Baker City, Oregon
Louise Balfour, 80, a long-time resident of Baker City, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Funeral services for Mrs. Balfour were held Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home. Pastor Ed Niswender of the Calvary Baptist Church officiated.
Interment followed at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Louise was born Nov. 19, 1923, in Truman, Ark., to John Norva Whitlatch and Lois Virginia Garrett Whitlatch. She came to Baker City with her aunt and uncle, Babe and Nick Fricke when she was 15 years old.
In 1938, she married Walter Robinson and they had three children. In 1966, she married William Balfour. Bill not only married our mother but our family. She loved her husband and her children and everyone who knew her knew this as well.
Among her favorite pastimes was quilting and crocheting. She enjoyed completing puzzles and playing cards. She also enjoyed picking huckleberries and panning for gold. Attending the activities of her grandchildren was most dear to her heart. She was very active in the V.F.W. participating and organizing their cake walk fund raiser. She was noted for her fairness. Every summer, she looked forward to helping and organizing the Kiddies Parade and did this for many years. She enjoyed seeing the little ones as they participated.
She loved God and worshiped as a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
She is survived by the love of her life, her husband, Bill Balfour of Baker City; one daughter, Darlene Featherstone and her husband, Ron of Omaha, Neb.; two sons, John Robinson and his wife Connie of Baker City and Mike Robinson and his wife Tammy of Waldport; five grandchildren, Bill Saul and his wife Arlene; Haley and Kym Robinson; Kellie and Kody Robinson; two great-grandsons, Jason and Aaron Saul; one step-daughter, Carla Young and her husband, Norman; four step grandchildren: Tara, Dia, Russell and Logan and one step great-grandson, Andrew; two foster sisters, Janice Fricke Ladly and Mary Jo Fricke Borden and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters, all of Arkansas.
Memorial contributions in Mrs. Balfour’s memory may be directed to Pathway Hospice. This may be done through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, January, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor