Arizona

Biography of Floyd Ray Hill

Floyd Ray Hill, Secretary and manager of the Muskogee Home Building Company, was born in Barton County, Missouri, March 11, 1888. He obtained a public school education and in his youth was employed in connection with horse racing. He was afterward with an importer of horses for a period of years and sold fine stock. In 1914 he engaged in the life insurance business in California, organizing the California State Life Company, which he represented as a salesman for a year and a half. He was afterward engaged in the insurance business in Arizona and in 1917 he came to … Read more

Richins, Holladay Mrs. – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Mary Holladay Richins, wife of Osburn Richins, died of uremic poisoning at her home in Union Oregon, Saturday, March 12, 1910, at 9:15 p.m. The funeral took place Monday at 2 p.m., from the L.D.S. church which was crowded to the doors, not only with people of the Mormon faith but also with business men and the people generally of the city. The service was opened with music by the L.D.S. choir, led by J.W. Baxter,Jr., the meeting being presided over by Bishop W.D. Hanks. The speakers were: Patriarch James England, of Union, A.S. Geddes, Stake … Read more

Robinson, George – Obituary

George Robinson Passes At Baker George H. Robinson, 73 year old Mesa Ariz., farmer and former La Grande resident, died in Baker suddenly Monday. Funeral services will be at the Snodgrass Funeral Home Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Rev. Gene Robinson will officiate and interment will be in City Cemetery. Mr. Robinson was born in La Grande, Nov. 18, 1882. He spent much of his life in Oregon. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Edith L. Robinson of Tempe, Ariz.; four sons, Wallace, Tempe Ariz., Eldon of Corona, Calif., Gene of Spokane, and Leslie of Pendleton; one daughter, Mrs. Betty Mae … Read more

Sirrine, Laura Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. Laura Sirrine, wife of Theodore Sirrine, of North Union, died of heart failure at about 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon of this week. Mrs. T. C. Sirrine passed away suddenly at the home residence in Union at 3 p. m. Tuesday last. She had been poorly for over two years. Mrs. Sirrine was Laura Holmes of Montpelier, Idaho. She was born June 15, 1852, and married T. C. Sirrine Nov. 14, 1869 at Montpelier, Idaho. In the fall of 1877 Mrs. Sirrine and her husband left Idaho and went to Salt River Valley, Arizona, by team and arrived there Jan. … Read more

Wilson, Freda Jones – Obituary

LaGrande, Oregon Freda Jones Wilson, 84, of Quartzite, Ariz., and formerly of La Grande, died May 10 at her home. Burial was at the Cove Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Wilson was born June 14, 1921, to Jedediah Lunt and Genevieve Mitchell Jones in Cedar City, Utah. On August 13, 1935, she married Simeon Presley Wilson in Maysvale, Utah. She worked as a licensed practical nurse before her retirement. She was a member of the Seventh-day-Adventist Church and enjoyed sewing. Survivors include children, Presley Duane Wilson of Boise, Freda Carol Meharry of Meridian, Idaho, and … Read more

Harrison, Hazel – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Hazel Harrison, 93, of Yuma, Ariz., and formerly of La Grande and Island City, died July 6. The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Friday July 14 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Yuma. Mrs. Harrison was born June 19, 1913, to Henry and Flora Herrmann in Hester, Mo. She was raised in Island City, and graduated from La Grande High School. She married Howard Bousquet, and after his death, Albert Harrison. He also died earlier. She worked at the Umatilla Ordnance Depot in the early 1940s, and at the Yuma Proving Grounds from 1963 until her retirement … Read more

Blaylock, Betty Ann – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Betty Ann Blaylock, 61, of Salome, Ariz., and formerly of Cove, died suddenly July 18. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Calvary Baptist Church, 707 Main Street, Cove. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. She was born in La Grande at the old Grande Ronde Hospital, May 31, 1945, to Leonard Francis Barnett and Lela Melvina Land. She spent all of her childhood years in Cove. She graduated from Cove High School. She married Clarence Lee Blaylock June 6, 1964, in Cove. Mrs. Blaylock had a love for life and always … Read more

Thompson, Jacklyn L. Grape – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Jacklyn L. Grape Thompson, 67, of Pendleton and formerly of Cove died July 4 at St. Elizabeth Hospital. A memorial and potluck supper will begin at 3 p.m. July 22 at the Cove Sportsmen’s Club. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Thompson was born Sept. 17, 1938, to Jack and Jessie Robertson Stareo in Starkey. The family moved to Cove in 1940, and she graduated from Cove High School in 1948. She graduated from Eastern Oregon Normal School with a degree in education and worked for the Bureau of Indian affairs. She taught on … Read more

Rogers, Betty Doris – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Betty Doris Rogers, 79, of Yuma, Ariz., and formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 20 at the Yuma Regional Medical Center after suffering a stroke. No services are planned at this time. Mrs. Rogers was born May 9, 1927, to Frank E. and Luva Roberts Messersmith in Alliance, Neb., one of seven children. She attended high school in Curtis, Neb., graduating in 1945. She studied for a year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then taught at a country school in Box Butte County, Neb. She married Lyle Dunham Rogers on Sept. 27, 1947, in Alliance. The couple … Read more

Mastrude, Spencer Fredrick – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Spencer Fredrick Mastrude Spencer Fredrick Mastrude, 84, of La Grande died Feb. 14 at a local care home. A funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Monday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mr. Mastrude was born April 29, 1922, to Fredrick and Agnes (Lozier) Mastrude in Joseph. He was educated in both Joseph and La Grande and graduated from Enterprise High School. He worked with his father, farming and ranching for a few years, then did some work in the logging industry. He later went to work in heavy construction, mostly as a cat skinner. He married … Read more

Buckley, Doris Gake – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Doris Gake Buckley Doris Gake Buckley, 75, of Phoenix, Ariz., and formerly of La Grande and Wallowa County, died Jan. 25 at a care home in Phoenix. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise. Mrs. Buckley was born in La Grande Sept. 18, 1931, to Albert and Anna Gake. She lived in La Grande for a few years until the family moved to Enterprise and then to Joseph, where she attended school. During World War II, the family moved to Huntington, where her father worked for the Union Pacific … Read more

Christensen, Betty Jane – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Betty Jane Christensen, 88, formerly of La Grande, died March 17 in Gilbert, Ariz. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande, and 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, 1802 Gekeler. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the LDS Stake Center, followed by dedication of the grave at Grandview Cemetery. Mrs. Chistensen was born March 16, 1919, to Roy and Blanche (Kessler) Grice in Hutchinson, Kan. Her family moved to Oregon when she … Read more

Rickett, Wanda J. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Wanda J. Rickett, 57, formerly of La Grande, died of natural causes April 20 at her home in Emmett, Idaho. A celebration of life will begin at 10 a.m. April 30 at the Abundant Life Fellowship, 207 S. Washington, in Emmett. Wanda was born Sept. 11, 1949, to Lewis and Genevieve (Roberts) Ingram in La Grande. She attended school in Cove and graduated from La Grande High School in 1968. After graduation she worked at the public library in La Grande. In 1973 she moved to Flagstaff, Ariz., where she met and married Keith Rickett. She moved … Read more

Christopher, Myrtle Geneva – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Myrtle Geneva Christopher, 88, of La Grande, died Aug. 14 at a local care center. At her request there will be no public services. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Myrtle was born on Nov. 15, 1918, to Jasper and America Selby in Comanche, Okla. She began school in Oklahoma and finished in Los Angeles. She worked for Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif., as an inspector until her retirement. On July 21, 1956, she married Gordon Woodrow Christopher. After her retirement, the couple spent much of their time in Kingman, Ariz. She … Read more

Heitz, Betty Doris – Obituary

Betty Doris Heitz, 79, died on Oct. 20, 2007, of a stroke at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma , Ariz. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Monday Oct. 8, at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton. Inurnment of ashes will be at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton. She was born May 9, 1927, to Frank E. and Luva (Roberts) Messersmith in Alliance, Neb., one of seven children. She attended high school in Curtis and graduated in 1945. She studied for one year at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then taught at a country school in Box Butte County, Neb. She married Lyle … Read more

McLaughlin, Dorothy Julia – Obituary

Dorothy Julia McLaughlin, 95, formerly of Summerville and Union, died June 24, 2007, at Wilcox Arizona Nursing Home. A service will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Summerville Cemetery. Dorothy McLaughlin was born in Hastings, Neb., Jan. 14, 1912. She lived in Summerville from the early 1940s to the late 1960s. She lived in Union before that. La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the week ending October 6, 2007-Published: October 6, 2007

Carrel, Charles E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Charles E. Carrel, 80, of La Grande, died Jan. 7. A memorial service took place at the Shangri La RV Resort in Yuma, Ariz. Johnsons Mortuary in Yuma was in charge of arrangements. Charles was born Feb. 21, 1927, in Deweese, Neb., to Joseph and Anne Carrel. He grew up in Nebraska and married Norma Snyder on Dec. 3, 1951, in Faibury, Neb. The couple moved to La Grande in 1969 and had two children, Lance and Pamela. Charlie owned and operated the Texaco Station at Greenwood and Adams in La Grande for 12 years and then … Read more

Beck, Joyce Kennedy – Obituary

Joyce Kennedy Beck, 63, of Kennewick and formerly of Elgin, died March 17 in Yuma, Ariz., in an ATV accident. A memorial service will begin at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Building 4 of the Benton-Franklin County Fairgrounds just off East 10th Avenue in Kennewick. Joyce was born June 1, 1944, to William and Mildred Kennedy in Portland. She grew up in Elgin and graduated from Elgin High School in 1962. She was married in January 1964 to Bill J. Beck of Hermiston. The couple moved to the Tri-Cities in 1969 where she worked for Ice Harbor Dam and the Social … Read more

Hyde, Robert E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Robert E. Hyde, a 1945 graduate of La Grande High School, died April 5 at his home in Sun City, Ariz. He was 80. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Mt. Scott Funeral Home in Portland with burial at Willamette National Cemetery to follow at 12:30 p.m. Bob was born June 16, 1927, in Morton Mills, Iowa, on a 160-acre farm. He was the youngest child of Cecil and Edith Hyde. He was the largest of the four children, weighing in at 12 pounds. Bob and his siblings made La … Read more

Gibbs, Rita – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Rita Gibbs, 65, formerly of La Grande, died March 2 in Mesa, Ariz. A memorial service will begin at 1 p.m. June 16 at Grandview Cemetery. La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the day of May 17, 2008