Baker County OR

Widman, C. Wayne – Obituary

C. Wayne Widman, 69, of Parkdale, and a former Baker City resident, died March 31, 2002, at the Hood River Memorial Hospital. His funeral was at 11 a.m. today at the Hood River Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial was at the Upper Valley Cemetery. Wayne was born April 7, 1932, at Baker City to Carl Henry and Dorothy Ellen Williams Widman. He was raised and educated in Baker City and was a 1950 Baker High School graduate. After high school, Wayne left Baker City to work in a sawmill at Joseph. About a year later he returned … Read more

Darling, Marie Eva – Obituary

Mrs. Marie Eva Darling, wife of Harry W. Darling, died in the Protestant Hospital Sunday Morning at 8 o’clock. She was taken to the hospital Wednesday. Mrs. Darling was born July 24, 1900, in Deerfield, Missouri, and lived in the section for about 20 years. The deceased is survived by her husband, one son, Jack; her mother, Mrs. Ada Prince of Baker and four uncles, R. W. Guinn of Baker, Bert Lou Guinn of Seaside, L. A. Guinn of Fort Scott, Kansas and O. H. Guinn of Deerfield, Missouri. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 at Mount … Read more

Knoblauch, William “Bill” – Obituary

Richland, Oregon William “Bill” Knoblauch, 89, a longtime Richland resident, died Dec. 21, 2004, at Baker City. His funeral was Dec. 27 at Richland. Interment was at Eagle Valley Cemetery. Bill was born March 11, 1915, at Portland to Paul and Mary Elizabeth Knoblauch. He grew up in Richland on the family ranch. He attended school in Richland and after graduation he attended the Gem State Academy in Caldwell, Idaho. Bill married his high school sweetheart, Veda Ewing, on June 5, 1935, in Caldwell. They made their home on the family ranch in Richland. During World War II Bill worked … Read more

Warhol, Martha Ackerman Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Martha Ackerman Warhol, 102, died Feb. 13, 2002, at her home in Halfway. Her funeral will at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Born in South Dakota in 1899, Martha was the oldest of nine children. She grew up in the small German community of Herried, S. D., where her father was a farmer, owned the local bank, and ran a general store. She didn’t learn to speak English until she was in the first grade. The whole family worked part time in the bank and in the store, and Martha … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. D. Martin

One half mile southeast from Harney is one of the finest small grain farms in the county. It consists of eighty acres of choice land and is well under cultivation. The improvements are of a quality and kind quite fitting such an estate and its owner is the subject of this article. Mr. Martin was about the first man to try raising grain in this locality and he has made a marked success in this direction. He raised in 1901 the largest crop of any one man in Harney county and he is classed as one of the leading agriculturists … Read more

Biography of Lewis Neal

Neal who is striving for its advancement and welfare, while he has also shown excellent personal qualities of worth and uprightness, coupled with which are integrity and sound principles. Mr. Neal was born in Indiana on June 26, 1840, being the son of William and Mahala (Parker) Neal, who were numbered with the agriculturists of that state until 1850, when they undertook the monotonous and weary journey across the plains with ox teams, continuing the same until they landed in the Willamette valley. There they took up one section of land under the donation law, but later removed to Monument, … Read more

Mitchell, Lois E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Lois E. Mitchell, 80, of Redmond and formerly of La Grande, died April 1. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, La Grande. Committal and burial will follow at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Baker City. She was born April 21, 1926, to Harold B. and Nancy B. (Luster) Doherty in Baker City. In September 1946 she married Earl “Bob” Mitchell in Baker. Mrs. Mitchell spent her entire working years in banking, including more than 30 years at First Interstate Bank in La Grande, retiring in 1991. She … Read more

Defrees, Margaret Elayne Rice Mrs. – Obituary

Margaret Elayne Defrees, 71, died Dec. 1, 2005, at her home in Sumpter Valley. Her funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Bishop Jeff Daniels of Baker City 1st Ward will conduct. Margaret was born on Feb. 6, 1934, at Yakima, Wash., to Dallas and Kathryn Rice. She lived her first 13 years at the White Swan Christian Indian Mission where her parents were superintendents of the mission school. Her high school and junior college years were spent at Yakima … Read more

Van Winkle, Eleanor Powell Staples Mrs. – Obituary

Eleanor Van Winkle, 87, a former Baker City resident, died May 19, 2005, at her home in Indianola, Iowa. Her graveside service will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City, with Pastor Robin Harris officiating. Eleanor was born April 28, 1918, in Baker City. She went to grade school at Rye Valley and graduated in 1936 from Vale High School. She earned an accounting degree from LaSalle Extension University in Chicago. Eleanor was a welder in a shipyard during World War II. She worked as an accountant for Ore-Ida Frozen Foods for 25 years. In … Read more

Gardner, William N. – Obituary

W.N. Gardner Was Farmer Many Years William N. Garner, who lived at 21st and Campbell streets and who died last Thursday at his home was born May 1, 1860 in Kansas. He moved to a farm on North Powder river in 1864 and lived there until he moved to Baker 5 years ago. He was a member of the Methodist Church and the Odd Fellow Masonic loges in North Powder. Mr. Gardner was m;arried Dec. 6, 1893 to Effie Savage in Baker. Survivors are the widow and two sone, Paul O. and George W. Gardner, both of Baker. Funeral services … Read more

Driscoll, John Allen “Jack” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon John Allen “Jack” Driscoll, 77, of Baker City, died June 2, 2004, at his home. His memorial service at sea will be on July 11, 2004, off Dana Point, Calif. Mr. Driscoll was born on March 31, 1927, at Chicago to John Clifford and Bessie Allen Driscoll. He worked as an electronic technician in aviation and was retired from the Air Force. He had lived at Baker City since 1991. Survivors include his wife, Sandra; seven children and stepchildren; two sisters; two brothers; 16 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews, all living out of state. … Read more

Oliver, Ned – Obituary

Cove, Union County, Oregon Former Cove Resident Taken by Long Illness Word was received by Mrs. Charles Hancock of the death of Ned Oliver, Tuesday, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver were proprietors of the Cove Corner Grocery for several years, leaving here a year ago in March for a location in Halfway, Ore. Mr. Oliver had been seriously ill in a Boise hospital for some time, but recently seemed much improved and was taken home. After a short time he became worse and Mrs. Oliver and their son, Bill, started with him for Boise but he became so much worse that … Read more

Kesterson, Aline Pratt Mrs. – Obituary

Aline Pratt Kesterson, 90, of Twin Falls, Idaho, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 24, 2002, at Bridgeview Estates. Visitations will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Pastor Lura Kidner-Miesen of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Aline was born on Sept. 19, 1911, at Greenfield Tenn. She married Luther Kesterson in Poteau, Okla., and they lived their early married years in Muse, Okla. Aline’s job was being … Read more

Allen, Norman “Norm” – Obituary

Norman “Norm” Allen, 86, of Baker City died Feb. 19, 2006, at Settler’s Park. At his request, there will be no service. In the spring his family will gather privately to celebrate his life and to scatter his ashes with his beloved wife’s. Norm was born on Jan. 26, 1920, at Smyrna Mills, Maine, to Thomas and Delia Allen. He was the 13th of 13 children. He attended school at Smyrna Mills and after graduating from high school enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed in Idaho and Washington. While in Idaho he met his life’s partner, Yvonne … Read more

Crawford, Jennie Gale – Obituary

1910-2004 Jennie Gale Crawford, 94, of Wallowa died Dec. 7 at a care center. The funeral will begin at 1 p.m. Dec. 11 at Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise. Mrs. Crawford was born Feb. 13, 1910, to James and Lucy Rutledge in Princeton, Mo. She grew up in Mercer, Mo., and on June 11, 1930, married Theodore Crawford in Corydon, Iowa. The couple lived in Powersville, Mo., Pleasant Valley, Telocaset and North Powder where they stayed for 24 years. They moved to Pilot Rock until retirement in 1972 and then to Wallowa. She was a member of … Read more

Mather, Edward E. – Obituary

Edward E. Mather, 71, a long time Baker City resident died Jan. 14, 2005, at his home, with his family around him. Cremation by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. There will be no services until late spring at which time he will be placed near his mother. At that time, friends are invited to come to the services. The date, place and time will be made known to everyone. Ed was born Sept. 19, 1933, at Glennwood Springs, Colo., to Edward and Ruth Mather. He spend 3 1/2 years in the Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1961. He belonged … Read more

Smith, Thomas – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Aug. 9 — Thomas Smith, memorial service, 1 p.m., United Methodist Church, Elgin The Observer – August 4, 2008 ___________________________________ Thomas Ira Smith, 93, of McMinnville and formerly of Elgin, died July 10 in McMinnville. Memorial services will begin at 1 p.m. Aug. 9 at the United Methodist Church at Fifth and Birch Street in Elgin. Autumn Crematorium in Tigard was in charge of arrangements. Tom was born Sept. 22, 1914, to Ira Arthur and Henrietta Esther (Cruikshank) Smith in Gridley, Calif. The family soon moved to Elgin where Tom graduated from Elgin High School in 1932. Joining … Read more

Obituary of Richard Lee Hamman

Richard Lee Hamman, 68, of Baker City, died July 17, 2008 ,at Settler’s Park. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Apostolic Lighthouse Church, 2047 Seven St. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the church after the service. Richard was born on May 30, 1940, to Roy and Fern Hamman at Fort Archambault in French Equatorial Africa, during their time as missionaries. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1963. He worked as a hydroelectric engineer most of his life, retiring in 2000. Survivors include his children, Robert … Read more

LeaMaster, Avonne Mae ‘Von’ Hinton Mrs. – Obituary

Avonne “Von” Mae (Hinton) LeaMaster, a longtime Haines resident, died March 22, 2008. A funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Haines First Baptist Church. Long time family friend Clifford Cole will officiate. A private family internment will follow at the Haines Cemetery. Von was born May 4, 1929, at Wallowa to Velma Margaret Davis Hinton Plass and Harry Hinton. She grew up on the family ranch near Crow Creek a few miles northeast of Enterprise and spoke fondly of those childhood years. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandmother Myrtle Davis. Von and her … Read more