Odell, Gladys Louise Linn – Obituary

Funeral for Gladys Louise Odell, who resided at 6962 NE Morris St., will be Monday at 11 a.m. in the Carroll Funeral Home in Gresham. Private interment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Mrs. Odell died Thursday [December 1] after a long illness. She was 66. Her early school years were spent at Salem School for the Deaf and the Vancouver, Wash., School for the Deaf. She was born Aug. 2, 1911, in Estacada. She married Ralph Odell in 1941 and spent most of her adult life in the Sandy community. She was a member of Lutheran Church for the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Matthias Spurgeon

MATTHIAS SPURGEON. – This pioneer of Clarke County is a native of Iowa, having been born in Cedar County in 1838. In his childhood he was bereft of his parents, and found a home in the family of an uncle, Mr. George Spurgeon. With this relative he came to Oregon while but a boy of fourteen, and found a home in the household of Mr. William H. Dillon. Soon after becoming of age, he spent two years in the mountains and gorges of Idaho prospecting for gold, meeting, however, with but little success. Returning to Clarke county he took up … Read more

Coles, Roger Duane Obituary

Haines, Oregon Roger Duane Coles, 86, of Vancouver, Wash., and a former Baker and Haines resident, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003. A celebration of life ceremony was held to honor him on Saturday, Jan. 25. The service was held at 3 p.m. at Felida Baptist Church located in Vancouver, Wash. Born in Haines, on June 2, 1916, he graduated from Haines High School and later attended Brooks Institute of Photography. He received an Honorary Master of Science in Photography from Brooks in 2001 for representing “our craft with diligence, fortitude, honesty, service, and … Read more

Hayes, Connie Rae DuPree Mrs. – Obituary

Connie Rae Hayes, 46, of Durkee, May 26, 2005, at her home. Her graveside service will be at 9 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. MDT) Wednesday at the Cambridge Cemetery in Cambridge, Idaho. There will be a celebration of life service at 2 p.m. PDT at the Durkee Grange Hall in Durkee. Connie was born on Aug. 5, 1958, at Council, Idaho, to Don Howard and Lois Lawson DuPree. She was educated at Council, New Meadows and Kooskie, Idaho. When she was 9, the family moved to Seattle, Wash., and then to Vancouver, Wash., where Connie remained for several years. Connie … Read more

Biography of William H. Dillon

WILLIAM H. DILLON. – Mr. Dillon, a pioneer of four states of our union, and a perfect example of the frontiersman, whose life story has been recounted in other pages also, was born in Kent county, Delaware, July 4, 1818. His parents were of English and Irish descent, and in 1823 moved west across the Alleghany Mountains to Ohio, then upon the very outposts of civilization. Eight years later they came on to Indiana, locating in Tippecanoe county on the Wabash. The desire, however, of owning and farming his own lands took possession of the elder Dillon, and he pulled … Read more

Biography of William Ranck

WILLIAM RANCK. – This representative citizen of Clarke county was born at East Waterford, Pennsylvania, in 1829. At the age of five years his parents moved to Huntington county in the same state, one and one-half miles from Shade Gap postoffice, where he received the common-school education of that early time which consisted chiefly of the “three R’s.” At the age of seventeen he went to Shirleysburg to learn the trade of a wagon and carriage maker. After some years of employment at Germantown, and at other points in Pennsylvania and Virginia, on the 1st day of April, 1852,he left … Read more

Biography of Rev. John McCarty, D. D.

REV. JOHN McCARTY, D.D. – The Reverend John McCarty, D.D., reached the Pacific coast first in January, 1853, as chaplain of Fort Vancouver. For a time he also had charge of Trinity church, Portland. It was with great difficulty, oftentimes, that he met his appointments at Trinity. There were no easy and frequent communications between the two places then; and he generally walked from Vancouver to Portland. This was no easy matter when the Columbia river was swollen and had overflown the lowlands. It is related of him that he did more than once, when he found the water too … Read more

Heller, F. – Obituary

Frank Heller, who has been visiting relatives in Enterprise, received the sad news of the death of his son, Frank Heller at Vancouver, Wash., Saturday. He was an electrician and fell from a pole. Enterprise relatives are Mrs. Sarah Todd, Charles Heller and George Cannon. Wallowa County Reporter, Wallowa County, Oregon, Thursday October 10, 1918

McEwen, Martha Grewell – Obituary

Old Pioneer Of Valley Dies At Toppenish Mrs. Martha Mcewen Passes Away After Lingering Illness Of Several Months Mrs. Martha Grewell McEwen, an old pioneer of this vicinity, passed away at Toppenish Sunday morning at 7 o’clock after a lingering illness which confined her to her bed for the past several months [died December 22, 1918]. Mrs. McEwen was born February 22, 1860, in Iowa, and three years later crossed the prairies in an ox team with her parents, settling at Vancouver, Wash. When she was 13 years old she moved to this vicinity where she has since made her … Read more

Stufflefield, Brent Alden – Obituary

Brent Alden Stubblefield, 47, a former Baker City resident, was surrounded by his family when he died March 12, 2006, in Vancouver, Wash., after a short battle with cancer. All of Brent’s friends are invited to join his family in a Celebration of Life on April 12, at 1 p.m. at the Menucha Hall at the Columbia Gorge. For information and directions go to www.Menucha.org or send an e-mail to tamich@netzero.net. Arrangements are under the direction of Emily’s Cremation & Burial Service of Milwaukie, Ore. Brent was born on Nov. 11, 1959, at Baker City, the first child of Keith … Read more

Polk, Opal Laverne – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Opal Laverne Polk, 80, of Vancouver, Wash., and formerly of North Powder died June 8. Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Polk was born July 15, 1925, to Mary and Jacob Simonis in North Powder. She married Perry Polk who died earlier. Survivors include children and their spouses, Betty and John Sneddon of Vancouver, Linda Sill and her fiance Bob Turkington of Anchorage, Alaska, and David and Margaret Polk of Longview, Wash.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The Observer Online, Obituaries for the week ending June 24, 2006, Published, June 26, 2006

Conaway, Violet – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Violet Effie Conaway, 88, of McMinnville, died April 15, 2004, at home. She was born Oct. 3, 1915, in Flora to Roy and Bessie Varney. Mrs. Conaway spent most of her growing up years on Upper Prairie Creek and graduated from Joseph High School. After marrying James B. Conaway in 1938, the couple moved to La Grande a few years later where she worked as a high school secretary, followed by a move to McMinnville in 1950. After a short time in Alaska, the couple lived in Vancouver, Wash., before returning to McMinnville in 1980 with two young … Read more

Bukowiec-Crow-Woolf, Travis – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Travis Lane Bukowiec-Crow-Woolf, 25, of Halfway, died Oct. 4, 2004, as the result of a one-vehicle accident near Halfway. His funeral was Friday at Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Travis was born on Dec. 14, 1978, at Portland. He was raised in Vancouver, Wash., and was a graduate of Brush Prairie High School. Travis loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest. He enjoyed drawing, hunting, fishing, old cars and just goofing off. He had recently remade his home in Halfway. Travis had two favorite sayings, “posse up” and “we’re burnin’ daylight. Survivors include his parents , … Read more

Edwards, Ora Dell Ricketts – Obituary

Clark Co., WA Ora Dell, age 90, December 10, 1980, Vancouver, Wash. Born February 7, 1890, Cheney, Wash., lived at 3605 Y St., Vancouver and had been a Clark County resident 50 years. She was a homemaker. Sons, Leonard Edwards, Battle Ground, Wash., and Kenneth Edwards, Vancouver. Daughters, Ruth McAlpine, Yuma, Ariz., and Frieda Jones and Merle Andrews, both of Portland, Ore. Brother, Marvin Ricketts, Portland. Sister, May Beer and Elizabeth Taylor, both of Portland. Fourteen grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She was a life member of Pioneer Daughters of Washington. Her grandfather, E. P. Ricketts was … Read more

Biography of John Marshall McCall

JOHN MARSHALL McCALL. – Among the substantial and favorably known residents of Southern Oregon, none have occupied a more useful place in the upbuilding of the state since the days of its infancy than the gentleman whose name is the heading of this brief memoir. His is one of those aggressive, go ahead dispositions that is an example of that time-honored adage, that “God helps those who help themselves;” and his whole life has bristled with instances of this belief. A man of strong convictions and honest prejudices, scorning hypocrisy in all things and in his dealings with friend, foe … Read more

Fisher, James K. – Obituary

James K. Fisher, 71, a former Haines resident, died Friday, August 19, 1983, in a Portland Hospital. His graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Haines Cemetery. The Rev. Don Carpenter of the Haines Baptist Church will officiate. Mr. Fisher was born November 14, 1911, in Haines to Calvin and Lena Maxwell Fisher. He grew up on the family farm near Haines. He attended school in Haines and Muddy Creek High School. He left Haines in 1936 and had been living in Vancouver, Washington for the past 14 years. Survivors include his wife, Louise of Vancouver, Washington; … Read more

McIntyre, Maxine Brown Taylor Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Maxine Taylor McIntyre, 87, a longtime Baker City resident, died Dec. 16, 2002, at La Center, Wash., where she spent several years in a private home for the aged. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Susan Barnes of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery after the service. Visitations will be Friday until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Maxine Irene Brown was born Nov. 23, 1915, at Enterprise to James Asbury and Isobel Wham Brown. When Maxine was very … Read more

Biography of James H. Raley

JAMES H. RALEY. – Prominent among the pioneers of Eastern Oregon may be mentioned this gentleman whose name and portrait appear here with, and who now sits as joint senator in the Oregon legislature from Umatilla and Morrow counties. He was born in Nebraska City in 1855, and as a boy, in 1862, crossed the plains with his parents, arriving at Portland at a time so early in the history of that metropolis as to find an excellent spot for camping near the present site of the St. Charles Hotel. A year later the family found a location at Vancouver, … Read more

Brothers, Gloria A. Newall Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Gloria Brothers, 78, of Newberg died Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, at her home. Attrell’s Funeral Home of Newberg was in charge of arrangements with inurnment in Valley View Memorial Park in Newberg. Mrs. Brothers was born Nov. 1, 1923, in Port Angeles, Wash., the daughter of Evah and Edgar C. Newall. The family resettled in the Newberg area where landmarks like Newall Road and others record the family’s influence in the community. After graduation from high school in Vancouver, Wash., she attended the University of Oregon to obtain a degree in English. She was a member of … Read more

Biography of George E. Wells

GEORGE E. WELLS. – The subject of this sketch is a man of great energy and power of adaptability, as is manifested in the occupations that have been engaged in by him during the years in which he has been in this western country, and it is pleasant to remark that during all of these varied undertakings, some of which have been exceedingly arduous and fraught with hardship and danger, he has manifested a stanch and unflinching courage, marked industry and enterprise, with excellent personal qualities of integrity and upright principles, while a good success has attended his efforts, both … Read more