La Grande Oregon

Johnson, Thomas A. – Obituary

Thomas A. Johnson of Baker and formerly of La Grande, died Saturday after noon at St. Elizabeth nursing home. He was 90. Mr. Johnson was a roundhouse foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad and retired in 1960 at La Grande. He was a veteran of World War I, a member of Our lady of the Valley Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Virginia Johnson of Mobile, Ala.; a grandson, Scott Johnson of New York and a granddaughter, Susan Johnson of Florida. He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, in September 19??, and a … Read more

McWilliam, Hattie Alice – Obituary

Mrs. Hattie Alice McWilliam Succumbs At Hospital Mrs. Hattie McWilliam, one day away from her 88th birthday, died at a La Grande hospital Friday. She was born in Summerville and had lived there with the exception of 15 years of California residence. Survivors are Mrs. Mina Standley, Rt. 1, La Grande, and Mrs. Clyde McKenzie of Summerville. She was the daughter of the late T. T. and Sarah Glenn, pioneers of Summerville. Funeral arrangements are pending. La Grande Observer Saturday, October 3, 1959 Front Page Funeral Services will be held in the Dempsey’s Funeral Chapel Tuesday at 2 p.m. The … Read more

Burlew, Johnnie N. “John” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Johnnie N. “John” Burlew, 85, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 11, 2003, at his home. His funeral will be at noon Saturday at First Lutheran Church, 1734 Third St. Pastor Dennis Hickman of the First Lutheran Church will officiate. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at First Lutheran Church. Visitations will be until 5 p.m. today at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. John was born on Nov. 9, 1917, at Baker City to Truman Allen and Johannah Mary Sorenson Burlew. He was raised mostly … Read more

Bay, David – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Dies During Evening Burial Tomorrow David Bay, Eastern Oregon pioneer and the father of Harve Bay, of this city, passed away at his home in Portland, last night, according to word received here this morning., Mr Bay had been ill for some time and his three sons and his wife, Mrs May Bay, were with him at the time of death. Funeral services are to be held at the Snodgrass and Zimmerman mortuary tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o’clock and the body will be laid to rest in the Masonic cemetery. The officers of the Masonic … Read more

Clark, Joisa Elizabeth (Miller) – Obituary

Word has been received in La Grande of the death of Mrs. Joisa Eliza Clark, 86, of Beaverton. She was born in the Grande Ronde Valley, out on the sand ridge, the daughter of George and Matilda Miller Conley, a pioneer family. Mrs. Clark lived in the valley most of her life, and was one of nine children. She is survived by twin daughter, Erma Levitt, Schenectady, N. Y., and Irene McKenzie, Salem; two sisters, Mrs. Georganna Chadwick, Cove, and Mary Gray, Woodburn; two brothers, John C. Miller, La Grande, and Benn Miller, Arcadia, Calif.; and many other relatives and … Read more

Jederberg, Warren William – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Warren William Jederberg, 85, of La Grande died Thursday at Grande Ronde Hospital after a short illness. He will be buried next to his wife at Hillcrest Cemetery following funeral services at the Stake Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 11 a.m. Monday. He was born Aug. 26, 1921, in Selby, South Dakota, Mr. Jederberg came to La Grande in 1943 as an aviation cadet, and met his wife during his shifts at the switchboard in the Sacajawea Hotel, and her work at West Coast Telephone Co. He served in the Army during World … Read more

Rayburn, Mary – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Mary Rayburn, 71, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, died April 5. A funeral will begin at 6 p.m. today at Adam’s Chapel in the River View Cemetery, Portland. She was born Mary Tyschenko Aug. 20, 1935, in Chernin, Ukraine. She immigrated to the United States in 1951, settling in Weiser, Idaho. In 1955 she moved to La Grande, where she married Claude Eldon Rayburn in 1956. She was nationalized in 1960 and graduated from what is now Eastern Oregon University in 1964. The Rayburns moved to Portland in 1974. Passionate about many things, Mrs. Rayburn … Read more

Hunt, Richard Eric – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Richard Eric Hunt, 37, of Lovelock, Nev., and formerly of La Grande died Sept. 4. A memorial Mass will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday Sept. 9 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church with Father Hank Albrecht and the Rev. Irwin Smutz officiating. Mr. Hunt was born Nov. 18, 1968, to Richard and Iris Hunt in Spokane, Wash. He graduated from Yamhill-Carlton Union High School where he was class valedictorian and state representative to the Oregon School Board. He was a member of the National Honor Society and given early admission to the University of Notre … Read more

Fowler, Oscar Ernest – Obituary

Oscar Ernest “Ernie” Fowler, 92, of La Grande, died at a local care center Thursday. A full obituary will be published later. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is handling arrangements. La Grande Observer – June 28, 2008

Heitz, Betty Doris – Obituary

Betty Doris Heitz, 79, died on Oct. 20, 2007, of a stroke at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma , Ariz. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Monday Oct. 8, at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton. Inurnment of ashes will be at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton. She was born May 9, 1927, to Frank E. and Luva (Roberts) Messersmith in Alliance, Neb., one of seven children. She attended high school in Curtis and graduated in 1945. She studied for one year at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then taught at a country school in Box Butte County, Neb. She married Lyle … Read more

Morehead, Alice F. MacDonald Mrs. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Alice F. MacDonald Morehead, 97, of La Grande died June 26, 2003, at her home. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley in La Grande. The Rev. Norman Shrumm of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Committal and interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in La Grande. Visitations will be until 6 o’clock tonight at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mrs. Morehead was born on June 15, 1906, at Knappa to Angus and Lenore MacDonald. She moved with her parents to a homestead near Ontario. She attended Pioneer schools, Payette, … Read more

Brown, Daniel Campbell – Obituary

Daniel Campbell Brown, 92, of La Grande, and a former Baker City resident, died April 19, 2001, at his son’s home in La Grande. At his request there will be no public services. Private interment will be at Rock Creek Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Daniels Chapel of the Valley in La Grande. Mr. Brown was born Oct. 25, 1908, at Condon to Charles Arthur and Missouri Pearl Fitzwater Brown. In 1924 he moved to Baker City. During World War II he was stationed in Italy with the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he was an engineer on … Read more

Church, Audrey Irene – Obituary

Audrey Irene Church, 88, of Elgin, died March 14 at Grande Ronde Hospital. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Elgin Baptist Church, 800 N. 13th Ave., with burial to follow at the Elgin Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Audrey was born March 31, 1919, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, to Sam and Margaret (Bratin) Smith. She married Fred Church on June 28, 1941, in Nampa, Idaho. They moved to Mount Harris in 1946, then to Union in 1956 and to Elgin in 1964. She was an active member of the Elgin … 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

Williamson, John Leo – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon John Leo Williamson, 37, of La Grande, died Dec. 26 at Grande Ronde Hospital after a long battle with bone cancer. Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in La Grande. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery. Mr. Williamson was born in Baker City Jan. 21, 1969, to John H. Williamson of Baker City and Alice (Stroud) Williamson of La Grande. He attended school in both La Grande and Baker City. He married Martha Eoff of Elgin. They have two sons, Donald, 13, and Lucas, 10. The couple … Read more

March, Nellie – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Nellie March, 85, of La Grande, died May 10 at a local care home. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the First Christian Church in La Grande. A complete obituary will be available later. Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory is in charge of arrangements. La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the day of May 12, 2008 ___________________________________ Nellie March, 85, of La Grande, died May 10. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the First Christian Church in La Grande. A viewing will precede from 9 a.m. to … Read more

Pitcher, Carl Allen – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Carl Allen Pitcher, 70, of Nampa, Idaho, died Jan. 12 at home after a battle with cancer. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Kings Grace Church, 48 E. 18th St. in Junction City with the Rev. Gordon Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Gates Cemetery in Crow. A viewing will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Kings Grace Church in Junction City. Zeyer Funeral Chapel, 83 N. Midland Blvd. in Nampa is in charge of arrangements. Carl A. Pitcher was born on April 2, 1937, to Paul Franklin and … Read more

Roberts, Alice E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Alice E. Roberts, 88, of La Grande, died March 11 at a local care home. A complete obituary will be published at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel. The Observer – Obituaries for the week ending March 17, 2007

Bay, John H. – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Bay in this city at the family home Tuesday, August 15, 1905, John H. Bay, aged thirty nine years. The deceased was born in this city and had resided here the greater part of his life. The cause of his death was cancer of the face, and he had been a constant sufferer for the past several years. He leaves a wife, a mother, one brother and four sisters. ‘ The funeral will take place tomorrow at two o’clock at the family home in the Old Town, the Rev. A. Eads officiating. The interment will … Read more

Lillard, Kenneth Leroy – Obituary

Kenneth Leroy Lillard, 84, of La Grande, died March 19 at his home. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church of La Grande. There will be a viewing from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel. Ken was born in Yale, Okla., on Jan. 22, 1924, to Frank and Sadie Lillard. He graduated school in Lovell, Wyo., in 1941, and attended Radio Broadcasters School of America in Beverly Hills, Calif. He moved to Portland in 1944 and worked at KVAN Radio in Vancouver, Wash. He went to work for … Read more