Alicel is an unincorporated community in Union County in northeastern Oregon, located along the Grande Ronde River and the line of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, established in the late 19th century as a small rail and agricultural locality serving nearby farms and ranches. Union County was created in 1864 from Wasco and Umatilla counties, and genealogical records for Alicel residents are found at the county level, including land deeds, probate, court records, and marriages beginning in the 1860s, with statewide civil registration of births and deaths more complete after 1903. The area was originally inhabited by Native peoples including the Nez Perce and Cayuse, and early settlement followed development of transportation routes through the Grande Ronde Valley. Key geographic features include the Grande Ronde River and surrounding valley lands that supported agriculture, while railroad access influenced settlement patterns; researchers should consult county records in La Grande, along with local cemetery and church records, for family history documentation.
Omar Ruckman, aged 52, passed away on Sunday after a prolonged illness in Alicel, where he was born on July 17, 1904. He lived in the county throughout his life. His funeral will be held at Daniels Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 20, at 2 p.m., led by Rev. Gene Robinson, with burial at Summerville Cemetery. He is survived by his parents, two brothers, a sister, and other family members.
Mrs. Samuel G. Ruckman of Alicel, Oregon, passed away shortly after giving birth to her son on Saturday night, due to complications from Bright’s disease, which had necessitated her hospitalization. She is survived by her husband, four children, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clark. Her funeral took place in Alicel, attended by family and friends who mourn her loss. Mrs. Ruckman, formerly Lillie Clark, was remembered as a young and well-regarded member of the community.
Samuel G. Ruckman, a lifelong resident of Alicel, Oregon, passed away on August 2, 1964, at the age of 84 after a prolonged illness. Born on January 6, 1880, he was a retired farmer and a member of the First Christian Church. Funeral services were held at Daniels Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Gordon Milldrum, followed by burial at Summerville Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Hermia, two sons, a daughter, a stepson, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Iris May Adler, 79, of La Grande, Oregon, passed away on August 5, 1966, after a prolonged illness. Born on August 26, 1886, in Alice, she spent her life in Union County. Adler was actively involved in her community, participating in the First Methodist Church, the Francis Brown Auxiliary, the Union County Historical Society, and the Neighborhood Club. She is survived by her husband William, daughter Genevieve Carter, a sister, three grandchildren, and numerous friends. Funeral services took place on August 8 at Dempsey’s Funeral Chapel.
Florence Belknap, aged 88, passed away on December 5, 1978, at Valley View Manor in Cove, Oregon. Born on July 4, 1890, in Hamilton, North Dakota, she moved to Nyssa in 1900 and graduated from Monmouth College in 1914. Florence taught school in several Oregon communities and was married twice, first to Edward D. Jasper and later to Maynard M. Belknap. She was active in the First United Presbyterian Church and leaves behind a large family. Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at her church.
Lee Roy Childers, a lifelong resident of Union County and a farmer from Cove, passed away at the age of 62 after a period of illness. He was an active member of the Calvary Baptist Church, having served as a deacon for many years. Born on November 10, 1884, he married Bessie M. Gray in 1908. He is survived by his wife, mother, three children, a grandson, and several siblings. Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Snodgrass funeral home, followed by burial in Summerville.
Merton T. Childers, 49, passed away on Sunday morning in Hermiston, Oregon. He served as the water service foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad for 26 years and had previous military service with the Seabees during World War II. A resident of La Grande for most of his life, he was active in Masonic, Elks, and Shrine organizations. He is survived by his wife Laura, son Donald, mother Maude Johnson, brother Frank Johnson, and two sisters. Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday in La Grande.
John A. Cates, aged seventy, passed away following injuries from a recent fall that led to partial paralysis. He died at his son Cecil Carter’s home near Alicel. A member of a pioneer family in Union County, his parents established a homestead in the early 1860s. Surviving relatives include brothers Robert S., Ed E., W. A., George, and sister Josephine Ison. The obituary reflects Cates’ long-standing ties to the region and his family’s local significance.
Nora Anna Cook, aged 47, passed away following a brief illness at a local hospital. Born on January 20, 1893, in Union County, she lived in the valley her entire life. Funeral services will take place at Summerville chapel on Saturday at 2 p.m. She is survived by two children, Wesley and Milda McCoy, a brother, Charles Hamilton, and three sisters, Sally Gray, Hattie Wright, and Lettie Pratt.
Nellie Frances Gray, 91, passed away on May 25, 1993, in Spanaway, Washington. Born on September 25, 1901, in Lenox County, Iowa, she moved to Washington in her youth. Nellie married Ernest Merrell Gray in 1921 and served as post-mistress in Alicel from 1933 to 1939. The couple farmed in Lower Cove and later ran laundries in Salem and Vancouver. After retiring from Santa Clara University, they returned to Woodburn. She is survived by her daughters, grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.
George M. Gray, 61, of Alicel, passed away from a heart attack in Wecoma, Oregon. A lifelong resident of Union County, he was born in 1881. His funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Snodgrass Funeral Home, with burial at Summerville cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their four children, as well as siblings and extended family. Gray had recently moved to Taft for health reasons and died shortly thereafter.
Sallie Inez Gray, 93, passed away at a local nursing home on Sunday. Her funeral will be held on Wednesday at Niswonger-Reynolds Chapel, with burial to follow at Deschutes Memorial Gardens. Born on March 20, 1884, in Alicel, Oregon, she moved to Central Oregon in 1929 and worked as a cook at various establishments. Preceded in death by her husband, Charles H., in 1960, she is survived by five children, 12 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.
Charlie Hamilton, a 75-year-old farmer from Alicel, Oregon, passed away on June 9 due to a long illness. Born on August 25, 1867, in Scioto, Ohio, he had lived in Union County for 70 years. He is survived by three sisters and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. on June 13 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Irvin S. Motz, with burial following at Summerville cemetery.
Charles W. Hamilton, born on May 2, 1845, in Scioto County, Ohio, served as a corporal in the Union Army during the Civil War. He married Sarah F. Bridwell in 1864 and had 11 children, of whom six survive him. The family moved across the country, settling in Oregon, California, and finally Wallowa County, before returning to the Grande Ronde Valley, where he lived until his death on May 5, 1933. An active member of the Methodist church, he was 88 years old at the time of his passing.
Funeral services for Sarah Frances Hamilton, who died on April 29, 1925, at her home near Alicel, Oregon, were conducted in Summerville by Snodgrass and Zimmerman funeral service. Born on January 8, 1850, she was 75 years, three months, and 26 days at her passing.
Ward Miller, aged 77, passed away at his home in Union, Oregon, on July 26, 1981. He served as the Union County water master for 26 years before retiring in 1970. Born on August 21, 1903, in Alicel to William D. and Alice Miers Miller, he married Thelma Murphy in 1926. Mr. Miller was affiliated with the La Grande Elks Lodge and the Grande Ronde Valley Lodge. He is survived by his wife, brothers, sister, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at Cove Cemetery.
Lester McAnish, a 31-year-old farmer from the Alicel area, tragically died from a gunshot wound to the chest when his firearm accidentally discharged. It is believed that he was alone, crawling through brush while dragging the gun by the muzzle. His body was discovered later that evening by a search party. This incident highlights the perils associated with hunting and firearm safety.
Maiva Joseline McFerran, 72, of La Grande, passed away on June 14, 1993, at Grande Ronde Hospital. Born on January 12, 1921, she graduated from La Grande High School in 1938 and later worked in various grocery stores, including Sindens Grocery. Married to William “Bill” McFerran in 1975, they operated the Cove Tavern until his passing in 1986. An outdoor enthusiast, she enjoyed fishing, huckleberry picking, and knitting. She is survived by her children, stepdaughter, grandchildren, and other family members.
Clark B. Ruckman, 81, passed away on January 30, 1993, in La Grande, Oregon. His funeral service will be held at Payne Family Mortuary, with burial at Island City Cemetery. Born on October 14, 1911, he was raised by his aunt after the death of his parents. Ruckman served in the U.S. Army during World War II and had a lengthy career as an educator and bus driver. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and a sister.
Hermina O. Ruckman, aged 87, passed away on November 5 in Salem. Born on October 14, 1887, in Idaho, she married Samuel G. Ruckman in 1913, who predeceased her in 1964. A member of the La Grande First Christian Church and the Farm Bureau, she is survived by her son, two stepsons, a stepdaughter, two granddaughters, and several great-grandchildren. Services are scheduled for November 11 at Daniels Valley Funeral Chapel, followed by interment at Summerville Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to the University of Oregon Medical School.