Mollie Ann Coleman, 88, died March 1 of natural causes at a local care home. Burial will be Thursday at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nev. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande. The Observer – Obituaries for the week ending Mar. 3, 2007 Published: March 3, 2007
Halfway, Baker County, Oregon Norma Jeanne Daniels, 84, a longtime Halfway resident, died Aug. 17, 2005, in Caldwell, Idaho. A graveside celebration of Jeanne’s life took place today at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Jeanne was born Jan. 31, 1921, and raised in Halfway, where she married “Danny” Daniels and had three children. After Danny’s death in 1953 she had to go to work and raise her children. She operated the Stockmans and Hells Canyon Cafes in Halfway for many years. After her mother’s death, she moved to Las Vegas in 1972 where she worked as a hostess in large … Read more
Russell Simonis, 48, of Las Vegas, Nev., died Sept. 10. There will be a graveside memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday at the North Powder Cemetery. Mr. Simonis was born June 11, 1958, to Vernon and Earlene Baker Simonis and spent his early years in North Powder. Survivors include his wife, Sandra Stone Simonis of Las Vegas; siblings, Ricky of North Powder, Rodney of New Plymouth, Idaho, Gary of Las Vegas and Marrsue; and uncle, Elvin Simonis of North Powder. The Observer, Obituaries for the week ending Nov. 25, 2006, Published: November 25, 2006.
Clara E. Holt, 91, of Baker City, died July 16, 2005, at her home. There will be a memorial service for Mrs. Holt in August at Rose Hills Cemetery in Whittier, Calif. Local arrangements were under the direction of Coles Funeral Home. Mrs. Holt was born on Nov. 23, 1913, at Lily, S.D. She was one of six girls born to Leopole and Cora Rignier Brosseau. She lived her younger years in South Dakota attending one year of college. She met George Crawford and after their marriage they moved to California where he worked as an ironworker erecting buildings. His … Read more
Halfway, Oregon Carol Berdean Whiteley, 72, of Halfway died Feb. 8, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Disposition was by cremation. At the request of the family, there will be a memorial service in the spring. Coles Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Berdean was born on Oct. 20, 1930, at Halfway to Ray and Edna Buchanan Robertson. She attended Dry Creek School and Halfway Elementary School and was a 1948 graduate of Pine Valley High School at Halfway. She attended beauty college in Portland and later worked as a beautician in Halfway at the Gray Gables. She married … Read more
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
Former Resident Killed By Gunman Mr. and Mrs. Claire Childers left Friday for Walla Walla after having received word of the tragic death of his half-sister, Mrs. Erline Folker. Mrs. Folker’s body was found Wednesday, November 5, in the desert near Las Vegas, Nevada with her throat slashed. She was identified and relatives were notified Friday. Sheriff’s Sgt. Bob Griffin, of Las Vegas, said Jack Rainsberger had been booked on suspicion of murder after he had told a bizarre story about voices telling him in Los Angeles last week to go to Las Vegas and make a human sacrifice. Rainsberger … Read more
Marcelee Jane “Marcy” Sapp, 68, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 27, 2005, at her home in North Las Vegas, Nev. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Marcelee was born on Jan. 21, 1937, at Lone Beach, Calif., to Allen “Eldon” Brooks and Louise Thelma Brooks. She was raised with one sister, Sandra Louise Brooks. Marcy married Gerald “Jerry” Sapp in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sept. 9, 1955. They … Read more
William “Doug” Simonson, 76, died at an assisted living center on Sept. 28, 2007. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. PDT at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Hall, 15403 Sumpter Stage Highway (on Highway 7 three miles south of the Sumpter junction). Doug was born on March 1, 1931, at Sandpoint, Idaho. He lived with his mother, Ida Veda, his father, William E. Simonson, and his brother, Dave, at Hope, Idaho, until the age of 10 when his mother died. Because of his father’s job with the Spokane Railroad, which took him away from home a great deal, he … Read more
Bette Hoge Sawyer, 79, a former Baker City resident, died Sept. 12, 2002, at her home in Reno, Nev. A private service is planned. Bette Norene Hoge was born on May 22, 1923, to Earl and Mary Hoge in Baker City. She was graduated from Baker High School in 1941. Her parents were associated with Hoge-Wells Supply Co. in Baker City. The family moved to Reno, Nev. It was there Bette met future husband, Grant Sawyer. They married in 1946 in Washington, D.C., where Grant was attending Georgetown University Law School. In 1928, the Sawyers moved to Elko, Nev. There … Read more
LaGrande, Oregon Donald Scott MacPherson, 55, of Las Vegas, Nev., and formerly of Union died May 19 at his home. Palm Mortuary was in charge of arrangements. Mr. MacPherson was born Sept. 4, 1950, to Don and Alice MacPherson in La Grande. He graduated from Union High School and Eastern Oregon State College. He owned Southwest Lawns in Las Vegas for 27 years. Survivors include his wife, Jan, of Las Vegas; children, Seth and Lisa Pike of Las Vegas, Matthew MacPherson of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Troy MacPherson of Huntington Beach, Calif.; a sister, Marcia DePatie of Gig Harbor, … Read more
La Grande, Oregon Terri Horn, 51, formerly of La Grande, died May 19 at her home in Palm Springs, Calif., after an extended illness. Terri was born Dec. 15, 1955, in Las Vegas. Due to her father’s military service, the family lived in several locations before settling in Fairbanks, Alaska, where Terri lived most of her life. She worked as a grocery clerk for many years. She was employed by Carr’s Foodland in Fairbanks, and after moving to La Grande in 1995 she worked at Albertson’s for several years. Terri was known for her incredible friendliness and outgoing personality. She … Read more
Russell Simonis, 48, of Las Vegas, Nev., a former North Powder resident, died Sept. 10, 2006, at Las Vegas of natural causes. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the North Powder Cemetery. He was born on June 11, 1958, to Vernon and Earlene Baker Simonis. He married Sandra Stone at Las Vegas. Survivors include his wife, Sandra; and brothers, Ricky of North Powder, Rodney of New Plymouth, Idaho, and Gary of Las Vegas; and a sister, Marrsue. He was preceded in death by his parents. Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 22, … Read more
Marco Kiilsgaard, 84, died April 12, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Care Center after a long illness. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop David Richards will preside and Dick Hindman will conduct the service. Marco was born on Oct. 13, 1920, at Rockland, Idaho, to Chris and Martha Hunsaker Kiilsgaard. She was their second child. She attended elementary school at Inkom, Idaho, but the family moved north to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, when Marco was in junior high school. After high school, she attended Lewiston Normal … Read more
Baker City, Oregon Fred L. Norwood Sr., 82, of Baker City died April 22, 2002 at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise. There will be a memorial service later at Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St., in Las Vegas, Nev. Local funeral arrangements are under the direction of Coles Funeral Home. Fred was born Nov. 28, 1919, at Natural Bridge, Ala. A former 20- year resident of Las Vegas, Nev., he had lived in Baker City for the past 10 years. He was a retired U.S. Air Force major. He had served in World War II, the Korean War … Read more
Col. Horack L. Moore, of Lawrence, had seen valiant service as a soldier of the Civil war and in after campaigns against the hostile Indians of the West. He had also been a successful business man and banker, had served a term in Congress and is still a local leader in substantial and beneficial enterprises. He is a native of Ohio, born at Mantua, February 25, 1837, and received his higher edueation at the Western Reserve Electric Institute, at Hiram, Ohio. In 1858 he moved to Kansas with his brother Francis, who died a mouth after their arrival in Atchison … Read more
Mary Jane “Janie” Rhoda, 83, of Baker City, died Jan. 19, 2006, at Las Vegas, Nev., of cancer. A special Sunday service celebrating her life will be scheduled later at the Haines United Methodist Church. Mary Jane was born on Feb. 10, 1922, at Salem to Guy and Hazel Hobson. The family moved to Baker City in 1928. That same year they moved to Whitney, where her mother ran the Whitney Post Office, often assisted by Mary Jane and her brother, Loren. She was a 1939 Baker High School graduate and attended Willamette University, returning to Eastern Oregon to live … Read more