Los Angeles County CA

Vedder, Weldon Jack – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Weldon Jack Vedder Weldon Jack Vedder, 72, of Torrance, Calif., and formerly of La Grande, died Sept. 26, 2006, of complications after vascular surgery. Mr. Vedder, known as Jack, was born Dec. 5, 1933, in La Grande. He served in the Air Force then returned to La Grande and earned an undergraduate and a master’s degree from what is now known as Eastern Oregon University. He later received a graduate degree in mathematics education from U.C. Santa Barbara. Mr. Vedder moved to Manhattan Beach, Calif., in 1964. He taught at Lennox High School in Lawndale for 12 … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Yount

Henry Yount of Tustin, was born in Platte County, Missouri, December 11, 1845, his parents being Henry and Deborah (Doherty) Yount, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsylvania, who moved to Missouri in 1832, locating upon a farm, and there the senior Yount died in 1845, when his son Henry was but two weeks old. His mother subsequently married Abraham Van Vranken. May 5, 1865, Mr. Yount started for California with an ox team; and after arriving he followed farming the first year in Santa Clara County; then he was a wheat-raiser in San Joaquin County … Read more

Case, Gifford Ryder – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Gifford “Giff” Ryder Case died Feb. 27, 2007, at home in Joseph with his wife Susanna, son Richard, and daughter Lorri at his side. He was 87. Mr. Case was born Sept 21, 1919, on a rural family farm five miles outside of Milford, Penn. He was the third of six boys born to Arthur B. Case and Emilie Fieg Case. Mr. Case loved sharing stories of his childhood and teen years growing up on the beloved Oak Tree Farm. In 1938, after trying a year at Drexel Institute College, he set out on a travel adventure across … Read more

Biography of Joseph Benjamin Henderson

Joseph Benjamin Henderson is a native son, born in San Bernardino County, in 1856, and is the son of David Henderson, who emigrated with his family from Scotland and settled in San Bernardino County, in 1853, where he and his wife, also a native of Scotland, still reside. He learned the trade of stonemason in early life, and has divided his time between that and mining and farming as his chief occupations. Joseph served three years apprenticeship at the tinner’s trade, and worked at it as a journeyman in San Bernardino, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco over thirteen … Read more

Buhler, Donald Franz – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Donald Franz Buhler Funeral services for local ranch owner Don Buhler, 88, who died Monday, March 19, 2007, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at Joseph United Methodist Church. A reception will follow at 1 p.m. at the Buhler Ranch at the foot of Mount Joseph near Joseph will follow. A full obituary will be published next week. Wallowa County Chieftain – March 22, 2007 Contributed By: Sue Wells Second Obit. Donald Franz Buhler, real estate developer and local rancher, died in Portland on March 19, 2007, at the age of 88. During his final … Read more

Smith, Irene W. – Obituary

Irene W. Smith, 85, of La Grande, died Feb. 23 at a local care center. A graveside service will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday, at the Union Cemetery. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center is in charge of arrangements. Irene was born July 2, 1922, to Archie and Eunice (Griffith) Williamson in Brookhaven, Miss. She lived in Seattle for some time before moving to the Los Angeles area of California where she lived for 30 years. In June 1984, she moved to La Grande to be near family. In the early 1990s her daughter, Judith Ann DeLeebeck lost her … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. John M. James

Hon. John M. James, a native of Cannon County, Tennessee, born in 1816. His father, William James, was a native of North Carolina, and died May 20, 1840. His mother, Clara (Smith) James, was born in Suffolk, Virginia. His great-grandfather was one of Lord Baltimore’s colonists in Maryland, and his grandfather emigrated to North Carolina. Our subject is the next to the youngest of a family of seven children. He was married March 14, 1837, to Elizabeth LeMay, of North Carolina. She was of French origin. Two years after his marriage he moved to Arkansas, where in 1842 his wife … Read more

Baxter, Phaedra Dune – Obituary

Phaedra Dune Baxter, 62, of La Grande died on Oct. 26. A celebration of Phaedra’s life is planned and the details will be announced later by Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center. She was born Pamela Bernice Bishop on Oct. 13, 1945, to Edward Fletcher Bishop and Bernice May Bedford in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was raised in Sumas, Wash., then moved to Wenatchee, Wash., where she attended grade school. The family moved to Los Angeles where she graduated from Lynwood High School in 1963. There, Phaedra became active in school and community theatre, nurturing a lifelong love of … Read more

Biography of James Boyd

James Boyd, a pioneer of Riverside, came to the colony in 1872, all his worldly goods consisting of a farm team of four horses, four cows, a lot of chickens and a few household effects, and eight dollars in cash; but he had a reserve capital of health, energy, intelligence, and a determination to succeed. He secured a squatter’s claim to seventy-three acres of Iand about two miles north of Riverside, and later an adjoining tract of eighty acres, upon which he camped with his family, his only shelter being a shanty 10 x 10, devoid of protection from the … Read more

Bloomer, Ted S., Sr. – Obituary

Durkee, Oregon Ted S. Bloomer Sr., 91, a longtime Durkee rancher, died Aug. 5, 2002, at the Holy Rosary Medical Center in Ontario. His graveside funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery mausoleum. Jim Rex of the Baker City Christian Science Church will officiate. Disposition will be by mausoleum entombment. A reception will follow at the Durkee Grange. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Mr. Bloomer was born July 16, 1911, at Lebanon, Mo., to William A. and Maude F. (Blackburn) Bloomer. The family moved … Read more

Christopher, Myrtle Geneva – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Myrtle Geneva Christopher, 88, of La Grande, died Aug. 14 at a local care center. At her request there will be no public services. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Myrtle was born on Nov. 15, 1918, to Jasper and America Selby in Comanche, Okla. She began school in Oklahoma and finished in Los Angeles. She worked for Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif., as an inspector until her retirement. On July 21, 1956, she married Gordon Woodrow Christopher. After her retirement, the couple spent much of their time in Kingman, Ariz. She … Read more

Biography of Frank B. DeVine

No history of Riverside purporting to record her growth and prosperity can lay claim to real value and interest that does not award the merit to her mercantile enterprises, and the men who have conducted them. Most prominent in this record would be the names of Boyd & DeVine, commission merchants and jobbers, whose establishment is located on the corner of Eighth Street and Pachappa Avenue. This is one of the most important wholesale and commission houses in the city, dealing extensively in groceries, grain, honey, etc. They are also large fruit and raisin packers, placing their products on the … Read more

Atkinson, Claude – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Mr. Claude Allan “Todd” Atkinson a former Baker City resident, passed away Jan. 7, 2005 at Pacific Palisades, Calif. A private graveside service and celebration of his life was held at Mount Hope cemetery on Jan. 21, 2005, with the Rev. Lennie Spooner officiating. Todd was laid to rest near his father who died when he was just a young boy. Todd was born on Nov. 20, 1917, to Florence Goodman Atkinson and Claude Monroe Atkinson in Cutbank, Mont. The family moved to Baker shortly thereafter. After his father’s death his mother married Jesse Sutherland … Read more

Mitchell, Richard Lewis – Obituary

Union, Oregon Richard Lewis Mitchell Richard Lewis Mitchell, 77, of Union died Jan. 22. At the request of his family there will be no public services. Arrangements are under the direction of Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mr. Mitchell, known as Dick, was born Feb. 17, 1929, to George and Catherine (Engell) Mitchell in Bellflower, Calif. He was born to a large family. He married and had two children, then later divorced. He loved hunting and enjoyed going out shooting. He liked having coffee at the truck stop and the company he shared with the waitresses. He was a good … Read more

Jackson, Lacy Grant – Obituary

Grant Jackson, 72, formerly associated with the Dain manufacturing Co. in Ottumwa, died Tuesday [July 14, 1953] at the home of his son, Warren Jackson at Chugwater, Wyo. His home is in Pasadena, Calif. He was born in October of 1880 in the Fremont community. He moved from Ottumwa to Chugwater in 1912, going to Pasadena about 10 years ago. Survivors include his wife, the former Susie Pedrick of Ottumwa; two sons, two daughters, and a sister, Mrs. Daisy Storm, Bentonsport. ————————————————- Double funeral services were held last Friday, July 17, at the Iowa Flats Church for Mr. and Mrs. … Read more

Welch, William Jerry “Doc” – Obituary

William Jerry “Doc” Welch died Dec. 17, 2004, at home in Tacoma after a valiant battle with cancer. Although he lived in Thailand and Tacoma much of the time after his 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, he always considered Haines and the Welch Ranch as his home. He was born in Glendale, Calif., on Aug. 25, 1926, to William Ray Welch and Pearl Welch Ercum. When World War II threatened the California Coast he and his sister, JoAnn and his paternal grandmother, Clara M. Welch, came to Haines and spent time with his Aunt Emma and Uncle Albert … Read more

Kinnison, Joseph P. – Obituary

Baker Pioneer Dies At Long Beach, California. Built the First Cabin in Baker County on Site of the John Steiger Farm, Wingville Joseph P. Kinnison one of the earliest settlers of the Powder River valley died at his home in Long Beach, California, after a long illness caused by paralysis. Mr. Kinnison was well known in this part of the country having built the first cabin in Baker County on the site of the John Steiger farm at Wingville and residing in this community many years. He was born in Missouri and was 83 years of age at the time … Read more

White, Robert Monte – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Robert Monte White, 63, a longtime Baker City resident, died June 22, 2004, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A private service is planned. Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. Robert was born on March 1, 1941, at Minneapolis to Robert Albert White and Nona Lucille Reese White. He moved to California at the age of 7. After he graduated from high school, Robert joined the U.S. Air Force and served time overseas at Guam. After his discharge from the service, Robert worked for Shelby Corp. testing racing prototypes. Robert … Read more

Lindsey, Sherry Lynn King Mrs. – Obituary

Sherry Lynn Lindsey, 56, of Baker City, died Aug. 20, 2005, at her home. A memorial service is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Calvary Chapel, 1820 First St. Pastor Ray Hedlund of Calvary Chapel will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family following the service for food and fellowship at the church. Disposition was by cremation at Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. Sherry was born March 17, 1949, in Van Nuys, Calif., to Robert Fenton and Barbara Louise (Ericsson) King. Truly a selfless beautiful person, Sherry gave to all and expected nothing in return. She loved God and … Read more

Messenger, Katherine – Obituary

The following clipping is from a California paper, relating particulars of the recent death of a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Messenger, formerly of Union, and will interest some of the older residents of this place: Instant death overtook 8-year-old Katherine Messenger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Messenger of Burbank, when an automobile in which she and her father were driving up the Mt. Wilson road backed of the grade at 11;30 a.m. yesterday and fell 350 feet into the gorge below. Mr. Messenger was thrown clear of the car. He suffered severely from nerve shock after the … Read more