Baker City, Baker County, Oregon
Avery L. Cloudt, 82, died May 16, 2006, at the Elmore County Medical Facility at Mount Home, Idaho.
Avery was born on Oct. 23, 1923, to Francis and Richard Cloudt at Red Rock, N.M., the youngest of three children. The family moved to the Eastern Oregon and western Idaho areas when he was 6. He attended area schools and was a 1941 Baker High School graduate.
Avery worked as a miner’s helper at Cornucopia Mine until December 1941 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He became an electrician in the Navy. He was honorably discharged as an electrician’s mate, first class, in 1947.
He married Weltha Padgett in 1945 while serving in the Navy. They were divorced in 1970.
After completing his military service, he returned to Baker City and went to work as an electrician for York Electric. In 1967, he went to work for Morrison-Knutson as a general foreman, assistant superintendent. He was injured at Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam.
Being the fighter he was, he battled back, and although he was unable to return to work, he still had a big garden when possible.
Avery had three children: Gayle, Steve and Bruce, all of Baker City.
He enjoyed gardening, reading and spending time with his family. He loved baseball and he loved teaching kids to play the game. He was one of the first coaches when Little League started in Baker City in 1960.
Survivors include his daughter, Gayla Wiley, ad her children, James Wiley, Mike Hull and Steve Hull; son, Steve, and his wife, Karen, and their children, David, Christy, Andrea and Amy; and son, Bruce; sister, Jody Strickland; four great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and their children and a stepdaughter.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Richard Cloudt; a brother, S.L. Cloudt; stepfather, Al Bluhmn; ex-wife, Weltha; his wife, Pearl; and a brother-in-law, nephew and a stepson.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, May 26, 2006
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor