Baker City Oregon

Benson, Daniel – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Daniel Benson, 42, a Baker City resident, died Nov. 4, 2001, at Salt Lake City. There will be a celebration of his life Nov. 24 at the Eagles Lodge, 2935 H St. Dinner will be served at 2 p.m. Main dishes will be provided. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish. Mr. Benson was born at Provo, Utah, on May 3, 1959. He lived most of his life in Southern California and spent the last two years at Salt Lake City where he was waiting for a new heart. He loved to go camping, fishing … Read more

Hansell, Wallace Arthur – Obituary

Wallace Arthur Hansell, 48, of La Grande, a former Baker City resident, died July 7, 2002, in an automobile accident on Interstate 84 near La Grande. There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Friday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., in La Grande. Pastor Gary Hood will officiate. Burial will be private. Viewing will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Daniels Chapel. Mr. Hansell was born on July 5, 1954, to Delmar and Teen Gardner Hansell in La Grande. He was a 1971 La Grande High School graduate. He had … Read more

Ford, Rosetha O. Patterson Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Rosetha O. Ford, 69, died Nov. 26, 2000, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her funeral was at the St. Elizabeth Chapel. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian church officiated. Burial was in Mount Hope Cemetery. There was a reception after the service at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Mrs. Ford was born on June 25, 1931, in the Yakima Valley to Larcie and Margaret Shelton Patterson. She spent most of her childhood on the Yakama Indian Reservation. She married Elbert “Red” Ford on her birthday in 1953 at Reno, Nev. They moved to Redding, Calif. … Read more

Cunningham, Michael Richard – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Michael Richard Cunningham, infant son of Matthew and Elsa Cunningham, was born and died on July 7, 2004. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Close friends and family are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rachel Center or the Catholic Church through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814. Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 16, 2004 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Ritzmann, Judith Ellen – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Judith Ellen Ritzmann, 56, of Baker City, died Jan. 9, 2003, at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. Survivors include her husband, Gordon Ritzmann of Baker City; daughter, Cynthia Carroll of Chaska, Minn.; and a son, Douglas Tejeda of Modesto, Calif. Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, January, 17, 2003 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Steinmetz, Virginia B. “Virg” Feleciano Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Virginia B. “Virg” Steinmetz, 93, of Baker City and a former Fremont, Calif., resident, died Aug. 29, 2001, at an adult foster care home in Baker City. Her funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Berge-Pappas-Smith Mortuary in Fremont. Interment will follow at the Irvington Memorial Cemetery in Fremont. Mrs. Steinmetz was born Nov. 17, 1907, at Pinole, Calif., to Joseph and Virginia (Silva) Feleciano. She was raised at Mission San Jose and was married to Leland Steinmetz on Sept. 7, 1941, at Carson City, Nev. They owned small mom and pop grocery stores. Mrs. … Read more

Mankins, Birgit Mrs. – Obituary

Birgit Mankins, 73, of Baker City, died May 20, 2008, at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise after a short illness. At her request their will be no memorial service. Mrs. Mankins was born August 19, 1934 in Copenhagen, Denmark. She grew up in Copenhagen during the German occupation of World War II. She and her family endured many hardships at the hands of the Germans, yet she graduated from high school and went on to graduate from nursing school. Shortly after graduating she took a job in Braintree, Essex, England, where she met the love of her life, … Read more

Durrett, Jessie Porter Mrs. – Obituary

Jessie Durrett, 89, died Sept. 28, 2006, with her family by her side. Internment is private. There will be a celebration of her life at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Baker County Extension Building, 2610 Grove St. Jessie was born on Aug. 29, 1917, in Oklahoma to Henry Porter and Almeda Buxton Porter. She was the third of seven children. When she was only a year old, the family moved to Oregon. Jessie grew up in the Baker and Richland areas. At 18, Jessie married Paul Durrett. They first lived at Cornucopia, where Paul was a miner. In … Read more

Eardley, Patricia L. “Pat” Engum Mrs. – Obituary

Patricia L. “Pat” Eardley, 76, died July 31, 2007, at home after a 20-month struggle with cancer, which she waged with courage and grace. Her memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise. Inurnment will be later at the Dry Creek Cemetery. Pat was born on June 3, 1931, to Cliff and Rose Engum in Baker City. She was the youngest of four children. She attended Baker schools and was a 1949 graduate of Baker High School. She was a member of the Honor Society there and played the coronet in the high school … Read more

Foust, Roenna Bee McBride Walton Mrs. – Obituary

Roenna Bee Foust, 75, of Eugene, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 18, 2006. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Fairfield Church of the Nazarene. Inurnment will be in Baker City. She was born on Oct. 15, 1931, at Pocatello, Idaho, to Loren and Hazel Stiff McBride. She worked as a church secretary at the Myrtle Creek Church of the Nazarene and owned Vic-Tone Cleaners at Myrtle Creek. She also worked in home care as a nurses aid in Baker City. She married John Walton at Baker City in 1950. They were divorced in … Read more

Boyce, Leo Herbert – Obituary

Leo Herbert Boyce, 81, of Desert Hot Springs, Calif., died March 6, 2001, at Palm Springs, Calif., after a brief illness. There was a private service for Mr. Boyce. The Desert Hot Springs Mortuary was in charge of arrangements. Mr. Boyce was born on Dec. 13, 1919, at Baker City to John and Sophia Sinclair Boyce. He grew up in Baker City and was a 1940 Baker High School graduate. He married Florence Harrington on Sept. 11, 1973, at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. His grandparents were pioneers. They came to Oregon by wagon train in 1880 and settled in Baker Valley. … Read more

Muncey, Wendell Randolph – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Wendell Randolph Muncey, 85, of Baker City, died Feb. 22, 2001, at his home. At his request, he was cremated, and there will be no funeral. Coles-Strommer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Mr. Muncey was born Aug. 4, 1915, on his maternal grandmother’s place at Ostrander, Wash., a son of Edwin Francis and Amanda Asenath Holmes Muncey. He attended schools at Halfway. After leaving school he became a truck driver and spent the rest of his life doing what he lived, driving. He worked for several companies in California before he was injured and had … Read more

Monroe, Martha Ann Rafn Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Martha R. Monroe, 72, of Baker City, former co-owner of the Monroe Mortuary, died Oct. 26, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Susan Barnes of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Martha Ann Rafn was born Aug. 26, 1930, at Houston. She was the only child of Harold J. and Pearl Padgett Rafn. Her father was in the military and they lived … Read more

Goodrich, Donald Spencer – Obituary

Donald Spencer Goodrich, 79, a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 3, 2006. His memorial service was Aug. 13 at the United Church of Christ at Sun City, Calif. Don was born on Jan. 14, 1927, at Olympia, Wash., to Charles Spencer Goodrich and Hazel MacPherson Goodrich. The family moved to Baker City in 1935. Don was a 1945 Baker High School graduate. After serving in the U.S. Navy on the USS Iowa, Don attended Oregon State University at Corvallis where he earned a degree in forestry. While in college, he met Donna J. Drake. The couple were married for … Read more

Bales, Dennis L. – Obituary

Dennis L. Bales, 61, a former Baker City resident, died Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, at Good Shephard Hospital in Hermiston. His funeral will be at at 11 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St. There will a military service at Mount Hope Cemetery. Dennis was born at Prairie City to Robert T. and Lila G. Friedly Bales on Nov. 16, 1945. He attended all 12 years of schooling in Baker City. Dennis had an outgoing personality, enjoyed playing sports and served as student body president. He worked at J.C. Penney while in high school and remained friends … Read more

Finstad, Clara – Obituary

Lostine, Wallowa County, Oregon Clara L. Finstad, 99, of Port Lavaca, Texas, a former Baker City resident, died May 24, 1997, in Texas. Her funeral was held Saturday, May 31, 1997 at 2 p.m. at Gray’s West and Co. Pioneer Chapel. Pastor Dennis Hickman officiated. Burial followed in Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Finstad was born to Jacob E. and Emily ( Hammack ) Womack July 10, 1897, in Lostine. She had been a lifelong Oregon resident except for the few past years when she lived with her daughter in Port Lavaca. She moved from Baker City in 1984. She enjoyed … Read more

Stiltz, Larry A. – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Larry A. Stiltz, 60, of Baker City, a former Haines resident, died Jan. 14, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service was at 2 p.m. Friday in the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Monte Loyd of the Baker Valley Christian Assembly officiated. Private family interment will be later at the Haines Cemetery. Mr. Stiltz was born on Dec. 28, 1941, at Baker City to Coleman and Irene Robbins Stiltz. He grew up in the Rock Creek area and as a child he liked school and playing by Rock Creek. He enjoyed taking care of … Read more

Morris, Anna Marie Domby Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Anna Marie Morris, 98, of Baker City, died Dec. 31, 2003, at her home. Her funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Sister Kay Marie will officiate. The funeral will be followed by a graveside service at Mount Hope Cemetery. Anna was born March 7, 1905, at St. Paul, Minn., to Steve and Ella Domby, who were Hungarian immigrants. When Anna was a young girl she came to Malheur City with her parents and two sisters. The family settled on a homestead there. She attended grade school … Read more

Long, Amy Beatrice Owens Mrs. – Obituary

Beatrice Long Here Entire Life Mrs. Amy Beatrice Long, age 85 of Baker, passed away Wednesday noon Oct. 29, at St. Elizabeth Hosp. after a short illness. Services for Mrs. Long were conducted Monday, Nov. 3, at 2 pm at the Langrell Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Robert McNeil of the First Methodist Church officiating. Burial was at the family plot in the Haines Cemetery. Mrs. Long was born at Rock Creek Dec. 20, 1883 the daughter of the late William and Mary Owen pioneers of Baker County. She was married to William Long of Muddy Creek, son of Baker County … Read more

Baker City, Baker County Oregon History

Baker City In the month of August 1864, R. A. Pierce laid claim to the SE ¼ of Sec. 17, Tp. 9. S. 40, east of the Willamette meridian, and proceeded in 1865 to get a title to the same from the state. He built a house west of where the court house now stands, and early in the spring of 1865 laid off the SE quarter of the quarter section for a town site, which he named Baker, but somehow people would call it Baker City and that became the adopted name. Mr. Fisher owned the land east of … Read more