a resident engineer for two years for the Soil and Water Conservation districts in Marion and Polk counties.
In 1957, they moved to Baker City where he worked for the USDA for 20 years in many positions, including district engineer and area engineer for the Soil Conservation Service. After retiring from the USDA office at Hillsboro in 1982, he purchased a small business, which he operated until his death.
He was an avid farmer and also greatly enjoyed working his family farm at Dundee. He also especially enjoyed spending time with his family. He attended several local churches. He was a member of the American Veterans at Salem, the Baker Rotary Club and the National Rifle Association.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte Adair of Dundee; his son, Jim Adair of Dundee; two daughters, Katherine Adair of Beaverton and Laurie Adair-Dirks and her husband, Brian Dirks, of Dundee; and many nieces and nephews; and those who came to know and appreciate him where he lived and worked.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Rodney Adair, in 1954.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Cancer Institute through Attrell’s Newberg Chapel, 207 Villa Road, Newberg, Ore. 97312.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, June 15, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor