California

Biography of Isaac M. Hinds, Hon.

Hon. Isaac M. Hinds. Mound Valley and Labette County have for many years been the scene of the extensive business and public activities of Isaac M. Hinds. Some years ago that district sent Mr. Hinds to represent its interests in the State Senate, and he is still a member of the upper house of the State Legislature. Though he had spent nearly all his years in Kansas, Senator Hinds was born in Cole County, Missouri, December 30, 1862. He was brought to this state when an infant. Going back several generations his Hinds ancestors were Germans who came to America … Read more

Stanley, Jay H. – Obituary

Imnaha, Oregon Jay H. Stanley, 95, hillbilly, cowboy, bachelor and hero, died early November 9 at Danielle’s Adult Foster Care home in Tigard, OR. Mr. Stanley was born February 2, 1906 in a log cabin 3-mi south of Joseph, OR. Jay, the second son of Charles and Elsie (Beecher) Stanley, whose parents were both early pioneer families in Indian Valley. Jay and his brother Jabez helped their father on the 500-acre ranch. When he was in his teens Jay helped saw the lumber and build the big house. In 1923, he assisted his father and brother JB saw lumber for … Read more

Tierney, Lucy E. – Obituary

Lucy E. Tierney Enterprise, Oregon T.C. Bunnell, received word last week of the death of his daughter, Mrs. E.W. Tierney at Richmond, California. Mrs. Tierney has been in failing health for some time, and went to California last fall in hopes of benefit to her health. Her mother, Mrs. T.C. Bunnell of this place, was with her at the time of her death having gone there just one week previous in response to a telegram telling of her daughter’s serious condition. Wallowa County Reporter Thursday June 26, 1919 Lucy E. Tierney, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. T.C. Bunnell was born … Read more

Ketscher, Ruth Jean – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Ruth “Jean” Ketscher, 84, of Burns and formerly of Enterprise, died Monday at her home. A memorial service at St. Katherine’s Catholic Church in Enterprise begins at 10 a.m. Monday. The service will be followed by burial at the Enterprise Cemetery and a celebration of life in the church hall. Arrangements are under the direction of Bollman Funeral Home. Mrs. Ketscher was born Oct. 9, 1922, in Detroit, Mich., to Catherine Gelineau and Ross Wadsworth Waffle, the second of sixth children. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in home economics and history, then became a … Read more

Colpitts, Eva R. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Eva R. Colpitts, 97, of Enterprise died Oct. 29 at the Wallowa Valley Care Center in Enterprise. There will be a celebration of life at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise with Dr. Craig Strobel officiating. Burial will be in a private vault at the Enterprise Cemetery. Mrs. Colpitts was born in Cliffs, Wash., Dec. 6, 1908, to Stephen Douglas Cox and Ethel Mae Washburn. She was raised by Orris and Effie Gorsline of Joseph after the death of her mother in 1910. She attended Pleasant Center School and Joseph High School. On Jan. … Read more

Biography of W. A. Kidd

W. A. Kidd, an astute, energetic and successful business man, is well known in commercial circles of Washington County as head of the W. A. Kidd Lumber Company of Bartlesville and in the conduct of his interests he displays foresight, determination and marked executive ability. A native of Pennsylvania, he was born March 9, 1869, and after completing his public school course entered an academy in that state. After reaching mature years he went to Bowling Green, Ohio, and there engaged in drilling oil wells as a contractor until 1900, when he went to Bakersfield, California, where for three years … Read more

Bell, Jean Gardner – Obituary

Imnaha, Oregon Jean Gardner Bell, 84, of Carlsbad, Calif., died May 13, 2004, at home. She was born Feb. 29, 1920, in Los Angeles, Calif. After graduating from John Marshall High School, she attended Glendale Junior College and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) before marrying Franklin Bell II, a union that lasted 50 years until his death in 1992. They founded Bell Pipe and Supply Company in Anaheim, Calif., and raised their family in Tustin, Calif. In 1975 the couple bought a ranch on the upper Imnaha River where they spent springs and summers and Mrs. Bell worked … Read more

Cavallaro, Stephen James – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Stephen James Cavallaro, of Enterprise, died May 31, 2007, at his home. He was 60. Mr. Cavallaro was born Sept 16,1946, in Houston, Texas to Paul James and Patricia VanBilliard Cavallaro. He grew up in San Francisco and Reno and graduated from Reno High School in 1964. He served five years as an electrical apprentice in Reno. He married Janis Muler in Reno in 1967. They had two children Steve and Tiffany. The family later moved to Enterprise where Mr. Cavallaro did electrical work as Eagle Cap Electric until he became ill. He was a member of AA … Read more

Burnaugh, Dorothy Lillian McGowan – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Dorothy “Dottie” Lillian McGowan Burnaugh, 96, died March 16, 2004, in Eureka, Calif. She was born Aug. 4, 1907, in Enterprise to Claude A. and Olive (Boswell) Lockwood. While growing up in Enterprise, favorite childhood memories included entertaining the neighborhood by playing the piano with Orva and Bernice McFetridge on violin. She also won the Charleston dance contest in high school and played piano for the silent movies. After high school she attended Oregon Agricultural College (now Eastern Oregon University) in La Grande to study music followed by a return to the Portland area to study to become … Read more

Burcham, Ruth – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Ruth G. Evans Burcham, formerly of Enterprise, died in Arlington, Wash. on March 28, 2006. She was 91. Mrs. Burcham was born in Duncan, Ariz., on Feb. 27, 1915 to John Evans and Minnie Lloyd. She was raised in Duncan, and attended high school there. She became a nurse’s aide in a Catholic geriatrics hospital. On November 14, 1931, Ruth married Orville Jay Burcham in Riverside, Calif. They had two children. After living in Enterprise and Pomona, Calif., the couple moved to Pendleton in 1961, where they resided for 35 years. Mrs. Burcham was a member of the … Read more

Buhler, Donald Franz – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Donald Franz Buhler Funeral services for local ranch owner Don Buhler, 88, who died Monday, March 19, 2007, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at Joseph United Methodist Church. A reception will follow at 1 p.m. at the Buhler Ranch at the foot of Mount Joseph near Joseph will follow. A full obituary will be published next week. Wallowa County Chieftain – March 22, 2007 Contributed By: Sue Wells Second Obit. Donald Franz Buhler, real estate developer and local rancher, died in Portland on March 19, 2007, at the age of 88. During his final … Read more

Brandt, Shelby Lynn Strange – Obituary

Shelby Lynn Strange Brandt Shelby Brandt, a former Enterprise resident, died April 21, 2007, in La Grande. She was 23. A memorial service will be held in La Grande April 26 at 1 p.m. at Riverside Park. A complete obituary will follow at a later date. Wallowa County Chieftain, Enterprise, Oregon, April 26, 2007 Contributed By: Sue Wells Second Obit. Shelby Lynn Strange Brandt died suddenly April 21, 2007, in La Grande. She was 23. Ms. Brandt was born Feb. 7, 1984, in Eureka, Calif. She attended elementary schools in Humboldt County, and secondary schools in Eastern Oregon. She graduated … Read more

Cerato, Mildred Elva – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Mildred Elva Cerato, 88, of College Place, Wash., died Dec. 11, 2003, on her birthday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was born on Dec. 11, 1915 in Santa Ana, Calif. to George W. and Mary Ella (Pearce) Todd. In 1937, she married John A. Cerato and the couple lived and raised a family in California. After her husband died, Mrs. Cerato moved to Joseph in 1992 to be near her daughter. She was an active member of the Joseph Baptist Church, doing mission work, serving for a time as president of the women’s … Read more

Case, Gifford Ryder – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Gifford “Giff” Ryder Case died Feb. 27, 2007, at home in Joseph with his wife Susanna, son Richard, and daughter Lorri at his side. He was 87. Mr. Case was born Sept 21, 1919, on a rural family farm five miles outside of Milford, Penn. He was the third of six boys born to Arthur B. Case and Emilie Fieg Case. Mr. Case loved sharing stories of his childhood and teen years growing up on the beloved Oak Tree Farm. In 1938, after trying a year at Drexel Institute College, he set out on a travel adventure across … Read more

Cracraft, Douglas L. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Douglas L. “Doug” Cracraft died July 25, 2006, at his home. He was 72. Mr. Cracraft was born Sept. 23, 1933 in Hillsborough, Kan to Orrin and Viola Orpin Cracraft. After his schooling, he joined the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War. He was with the Mountaineer Division. He served for seven years in the regular army and ten years in the reserves. He attended college for four years studying forestry and fire science. Mr. Cracraft became a fireman in Pleasanton, Calif. where he retired as a Captain after serving the department for 20 years. On April … Read more

Cowden, Robert – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Robert “Bob” Cowden of Joseph died May 10, 2006, at his son’s home in Davis, Calif. He was 74. Mr. Cowden was born Oct. 8, 1931, in Oakland, Calif., to Earl and Margaret Cowden. He spent vacations as a child with his grandparents on their coffee plantation in Managua, Nicaragua. He graduated from Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Calif., in 1950. He then enrolled at the University of California at Davis, but his education was put on hold because of the Korean War. After completing a tour in the Navy he returned to the university. It was there … Read more

Courtnay, Phyllis – Obituary

Wallowa, Oregon Phyllis Anne Courtnay, a long-time Wallowa County resident, died Jan. 29, 2007, in Union. She was 74. Mrs. Courtnay was born Sept. 10, 1932, to Ernest and Florence Eastman in Adrian. She was raised in the Adrian area and graduated from Adrian High School in 1950. On April 12, 1953, she married Clinton Courtnay. They lived in California while Mr. Courtnay was in the Navy, then moved to Idaho, and later to Wallowa where they raised four children. She was a dedicated wife and mother devoted to the care of her husband and children. She supported her husband … Read more

Ackley, Charles – Obituary

Charles (Chuck) Ackley, Enterprise, died at his home on Williamson Road on Feb. 7. 1991. He was born on Sept. 25, 1923 in California. He was a graduate of Whitman College and worked in Seattle, Portland , the bay area, and in Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities as a bookseller, technical writer and editor, and as an administrator. He first came to Wallowa County to teach and then to direct the Chief Joseph Summer Seminar. Over the past several years, Chuck has been active in community arts events and especially in local theater. He is survived by two sons, Todd … Read more

Allen, Ella L. – Obituary

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, Feb. 28, 1991, at 2 p.m. at Bollman Funeral Home for Ella L. Allen. Burial will follow in the Lostine Cemetery. Miss Allen died Tuesday, Feb. 19, 1991, at a Gresham nursing center from causes related to age. She was 93. She was born near Lostine, on Jan. 30, 1898, the youngest child of Wallowa County pioneer parents, William H, and Annie B. Allen. She was a graduate of Lostine High School and Oregon State University (then Oregon Agriculture College) in 1921. She taught home economics in Joseph, Wallowa and Elgin and in Tenino, … Read more

Jauregui, Warren – Obituary

Warren Jauregui, 76, recently of Enterprise, died on Feb.12, 2008, in his hometown of Vista, Calif. He was surrounded by his family and dear friends. A graveside ceremony took place on Feb. 21, 2008. He was given full military honors. He was then laid to rest next to his wife Rosemarie. Wallowa County Chieftain, April 10, 2008