Baker County OR

Daken, Phillip LeRoy – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Phillip LeRoy Daken, 72, of La Grande, died April 8, 2001, at the Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. At his request, there will be no public service. Arrangements are under the direction of the Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mr. Daken was born on Aug. 10, 1928, at St. Joseph, Mo. He worked as a carpenter until his retirement. Two moved to La Grande from Missouri two years ago. He was a member of the Sumpter Baptist Church. He loved cars and watching auto racing and was an amateur auto mechanic. Survivors include his wife, Karen … Read more

Walker, Sydney W. – Obituary

Sydney W. Walker, 89, of Grangeville, Idaho, and a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 19, 2006, at Life Care Center in Lewiston, Idaho. His funeral will take place Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Inurnment will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville. Sydney was born Sept. 2, 1916, at Steele, N.D., a son of Sydney A. and Faye Crofoot Walker. The family moved to Grangeville, where he graduated from high school in 1936. Following his graduation the family moved to Baker City, where he worked in the shoe … Read more

Motley, Merle Marie Gilkison Mrs. – Obituary

Merle Marie Motley, 92, of Tillamook, a former longtime Baker County resident, died April 28, 2009, at her home. She was born on Oct. 23, 1916, at Baker City to James and Linnie Holt Gilkison. Merle worked in the shipyards during World War II. She also worked as a beautician as a young woman. Merle married Lester L. Motley on Nov. 25, 1939, at Weiser, Idaho. In their early years the couple enjoyed the outdoors, square dancing and raising their daughter, MyrnaRae, while operating a ranch at Halfway. They later owned and operated a ranch at Keating. Upon retiring, Merle … Read more

Millhouse, Dale J. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Dale J. Millhouse, 64, a resident of Baker City, died Dec. 16, 202, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Following Dale’s wishes, disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory. No services will be held. Dale was born Sept. 1, 1938, to Harry B. and Marie (Miles) Millhouse in Salinas, Calif. He graduated from high school in El Cahon, Calif., and in 1961 he joined the U.S. Army, where he served in Germany during the occupation of Berlin. Following his discharge from the military in 1964, he continued to reside in California for the next nine years. … Read more

Holcomb, Richard – Obituary

Funeral services for Richard Holcomb, 57, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, July 26th at The Langrell Mortuary Chapel. The Rev. Robert McNeil of the First Methodist Church will officiate. Pastor Ronald Kratzer of the Church of the Nazarene assisting. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Holcomb was born September 27, 1910 at Middleton, Idaho, the son of Charles and Alice Holcomb. He attended schools in Idaho and came to Baker in 1930 and has worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for the past 38 years. Baker Democrat Herald – – July 24, 1968.

Bond, Champ Clark – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Champ Clark Bond, 90, a longtime Haines resident, died March 16, 2002, at Baker City. His memorial service was this morning at Baker City Christian Church, with Pastor Roger Scovil officiating. Disposition was by cremation at Grays West & Co. Pioneer Crematory. Burial of cremated remains will be at the Haines Cemetery. Champ was born on a homestead at Missouri Flat to Martha Elizabeth Herndon and Charles Wesley Bond. He graduated from La Grande High School in 1929 and married Lois Lucretia Fisher on Dec. 18, 1933, in Union County. Champ grew up on a farm in the … Read more

Taylor, Margaret Irwin Mrs. – Obituary

Margaret I. Taylor, 77, of 1760 Valley Ave., died Saturday August 14, 1982, at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Grays West and Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. The Rev. Greg Eicher of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Taylor was born September 10, 1904, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Andrew and Sharah Irwin. She attended schools in Burns and Baker. She married B. A. Taylor in Caldwell, Idaho on June 9, 1952. She had worked in bakeries in Portland and the the Gwilliam … Read more

Ingram, Madge – Obituary

Madge Ingram was killed and Jack Benson badly injured by a cave-in Wednesday while working in a tunnel about twelve miles from Homestead. North Powder News Saturday August 30, 1919

Clayborn, Kierra Bonnie Renay – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Kierra Bonnie Renay Clayborn, infant daughter of William “Bill” Clayborn and Kelly Suitter of Baker City, Ore., died Feb. 15, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. There will be no services. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, February, 2006 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Walker, Harriet Hortense Ward Mrs. – Obituary

Harriet Walker, 98, died on April 11, 2006, at Arcadia, Calif. With the help of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, Harriet is now resting next to her parents at Cloverdale Cemetery in Boise. Harriet Hortense Walker, or “Aunt Horty” as she was affectionately known, was born at home in Nampa, Idaho, on Aug. 8, 1908, to Kate Share Ward and Henry B. Ward. She lost her hearing at the age of 9 months, the result of scarlet fever and whooping cough. At age 7, Harriet and her mother boarded a train at Nampa on their way to the Idaho State … Read more

Pennington, Pearl – Obituary

Miss Pearl Pennington, daughter of Sheriff and Mrs. C.C.Pennington, died in the Baker City hospital last Saturday, following an operation for appendicitis. Deceased was a young lady of bright mental attainments and her parents have the sympathy of a large circle of friends in their said bereavement. A Card of Thanks In this our time of trouble, we take this method of thanking our many friends fortheir assistance and the sympathy shown us during the sickness and burial of our daughter and sister, Pearl. Mrs. and Mrs. C.C. Pennington, Brother and Sisters Elgin Recorder Friday August 28, 1903

Practical Mining in Eastern Oregon

In the topographical survey of the United States, all that portion laying between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, up into the southeastern portion of Washington, is known as the Great Basin. This basin was once an extensive lake bottom, and now, for the most part, filled with alkaline plains of the quaternary age. The surface Is diversified by subordinate ranges of mountains, formed of tilted paleozole rocks and extensive overflows of igneous eruptions. These ranges are barren and shattered, and the stratafied rocks are often found in confusing and irregular positions. The chief characteristics of the Great Basin, … Read more

Mollert, John K. (2) – Obituary

John K. Mollert, 72, of Baker City, Ore., died Dec. 23, 2006, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. Arrangements are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, Baker City. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, December, 2006 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Jensen, Wayne Irvin – Obituary

Wayne Irvin Jensen, 84, of Huntington, died April 25, 2007, at the Presbyterian Community Care Center in Ontario. There will be a veterans memorial service in his honor at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Huntington. He was born Oct. 12, 1922, at Baker City. The family lived on a farm near Pleasant Valley where Wayne grew up. He was a 1940 Baker High School graduate. He then worked for Art Roumagoux as a gas attendant and handyman. He stayed with his sister and her husband, Francis and Muriel Roumagoux. He enlisted in … Read more

Todd, Gary A. – Obituary

Gary A. Todd, 49, of Eagle, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died November 4, 2002, at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Gary was born Feb. 12, 1953, at Baker City. He was a son of Bud and Louise Frericks Todd. He attended St. Francis Academy through the 11th grade when it closed. He … Read more

Ward, J. C. – Obituary

JC Ward, 79, of Baker City, died April 20, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services in Baker City. A memorial service will be held in his honor on Saturday, May 2, at 1 p.m. at the Local Kingdom Hall Of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 975 S. Bridge St. in Baker City. A reception will be held at the Community Connection Center at 2810 Cedar St. in Baker City immediately following the memorial service. JC was born on June 22, 1929, in Brownsville, Texas, to Charles and Vera Ward. He graduated from Yakima High School in Yakima Wash. JC met Vera Peggy … Read more

Public Schools of Baker County Oregon

It is much to be regretted that all records of matters pertaining to public schools during the first years of the settlement of the county, have been lost. All that can be done now is to record such matters as may be remembered by those who were engaged in school affairs in those days, as teachers or otherwise. As stated elsewhere, Mrs. Packwood taught the first school in the county, at Auburn, in the fall of 1862. Soon after her arrival she engaged in the work of raising money for the purpose of building a schoolhouse, and in a short … Read more

Sanders, Elizabeth Janette “Betty” Waltz Mrs. – Obituary

Elizabeth Janette “Betty” Sanders, 80, of La Grande, and a former Baker City resident, died April 5, 2001, at a local care center. A celebration of life will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., in La Grande. The Rev. Vernon Slippy of the Grande Ronde Community Church officiating and with the participation of the American Legion. Ms. Sanders was born Oct. 27, 1920, at Toppenish, Wash., to Carlton Joseph Sr. and Elizabeth Sheppard Waltz. She graduated from Baker High School in 1938 and attended Linfield College before entering the Navy during World … Read more

Trindle, Bill – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Bill Trindle, 94, of Haines died Jan. 9, 2007, at this home. His memorial service and celebration will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Haines United Methodist Church. There will be a storytelling lunch afterward. Bill lived a rich life, full of many memories of the times he had seen, the family he so dearly admired and the opinions to which he adhered. He was born at Salem in 1912 to Alice and William, both college-educated and quite involved with local politics and development. He loved flying and received his pilot’s license at the age of 16. … Read more

Seal, Ilean Flinn Dennis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ilean Dennis Seal, 79, of Baker City, died Jan. 29, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Care Center. Her graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Chuck Risley of the American Legion will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the American Legion, 2129 Second St. Ilean was born on May 30, 1927, at Fillmore, Calif., to Alvie “Possum” and Ada Flinn. She worked as telephone operator and retired from Nevada Bell after 33 years. She was active with the American Legion in Baker City where she served as president and other officer … Read more