Neff, Wilbur Wayne – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Wilbur Wayne Neff, 72, of Baker City, a former longtime Bend resident, died Jan. 7, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church, 2407 Seventh St. Pastor Nathaniel Neff will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the Calvary Baptist Church, 2107 Third St. Visitations will be until 7 p.m. today at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. There will be a second funeral Saturday at 11 a.m. at the True Gospel United Pentecostal Church in Bend. There will be a … Read more

VanHise, Harley Ose – Obituary

Harley Ose VanHise, 88, of Bend, the husband of former longtime Baker County Clerk Anita Johnson VanHise, died Feb. 21, 2008. At his request, there will be no service. Mr. VanHise was born on March 9, 1919, at St. Maries, Idaho, to Harrison A. and Nellis M. Elliott VanHise. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Western Oregon College (now Western Oregon University) at Monmouth and a master’s degree from Eastern Oregon College (now Eastern Oregon University) at La Grande. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served as a teacher and administrator in public … Read more

Perry, Jack W. – Obituary

Jack W. Perry, 84, of Baker City, died July 10, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Jack Bynum of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Military rites will be accorded by Baker City AMVETS, Post 1874. Honor guard will be by Co. A 3-116th Cavalry, Oregon National Guard. Officers of the Bend City Police Department will also assist. Jack was born in 1921 at St. Maries, Idaho, to John and Wilhelmina “Minnie” Perry. His parents moved to Bend when he was 7, and he lived … Read more

Bilyeu, Virginia Lois Grosse – Obituary

Virginia Lois Bilyeu, a resident of Bend for 17 years, died March 9 at St. Charles Medical Center. She was 71. Visitation will be until 6 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon March 15 at Deschutes Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. March 15 in the Deschutes Memorial Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Paul Gross of the Nativity Lutheran Church in Bend officiating. Burial will follow at Deschutes Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Bilyeu was born Nov. 29, 1922, in Savana, Wash., to Paul Otto and Ella M. Grosse. She moved with her family to … Read more

Lockwood, Barbara – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Barbara V. Lockwood, a resident of Redmond, Oregon, died March 25, 2007, of heart failure. She was 63. Mrs. Lockwood was born March 5, 1944, in Enterprise to Alonzo A. and Versie Puderbaugh Lockwood. She attended school in Joseph through her junior year when the family moved to Kennewick, Wash. She graduated high school there in 1962. Mrs. Lockwood worked for Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing in Bend. She enjoyed travel and hunting and was an avid gardener. She was a member of the Oregon Hunters Association, the NRA, and a life member of the American Veterans Post 13 Auxiliary … Read more

Davis, Rhoda A. Mrs. – Obituary

Rhoda A. Davis, 88, of Bend, a former Baker County resident, died June 22, 2001, at Bend. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at Bend. Mass will be celebrated by the Most Rev. Thomas J. Connolly, bishop emeritus, of the Diocese of Baker. Recitation of the rosary will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Niswonger, Reynolds & Tabor Chapel at Bend. Committal and burial will be at the Pilot Butte Cemetery. Mrs. Davis was born on Sept. 4, 1912, at Wood River, Neb. Her family moved to Payette, … Read more

Lee, Mamie Emelia Schulke – Obituary

Mamie Emelia Lee, 83, a two-year resident of the Elzora Manor Nursing Home, died there Sept. 19, 1987. The graveside service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Mountain View Cemetery. The Rev. David Stunkel will officiate. Friends may meet at Groseclose Garden Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery. Mrs. Lee was born March 6, 1904 in Bemidji, Minn., to Edward and Helen (nee) Kutzner Schulke. She had lived in the Walla Walla Valley since 1937 and in Pendleton from 1939 until two years ago, when she moved to the nursing home. Her husband, John Henry Lee, died in 1973. … Read more

Aikey, Virgil – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Virgil Aikey, 66, of Sumpter, died Oct. 16, 2004, at the Boise Veterans Hospital. There will be a wake in honor of his life at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Elkhorn Restaurant in Sumpter. Virgil was born on Aug. 7, 1938, at Canandaigua, N.Y. He moved to Southern California in 1960. He served in the U.S. Army in the 101st Airborne. He was the youngest journeyman in the heating and sheet metal business in the 1960s in Southern California. After that he became a swimming pool contractor for Bee Sunny Pools in Chatsworth, Calif. In 1988, he moved … Read more

Mullen, Maatilda M. “Tillie” Rutzer Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Matilda M. ‘Tillie’ Mullen, 85, of Baker City, died Nov. 16, 2000, at her home at Meadowbrook. Her funeral was last Saturday at the Columbia Heights Assembly of God Church at Hunter, Wash. Burial was at Greenwood Park Cemetery at Hunter, Wash. Mrs. Mullen was born May 15, 1915, at Bend to Joseph and Josephine Rutzer. She spent her early life near Rufus and Sam’s Valley near Rogue River. After marrying Charles Wiltse in 1931, she and her family lived in the Kettle Falls and Hunter, Wash., communities for many years. In 1945, she married Henry Mattison … Read more

Lockwood, Barbara – Obituary

Barbara V. Lockwood, a resident of Redmond, died March 25, 2007, of heart failure. She was 63. Ms. Lockwood was born March 5, 1944, in Enterprise to Alonzo A. and Versie Puderbaugh Lockwood. She attended school in Joseph through her junior year when the family moved to Kennewick, Wash. She graduated high school there in 1962. Ms. Lockwood worked for Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing in Bend. She enjoyed travel and hunting and was an avid gardener. She was a member of the Oregon Hunters Association, the NRA, and a life member of the American Veterans Post 13 Auxiliary in Sweet Home. … Read more

Vandetta, Ray – Obituary

Ray Vandetta, 55, of Baker City died Jan. 4, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Moose Lodge, 61341 Highway 97, in Bend. Ray was born on Sept. 20, 1949, at Prairie City to Choicey Aldura Jones and Charles Freeman Vandetta. He grew up at Monument. At the age of 12, the family moved to Bend. Ray lived most of his life in John Day, until moving to Baker City in 2002. Ray was an avid hunter and fisherman; he enjoyed anything that included being in the great outdoors. He … Read more

Lockwood, Barbara – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Barbara V. Lockwood, a resident of Redmond, Oregon, died March 25, 2007, of heart failure. She was 63. Mrs. Lockwood was born March 5, 1944, in Enterprise to Alonzo A. and Versie Puderbaugh Lockwood. She attended school in Joseph through her junior year when the family moved to Kennewick, Wash. She graduated high school there in 1962. Mrs. Lockwood worked for Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing in Bend. She enjoyed travel and hunting and was an avid gardener. She was a member of the Oregon Hunters Association, the NRA, and a life member of the American Veterans Post 13 Auxiliary … Read more

Hamilton, Hayden Lynn – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Hayden Lynn Hamilton, daughter of Kimberly residents Teri Lynn (Richards) Hamilton and Joshua Lee, formerly of La Grande, died shortly after birth on Jan. 20 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. A graveside service will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Monument Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St. in La Grande, is in charge of arrangements. La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the week ending January 26, 2008 – January 26, 2008

McCullough, Rodney “Rod” – Obituary

Rodney “Rod” McCullough, 85, a lifelong Baker County resident and well-known livestock auctioneer and cattle rancher, died Feb. 20, 2006, at Bend. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, February 27, at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. The Rev. Julian Cassar of St. Francis will celebrate the Mass. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. McCullough was born at Baker City on Jan. 22, 1921, to Charles and Elizabeth Whited McCullough. He was the family’s youngest child. He was a graduate of St. Francis Academy. While enrolled at Oregon State … Read more

Riggle, Madeleine Louise Brown Mrs. – Obituary

Madeleine Louise Riggle, 99, a former Baker County resident, died June 3, 2009, at Bend surrounded by her family. Her family and friends will gather in her honor from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at 2836 Red Oak Drive in Bend. Mrs. Riggle was born on Sept. 17, 1909, at Haden, Wash., to Horace and Lina Hunkler Brown. She was raised at Coos Bay and later earned her master’s degree in education from Southern Oregon College of Education (now Southern Oregon University) at Ashland. She began her teaching career in Wallowa County where she met her future husband, Donald … Read more

Wulk, Steven C. “Steve” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Steven C. “Steve” Wulk, 37, of Baker City, died July 4, 2004, of natural causes at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. There will be no service. Cremation was held. Steve was born May 1, 1967, at Bend to John H. and Sharon Williams Wulk. He received his elementary education at Bend and was a graduate of Waldport High School at Waldport. Steve enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving 9? years and traveling all over the world. After his discharge, he came back to Baker City where he had worked for Radford Trucking. Steve loved to hunt, … Read more

Williams, Carl J. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Carl J. Williams, 86, of Baker City, died Dec. 21, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Friends are invited to join the family for the praying of the rosary, at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the cathedral. The Rev. Rob Irwin will officiate. Graveside inurnment will be later at Prineville’s Juniper Haven Cemetery. Carl was born at Monroe, N.H., on Oct. 16, 1917, to Carl J. and Luella Williams. He grew up at McIndoe Falls, Vt. He worked in … Read more

Bilyeu, Emery Leroy – Obituary

Emery Leroy Bilyeu, an 18-year resident of Bend, died of natural causes May 1 at St. Charles Medical Center. He was 75. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon May 8 at Deschutes Memorial Funeral Home. A funeral will follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home’s Cascade Chapel. Burial will follow in Deschutes Memorial Gardens. Pastoral Counselor Ronald A. Melver will be the officiant. Mr. Bilyeu was born in Portland on Nov. 20, 1919, to James and Leona (Anderson) Bilyeu. He lived in southeast Portland and graduated from Franklin High School. He served in the Army during World … Read more

Williamson, Buena – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Buena Williamson Buena Jean Williamson died September 4, 2005, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Wash. She was 71 years old. Mrs. Williamson was born Feb. 20, 1934 in Bend, Oregon to Arthur and Grace Barton. She graduated from Joseph High School in Joseph in 1952. She married Wayne Williamson on June 21, 1952. For many years she worked as a sales clerk and later a bank teller. In the 1990’s she worked at the Wallowa County Museum, where she specialized in antique clothing. Mrs. Williamson loved spending time camping and being in the outdoors. … Read more

Borine, Evelyn Irene – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Evelyn Irene Borine, 86, formerly of La Grande, died Nov. 9 in Bend. Funeral services begin at 11 a.m. on Nov. 21 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1802 Gekeler Lane, La Grande. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. in the church prior to the service. Burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Evelyn was born Feb. 2, 1921, to Glen and Clara John, in Hardin, Mont. The family moved to La Grande during the Great Depression. Evelyn graduated from La Grande High … Read more