Biography of Robert McCloud Gwinn

In the early development of Idaho this honored citizen of Caldwell came to the territory to preach the gospel among those who were isolated from the interests and advantages of the east. He was the first representative of the Methodist ministry in the territory and continued his labors for many years, but is now living retired. A man of ripe scholarship and marked executive ability, one whose life has been consecrated to the cause of the Master and to the uplifting of men, there is particular propriety in directing attention to his life history, as it has left so great … Read more

Mattes, Mabel Louise “DeeDee” Cardwell Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Mabel Louise Mattes, 72, a Baker City resident for the past 67 years, died peacefully at her home Dec. 11, 2004, in the company of Hospice Care and her loving family. Her memorial service will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Baker City Christian Church 2998 Eighth St. Louise, affectionately known by her family as “DeeDee”, was born March 25, 1932, at Caldwell, Idaho, to Lloyd and Clara Cardwell. She was married to John Mattes for 54 years and was a homemaker who also worked at Albertsons and Merle Norman for a number of years. Louise is … Read more

Biography of Henry K. Hartley

The middle portion of the nineteenth century might properly be termed the age of utility, especially in the northwest. This vast region was then being opened up to civilization, and the honored pioneers who found homes in this rich but undeveloped region were men who had to contend with the trials and difficulties of frontier life. Theirs were lives of toil. They were endeavoring to make homes to cultivate farms, establish stock ranches, develop mineral resources, found business enterprises, and from early manhood to old age their lot was generally one of labor; but their importance to the community cannot … Read more

Proffitt, Georgie Lee Jones Mrs. – Obituary

Georgie Lee Proffitt, 68, of Albany, and a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 22, 2001, at her home due to complications from cancer. Her funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at AAsum Funeral Home, 805 Ellsworth Street S.W. in Albany. Interment will be at Willamette Memorial Park. Visitations will be Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at the funeral home. Georgie was born Oct. 21, 1933, at Adrian, Mo., the first of three children born to George M. and Helen Louise (Robbins) Jones. The family moved from Missouri to the … Read more

Adams, Carol G. Cope Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Carol G. Adams, 84, a Baker City resident, died July 22, 2001, in a La Grande care center. Her memorial service was Saturday at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home. Pastor Ken Evans of the Baker City Baptist Church officiated. Mrs. Adams was born on Sept. 30, 1916, at Winchester, Idaho, to William and Grace Chrisopher Cope. She received her education at Winchester, Idaho, and then moved to Bates where she stayed with her parents for a time. She married Melvin Adams on Feb. 20, 1940, at Caldwell, Idaho. They moved to Baker City in the early 1960s from … Read more

Nichols, Murphy Andrew – Obituary

Murphy Andrew Nichols, “Our Little Big Man,” age 3, died after an ATV accident Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003. Graveside services were held on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2003, at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Caldwell, Idaho. Services were under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel. Murphy was born March 30, 2000, in Nampa, to Curt and Cynde Nichols. He was a vivacious, beautiful child, with the world by the tail, who loved his short life to the fullest. He enjoyed fishing and camping, golfing with Grandpa Chub and riding the 4-wheeler with Daddy. He wanted to ride Grandma’s horses, … Read more

Smith, Duane Stuart Stadman – Obituary

Duane Stuart Stadman Smith, 74, of Caldwell, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died May 1, 2006, at his home. Cremation is under the direction of Dakan Funeral Chapel of Caldwell. Duane was born on March 17, 1932, at Baker City. So many words come to mind to describe this gentle, caring, witty charismatic cowboy, his family said. He was a husband, dad, grandfather, brother, cousin and friend. He was an artist, rodeo clown, painter, jokester, woodcarver, toy craftsman, animal lover and avid gardener. “Our best memories of Dad are of growing up in Lovelock, Nev., riding horses, playing with … Read more

Cardwell, Bryan Stanley – Obituary

Bryan Stanley Cardwell, 75, a former Baker City resident, died April 27, 2003, at his home in Netarts. At his request, disposition was by cremation. Bryan was born Aug. 16, 1927, at Caldwell, Idaho, to Lloyd E. “Blackie” and Clara W. Shuey Cardwell. He was the oldest of three children. The family moved to Baker City in the early 1930s. He married Eujeanna O’Brien on Sept. 5, 1946. She died in 1965. Bryan and Eujeanna had four daughters. He married Nellie Padgett in September 1965. She died in 1997. Bryan worked in the logging industry, sawmills and mining. He also … Read more

Biography of Henry D. Blatchley

Henry D. Blatchley came to Caldwell when it contained but one building, and has therefore witnessed its entire growth and development. In the work of progress and advancement he has ever borne his part and today is numbered among the pioneers and leading business men to whom the city is indebted for its upbuilding. A spirit of enterprise, so characteristic of the west, is noticeable in all that he does and has been manifest in his connection with Caldwell. He has ever merited the confidence and regard of his fellow men, which he receives in an unlimited degree, and in … Read more

Gargan, Vivian W. Dening Mrs. – Obituary

Vivian W. Gargan, 85, a former longtime Baker City resident, died May 15, 2005, at her home in Caldwell, Idaho. Her funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Rev. Lewis Hank Albrecht of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in La Grande will officiate. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Vivian was born Oct. 24, 1919, at Portland to Alfred and Hilja Johanna Taskinen Dening. Vivian was raised in Gresham and graduated from Gresham High School. She married James F. Gargan on Oct. 22, 1949, in Baker City. … Read more

Biography of Columbus R. Shaw

One of the most enterprising, energetic and successful businessmen of Caldwell, is the gentleman whose name appears above. He is a native of the state of Missouri, his birth having occurred in Ray County, in 1859. His father, William P. Shaw, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Missouri, in 1833, becoming one of the pioneers of the latter state. He married Miss Julia A. Waterman, a native of New York, whose people were also numbered among the early settlers of Missouri. The Shaw family is of Irish origin, and leaving the Emerald Isle crossed the Atlantic to … Read more

Hathaway, Becky Lou – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Funeral services for Becky Lou Hathaway, five-year-old daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Harry Hathaway, 2405 Estes St., will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday from the West and Co. Chapel. Pastor Victor Ernest will officiate and burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Becky Lou was born in Caldwell, Ida., on Jan. 30, 1954. She cane to Baker with her parents when she was 2 ½ years old. Besides her parents, she is survived by two brothers, Bradley Ray and Byron Linn, both of Baker; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Hathaway of Chico, Calif., and Mr. … Read more

Simpson, Dr. Charles D. “Chuck” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Dr. Charles D. “Chuck” Simpson, 66, a longtime Baker City resident, died April 23, 2003, at his home. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St. Pastor Susan Barnes will officiate. There will be a reception afterward in Rogers Hall. Charles Daye Simpson was born July 29, 1936, at Montrose, Colo. The family moved to Idaho in his early years and he was raised and received his schooling at Caldwell and Idaho Falls, Idaho. He continued his education at Idaho State at Pocatello and then went on to … Read more

Biography of Thomas J. Huff

One of the pioneers of the northwest and one of the old residents of Caldwell is Thomas Jefferson Huff, the present assessor of Canyon County. He is a man of the highest integrity and ability, and stands well in the estimation of all who know him. A lifelong Democrat, and devoted to his party, he has never occupied a public office before, and has not been an aspirant for political honors and emoluments. In his business career he has met with success, and by well directed energy and good judgment he has amassed a comfortable fortune. Philip Huff, the paternal … Read more

Biography of Sumner W. Dee

Mr. Dee is the only clothing merchant who deals exclusively in everything that pertains to men’s and boys’ wearing apparel in the city of Caldwell. He was born in Holton, Jackson County, Kansas, November 26, 1862, and is a son of Chester Dee, of Burlington, Vermont whose ancestors settled in Virginia in 1620. He is a direct descendant of the first colonial governor of Vermont, and members of the family were prominent in the early history of the colonies and in the Revolutionary war. His grandfather, when a boy, saw the battle at Ticonderoga. Mr. Dee married Miss Elizabeth Blake, … Read more

Biography of Ed E. Maxey, M. D.

Illinois has furnished to Idaho a number of her leading citizens, including Dr. E. E. Maxey of Caldwell. He was born in Irvington, Washington County, Illinois, on the 21st of August 1867. His ancestors resided in Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee. His father, Dr. W. C. Maxey, was a practicing physician of Illinois for many years. He was graduated in the University of Tennessee, and, determining to devote his energies to the medical profession, has gained marked prestige therein. During the civil war he joined the First Illinois Cavalry and afterward re-enlisted in the Eightieth Illinois Infantry, being promoted to the … Read more

Butterfield, Gertrude – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Gertrude Butterfield died at her daughter’s home in Caldwell, Idaho, on July 28. The viewing will be from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, followed by a graveside service at the Cove Cemetery at 11. Gertrude was born in Cove on Aug. 21, 1915, to Ernest Houx Bell and Irene Seaberg Bell. She was raised in Cove and graduated from Cove High School. As a teenager she raised registered champion Jersey cows, taking the grand champion trophy at the Oregon State Fair two years in a row. She married George Butterfield in 1936 and … Read more

Culley, Ronald Duane – Obituary

Ronald Duane Culley, 66, a former Baker City resident, died Sept. 26, 2007, at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Jonathan Privett of the Nazarene Church will officiate. Ron was born on July 17, 1941, in Baker City to Harold and Catherine Bradley Culley. He lived for a couple of years in Baker City then spent about a year on the Umatilla Army Depot where his father was working. He moved from there to the Bourne area where … Read more

Smith, John D. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon John D. Smith, 96, of Baker City died Nov. 21, 2000, at his home at Baker City. A family memorial service will be scheduled later. Disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory. Mr. Smith was born on May 2, 1904, at Elkhart, Ind., to Joseph and Florance Denny Smith. His family homesteaded at Molt, Mt., in 1908. He made Billings, Mt., his home in his youth. He played basketball for his high school team there. He enjoyed many firsts in the early part of the century, from automobiles to airplanes, golf and tennis. He loved … Read more

Hills, Glenda L. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Glenda L. Hills, 55, of Baker City, died Nov. 21, 2000, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. At her request there will be no funeral. Coles-Strommer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Ms. Hills was born Nov. 13, 1945, at Vallejo, Calif., to Guy F. and Fordyce (Willian) Hills. She moved to Oregon when she was five years old and lived in many communities within the state. She graduated from Heppner High School in 1964, and attended Blue Mountain Community College for one year. After her schooling she made her home in Idaho. While living in Caldwell, … Read more