Baker County OR

McNulty, Viola Margaret “Vi” Devine Mrs. – Obituary

Viola Margaret “Vi” Devine McNulty, 96, died Aug. 8, 2005, at the Siuslaw Care Center in Florence. A private family graveside service was held in honor of Viola on Aug. 18 at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. A rosary and Mass for the repose of the soul of Viola were offered at the St. Therese Catholic Church in Halfway. Vi Devine was born on Nov. 13, 1908, in Oklahoma to Herbert and Ida Cecilia Stroud Devine. At birth Vi weighed less than three pounds. Stories passed down from family indicate that her tiny head would fit in a teacup and … Read more

Gover, Delora F. – Obituary

Delora F. Gover, 79, a former Imbler and Baker County resident who taught school for many years in Eastern Oregon, died Thursday in Provo, Utah. A graveside funeral for Mrs. Gover will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Eagle Valley Cemetery at Richland. Visitations for Mrs. Gover will be until 9 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker. Mrs. Gover was born on Feb. 15, 1910, in Imbler to William Arthur and Zelma Annie Westenskow Funk. She spent her childhood and attended school in the Baker area. She attended college at the University … Read more

Lawson, Harry – Obituary

Harry Lawson, 86, of Corvallis, and a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 3, 2000, at his home. His funeral was Friday at Kings Circle Assembly of God Church. Pastor Kerry McRoberts officiated. Interment was at Twin Oaks Memorial Park in Albany. Mr. Lawson was born Feb. 18, 1914, at Bayfield, Colo., to Harry and Mary (Shoemaker) Lawson. As a teenager he moved to Oregon, where he met and married the love of his life, Grace Lucille Conn. They were married June 15, 1932, at Coquille. He worked in timber-related jobs and also did radio repair. Mr. Lawson served in … Read more

Whitaker, David Leonard – Obituary

Huntington, Oregon David Leonard Whitaker, 59, of Huntington died April 28, 2003, at his home. His graveside service will be announced later and will take place at Huntington. David was born April 6, 1944, to Thomas William and Alexandria Beryl Nevins Whitaker. Survivors include two sisters, Sandra A. Rose and her husband, John D. of Kuna, Idaho, and Beth Gay Mills and her husband, Kenneth, of Twin Falls, Idaho; a brother, Blynn W. Whitaker of Huntington; nephews, David K. Reed of Tumwater, Wash., Donald D. Rose of Nampa, Idaho, and Thomas and Patricia Rose of Nampa, Idaho; nieces, Brenda Miller … Read more

Davis, Opal “Dee” – Obituary

Baker County, Oregon Obituaries Opal “Dee” Davis, 71, of Boardman, died Jan. 25, 2003, at his home. Private cremation with a Celebration of Life graveside service will be held later this year in Canyon City, with time and date to be announced later. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements. Dee was born March 27, 1931, at Waldron, Ark., the third child of Reacel and Monta May Starr Davis. He was raised in Booneville, Ark., then moved to Oregon in 1948. There he married Norma Jean Wood on Aug. 9, 1949, in John Day. They had four children, … Read more

Stoddard, Shirley Elaine – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Shirley Elaine Stoddard, 66, formerly of Union County, died April 26 at her daughter’s home in Baker City. A celebration of Shirley’s life and a memorial service and potluck will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at the V.F.W. Hall, 518 N. Main St. in Union. Shirley was born Jan. 26, 1942, to Lawrence and Alberta (Holcomb) Conner in Halfway. She was raised in Halfway, Pondosa, Baker City, Elgin and graduated from Baker High School. She met Vernon Stoddard Sr. and the couple eloped and married on July 25, 1960. They had five children. During Shirley’s life she worked … Read more

Cooper, Clara E. Holly Mrs. – Obituary

Clara E. Cooper, 84, of Columbus, Ga., a former Huntington resident, died May 2, 2008, at Vista Care Center at Franciscan Woods at Columbus. Mrs. Cooper was born on Aug. 21, 1923, at Tie Siding, Wyo., to Floyd and Martha Holly. She had lived at Columbus for the past 14 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, James B. Cooper. Survivors include one son, Kenneth Crawford of Dayton, Wash.; two daughters, Vicki Darrow of Baker City and Pauline Kennedy of Columbus, Ga.; a brother, Floyd L. Holly of Bar Nun, Wyo.; two sisters, Ester Frazier of Overton, Nev., … Read more

Painter, Norma Fay Stalker Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Norma Fay Painter, 81, of Halfway, died April 25, 2001, at Caldwell, Idaho. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine Baptist Church at Halfway. Pastor Shawn Thatcher of Pine Baptist Church will officiate. Vault interment will be at the Pine Haven Cemetery at Halfway. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home at Halfway and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine Baptist Church in Halfway. Mrs. Painter was a granddaughter of pioneer settlers who moved to Halfway in 1889 from Franklin, Idaho. At that time … Read more

Harris, Lavelle – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Lavelle Harris, 93, of La Grande, died March 9 at her home. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande. A complete obituary will be published at a later date. The Observer – Obituaries for the week ending March 17, 2007 1913-2007 LaVelle Harris, 93, of La Grande, died March 9. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande, with burial to follow at the Union Cemetery. Mrs. Harris was born April 6, … Read more

Incidents in Pioneer Days in Baker County, Oregon

People who come to the Pacific States in palace cars, making the trip in four or five days, can have but a faint conception of the toils and hardships endured by those who crossed the plains with teams before the advent of railroads. Experience would also be necessary, perhaps, to enable one to fully appreciate the humorous phases of the journey; but doubtless scores of old pioneers have smiled at sight of a certain paper which was posted on a tree by the side of the trail between Elk creek and Auburn in the fall of ’62, for it could … Read more

Cosens, Julia Alice (Zimmerly) – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Funeral services for Julia Alice Cosens, 82, will be held 2 p.m. Friday, at Dempsey’s Funeral Chapel, Rev. Gregory Johanson of the United Methodist Church officiating. Vault interment will follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery. Cosens, who died Monday at Valley View Manor, was born April 30, 1892, in Asotin, Wash., the daughter of James ABEL and Jane Zimmerly. She married Russell Cosens in 1913. They lived in the Baker County area until 1944 when they moved to the La Grande area. Her husband preceded her in death in 1967. Cosens was a retired homemaker and … Read more

Shock, Bessie Mae McMullen Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. Bessie Mae Shock, 82, of Halfway, died Friday evening June 26, 1964, at St. Elizabeth hospital after a brief illness. She was the daughter of Isaac and Betty Bragg McMullen, who were among the first settlers in Pine Valley. Mrs. Shock was born March 25, 1882, at Pine, OR., in the small log cabin which still stands on the McCall property. The first school she attended was situated on the farm now owned by Ernest McQueen. She was married to Jess Shock in June 1926, and he preceded her in death in Feb. 1956. Their son, Norman, died in … Read more

Benson, Thomas – Obituary

Cornucopia, Baker County, Oregon Death of Three Well-Known Persons In Union County the Past Week Thomas Benson, of Cornucopia, died last Thursday after a short illness. A few days before his death he contracted a severe cold which rapidly developed into acute pneumonia. The remains were brought to Union and the funeral took place last Sunday, attended by many relatives and friends here. Deceased was about 37 years of age and well known to many in this and Baker counties. Eastern Oregon Republican, Thursday September 21, 1889 (The other two people were Mrs. Joseph Palmer and Mrs. Belle Collins)

Kolasinski, Gary – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Gary Kolasinski, 53, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande and Enterprise, died Aug. 24 at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A funeral Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 1002 L Ave., in La Grande. Following the service, friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the church. Gary was born Oct. 12, 1953, four minutes before his twin brother to Ardath Snitgen and Donald Kolasinski in Alpena, Mich. He lived in Alpena, St. John’s, Mich., Portland and La Grande where he spent his high … Read more

Bryant, Richard M. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Richard M. Bryant, 76, of Baker City died May 31, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Center. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Lennie Spooner of the Baker City Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Mr. Bryant was born April 14, 1926, at Lebanon, Oregon. He was a son of Cassius and Ella Pittman Bryant. He lived and received his schooling in Lebanon. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps … Read more

Sutton, Daniel Huston – Obituary

A former Walla Walla resident, Daniel H. Sutton, 85, of Port Orchard, died at his home there Wednesday [April 27, 1971]. Born Sept. 1, 1884 in Whittier, NC, Sutton came to the northwest in 1906. He was a self-employed painter and carpenter before his retirement and had lived in Baker, Ore. before coming to Walla Walla in 1955. He moved to Port Orchard in 1967. Sutton is survived by two sons, Theodore Sutton of Adams, NY and David Sutton of Walla Walla; six daughters, Mrs. Orville (June) Ott and Mrs. E. A. (Jeanne) Robanske, both of Walla Walla, Mrs. Percy … Read more

Cook, Etta Lorene Hilbert Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Etta Lorene Cook, 89, a long-time Baker City resident, died Feb. 22, 2003, at her home. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate. There will be a reception at the Baker City Eagles Aerie, No. 3456, 2935 H St., after the memorial service. Etta was born Jan. 20, 1914, at Pine Town to Roy E. and Hazel L. Schultz Hilbert. Her grandmother, Mary Marr, came to Pine Valley in a wagon in 1812. Etta was one of five daughters. Her sisters were … Read more

Whitmore, David LeRoy “Dave” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon David LeRoy “Dave” Whitmore, 63, of Baker City, died July 10, 2006, at Corvallis. There will be no funeral. Friends and family are invited to a potluck gathering in his memory at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Geiser Pollman Park. Visitations will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Dave was born on Oct. 8, 1942, at Twin Falls, Idaho, to Glenn and Edna Hudson Whitmore. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Baker City where he grew up and was educated. He married Mary Moreno in 1958 at … Read more

Skidgel, Bonnie LaVone Burgess Mrs. – Obituary

Granite, Oregon Bonnie LaVone Skidgel, 58, of Granite, died Sept. 25, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services after a valiant 15-month battle with cancer. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Church. Pastor Bill Cox of the church will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the Skidgel home on Clear Creek. Mrs. Skidgel was born on Sept. 13, 1943, at San Diego to Alva and Wilma Burgess. She attended high school at Salem. She also attended Central Oregon Community College at Bend and took a geology course in La Grande. She … Read more

Donnelly, Roderick – Obituary

Formerly of La Grande 1921-2009 Roderick W. ‘Doc’ Donnelly, 88, formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 12 at his home in Richmond. A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements. Roderick was born May 23, 1921, the first son of Virginia Odessa Wechter and Hamilton Keyes Donnelly at his grandmother’s house at the top of the Donnelly Grade in Wheeler County. He was the grandson of a founding father of Wheeler County. He attended grade school in a one-room school at Service Creek. He attended high school in … Read more