Eugene Oregon

Biographical Sketch of Thomas G. Matlock

This well-known citizen of Heppner, Morrow County, Oregon, who devotes himself to the improvement of our stock of horses, was born in Dade County, Missouri, March 4, 1849, and came with his parents across the plains to Oregon in 1853, locating with them near Eugene, where they engaged in stock-raising, and remaining until the death of the father at Bannack City, Idaho. He was buried on Buena Vista Bar, July 1, 1863. Thomas received a common-school education, and worked on the farm. His father having been a fancier and producer of fine horses, our subject went in 1871 to Umatilla … Read more

Free, Joshua Lee Phillips – Obituary

Joshua Lee Phillips Free, 19, died Dec. 21, 2006, at his home in Eugene. There will be a memorial in Springfield. Josh was an avid skateboarder and songwriter. You may have seen him jumping the curbs and flipping his board in the air whenever he was visiting his family in Baker. Josh always had a smile and a friendly hello for all he met. He will be greatly missed by all. The family said, “In your words, Josh — ‘Live Free.’” Josh is survived by his parents, Jim and Aimie Free of Springfield and Karen Phillips of Eugene; brothers and … Read more

Biography of Lewis C. Rinehart

It is a pleasant task to scan the career of a successful man and to note the places where he has overcome the obstacles of life’s pathway and where he has made worthy achievements: and for a short time it is our good pleasure to thus contemplate the salient points of the life of the worthy gentleman, whose name initiates this article and who has been and is now one of the substantial and capable men of Wallowa County, having wrought for the development and advancement of the same in a manner that demonstrates both his ability and his integrity, … Read more

Babb, Frances Elaine Breshears – Obituary

Wallowa, Oregon Frances Elaine Breshears Babb, 96, of Eugene, died April 4, 2004. She was born April 8, 1907, in Elgin to William and Margaret (Eckley) Breshears. Mrs. Babb grew up in the Wallowa, Vincent and Rondowea areas and graduated from Lostine High School. She worked for M. Crow and Company in Lostine for a time. She married Avon Dale Babb in 1926 and lived in the Eugene area for the last 79 years. Her interests included vegetable and flower gardening, crossword puzzles, University of Oregon football and basketball, and travel. She enjoyed family and friends and was well known … Read more

Warnock, Dan, Sr. – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Dan Warnock Sr., 96, a longtime Sumpter Valley rancher, died Aug. 15, 2003 at St. Elizabeth Care Center. His graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Sumpter Cemetery. There will be a memorial service afterward at 4 p.m. at the McEwen Community Church. Family and friends are invited to a beef barbeque afterward at the church. Dan was born on Jan. 30, 1907, at Joseph to Dan W. and Mariah Mortensen Warnock. He was the youngest of nine children. He was raised on the family cattle and horse ranch on Crow Creek in Wallowa County. … Read more

Austin “Bud” Ragle – Obituary

This is the obituary for Donald Gordon Olsen, age 86, who died on May 30, 2008. It was initially published by the Record Courier in Baker City, Oregon on June 26, 2008.

Bean, Robert Sharp, Judge – Obituary

Judge Robert Sharp Bean of the federal court for the District of Oregon, nationally known for his judicial mind died suddenly of a heart attack at 6:30 o’clock this morning [January 7, 1931] at his home, 1620 Briar Place. He was 76. Shock of the death was doubly felt in that it was so unexpected. According to a member of the family, Judge Bean, on retiring last night, was as well as he had ever been. He retired about 11 o’clock, Mrs. Bean said. Shortly before 6 a.m. today he arose complaining of a slight stomach ailment. He was somewhat … Read more

Biography of William Henry Canaday

It is fitting that in a work that purports to accord to the leading citizens of Harney county representation there should be special mention of the well known business man whose name heads this article and who has labored in our midst for a number of years, gaining a good success and making for himself a name and standing which are enviable. Madison Canaday was born in Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio, on October 21, 1831, and when a boy went with his parent to Illinois and then to Iowa, whence they crossed the plains with ox teams in 1852. They … Read more

Bilyeu, Inez Withers – Obituary

The funeral will be held Oct. 21 for Inez B. Bilyeu of Eugene who died Oct. 17 [2004] of age-related causes. She was 87. Bilyeu was born Oct. 13, 1917 in Oilton, Okla., to Ora Claude and Edna Guinn Withers. She married Edward Bilyeu on Oct. 13, 1940 in Lebanon. He died Nov. 13, 1978. She moved to Lebanon in 1927, graduating from Lebanon High School in 1936. She and her husband opened an insurance agency in 1942 now known as Bilyeu-Mill Insurance. She enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and trips to the Oregon Coast and Clear Lake. … Read more

Biography of Philip F. Castleman

PHILIP F. CASTLEMAN. – Those who now make the trip in the palatial car across the continent from the populous cities and thickly settled districts of the union, and view the Pacific Northwest in its present development, can but faintly realize the dangers and privations the sturdy pioneers experienced in reaching here, nor yet understand the troubles they had with the red man who then roamed its confines at will, and knew no law save what pleased the savage heart the best. They often meet among its residents not a few upon whom the snows of many winters have fallen, … Read more

Leep, Frances Williams Mrs. – Obituary

Frances W. Leep, 87, of Baker City, died Jan. 16, 2005, at her home. Memorial services for Mrs. Leep will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Baker City Christian Church. Pastor Roger Scovil and Mr. Jack Pittman of the church will officiate. Mrs. Leep was born in King City, Mo., on July 11, 1917, to Nelson Oscar and Clara Belle (Keeney) Williams. She moved to Oregon with her family at the age of 14 and settled in Eugene, where her father was a pastor and her mother taught school. She attended schools in the Eugene area and graduated … Read more

Hassler, Willie “Papa” Obituary

A memorial service was held on Jan. 16 for Willie “Papa” Hassler of Eugene and a former resident of Halfway and Baker City, who died Jan. 12 at age 87. Willie was born April 7, 1915, in Oregon City to Audley and Anna Hassler. He married Carrie Sells in Reno, Nev., in 1967. Carrie died in April 2001. When in Halfway, he was a charter member of VFW Post 7847. Willie lived in Halfway and Baker City before settling in Eugene more than 40 years ago. He served in the Navy during World War II as a chief radioman, and … Read more

Bean, John W. – Obituary

John W. Bean, prominent young engineer, and a son of the late Louis E. Bean, died Friday morning [August 19, 1942] at 10 o’clock at the Pacific Christian Hospital at the age of 25 years, following a brief illness. Mr. Bean suffered an attack of appendicitis while on a fishing trip in the Salmon Creek country above Oakridge, and was forced to walk more than 12 miles out of the hills. He was brought to the hospital where an operation followed, but his condition was already grave and little hope was held for his recovery. Mr. Bean was born Oct. … Read more

Keith, James Edward – Obituary

James Edward Keith of 1715 Mill Street. Funeral services will be held in the Poole-Larsen Chapel Tuesday, April 20 at 10 AM. Reverend Sidney Carnes officiating. Private cremation services to follow. Family has requested for those who wish donations may be made in his memory to the Heart Fund in care of Poole-Larsen. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Bean, Eva Allen – Obituary

Funeral for Mrs. Ormond (Eva Allen) Bean, wife of the former Portland City Commissioner, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at J. P. Finley & Son. Mrs. Bean, 84, of 2545 SW Terwilliger Blvd., a life-long resident of Oregon, died Friday[December 24] in a Portland hospital. She was born in Prineville, Aug. 16, 1887, and lived there and in Eugene before moving to Portland in 1911. She graduated from Eugene High School in 1906, and from the University of Oregon in 1910. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and a charter member of Lake Oswego County Club. … Read more

Phillips, Lavern A. Hindman Mrs. – Obituary

Lavern A. Phillips, 83, of Baker City died Feb. 24, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Memorial service was held Tuesday, March 1, 2 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. There was no viewing. Cremation was at Gray’s West & Co. Lavern was born July 2, 1921, in Baker City to Edgar (Sam) Hindman, and Camilla Williams Hindman. She graduated from Baker High School in June 1939. She was the New Account’s Manager for First National Bank of Oregon (now Wells Fargo Bank), and was with the bank for more than 25 years in Eugene, Ore. She … Read more

Berg, Jane Wisdom Mrs. – Obituary

Jane Wisdom Berg, 85, of Eugene, died March 24, 2003. A celebration of life private memorial will be held March 30 at the Eugene Hotel, 222 E. Broadway. The Rest Haven Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Berg was born May 9, 1917, in Baker to Lenore and John W. Wisdom Jr. She lived in Baker until 1923, when she moved to Portland. She also lived in Eugene, Pleasant Hill, Sunriver and Cottage Grove. In 1950, she married William “Bill” Berg. They were married 45 years. Mrs. Berg trained horses at Pendleton and Baker in the 1940s, and … Read more

Stone, Karl R. – Obituary

Karl Roy Stone, a well-known La Grande businessman and longtime head of the Union County Planning Commission, died Saturday at Grande Ronde Hospital. He was 89. Mr. Stone, of 1703 Cedar St., was born on Sept. 15, 1895, in Sterling, Kan., to Robert and Amalia “Mollie” Birk. He served with the U.S. Army during World War I, and was corporal of the honor guards at the funeral of Buffalo Bill Cody at Pike’s Peak, Colo. He married Genevieve Rogers at Watertown, N.Y., on Aug. 27, 1919. The couple homesteaded near Reedsport in 1920, and Mr. Stone owned and operated the … Read more

Biography of Harrison Rittenhouse Kincaid

HARRISON RITTENHOUSE KINCAID. – This well-known journalist of Oregon, the emanations of whose pen have appeared either originally or as selections in almost every newspaper of the state, is the eldest son of Thomas and Nancy Kincaid, pioneers of 1853, and was born in Madison county, Indiana, January 3, 1836. At the age of seventeen he came with his parents to our state, and with them made his home in Lane county. Among his early labors was work on the mill-race at the present site of Springfield. In 1855 he made a trip to Southern Oregon to operate in the … Read more

Vollmer, Thomas Wesley – Obituary

Thomas Wesley Vollmer, 25, of Portland, died May 19, 2002. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Central Lutheran Church in Eugene. Mr. Vollmer was born on June 1, 1976, at Baker City to Andrea Nicholson Wiggins and Wesley Vollmer. He moved with his family to McMinnville in 1980 where he lived until 1985 when they moved to Corvallis. He lived there until 1989 and then moved to Eugene where he lived before moving to Portland in 2001. He worked at Starbucks and Renner’s Grill in the Multnomah Village of Portland. He also worked at the … Read more