Baker County OR

Cathey, Lawrence “Vern” – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Lawrence “Vern” Cathey, 75, of La Grande, died Nov. 27, 2004, at his home. A celebration of life will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at the New Life Center in La Grande (behind Shop ‘n Kart). Burial will be at the Summerville Cemetery. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Vern was born on Sept. 26, 1929, to Hugh and Laura Ray Cathey at Spearfish, S.D. He moved to Baker City where he joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was in the Signal Corps when he was discharged. He joined Labor … Read more

Cheren, Bernice F. Zimmerman Mrs. – Obituary

Bernice F. Zimmerman Cheren, 87, of Portland, died Nov. 22, 2001, in Portland. There will be a celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Saturday at her home. Mrs. Cheren was born on Nov. 13, 1914, at Portland. She graduated from Clinton Kelly High School of Commerce in Cleveland in May 1933 as a bookkeeper and stenographer. She worked as a stenographer for a private accounting firm. She loved her family, her garden, taking walks and playing cards at the Rose Center for Seniors on Tuesdays. She married Paul Cheren in 1948. He died in 1989. Survivors include her daughter-in-law, … Read more

Colt, Phebe Brook Mrs. – Obituary

Summerville, Union County, Oregon Eastern Oregon Pioneer Passes; Burial Tuesday Another Eastern Oregon pioneer passed on during the weekend, when Mrs. Phebe Brook Colt, a resident of Summerville for some 45 years, died in Portland Saturday. Funeral services will be held at the Summerville chapel at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug 7 with Snodgrass and Zimmerman in charge of arrangements. The services will be conducted by Rev. Paul DeF. Mortimore, of the Christian church, of which Mrs. Colt was a member. The body will arrive in La Grande tomorrow morning. Mrs. Colt was born Dec. 7 1838 at Rhysussex, England and … Read more

Davis, Chester R. “Chet”

Halfway, Oregon Chester R. “Chet” Davis, 77, of Baker City and a former Halfway resident, died Sept. 6, 2004, at his home. His graveside memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Military rites will be conducted by the Halfway Veterans of Foreign War Post, No. 7847. Mr. Davis was born on Jan. 22, 1927, at Roy, N.M., to John Bernard and Kathryn Valentine Williams Davis. He received his education in San Diego and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945. He spent time in Korea after the war and was discharged … Read more

Fagenstrom, Ottilie Brummer Mrs. – Obituary

Ottilie Fagenstrom, 85, a former Baker City resident, died March 31, 2006, at Life Care Center of the Treasure Valley in Boise. Her memorial service will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 17th Street and Pocahontas Road. Ottilie Fagenstrom was born on Sept. 21, 1920, at Oslo, Norway, to Walter and Catherine Pattenhausen-Brummer. Ottilie moved with her parents to the United States in 1924. Her father, Walter, continued his import-export business. When Ottilie was 14, her mother, Catherine, died. Ottilie moved with her father to California. She was a 1939 graduate of Santa Ana High School. … Read more

Wilcox, Richard W. ‘Dick’ – Obituary

Richard W. ‘Dick’ Wilcox, 75, of Baker City, Ore., died March 4, 2007, in LaGrande from Pancreatic Cancer. There was a graveside service at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2007, at Mt. Hope Cemetery. A memorial service was held at the Baker City Christian Church at noon with a reception following. Pastor Roger Scovil will officiated. Dick was born Oct. 29, 1931, in Corvallis, Ore., to Chester L. and Hazel Wilcox. They moved to Baker City by the time he started school, where he attended Churchill School. He was 17 when he joined the US Army where he learned … Read more

Smelcer, Dorothy Louise Romine Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Dorothy Louise Romine Smelcer, 91, of Halfway, died May 6, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Care Center. Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Dorothy was born Dec. 24, 1911, at Alamont, Kan., to Eber and Irene Romine. She was the second of nine children. Her family moved to Pine Valley in 1917. She attended Sunnydell School and graduated from Pine Valley High School in 1931. She married Lawrence J. Smelcer on June 1, 1931, at Vancouver, Wash. They were married for 72 years, and were partners in the cattle operation. … Read more

Campbell Mae Guffey Mrs. – Obituary

Mae Guffey Campbell, 98, of Kalispell, Mont., whose husband, Harry, is a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 31, 2006, with her husband at her side. Her memorial service was at noon Tuesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Kalispell, Mont. There will be a graveside service at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Mrs. Campbell was born on May 3, 1908, at Far West, Mo., to William Jeptha and Lucy Luenda Littrell Guffey. She worked as a retail salesperson at Denver and as an insurance salesperson at Great Falls, … Read more

Tarango, Manuel – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Manuel Tarango, 80, of Baker City and a former longtime resident of Stanfield, Ariz., died Sept. 20, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. A memorial Mass for him will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Friday at the St. Elizabeth Health Care Center chapel, 3325 Pocahontas Road. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin will celebrate the Mass. Another memorial Mass will be celebrated Oct. 8 at Casa Grande, Ariz. Manuel was born on June 2, 1924, at Fort Davis, Texas, to Encarnacion and Alejandra Magallanes Tarango. Manuel was raised and educated on the family cattle ranch at Aldama, … Read more

Wilson, Charles Earl “Chuck” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles Earl “Chuck” Wilson, 61, of Baker City, died June 1, 2002, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise. His graveside funeral will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Leonard Hill of the Halfway Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will officiate. There will be a potluck afterward at the Halfway Lions Park. Chuck was born on Nov. 19, 1940, to Frank and Martha Connor Wilson at Cambridge, Idaho. Chuck worked as a long-haul truck driver for part of his life and as contract mail carrier in the Baker City … Read more

Long, Rush Ernest – Obituary

Rush Ernest Long, 86, of Pine Creek, died March 6, 2005, at his home. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Oxbow Christian Fellowship Church at the Oxbow Schoolhouse. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the church after the service. Rush Ernest was born on Sept. 3, 1918, to Elizabeth and Harry Long at Ponca City, Okla. He was raised and educated at Ponca City. His parents were ranchers until the Depression. They moved to California in 1936. In 1938 he married Mary Cecil at Compton, Calif. Early in his life … Read more

Smith, Billy Ray – Obituary

Billy Ray Smith, 55, of Huntington died July 20, 2009, with his loved ones at his home. His graveside funeral will be Wednesday, July 29 at 11 a.m. at the Huntington Cemetery followed by a potluck memorial at 2 p.m. at the VFW Hall. Visitations will be Monday, July 27 and Tuesday, July 28, from noon to 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Billy Ray was born Nov. 3, 1953, at Norco, Calif. He was known for being a loving man, father, husband, brother, son and grandfather, family members said. Survivors include his wife, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. P. Kinnison and H. A. Kinnison

J.P. and H.A. KINNISON. – These two brothers, who have united their fortunes through life were born on the Mississippi river about one hundred miles below St. Louis in the years 1838 and 1840, respectively. They received a common-school education, and, developing a riving disposition, crossed the plains in 1853. San Mateo, California, was their first home, and stock-raising their business until 1862, when they came to the Powder river valley, and were the first to break the ground of that beautiful region. They have been engaged in agriculture and stock-raising every since, and consider themselves fairly successful. In 1876 … Read more

Byron, Carl Edward – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Carl Edward Byron, 82, of Baker City, died of natural causes May 3, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center with his wife and daughter by his side. His graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Monte Loyd of Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. Visitations will be until 7o’clock tonight at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Mr. Byron was born on April 24, 1919, at Akron, Colo., to Clyde and Margaret Moyer Byron. His family lived in Brush, Colo., until moving to La Grande in 1936. He enrolled … Read more

Booker, Elaine Anne Shuck Mrs. – Obituary

Elaine Anne Booker, 78, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 16, 2007, at her home in Sacramento, Calif. Elaine was born on Nov. 13, 1928, at Baker City to Lesley and Anne Shuck. She was raised at Baker City and was a 1947 Baker High School graduate. She moved to Sacramento in August 1972 with her husband, Leslie Booker. Elaine was a friend to everyone and truly loved children of all ages. The walls of her home are covered with pictures of all of her family. She had a knack for remembering birthdays and anniversaries and always had a … Read more

Nichols, Lucia Anabel “Annie” Calhoun Mrs. – Obituary

Lucia Anabel “Annie” Nichols, 79, of Yelm, Wash., died March 9, 2004. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Yelm Senior Citizen Center, 201 Yelm Ave. There will be a reception afterward. She was born on Dec. 1, 1924, in West Virginia to Clarence Otto and Fannie Calhoun. In her spare time she took in foster babies and anyone else who needed a hug. She leaves many good, close friends. Annie was a little woman of great determination. She was able to overcome many obstacles that got in her way, including a stroke that … Read more

Wright, Roland Howard “Rollie” – Obituary

Roland Howard “Rollie” Wright, 53, of Baker City, died March 31, 2006, at Boise. His funeral will be at 12:15 p.m. Thursday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at Bend. Cremation was done by Nampa Funeral Home at Nampa, Idaho. Rollie served in the U.S. Army. He was a retired welder and enjoyed fishing in Eastern Oregon. Survivors include his companion of 10 years, Diana Kellum of Baker City; daughters, Ronni A. Herrold and Sally M. West, both of Bend; a sister, Cathe Anderson of LaPine; and grandchildren, Karley West, Megan West, Corbyn Herrold and Alyce Herrold of Bend. … 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

Shock, Henry Jasper – Obituary

H. J. Shock, 67 Dies In Halfway Pine Valley Rancher was Stockman Since 1910 Henry Jasper Shock, 67, Pine Valley stockman died Monday evening at his home at Halfway after a long illness. Born October 1, 1888 in Missouri, he moved to Haines at the age of three with his parents George T. and Mary A. Shock. He spent several years in the Haines area and moved to Pine Valley in 1910. On June 4, 1925, he was married to Bessie McMullen in Baker. He was engaged in ranching and farming. His is survived by his widow Bessie of halfway, … Read more

Eppinger, Henry – Obituary

Miner Found Shot Through His Head Henry Eppinger of Conner Creek Victim The dead body of Henry Eppinger was found at a cabin on Connor Creek near Huntington last Thursday, and whether the case was one of suicide or accident will probably never be known. The man was shot through the temple while lying on a bunk, and was alone when the shot was fired, it is stated. The revolver was in his hand. The shot was heard by workmen who were employed at the Connor Creek mine, and they immediately rushed to the cabin. He died before help could … Read more