Benton County OR

Donnelly, Roderick – Obituary

Formerly of La Grande 1921-2009 Roderick W. ‘Doc’ Donnelly, 88, formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 12 at his home in Richmond. A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements. Roderick was born May 23, 1921, the first son of Virginia Odessa Wechter and Hamilton Keyes Donnelly at his grandmother’s house at the top of the Donnelly Grade in Wheeler County. He was the grandson of a founding father of Wheeler County. He attended grade school in a one-room school at Service Creek. He attended high school in … Read more

Abrams, Larry Lee – Obituary

Larry Lee Abrams, 52, of Spokane and a former Baker City and Huntington resident died Oct. 12, 2005, at his home. A rosary and memorial service was held Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10 am at Heritage Funeral Home. Private internment was at Mount Saint Michaels. Larry was born in Weiser, Idaho, on Jan. 27, 1953. During grade school he moved with his family to Phoenix, Ariz., where they resided for six years. They then returned to Huntington where Larry attended high school, was a big part of the winning football team, and graduated with honors in 1971. He attended Treasure … Read more

Emmons, L. B. Mrs. – Obituary

Death of Mrs. L. B. Emmons Last Saturday at 7:30 o’clock, the spirit of Mrs. Iva M. Emmons quietly passed from earth at the age of 21 years and 4 days. Mrs. Emmons had been suffering with the dread malady, consumption, for some time, and although the physicians had pronounced her case hopeless the end was not thought to be so near, and the summons came as a terrible shock to relatives and friends. The deceased was the second daughter of R.W. Bloom and Mary Etta Bloom, a native of Wallowa County and was married to Leonard B. Emmons about … Read more

Moschkau, Michael Don – Obituary

Michael Don Moschkau, 32, of La Grande, died peacefully in his sleep on Jan. 9. A memorial service will be held on Monday at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church on Gekeler Lane in La Grande. Michael was born on Oct. 2, 1975 in Salem, the son of LeeRoy L. and Diane M. (Kirk) Moschkau. Though he was vision and hearing impaired from birth, Mike graduated from South Umpqua High School in Myrtle Creek with the Class of 1994. In 1997 he graduated from Umpqua Community College with an automotive degree. In 2003 he graduated from Eastern Oregon University with … Read more

Hecht, Jean – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Jean Hecht, 86, of Wilsonville and formerly of La Grande died April 11. Mrs. Hecht was born April 20, 1920, to Drs. Joseph and Margaret Ingle in La Grande. She graduated from La Grande High School and earned bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Oregon where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She earned a pilot’s license and taught high school in Vale and Corvallis. She served in the Navy and was stationed in Lakehurst, N.J., where she married Irwin Hecht. The couple moved to Portland nine years ago to be closer to … Read more

Biography of William W. Randall

WILLIAM W. RANDALL is one of the early pioneers of the country now embraced in Union county, and he has spent much of his life here, having gained a good distinction in two different lines. He is now one of the substantial agriculturists of the county, and in earlier days he spent many years in the calling of the educator with marked success. William W. was born in Indiana, on October 28, 1852, being the son of Abraham and Lucinda (Olophant) Randall. The family removed to Iowa in 1853, settling in Marshall county, where they were called to mourn the … Read more

Craig, Paul Dennis “Denny” – Obituary

Paul Dennis “Denny” Craig, 66, of Las Vegas, Nev., a former North Powder resident, died Aug. 20, 2002, at Las Vegas. Mr. Craig’s body was cremated. There was a private funeral at Las Vegas. There will be a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Haines United Methodist Church. Pastor Sally Wiens will officiate. Denny was born on March 11, 1936, at Baker City. He was raised on his parents’ ranch at North Powder and was a 1954 graduate of Powder Valley High School. He attended the University of Oregon at Eugene for one year and Eastern … Read more

Gray, George Grant – Obituary

Cove, Union County, Oregon George Gray Is Called Beyond Grim Death Angel Takes Another of County’s Respected Pioneers Death took another of Union county’s respected pioneers yesterday when George Grant Gray died at his residence in Lower Cove at 2:15 o’clock in the afternoon. Burial will be at the Summerville cemetery tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. The body will be at the residence from Monday evening until 1:30 p. m. Tuesday at which time it will be taken to Summerville where funeral services will be held. Mr. Gray was born in Granger County, Tennessee, April 10, 1840 er’s family, in 1853, … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Burnett

HON. JOHN BURNETT. – Among the prominent self-made men of Oregon is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Pike county, Missouri, on the 4th of July, 1831. He lost his father at the age of fifteen, and was turned out in the world to fight his way as best he might. He first engaged as an errand boy in a store, but, becoming tired of the confinement, at the end of a year hired out to work on a flat-boat on the Mississippi, boating wood to St. Louis. His early education was obtained in the common schools … Read more

Courtney, Pinkney L. – Obituary

Mrs. B.T. Long received word Thursday evening of the death of her father, P. L. Courtney at Payette, Idaho and left for that place Friday. M. O. Courtney of Lostine accompanied her. P. L. Courtney was one of the earliest settlers of the valley and lived here until recent years when he was compelled to try a different climate to relieve asthma from which he was a sufferer. He spent the past year in California from there going to Payette only two weeks ago and on the trip contracted the influenza to which he succumbed. Pinkney L. Courtney was born … Read more

Biography of Hon. E. B. McElroy, A.M., Ph. D.,

HON. E.B. McELROY, A.M., Ph. D. – Among the institutions of our country, none more deservedly attract the attention of all lovers of law and order than do our public schools. It is all-important, therefore, that each commonwealth should have some men of learning and ambition at the head to represent, as it were, in a single individual, the individual interests of very child in the state. Especially is this the case in our state, where we are in reality but just laying aside the swaddling clothes of self-government, and endeavoring to lay broad and deep the foundations of a … Read more

Coulter, Dusty Clark – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Dustin Clark Coulter, 33, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, took his life on March 26. A memorial service is planned for 7 p.m. March 30 at the First Baptist Church in La Grande, 1702 Sixth St. A private family interment will take place at a later date. Known as Dusty, he was born April 21, 1973, in Corvallis and was raised in both Salem and La Grande. After high school he worked various jobs in La Grande until moving to Portland in August 2006. Dusty enjoyed video games, outdoor family activities, sporting events and supporting … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nicholas W. Ownbey

The esteemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this article is one of Wallowa’s best and most substantial citizens, having gained a prestige here by his faithfulness and uprightness, while he has also wrought for the advancement of the interests of the county in all ways and at all times, demonstrating him to be one of the public minded and progressive men of the section, and it is with pleasure that we accord to him a representation in this volume since also his life has been a bright example in manifestation of moral qualities of worth. In Benton … Read more

Biography of George M. Jasper

GEORGE M. JASPER. Among the prosperous and thrifty agricultural and stock-raising population of Union county there should be mentioned in a work of the character of the volume now under consideration of the substantial citizen whose name initiates this paragraph, because he has lived since an early day in the county, being practically a product of its institutions, and because he has achieved here a worthy and commendable success, and because of the stanch qualities with which he is endowed so richly. In Oregon have been born some of the leading citizens of Oregon, and one among the number is … Read more

Cosens, Phoebe Ellen Day Mrs. – Obituary

Phoebe Ellen Cosens, 89, of Halfway, died Aug. 13, 2005, at Settlers Park Assisted Living center. Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. The Bollman Funeral Home of Dallas is handling the arrangements. Phoebe was born on Nov. 6, 1916, at Wilder, Idaho, to Bertrum and Mable Waldron Day. She moved to Halfway as a child and lived there for most of the rest of her life. She married Royal Robert Cosens on May 29, 1935, at Halfway. They herded sheep and then raised cattle in Pine Valley. Phoebe and Roy … Read more

Biography of Green B. Smith

GREEN B. SMITH. – There are few names more widely known among the pioneers of Western Oregon than that which stands at the head of this sketch. Few lives have been more full of adventure. After a long life actively spent among the trials and vicissitudes incident to a frontier life, he finally yielded to the fiat of nature; and, in obedience to the summons that must come to all, he passed over the dark river. His death, which leaves but a comparatively small number of that old pioneer’s phalanx of 1845, who marched two thousand miles across a trackless … Read more

Makinson, Ruth C. Parrish Mrs. – Obituary

Ruth C Makinson, 88, of Corvallis, a former Baker City resident, died March 3, 2003, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis. Her memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at McHenry Funeral Home, 206 N.W. Fifth St., in downtown Corvallis. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate. Private interment will be at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Ruth Makinson was born April 26, 1914, at Dallas, Ore., the daughter of Mabel Guy Parrish and Elbert L. Parrish. She received her education at Dallas, graduating from Dallas High School. She married Joe Martin in 1931 while still in high … Read more

Larkin, Alice – Obituary

Alice Larkin died in her home at MooreCare in Kent, Wash., March 9. A memorial service will be held Saturday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 19030 Eighth Ave S., SeaTac, Wash., at 1 p.m. Burial will take place in Island City at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s research, hospice care or charity of choice. Alice was born June 28, 1913, in Canova, S.D., to Lizzie and B. A. Schierholz. As a young woman, Alice owned and operated a beauty shop in Corvallis. While in Corvallis, she met and married Earl Herrmann … Read more

Biography of Thomas H. Crawford

THOMAS H. CRAWFORD. – While Union county enjoys especial favor in possesing a large, well informed, and enterprising class of citizens who fill the walks of the industrial and professional callings she is to be congratulated in having such substantial, broad minded and capable devotees of the legal profession. Prominent in this number, and deserving of a large share of honor for his faithful and successful labors in the courts and in the manipulation of the affairs of the county, and also in a measure of the state politics wherein he has bestowed much care and thought for the welfare … Read more

Biography of Andrew Roberts

ANDREW ROBERTS. – Andrew Roberts was born in Dundee, Scotland, August 12, 1822. When one year old he had lost both of his parents. He was then removed to Forfar. As soon as he was of proper age he learned the trade of a tailor, and when he had earned and saved sufficient money he left his native land for the United States. He thus states that venture: “I left my home in 1842, and on foot started to Dundee, distant fourteen miles. I took the steamer from there to Edinburgh, and traveled thence by rail to Glasgow. I then … Read more