Baker County OR

St. Francis Church, Baker City, Oregon

The historical development of the Catholic parish of Baker City, is analogous to that of the town itself. Time with its vicissitudes, and emigration with its attendant at fractions has molded it into the shape and proportion it has assumed today. It is interesting to take a retrospective view of events proceeding the present state of the parish. Starting in the year 1862, the reason for doing so being based upon the fact that the cradle of Baker City’s Congregation was located even then at Auburn, 12 miles south west of here, where some 1500 men were located in the … Read more

Keller, Robert George – Obituary

Robert George Keller, 71, of 2939 Redwood Ave. died Wednesday, April 4, 1984, at Josephine Memorial Hospital. Graveside services were held today at Hillcrest Memorial Park with the Rev. Walter Ferris of the First Baptist Church officiating. Slawson’s Chapel of the Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. He was born December 30, 1912 in Seattle. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He worked for the U. S. Forest Service in timber and resources management for 37 years before retiring in 1972. He began work in the Siskiyou National Forest office before being transferred to … Read more

Loennig, Marjorie Marie Haldorson Mrs. – Obituary

Marjorie Marie Loennig, 81, of Creswell, a former Baker County resident, died June 27, 2007. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Creswell Presbyterian Church. Marjorie was born on the family farm at Eugene on April 6, 1926, to Julia and Lennie Haldorson. She was the second of five children. She attended Central Grade School and was a 1944 Eugene High School graduate. She married Franklin Loennig in 1949 and moved to a ranch near Haines. After her divorce, she completed her degree in education at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande while raising three boys. … Read more

McCullough, Frank – Obituary

Gas From Car Brings Death To McCullough Frank McCullough, retired farmer of Haines, was killed by monoxide gas from an automobile in the garage at his home there shortly before noon last Friday. He is said to have been in the closed garage about ten minutes when found by Fred Shanklin, who has been living at the McCullough home all winter. Shanklin heard the car running in the garage and opened the doors to find McCullough dead. Mr. McCullough has been suffering from heart trouble for some time. Mr. McCullough was born in Shelby County, Missouri, January 26, 1865. He … Read more

Ritsch, Lulu M. Steelman Mrs. – Obituary

Lulu M. Ritsch, 85, of Chico, Calif., died June 3, 2003, at the Chico Creek Care and Rehab Center. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations were Friday at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home. Lulu was born March 21, 1918, at Vale to Melville E. Davis and Mary Jessie Dee Steelman. She started school at the White Star School in Vale and then transferred to Muddy Creek School in 1924. She then started the 11th grade at Baker High School and graduated in May 1937. Mrs. Ritsch was baptized in 1957 at the Baker … Read more

Colton, John J., Jr. – Obituary

Keating, Baker County, Oregon John J. Colton Jr., 90, a longtime Baker County resident, died July 31, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. The rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Monday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Cathedral. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a luncheon afterward at the parish hall. Visitations will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. John was born the third of 15 children … Read more

Bonn, Hilary – Obituary

Richland, Baker County, Oregon Hilary Bonn, 21, of Richland, died Jan. 28, 2005, at Oregon Heath & Science University in Portland surrounded by family and friends. There will be a celebration of her life at 6 p.m. Thursday at Richland Elementary School. Hilary was born on Nov. 22, 1983, with her twin sister, Gabrielle, at La Grande, to Anthony and Jan Bonn. She was raised at Richland and attended Richland Elementary School. She was a 2002 graduate of Pine-Eagle High School at Halfway. Active in high school sports, she ran track all four years and loved the 400-meter relay. When … Read more

Coombes, Maude Pearl Johnson Mrs. – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Maude Pearl Coombes, 97, of Haines, died Dec. 8, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Crematory. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Baker City Christian Church, 2998 Eighth St. Pastor Roger Scovil of the church will officiate. Mrs. Coombes was born on April 1, 1904, at Pine Hill, Ky., to John Clark and Liza Edwards Johnson. She was the last of 12 children. She moved from Kentucky to St. Maries, Idaho, and then to the Republic, Wash., area where she met Oscar Cullen … Read more

Ayre, William, Col. – Obituary

Col. William Passes This Life End Comes At Hot Springs On Wednesday Of This Week Was a Resident of Baker County for Forty Years , Services at Cambridge, N.Y. Masonic Lodge and Episcopal Church to Have Charge of Last Rites Col. William G. Ayre, prominent Baker resident, local sheepman and globe trotter, died at Hot Springs, Arkansas, Wednesday of this week. He was 71 years old. Colonel Ayre had been in failing health for more than a year and a half. He left his home here with Mrs. Ayre in June, 1926, for a visit to his old home in … Read more

Reinecke, Eva I. Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Eva I. Reinecke, 85, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 14, 2002, at Meadowbrook Place. The rosary will said at 6 o’clock tonight at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church. The Rev. Rob Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Vault interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception at St. Francis de Sales after the service. Visitations will be until 4 p.m. today at Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. Eva … Read more

Aldrich, Gary – Obituary

Gary E. Aldrich, 73, a longtime Baker City resident, died Nov. 9, 2003, at St. Aiphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Haines Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight and from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Mr. Aldrich was born Aug. 4, 1930, at Baker City. He was the son of Elvin “Dutch” and Mona Yankee Aldrich. He attended Muddy Creek School until 1947, when the school was closed. He then completed high school at North Powder. After graduating, he moved … Read more

Smith, Albert Britton – Obituary

Albert Britton Smith, 90, of Pendleton, a former Baker City resident and Safeway manager, died Feb. 2, 2001, at Willowbrook Terrace in Pendleton. His graveside funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Smith was born on July 7, 1910, at Durango, Colo., to William Albert and Jessie Farrell Smith. He married Marguerite L. Coleman on Nov. 29, 1935, at Weiser, Idaho. The couple lived in Baker City for many years where he managed the Safeway store. He also was manager of Safeway in La Grande. During World War II, he left his job in La … Read more

Old Sumpter Cemetery, Sumpter, Oregon (1)

One of the earliest cemeteries in Baker County is located at Sumpter. We have been unable to learn exactly when it was started but it is believed to have had its beginning soon after discovery of gold in the area, some time in the 1860’s. The cemetery is located just off of State Highway 220, about one mile south and east of the town of Sumpter on the right hand side of the road going westward. Sumpter was first settled by a few white men who mined in the area. Later several hundred Chinese came to the mines. Many of … Read more

Gibbons, Joseph Edward – Obituary

Joseph Edward Gibbons, 79, of Salinas, Calif., a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 1, 2007. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Philip Neri Church in Portland. Joseph was born on June 8, 1928, at Boise to Michael and Nora Gibbons, emigrants from County Galway, Ireland. He was raised at Juntura and later attended St. Francis Academy High School at Baker City. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was honorably discharged in 1949. After graduating from the University of Portland in 1953, he began his lifelong career in … Read more

Williams, David Lee – Obituary

David Lee Williams, 62, a third generation Baker Valley rancher, died June 8, 2002. There will be a private family graveside service Friday morning at Mount Hope Cemetery. A public celebration of life service for David will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at the Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastors Ron Kratzer and Lennie Spooner will officiate. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. David was born the second son of Jess and Bessie Emery Williams on March 22, 1940, at Baker City. He attended local schools and Eastern Oregon State … Read more

Carlyle, Ruth Flowers Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ruth Carlyle, 72, of Baker City, died Oct. 9, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her graveside funeral will be Tuesday at St. John’s Cemetery at Escolon, Calif. Mrs. Carlyle was born on July 9, 1929, at Flagstaff, Ariz., to Richard and Ruth Flowers. She lived many years in California. She lived at Burns for 10 years before moving to Baker City where she had lived for the past five years. She was preceded in death by two husbands, a son and one grandson. She will be buried next to her first husband, Daniel Joaquin. She is … Read more

Withey, Mike – Obituary

Mike Withey, 64, Baker City, Ore., resident died April 26, 2007, at his residence. Arrangements are under the direction of Coles Funeral Home. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, May, 2007 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Barton, Barbara Gover Mrs. – Obituary

Barbara Barton, 84, a former longtime Halfway resident, died April 18, 2009, at her home near Baker City. At her request, there will be no service. There will be a private vault interment at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. She was born to Lovell and Velma Gover on June 21, 1924, at their home place in Pine Valley. Barbara’s family goes back to her great-grandfather, Aquilar Farmer Estes, who came from Missouri to become an early pioneer of Pine Valley and Cornucopia. Her grandmother, Barbara (know as Lorene) married Aquilar’s son, George Estes, who was killed in a snow slide … Read more

Koontz, Henry W. – Obituary

Hereford, Oregon Henry W. Koontz, 72, a Hereford native, died Oct. 24, 2001. His funeral was Sunday at the Burnt River Community Church at Unity. Mr. Koontz was born on June 2, 1929, at Hereford to William and Rebecca Koontz. He was drafted into the U.S. Army after high school and served his country in the Korean War. After being honorably discharged, he returned to the Hereford/Baker area and married Roberta Stultz. His passion in life became music. He traveled between Portland and Wallowa singing and playing his guitar while making lasting friends along the way. He enjoyed conversations about … Read more

Gilland, Burl Vance – Obituary

Burl Vance Gilland, 91, of Baker City, died July 17, 2009. There will be a private inurnment of his ashes and the ashes of his wife, Benita, at Redmond Memorial Garden. He was born on June 25, 1918, at a small farmhouse outside of Grant City, Mo. He was the oldest child of Clifford and Mary Margaret Miller Gilland. His mother died during childbirth when he was 4. Burl married Benita Potter on April 19, 1941, at Oregon, Mo. They were married for 67 years. In 1943, the couple moved to Sisters. Burl began working in the timber industry where … Read more