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

Butler, A.M. – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon Memorial services were held Saturday at 2 p.m. Memorial services were held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church for Albert Morse Butler of Joseph who passed away Tuesday, August 31, 1965 at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton where he had been a patient for nine days. Pastor R.A. Garner officiated and music was furnished by the church. Honorary pallbearers were: Ernie Cloud, L.L. Beidler, Frank Brown, Clyde Fleenor, Joe Naughton, William Coleman, Robert Johnson, Jerry Jennings and John Steele. Casket bearers were: Richard Granger, Glenn Zamzow, Ralph Stickney, Ralph Jewell, Don Mallon, … Read more

Marks, Benjamin – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Pioneer Of Imnaha Passes To His Rest Benjamin Marks Settled On River In 1889 And Always Loved Canyon Died, March 9, 1923, at his home on Imnaha. Benjamin Marks, aged 83 years, 1 month and 25 days. Mr. Marks had been in fair health this winter the rather feeble and inclined to rest and sleep a great deal. Thursday he was about, as usual, eating dinner and then taking a nap. He said he did not care for supper and retired rather early. At the family bedtime he was seen to be sleeping peacefully but when … Read more

Coverdale, Marion – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Marion Coverdale was found dead in his cabin near the river in Joseph on Wednesday of last week, July 12, 1922. He had been in poor health for some time and had been receiving care from Miss Mayme Peterson, county nurse. He lived alone. Mr. Coverdale had lived in the county for upwards of 40 years and was a rather picturesque character. He was fond of the mountains and canyons and trapped and hunted for a living much of his time. He was born in Walla Walla, Feb 16, 1864, and came with his parents to … Read more

Boyce, Ned – 1938 Obituary

Imnaha, Oregon Ned Boyce passed away at Walla Walla, Wash., on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 1938. He was born Jan.6, 1912 at Elma, Wash., son of William and Olga Boyce. On Aug. 30, 1959 he was married to Cora Simmons at Enterprise. He was a painter by trade and was a member of the Enterprise Elks Lodge. He came to Wallowa County in February, 1948 and opened the Pie Shop and Melo Freeze Ice Cream Shop. He was in that business for several years. Survivors include his wife, Cora, of Imnaha; two daughter, Dorothy Keener of Joseph and Edith McGee of … Read more

Fish, C. A. Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. C.A. Fish Answers Call Mrs. C.A. Fisk died at La Grande last Thursday, Feb. 28. Services were held Sunday afternoon from the Booth chapel with Rev. Howard Stover officiating. Nellie May Marks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Marks, was born at Sweet Home, Oregon, on March 29, 1879. When she was 11 years of age she came with her parents to Wallowa County, the family locating on the Imnaha River. She continued to live in Wallowa county most of her life. On Dec. 30, 1902, she was united in marriage to C. A. Fisk. … Read more

Biography of Harry N. Vaughan

No list of the stockmen and substantial citizens of Wallowa County would be complete without an especial mention of the enterprising young man whose name is at the head of this paragraph, since he has made an excellent success in the stock business, and since he has also the credit of being one of the earliest settlers and was one who broke sod first in the section of Imnaha, where he has wrought continuously until the present for the up building of the county and its material progress. Harry N. Vaughan was born in Mower County, Minnesota, on January 4, … Read more

Butler, Horace John – Obituary

Wallowa County, Oregon Horace John Butler was born in Louisville, Henry County, Indiana May 28, 1850, and died at his home near Fruita, Oregon, September 16, 1926, aged 76 years, 3 months and 19 days. For several years Mr. Butler had been suffering from the ills usual to old age. His oldest son was drowned December 5, 1923, after which time he failed rapidly, the shock and grief undoubtedly shortening his life. Born of Quaker parentage he united with that denomination early in life. At the age of 19, he began teaching school, following that occupation for four years. When … Read more

Denney, William L. – Obituary

William L. “Bill” Denney, 63, of Champaign, Ill., and formerly of Wallowa County, died Aug. 13 after a long battle with pancreal cancer. Bramley Funeral Home in Champaign is in charge of arrangements. A funeral was held Aug. 18 in Divernon, Ill., with burial in Pawnee, Ill., at Calvary Cemetery. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Sept. 5 at Northside Baptist Church in Vancouver, Wash. A reception and visitation will follow. Bill was born Dec. 14, 1944, to Clifford R. and Mary (Betz) Denney in Spokane. He moved to Oregon in 1948 to the lower Imnaha area. He … Read more

Beecher, Lawson Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Lawson Beecher died early Saturday morning in the Enterprise hospital where she had been a patient several weeks. She had been ill for six months and went to the hospital for treatment after her condition had become serious. For four days before the end came she had resigned herself to it and said she was ready to go. Many of her friends called to see her and she discussed her condition with them very calmly, retaining her self possession better than any of her visitors. In fact she never broke down until, shortly before he … Read more

Bell, Jean Gardner – Obituary

Imnaha, Oregon Jean Gardner Bell, 84, of Carlsbad, Calif., died May 13, 2004, at home. She was born Feb. 29, 1920, in Los Angeles, Calif. After graduating from John Marshall High School, she attended Glendale Junior College and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) before marrying Franklin Bell II, a union that lasted 50 years until his death in 1992. They founded Bell Pipe and Supply Company in Anaheim, Calif., and raised their family in Tustin, Calif. In 1975 the couple bought a ranch on the upper Imnaha River where they spent springs and summers and Mrs. Bell worked … Read more

Kotz, Georgia – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Services Held For Georgia Kotz Georgia Kotz of Joseph, who had been in ill health for the past six months, passed away at the Wallowa Memorial Hospital on Monday, July 8, 1974. She was a daughter of Abijah and Dora Arnold and was born at Joseph on Jan. 20, 1914. She had lived in Wallowa County all of her life, living for a time on the Imnaha. On May 29, 1933 she was married at Lewiston to George B. Kotz. She was a member of St. Katherine’s Catholic Church. Survivors include her husband George B. Kotz … Read more

Arnold, Othe – Obituary

Imnaha, Wallowa County, Oregon Othe Arnold, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Arnold, succumbed to an attack of heart failure yesterday morning, Wednesday, May 6, 1936, at the family home on Sheep creek. She was in the yard when she fell to the ground and passed away almost immediately. A call was sent to Imnaha and Mrs. E.C. Stoneman, formerly a trained nurse, went hurriedly to the Arnold home but found nothing to be done. Coroner C. L. Booth was summoned and he made an investigation, concluding it was simply a case of the heart ceasing to perform … Read more

Himelwright, Mellisa Jane Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Pioneer Mother Services Today Mrs. Mellisa Jane Himelwright, one of the oldest of Wallowa County pioneers and who had been in failing health for the last several months, passed away Tuesday, November 5, 1957 at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Robert Trezona in Enterprise. She fell last March and broke her hip and had since been confined to a wheel chair or her bed. Memorial services are being held this afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Booth-Bollman Chapel with the Rev. John Sinclair of the Christian Church officiating. Mrs. John Munsey will be organist and … Read more

Adams, Mary Mrs. – Obituary

Prairie Creek, Wallowa County, Oregon February 5, 1931 County Loses a Loved Pioneer In Passing of Mrs. Adams In the passing of Mrs. Mary Adams at her home on Prairie Creek last Wednesday evening, Wallowa County lost one of its oldest and most loved pioneers. Mrs. Adams, with her husband and little girl, came to Wallowa county more than 50 years ago. The family settled on Prairie Creek on the ranch upon which they lived for many years and where both Mr. And Mrs. Adams died. In 1882 they moved to Imnaha, which was at that time an almost inaccessible … Read more

Landers, Mr. – Obituary

We learn that a man, living on the Imnaha named Landers, accidentally shot himself Wednesday and bled to death from the effect of the wound. We failed to get the particulars. The Aurora November 1, 1895

Holbrook, George – Obituary

Tom Adams, well-known in this county, shot and killed George Holbrook at Homestead on Wednesday of last week. Adams was living with Holbrook’s wife in a tent on a mining claim in the eastern part of the county and went to Homestead with the woman after two children who were in the possession of the father. A fight followed and Adams killed Holbrook. Adams and Mrs. Holbrook are now in jail at Baker. District Attorney Fairchild and Sheriff Rinehart went over to the Imnaha and brought back five children they found in the tent. A part of the children are … Read more

Marks, Tom O. – Obituary

Tom Marks Dies At Home Here Tom O. Marks passed away at 7:45 p.m. August 5 at his home in Enterprise at the age of 80 years. Mr. Marks was born at Sweet Home, Ore., Dec. 9, 1866, and lived in Olax, Prineville and Arlington before moving to Imnaha at the age of 23 where he lived on a homestead. In 1905 he and Charles Rice formed a partnership and together they raised cattle for ten years. He was married Sept. 15, 1915, to Mrs. Vertie Snell at Vancouver, Wash. While living on the Imnaha he served as deputy sheriff, … Read more

Baldridge, Ruby Anna – Obituary

Imnaha, Wallowa County, Oregon A private family service was held for Ruby Anna Baldridge, 68, a longtime Central Oregon resident in earlier years that returned to Prineville nine months ago. She died Tuesday, June 19, 1984 at the Crook County Nursing Home. Mrs. Baldridge’s activities were centered largely in her home, but she had worked for a time as a hospital cook. She was married April 25, 1934 in Park Falls Wis. to Henry T. Baldridge, who survives. They moved to Oregon in 1938 and settled in Hines, where they lived for five years before moving to Prineville. They moved … Read more

Wilson, Wayne – Obituary

Wallowa County native Wayne Wilson, age 74, of La Grande, died Monday, Feb. 22, 1988 at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. Wilson was born Dec. 23, 1913 in a buckboard wagon between Imnaha and Joseph, the son of John A. and Myrtle (Neil) Wilson. During World War II he served with the 44th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force of the U.S. Army. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1945. On July 2, 1954 he was married to Loretta (Knight) Bradshaw at La Grande. After 25 years of service with Boise Cascade he retired in 1978. … Read more