The Miluk Indians, also known as Lower Coquille, spoke a southern dialect of the Kusan linguistic family and were distantly related to the Yakonan stock. They resided at the mouth of the Coquille River, with notable villages including Miluk on the north side and Nasumi on the south. An estimated 2,000 Miluk and Hanis were recorded in 1780, but numbers declined significantly, with only 93 remaining by 1910 and 55 reported in 1937.
Sandra G. Horn, 69, of Elgin, passed away on February 20 from cancer. Born January 31, 1939, in Gold Beach, she graduated from Bandon High School and married Vance R. Horn in 1959. The couple moved to Elgin in 1967, where Sandra worked as a special education aide and was active in community organizations. She is survived by her domestic partner, Larry Gilliam, two children, and eight grandchildren. Services will be held at Elgin Christian Church on Saturday, followed by a memorial luncheon.
Helen L. Comstock, born March 19, 1903, in Bandon, passed away from congestive heart failure on May 12, 1998, at the age of 95. A legal secretary for Nelson and Nelson law firm until her retirement in 1964, she married John K. Comstock in 1929, who predeceased her in 1969. She is survived by four daughters, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church, with interment at Willamette National Cemetery.
George Whitefield Rea, born on October 7, 1839, in Pittsburgh, faced early hardships after his mother’s death. He served in the Civil War from 1864 until its end, later pursuing a legal career in Nebraska and Oregon. Rea held various judicial positions, including justice of the peace at his death. A devoted family man, he raised four children after his first wife’s passing and remarried Ella Garrett. Active in church and community, he passed away on October 18, 1911, leaving behind his wife, four children, and three sisters.
Sylvia C. Cruckshank, aged 78, passed away on March 12, 1975, in Myrtle Point. Born on December 18, 1896, in Bandon, she was a member of the United First Methodist Church. She is survived by her sister Helen Comstock and several half-sisters, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Services are scheduled for March 14 at 11 a.m. at Myrtle Point Chapel, led by Rev. John Ulrich, with interment at Sunset Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to the church in her memory.
Harry Lawson, 86, of Corvallis, formerly of Baker City, passed away on November 3, 2000. Born February 18, 1914, in Bayfield, Colorado, he moved to Oregon as a teenager and married Grace Lucille Conn in 1932. A World War II Army veteran and building contractor, he was involved in his local church throughout his life. The couple enjoyed retirement in various Oregon locales, including building a cabin near Granite. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Alva Lee was born at Looking Glass, Douglas County, Oregon, Jan 19, 1859, and came to Coos County in September, 1874, and settled on the North Fork of the Coquille River and moved to Bandon, Oct. 15, 1896. He has been master of several steamers, and he is a successful navigator.