Joseph Oregon

McClain, Benjamin Franklin – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Frank McLain Laid To Rest Benjamin Franklin McLain, born June 9, 1892, passed away suddenly at his home Friday, February 27. For some time his general health had been poor and the complications had proved fatal. Benjamin Franklin McClain, the son of James and Alice McLain, was one of the early pioneers of Wallowa County. His early life was spent on the family farm on upper Prairie Creek. He moved to Joseph with his parents in 1910, graduating from the Joseph high school with the class of 1914. He worked a few years in the First … Read more

Cole, Lindford Catherine – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon Catherine Lindford 1835 – 1891 At her home near Joseph, December 10, 1891, Catherine Lindford Cole, aged 56 years, 6 months and 14 days. Catherine Lindford was born hear London, England may 17, 1835, her parents removing to America the same year, after a short residence in Pennsylvania,  they removed to Indiana, and finally settled in Clark County, Illinois. In 1854 she was married to Eli Misner who died in 1858. In 1859 Mrs. Misner moved to Iowa. In July, 1860 she was united in marriage to Wiley P. Cole (Rev.William Person Cole Sr.) Mr. and … Read more

Duncan, Mary Jane Wagner Cameron Mrs. – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Wesley Duncan passed away at the family home in Joseph last Thursday morning, March 8. She had been confined to her bed for 15 months, following an attack of flue and had been a patient sufferer. The funeral was held Friday in the Methodist church at Joseph and the sermon was delivered by Rev. H.L. Ford, pastor of the Christian church at Enterprise. Burial was in the Enterprise cemetery, where a child of Mrs. Duncan was laid to rest. Mary Jane Wagner was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.J. Wagner, long time residents of … Read more

Daggett, Jeri Clarneau – Obituary

Jeri Clarneau Daggett died peacefully April 11, 2007, at Clarkston, Wash. She was 68. Mrs. Daggett was born Aug. 25, 1938, in Asotin, Wash. to Glen and Ella Williamson Clerneau. She married Ervin Daggett on Oct. 20, 1963 in Joseph. On Nov. 12, 1968, their son Eddie Daggett was born. Mrs. Daggett lived most of her life in Asotin County in Washington. She sold Avon for years and volunteered hours helping in her community. The last several years she served as vice president and supervisor of the New Hope Food Bank in Clarkston. She enjoyed spending time with her family, … Read more

Buckley, Doris – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Doris Buckley died at a care home in Phoenix, Ariz. on Jan. 25, 2007. She was 75. Mrs. Buckley was born in La Grande on Sept. 18, 1931, to Albert and Anna Gake. She lived in La Grande for a few years until the family moved to Enterprise and then to Joseph, where she attended school. During the war, the family moved to Huntington where her father worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. She graduated from Huntington High School. She married Glen Buckley in 1949. They worked on ranches in Wallowa County for a number of years, and … Read more

McCully, Frank D. – Obituary

Year-long illness takes life of F.D. McCully, 79. Frank D. McCully d. 14 Mar 1939 at his home in Joseph, OR, after a yearlong illness; “the father of Wallowa County”; 1st republican representative elected to the State legislature from Union Co.; elected in 1886, immediately introduced a bill to create Wallowa Co. Born Salem, OR 2 Jun 1859; attended Willamette University; started out in business at age 15; came to Union, OR, in 1872; 1874 made his first visit to Wallowa Valley; 1879 returned there with a large herd of cattle; 1880, left the livestock business, opened a general store … Read more

Makin, Elzie O. – Obituary

For many years was engaged in the operation of a large sheep ranch in Wallowa county, is one of the substantial residents of Joseph, where he is now living retired. He was born in Madison County, Indiana, on August 7, 1862, the eldest and only surviving child born of the marriage of William and Mary (Fox) Makin. The father was at one time the largest sheep raiser in the Wallowa valley but he is now living retired in Enterprise. The mother, however, has long since passed away. When he was a child less than one year of age Elzie O. … Read more

Heskett, Jesse C. ‘Jerry’ – Obituary

Pendleton–A graveside funeral for Jess C. “Jerry” Heskett will be held Saturday, 1 p.m. at the Enterprise Cemetery. Heskett, 76, of Pendleton, formerly of Milton-Freewater, died Wednesday, September 18, 1985, at Amber valley Nursing Home, Pendleton. He was born May 31, 1909, in the Leap area near Enterprise, the son of Willard and Grace (Feagins) Heskett. He attended schools at Trout Creek and Joseph and upon completion of his schooling Heskett farmed with his parents. He lived in Wallowa County until the mid-1960s when he moved to the Milton-Freewater area. He came to Pendleton in 1981 where he entered Amber … Read more

Briggs, Herbert – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Herbert Stanley “Bud” Briggs, 90, died at his home in Enterprise on May 31, 2005. He was born in New Meadows, Idaho, on Jan. 16, 1915, to Roy and Maude Briggs. Mr. Briggs came to Wallowa County in 1939. He worked at the mill in Joseph and later as a janitor for Joseph High School. In 1940, he married Lucile “Peal.” They were married 63 years when she died in 2003. In 1950, Mr. Briggs went to work for Pacific Power. He ran the power plant at Wallowa Lake for several years and then transferred to the Lewis … Read more

Biography of Thomas N. Estes

Wallowa county owes her prosperity and prominent position today more to the intelligent, progressive and capable farmers and stockmen within her borders than to any other class of individuals. She was especially fortunate in that there assembled here men and women from all parts of the country who were wide awake to the advantages offered and of courage and vigor sufficient to endure the hardships and develop the resources that nature had so lavishly bestowed here. Among this enterprising class there must not be failure to specifically mention the capable gentleman whose name introduces our article and to whom we … Read more

McClain, John – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon John J. McClain died at the Wallowa Memorial Hospital June 26, 1978 where he had been a patient for 5 days. He was a resident of the Pioneer Guest Home, and a former resident of Medford and Salem. He was born September 30, 1886 on Upper Prairie Creek to James R. and Alice McClain. He married Ida Mae Hursch at Medical Springs, Oregon. She preceded him in death in 1939. In August of 1977 he married Lurena B. in Salem, Oregon. Mr. McClain was a meat cutter, retired. Services were held Saturday, July 1 at Bollman … Read more

Cannon, G.M. Mrs. – Obituary

Joseph, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. G.M. Cannon Passes To Rest Mrs. George M. Cannon, pioneer of Wallowa County for 51 years, died at her home in Joseph, Saturday morning, Dec. 22, 1934, following a long illness. Funeral services were held in Joseph at 10 o’clock Monday morning at the Methodist Church. The body was taken to Lost Prairie where services were conducted at the Lost Prairie schoolhouse with Rev. G.R. Archer of the Joseph Methodist Church officiating at both places. Five of the pallbearers at Lost Prairie were former pupils of Mrs. Cannon, who taught the first school in the … Read more

Patterson, Elizabeth Bokop Mrs. – Obituary

Elizabeth Bokop Patterson, 97, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Oct. 5, 2006, at the Wallowa Valley Care Center. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 2130 Second St. Private interment of her cremains will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Patterson was born on June 30, 1909, at New York City to Federick and Augusta Bokop of Defiance, Ohio, where she grew up. She attended Western College at Oxford, Ohio, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1931 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. She was invited to visit … Read more

Bowerman, Sally – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Though Sally Bowerman of Joseph recently celebrated her 81st birthday she was “at the top of her game” when she died in a car crash in a dangerous intersection in Portland last week, according to both her daughters. Bowerman enjoyed many lives during 81 years and, in some ways, was many different people. She was a mother and nurse, a writer and sports fan, a patron of the arts and community booster, a world traveler. During her high school years Bowerman was a prize winning equestrian, a show jumper in an English saddle. Though later she became the … Read more

Biography of David Diggins

Although the subject of this sketch has not resided in Wallowa County so long as some others, nevertheless, he is one of the earliest pioneers of this section, having braved the dangers and suffered the hardships and deprivations in the fifties to assist in opening this country for the advent of civilization’s march. Mr. Diggins has lived the life of a typical frontiersman and pioneer, and to him and his companions is due the honor and distinction of discovering the leading placer mines of this northwest country, which in fact rivaled any on the Pacific coast, and during these long … Read more

Rumble, E. W. – Obituary

E.W. Rumble Passes Away in Portland Joseph, Wallowa County,Oregon Jay Dobbin was called to Portland Monday by the news of the death of E.W. Rumble, manager of the Columbia Basin Woolgrowers association, of which Mr. Dobbin is president. Mr. Rumble died of heart disease Monday morning while taking vigorous exercise in a gymnasium. The death was entirely unexpected as Mr. Rumble was not aware, as far as known of any heart trouble. He was a large man and vigorous. Mr. Rumble had been a resident of Portland for four years, going from Joseph, where he was born. He was 52 … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mary E. Proebstel

Among those who have displayed ability to handle successfully a stock raising business and general farming stands prominently the lady whose name is at the head of this article, and it now becomes our pleasant privilege to outline her life’s career wherein she has ever manifested both graciousness and capability, ever showing forth those priceless qualities of noble womanhood and faithfully performing the portion allotted to her hands during her pilgrimage. Mrs. Mary E. Proebstel was born in 1835 in the state of Ohio, and remained in the place of her infancy but five years. Her parents then removed to … Read more

Bower, Helen Marie – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Helen Marie Bower, 86, of Hilgard died Nov. 19 at a local care center. A celebration of life will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in La Grande. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Bower was born Oct. 8, 1919, to Paul and Elsie Rudger Marti in Joseph, and graduated from high school in Cambridge, Idaho. She married Buck Bower on July 16, 1938, in Weiser, Idaho, and moved to this area 33 years ago from the Huntington area. She worked in the cafe at Blue Mountain Lanes for about 20 … Read more

Akes, Esther Elaine – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Esther Elaine Akes of Milton-Freewater died June 27, 2006, at Evergreen Nursing Home. She was 86. Mrs. Akes was born August 23, 1919 in Pendleton to James Wallace and Lucia Mae Tilton Spencer. On February 27, 1943, she married Charles Leonard Akes, Sr. at Olympia, Wash. She worked at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle as a “Rosie the Riveter,” putting the metal skin on B-17 bombers, while her husband served overseas during World War II. After the war the couple ranched in Bickleton and Roosevelt, Wash and Mrs. Akes started Oasis Aviaries, marketing her birds in the area. They … Read more

Hovis, Earl – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Former Wallowa County resident, Earl Hovis, of North Bend, died Feb. 1, 1992, at St. Katherine’s Nursing Home in Coos Bay. At his request, no public services were held. Interment will be in Wallowa County at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Cool Bay Chapel. Mr. Hovis was born July 12, 1902, in Wayne County, Mo., the son of Robert E. and Minnie Hovis. He came to Wallowa County as a young person and attended Gwynn School, located between Lostine and Enterprise. On June 26, 1924, he married Vivian Emmons at Enterprise. They … Read more