Halfway Oregon

Barton, Bruce M. – Obituary

Bruce M Barton, 73, long time resident of Roseburg, Oregon died Friday, April 25, 2003, at Edgewood Pointe Assisted Living Complex in Beaverton. Memorial Services will be held at a later date in Texas with the spreading of the ashes in the Gulf of Mexico. Bruce was born March 31, 1930, in Baker. He was the son of Fay W. and Grace Stewart Barton. He attended Baker County Schools and graduated from Pine Valley Union High in Halfway. Bruce enlisted in the Navy becoming a Seabee, spending time on Adak Island in Alaska and Cubi Point in the Phillipines. After … Read more

Newell, Darlene Young Mrs. – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Darlene Newell, 68, of Haines, a former Halfway resident, died March 13, 2004, at her home. Her memorial service will be scheduled later in Idaho. Darlene was born on June 15, 1935, at Harper, Idaho, to Ben H. and Sara Goff Young. In the winter of 1953, Darlene married Buck Newell in Nevada. They made their home in various locations following Buck’s work in logging and construction. She loved to go and was Buck’s parts person, traveling to various cities getting parts for him. She especially enjoyed living in Idaho and Halfway. She loved to cook and the … Read more

Wilson, Donna Rae Fine Mrs. – Obituary

Donna Rae Wilson, 59, of Joseph, a former Baker County resident, died Aug. 12, 2005. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church, 1420 W. North St., in Enterprise. Burial will be at 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the Grangeville, Idaho, Cemetery. Donna was born on Feb. 23, 1946. She attended schools in Idaho at Clearwater Valley and Grangeville. She married Ray Wilson in 1961 and began her adventurous life on a sheep ranch in Hells Canyon. The couple had two sons and a daughter. After the Forest Service forced them off of their land … Read more

Frazier, Richard Dale – Obituary

Richard Dale Frazier, 63, died May 25, 2009, at Halfway. Richard was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. He lived in Indiana most of his life and worked as a pipe fitter/welder as a member Local Union, No. 440. He enjoyed traveling in his later years between Needles, Calif., and Halfway. Richard loved to come to the Halfway area because of the mountains and to pick mushrooms with his friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Frazier; his mother, Edith Frazier; his wife; and one son. Richard’s favorite saying was “Live Life Large” and he did, family members said. … Read more

Barton, Barbara Gover Mrs. – Obituary

Barbara Barton, 84, a former longtime Halfway resident, died April 18, 2009, at her home near Baker City. At her request, there will be no service. There will be a private vault interment at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. She was born to Lovell and Velma Gover on June 21, 1924, at their home place in Pine Valley. Barbara’s family goes back to her great-grandfather, Aquilar Farmer Estes, who came from Missouri to become an early pioneer of Pine Valley and Cornucopia. Her grandmother, Barbara (know as Lorene) married Aquilar’s son, George Estes, who was killed in a snow slide … Read more

Ingram, Thomas Fredrick “Tom” – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Thomas Fredrick “Tom” Ingram, 78, of Halfway, died Oct. 28, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral was Friday at Halfway. Mr. Ingram was born on Feb. 13, 1923, to Earl and Pearl Gerberding Ingram in Eugene. He began his schooling at Burns, but finished his education in Baker County, graduating from Baker High School in 1941. In his youth, he lived in Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho. After high school, Mr. Ingram worked at Yuma Army Air Base at Yuma, Ariz., during the war years. On June 25, 1945, Tom and Ann met. They didn’t see … Read more

Conner, Verlin A. – Obituary

Verlin A. Conner, 77, of Tygh Valley, a Halfway native, died March 15, 2007, at his home surrounded by the things he loved. There will be a celebration of his life at 1 p.m. Friday at the Tygh Valley Community Center. Verlin was born at Halfway to Albert and Alberta Conner. He grew up in the Baker area and was a Union High School graduate. At Union High School he was known as “Pee Wee Conner” on the football field. He was small, but mighty. He worked for the Pondosa Lumber Mill for many years where he met and married … Read more

Blank, Marlene Irwin Mrs. – Obituary

Marlene Irwin Blank passed away on May 25, 2007. Marlene was the daughter of Ira “Mike” and Zelma Irwin. She was born April 4, 1934 in Halfway, Ore. Marlene married Alton “Bud” Blank of Richland, on June 7, 1952. They moved to Portland, where they raised four daughters, Kathy, Penny, Dianna and Debra. Alton died in 2003. Marlene had three sisters, Sherril Smit, Irene Ralls, and Bonnie Lindstrom. Marlene was a kind person and is greatly missed by her family and friends, including her 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Marlene loved all of nature, especially flowers, trees, birds, dogs and … Read more

Smelcer, Dorothy Louise Romine Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Dorothy Louise Romine Smelcer, 91, of Halfway, died May 6, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Care Center. Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Dorothy was born Dec. 24, 1911, at Alamont, Kan., to Eber and Irene Romine. She was the second of nine children. Her family moved to Pine Valley in 1917. She attended Sunnydell School and graduated from Pine Valley High School in 1931. She married Lawrence J. Smelcer on June 1, 1931, at Vancouver, Wash. They were married for 72 years, and were partners in the cattle operation. … Read more

McKim, Carol Andrea Steele Mrs. – Obituary

Carol Andrea McKim, 70, of Halfway died April 8, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center in Baker City. A family gathering in honor of Carol will be held in July. The date and time will be announced later. Carol was born April 5, 1939, in Halfway to George Theodore (Ted) Steele and Alma Effie (Hulse) Steele. She spent her childhood in the company of five brothers and six sisters. She attended Halfway High School until her junior year, when she married Oklahoma-native Martin McKim on July 25, 1956. Her life was spent as a dedicated and loving mother, grandmother, … Read more

Leep, Janie E.

Janie Elizabeth Leep, 70, 2350 F. Street, died Monday evening at her home. Services will be conducted at 10 a.m. (PST) Thursday at West and Co. Chapel with Joe Jewett officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Leep, daughter of George and Lizzie Haines, was born in Gifford, Iowa, on November 22. 1890. She moved to Baker County at 18 and was married t Willis Leep at Halfway on Nov. 11, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Leep lived in Halfway from 1912 until 1942 when the family moved to Baker. She was a member of the Christian Church. Survivors … Read more

Forte, Robert – Obituary

Robert “Bob” Forte, 63, of Halfway, died Sept. 10, 2009, at his home. His life was celebrated Tuesday at his home in Halfway. Bob was born on Dec. 21, 1945, at Akron, Ohio, to Mary and Tony Forte. He started working with his dad at the machine shop at an early age and continued working for him after school and during the summer all the way through college. He played basketball throughout high school, college and the army (not to mention the great teams he played with in Pine Valley). After graduating with a master’s degree from the Ross School … Read more

Shaw, Robert Rollin “Rob” – Obituary

Robert Rollin “Rob” Shaw, 53, of Sequim, Wash., died Feb. 20, 2008. According to his wishes, his body was cremated. There will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. A second service is scheduled at 3 p.m. March 8 in the LDS chapel, 825 Washington St., at Sequim. Rob was born on April 19, 1954, at the naval hospital in Oak Harbor, Wash. The oldest of seven siblings, he was the consummate big brother. Love of country, family, and friends were mainstays of his life, his family … Read more

Painter, Norma Fay Stalker Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Norma Fay Painter, 81, of Halfway, died April 25, 2001, at Caldwell, Idaho. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine Baptist Church at Halfway. Pastor Shawn Thatcher of Pine Baptist Church will officiate. Vault interment will be at the Pine Haven Cemetery at Halfway. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home at Halfway and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine Baptist Church in Halfway. Mrs. Painter was a granddaughter of pioneer settlers who moved to Halfway in 1889 from Franklin, Idaho. At that time … Read more

Butler, Walt – Obituary

Walt Butler, 79, a former Halfway resident, died on March 9, 2005, at Yuma, Ariz. At his request, there will be no service. Walt LeRoy Butler was born at Wiley City, Wash., on March 21, 1925, to Walt LeRoy Butler Sr. and Annette B. Sams. Walt left high school early, acquiring a GED. He then entered the U.S. Navy and served until 1946. After the service, Walt went to work for Safeway stores in northern California, a career from which he retired in May of 1975. In September of 1971, Walt and Elsie Scoggin were married at Carson City, Nev. … Read more

Smith, Thomas – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Aug. 9 — Thomas Smith, memorial service, 1 p.m., United Methodist Church, Elgin The Observer – August 4, 2008 ___________________________________ Thomas Ira Smith, 93, of McMinnville and formerly of Elgin, died July 10 in McMinnville. Memorial services will begin at 1 p.m. Aug. 9 at the United Methodist Church at Fifth and Birch Street in Elgin. Autumn Crematorium in Tigard was in charge of arrangements. Tom was born Sept. 22, 1914, to Ira Arthur and Henrietta Esther (Cruikshank) Smith in Gridley, Calif. The family soon moved to Elgin where Tom graduated from Elgin High School in 1932. Joining … Read more

Steele, Clayton “Buck” – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Clayton “Buck” Steele, 68, died Jan. 16, 2007, at his home in Halfway after a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Halfway Kingdom Hall. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception afterward at the Halfway Lions Hall. Buck was born in 1938 at Laona, Wis., to Bert and Louise Thurber Steele. The family moved to western Washington where he grew up. He was a 1957 graduate of Snohomish High School. It was there that he married “the girl next door,” Rose Servine, in 1961. Their … Read more

Rock, Mabel E. Glascock Mrs. – Obituary

Mabel E. Rock, 92, of Hermiston, and former Baker County resident, died July 15, 2003, at her home. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Burns Mortuary Chapel in Hermiston. Mabel was born on June 26, 1911, on the family ranch at Brogan to Henry and Ida Olk Glascock. She married Gordon Joseph Rock in July of 1929 at Payette, Idaho. They lived at Huntington and Halfway before settling at Bates, which she really enjoyed. Joe died in 1984 and she moved to Hermiston. She was a member of the New Beginnings Church at … Read more

Tigli, Marjorie Irene Foster Mrs. – Obituary

Marjorie Foster Tigli, 73, died Nov. 18, 2002, at her daughter’s home in Fairview. There will be a celebration of life graveside service at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. She was born Marjorie Irene Foster on July 3, 1929, at Halfway, to James and Phyllis Canaday Foster. She lived there until the age of 13, when the family moved to Vancouver, Wash. After attending Shumway Junior High in Vancouver, Marjorie moved back to Halfway and attended Northwest Nazarene Academy where she met her first husband, Bill Sullivan. They were married on Sept. 5, 1945. This marriage … Read more