Columbia County OR

Laurence, Harold W. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Harold W. Laurence, 86, of La Grande died Aug. 5 at his home. Viewing will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday Aug. 10 at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. A celebration of life will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11 also at Daniels Chapel. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery. Mr. Laurence was born in Dec. 9, 1919, to Joe and Daisy Hayward Laurence in Mount Vernon. He graduated from Mount Vernon High School, and married Raema Helen Davis. He worked as a meat cutter and apprenticed to become a watchmaker. He … Read more

Biography of Hon. Dean Blanchard

HON. DEAN BLANCHARD. – Among those who have manifested great interest in the welfare of the Pacific Northwest as a whole, and Columbia county, Oregon, in particular, the gentleman above named figures conspicuously. He was born in Madison county, Maine, on December 20, 1832, where he resided on his father’s farm until 1853, when he left for California, reaching that state in December of that year. In April 1854, he came to Oregon, and located at St. Helens, having secured a situation as salesman and book-keeper in a store there. In 1855, he went with the command of Major Haller, … Read more

Heacock, Thomas Alphonso “Tom” – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Tom Heacock, 68, of Richland, died June 16, 2003, at his home. A celebration of his life will take place Wednesday, June 25 at 1 p.m. at Columbia View Park in St. Helens. Thomas Alphonso Heacock was born on Dec. 27, 1934, in Pennington County, Rapid City, S.D., to Frederick Alvorado and Lola Nancy Wright Heacock. When he was seven his family moved to St. Helens. Tom graduated from high school in St. Helens and went on to work at Boise Cascade. It was from that job that he retired, 43 years later. Tom and Nancy were married … Read more

Samples, Irene Joan – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon Irene Samples Dies At Hillsboro Irene Joan Samples, 43, of 224 A St., Vernonia, Oregon, passed away at Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro Friday, August 29, from a heart attack. Funeral services were held September 1 at the Evangelical Church in Vernonia with interment in the Vernonia Memorial Cemetery. Irene Joan Samples was born in Enterprise, Oregon on March 5, 1932 to Frank L. Otto and Mildred Zollman Otto. She was reared in Joseph, Oregon and attended both grade and high school there. She lived in Joseph until 1970 when she moved to Vernonia. While living … Read more

Basse, Wilhelmina Isaacson Jacobson – Obituary

Funeral rites for Mrs. Wilhelmina Basi [Basse] were held last Saturday, November 30, in the Finnish Lutheran Church at Centerville, conducted by Rev. C. J. Sacarisen, of Portland. The organist was Charles Isakson, and singers were Mrs. Kenneth Nelson and Miss Louise Hoikka. Pall bearers were Frank Sarsfield, Jack Mulligan, Ernest Mattson, Hilmer Erickson, Otis Anderson, and Walter Lande. Interment was in the Centerville Grange Cemetery. Mrs. Basi, wife of Wilhelm Basi, passed away Thanksgiving morning in the Goldendale General Hospital, at the age of 74 years and ten months. She was born in Kuttanen, Sweden and came to America … Read more

Schwirse, Harold Joseph – Obituary

Oxbow, Oregon Harold Joseph Schwirse, 79, died on Saturday, June 26, 2004, at Oxbow. Hal had enjoyed coming to the Snake River area, long before Copperfield park was a park. A celebration of Hal’s life was held at St. Helens on Thursday, July 1, 2004. Arrangements are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, July 2004 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Shoemaker, Mark D. “Monk” – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Mark D. “Monk” Shoemaker, 65, a longtime St. Helens resident, died Dec. 21, 2003, of natural causes. At the family’s request, disposition was by cremation. No service is planned. Mark was born on March 27, 1938, at Toppenish, Wash., to Marcus T. and Lorraine V. Embrey Shoemaker. He attended grade schools at Hermiston, where he lived a large part of his life. He was a 1957 Hermiston High School graduate and later moved to Coquille and then to the Myrtle Point area where he went to work for Roseburg Lumber Co. for several years. In the mid-1960s, Mark … Read more

Roberts, Hubert Eberton – Obituary

Former Lewis County Boy Died In France. News comes from France that Gen. Pershing reports the death of Hubert E. Roberts of Warren, Ore., from meningitis [January 26, 1918]. Mr. Roberts was raised in Lewis County and has a large circle of friends here. His sister, Mrs. Gust Anderson, lives in Klaber. He was 28 years old, married and had no children. He was called on the first draft at St. Helens, Ore., and sent to Camp Lewis. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Horton, Troy J. – Obituary

Troy J. Horton, 75, a former Baker City resident, died Oct. 24, 2002. There will be a celebration of his life Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. at the Fishhawk Lake Community Center. For directions, call Stan Horton at 503-755-2289 or look at web site www.fishhawklake.com. Troy was born at Taylorville on July 25, 1927. He graduated from Westport High School and then served in the U.S. Army. His graduate and post-graduate work was at Linfield College at McMinnville. He was a recipient of the John Hay Whitney Fellowship in 1960-61 at Columbia University in New York. He taught at … Read more

Brothers, Grace – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Grace Brothers, 88, of La Grande died Sept. 20 at her home. At her request there will be no funeral. Mrs. Brothers was born Dec. 11, 1917, in Rainier. She married Frank Brothers of Cove who died earlier. Survivors include her daughters, Nola Colvin of Cove, and Janet Valade of La Grande; seven grandchildren; and four great grandchildren. A brother, George Bauman, died earlier. Memorials may be made to Grande Ronde Hospital Hospice in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. The Observer Online, Obituaries for the week ending Sept. 23, 2006, Published: September … Read more

Billerbeck, Harry Paul – Obituary

Summerville, Union County, Oregon Harry Paul Billerbeck, 60, Summerville, died Tuesday in St. Helens of a heart attack. He was in St. Helens as a superintendent of a job in progress for A. J. Zinda Construction Co. Born in Rockford, Wash., he moved with his family to Wallowa County at the age of six. He attended schools until he began farming in 1929. After marriage to the former Bernice Slack of Enterprise in 1935, he moved to Union County to farm, later purchasing a farm here. Twelve years ago he went to work for the Zinda firm as a millwright. … Read more

Davis, Kathryn Fae – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Kathryn Fae Davis of La Grande and formerly of St. Paul, died April 2 at a local care home. Kathryn was born in St. Helens to Fae and Lillie Irene (Rich) Harford. Her father died when she was a young girl, and her mother later remarried Tom Blum, who became a big part of her life. She and her husband, Lester “Sledge” Ernst, owned and operated Ernst Hardware Store in St. Paul until 1964. They had a son, Lester Fae Ernst, who died when he was a young child. Lester preceded her in death in 1969. On … Read more

Hammack, Albert James – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Rites Today For Albert James Hammack Albert James Hammack, of Deer Island, son of Mrs. Zelma Hammack of La Grande, and the late Floyd W. Hammack, passed away on Monday morning May 22, 1967 in a hospital at St. Helens following an illness of two weeks. Funeral services are being held today, Thursday, at 11 a.m. at the Lostine Presbyterian Church and Internment will be in the Lostine Cemetery. Albert was born at Lostine January 28, 1917, and graduated from the Lostine high school. He was a farmer by occupation and had lived at Deer Island … Read more

Mrs. Cora Jane Dooly – Obituary

Obituary for Cora Jane Dooly, age 88, of Clatskanie, a former longtime Baker City, Oregon resident, who died Dec. 1, 2002, at Community Home & Hospice at Longview, Washington.

Biography of J. T. Hunsaker

J.T. HUNSAKER. – This pioneer of 1846, one of the most substantial and upright men of one state, who has borne his full share of the burden and heat of the day in building up Oregon, was even from the first upon the advanced wave of American civilization, having been born at Jonesboro, Illinois, in 1818, and having assisted in laying the foundations of that giant state of the old West. He began domestic life in 1837, marrying Miss Emily Collins of the same state, and devoting his energies to the development of a farm. He was moved, however, by … Read more

Columbia County, Oregon Census

Columbia County, Oregon was formed from Washington County in 1854. 1860 Columbia County, Oregon Census Free 1860 Census Form for your Research Free 1860 Census Images and Index Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1860 Columbia County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Free 1860 Census Index Surnames A-Z Free 1860 Census Transcription pg001 Pg014 pg0099 Hosted at Census Guide 1860 U.S. Census Guide 1870 Columbia County, Oregon Census Free 1870 Census Form for your Research Free 1870 Census Images and Index Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1870 Columbia County, Census (images and … Read more

Watkins, Patricia Joe Frey Mrs. – Obituary

Patricia Joe Watkins, 76, of St. Helens, a former Baker City resident, died March 18, 2003, at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. At her request, there will be no funeral. Patricia was born on April 3, 1926, at Baker City to Frank and Neni Eddy Frey. She attended schools at Austin, Baker City and Prairie City and was a 1943 graduate of Prairie City High School. She married Donald Leslie Watkins in 1946. She had been a resident of St. Helens since 1960. She worked for many years at the Bank of St. Helens and Western Bank at St. Helens … Read more

McBride, Jim – Obituary

Jim McBride, 77, died May 2, 2003. His memorial service was May 7. Jim served in the Army Air Corps in World War II and retired as roadmaster for Columbia County. He was a board member for the Pacific Northwest Truck Museum for 13 years, and chairman of the Truck Show for the last three years. Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, May 16, 2003 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Holman, Ernest Mrs.

Mrs. Ernest Holman Drowned Touchet River Flood In Washington Claims Victim Falls from Plank and Husband Falls to Reach Her Side Struggle In Raging Torrent Victim is Sister-in-law of Mrs. George T. Ballard Of North Powder Mrs. George T. Ballard left Monday night for Dayton, Washington, where she was called by the tragic death of her sister-in-law, Mrs. Ernest Holman, which occurred Monday afternoon. Mrs. Holman, pioneer resident of Columbia county, was drowned in the high waters of the Touchet river Monday afternoon. A new detour bridge is being built to replace the one swept out by the Thursday night … Read more

Taylor, Elsie Elnore Nice Mrs. – Obituary

Elsie Elnore Taylor, 81, of Vernonia, died May 29, 2008, at her home. A celebration of Elsie’s life will be held Saturday, July 5 at 11 a.m. at the Vernonia Community Church, 957 State Ave. in Vernonia, with Pastor Grant Williams officiating. Private interment will be held. Elsie was born May 10, 1927, in North Powder, the daughter of Joseph A. (Weise) Nice and Mattie (Smith) Nice. She was raised and received her education in the North Powder community, graduating from high school in 1945. She was united in marriage to Lyle L. Taylor on June 4, 1945, in Baker. … Read more