Baker City, Baker County, Oregon
Joe Jewett, 93, of La Grande, died Feb. 19, 2005.
He was born May 13, 1911 in Helena, Montana to George and Alice Geary Jewett.
His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Christian Church in La Grande. Visitations will be until 4 p.m. today at Loveland Funeral Chapel.
Joe was raised at Winston, Mont. He went to electrical school in Chicago, and graduated after one year. He returned to Aberdeen, Wash., to finish his high school education as an adult.
He worked about 1 year before deciding to go to college and into the ministry. He attended Whitman College at Walla Walla, Wash., for one year.
In September 1935 he started preaching at Montesano, Wash. There he married Helen Fry on September 28, 1935.
Joe graduated with a bachelor of theology degree and a bachelor of oratory degree from the Northwest Christian College at Eugene.
He worked his way through college by starting a new congregation at a Christian Church in Florence until 1938. Joe and Helen moved to Enid, Okla., for graduate work.
He preached at Fairview Christian Church in Sandcreek, Okla., until 1940 where he earned his masters of arts degree and bachelor of divinity. In 1941, he moved to Milton-Freewater, and preached at the Christian Church until 1946.
Joe and Helen made their home in Heppner for two years while he preached at the Christian Church. They moved to Baker City and preached at the First Christian Church for more than 21 years. Joe then moved to Enterprise and ministered at the Christian Church from 1969 until his retirement in June of 1976.
After his retirement, he worked at Red’s Horse Ranch in Minam River for one summer. Joe and Helen managed Minam Lodge for two summers in 1977 and 1978.
In the fall of 1978 he moved to winter at Yuma, Ariz. He then went to Goldendale and picked up parts for John Deere Co. between Goldendale and Portland for four summers.
In September 1979 he worked part time at First Christian Church at Yuma, Ariz., working with seniors for five years.
In 1984, he worked three months for Far East Broadcasting Co. in Saipan. He then worked for a travel agency, escorting groups all over the world for five years. Joe traveled to every continent in the world except Antarctica.
He sold fire insurance at Yuma, Ariz., for one year, receiving many selling awards before moving to Centralia, Wash., in May of 1993.
Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Helen; two daughters and their spouses, Joanne and Richard Sweet of La Grande, and Doris and Gerald Lundmark of Enterprise; son and daughter-in-law, Robert D. and Joyce Jewett of Chehalis, Wash.; six grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers and one sister; his granddaughter, Bethel Sweet Gomez; and two grandsons, Robert Joseph Jewett and Andrew William Howard.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cove Christian Camp through Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande, OR 97850.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 25, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor