Ward, Mary Jane Mullen Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Jane Ward, 85, of La Grande and formerly of Baker City, died Aug. 2, 2003, at a local care facility. A private family service and interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Ward was born on Feb. 26, 1918, to James Levi and Daisy B. Bishop Mullen at Westfall. She was a 1936 graduate of Ontario High School. She married Frank Eldon Ward at Payette, Idaho, on July 24, 1948. They later moved to Baker City where they owned and operated Scotty’s Tavern. Mr. Ward died on Oct. 16, 1972. She continued to operate the business until 1979 … Read more

Diaz, Amelia Garcia – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Amelia Garcia Diaz, 80, of Ontario and formerly of La Grande, died Saturday, Aug. 19. Viewing will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and a recitation of the Rosary will begin at 6 p.m. at Loveland Funeral Chapel. A Resurrection Mass will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Hillcrest East Cemetery. Mrs. Diaz was born Sept. 29, 1925, to Rolando and Maria Gonzalez Garcia in Carrizo Springs, Texas. She married Antonio Sandoval who died earlier. Following his death she married Valdemar Diaz on Feb. 11, … Read more

Foster, Dorothy “Jean” Campbell Mrs. – Obituary

Dorothy “Jean” Foster, 73, of Ontario, and a former Baker City resident, died April 6, 2001, at her home after an illness. Her funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. PDT at Ontario’s Assembly of God Church. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Ontario. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. PDT at Lienkaemper Chapel, 78 Northwest First Ave. in Ontario. Mrs. Foster was born July 3, 1927, at Bend to Roy and Caroline Campbell. She was raised and educated in Baker City, and graduated from Baker High School in 1946. She married Marvin Foster on June 1, 1947, … Read more

Doman, Ronald Elmer “Ronnie” – Obituary

Huntington, Oregon Ronald Elmer “Ronnie” Doman, 60, of Huntington, died June 13, 2002, peacefully at his home after a courageous battle with cancer. His graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends and family will conduct the service. At his request, friends and family are invited to attend a gathering at the Doman Ranch to celebrate his life after the service. Ron was born on Dec. 15, 1941, at Ontario to Roy and Judy Doman. He attended school at Ontario and played football for Oregon State University at Corvallis on a scholarship. The highlight of … Read more

Lovelace, Carolyn Rees – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Union County, Oregon Obituary Carolyn Rees Lovelace, 74, of Ontario and formerly of Cove died of cancer June 25 at the home of her daughter, Rilla Lovelace Hanger, of Monroe, Wash. Her ashes will be spread at Cove Cemetery, followed by a family celebration of life at the Cove Pool at a time and date to be announced later. Born Feb. 18, 1933, Carolyn loved animals, especially horses. She also took in young people who needed a safe place. Carolyn passed on a strong love of family connections, family members said. She was a proud fourth-generation Oregonian from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry P. Tietsort

The subject of this article is one of the venerable and capable men of the vicinity of Nyssa, being also a veritable pioneer of the pioneers, of the west having labored with great energy in many portions of the same, and has endured the privations, hardships and suffering incident to this kind of life. Henry P. Tietsort, was born in Cass County Michigan, on October 14, 1829, being the son of John and Angeline (Meyers) Tietsort. The parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but his grandparents came from Germany. Our subject was educated in the common schools of his native place … Read more

Pallis, Zella May Fisher Davis Mrs. – Obituary

Zella May Pallis, 78, of Ontario, a former Baker City resident, died June 7, 2001, at home with her family by her side. Visitations will be from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Colonial DeWitt Funeral Home at Walla Walla, Wash. There will be a graveside service at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Mountain View Cemetery at Walla Walla. Mrs. Pallis was born on May 14, 1923, at Clayton, Idaho, to Guennie Fisher Geist and William Fisher. She married Woodrow Davis in 1941. He died in 1952. She then met Anthony John Pallis of Walla Walla, Wash. They were … Read more

Derrick, Sharon Cathey Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Sharon Derrick, 66, of Ontario, a former longtime Baker County resident, died May 7, 2005, at Ontario from colon cancer. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Community United Methodist Church, 240 S.E. Third St., in Ontario. Private interment will be later. Visitations will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, 2543 Fourth Ave., in Ontario. Sharon was born on Jan. 25, 1939, at Belle Fourche, S.D., to Hugh and Laura Cathey. She moved to Baker City with her family in the 1940s. She married Harley … Read more

Breckon, Clayton Richard – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Clayton Richard Breckon, 89, of Elgin, died Jan. 8 at his home. A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Elgin. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Clayton was born Feb. 27, 1918, to Richard David and Eva Kate Plant Breckon in Ontario. He moved to this area from Eugene 30 years ago. He enjoyed woodworking and clock making, and was meticulous with his yard. He was active with the LDS Church, and was a High Priest. He also enjoyed genealogy, auto mechanics … Read more

An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties Oregon

These 91 biographies and sketches have been taken from the manuscript “An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties Oregon.” Presently this is an incomplete offering so subscribe to this page if you’re interested on further updates. We will eventually provide the entire manuscript here.

Hammack, Lester E. – Obituary

Lester E. Hammack 89, of Jamison, died July 13, 1989, in a Vale nursing home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the First Christian Church in Vale, Rev. Paul Ratzlaff officiating. Internment will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Vale, under the direction of Lienkaemper Chapel of Vale. He was born June 12, 1900 in Lostine, Oregon, the son of John L. and Alice Bohannon Hammack. He moved with his parents and lived in Elgin, Echo and Milton-Freewater, Oregon before moving to Cow Valley in 1918. He moved to Jamison in 1920 where he ranched and farmed. He … 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

Landweer, Vada Adelle Graves Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vada Adelle Landweer, 57, died Sept. 25, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. There will be a celebration of her life at 3 p.m. (MDT) Friday at Bucky’s Cafe in Cambridge, Idaho. Vada was born on Oct. 13, 1946, at Baker City. She was raised at Sparta and attended the Sawmill Gulch school and Eagle Valley High School at Richland. She attended her last year of high school at Vale, where she graduated. During her life, she lived in Prairie City, and then moved to Richland. Her last years were near the Cambridge, Idaho, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles M. Jones

It is gratifying to be privileged to put in print an epitome of one of the brave men who fought, as did the subject of this sketch for the honor of the stars and stripes and the safety of our free institutions when the foul hand of treason sought to deface all and destroy the homes of freedom. In addition Mr. Jones has always shown himself in the walks of life to be upright and capable and has done a noble part in the advancement and development of the resources of the country. Speaking more particularly of his personal history, … Read more

McCarver, Rose Mary – Obituary

Richland, Baker County, Oregon Rose Mary McCarver, 82, of Ontario, a former Richland resident, died May 1, 2006, at her home. Her memorial graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Evergreen Cemetery in Ontario. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin will preside. Rose was born on June 24, 1923, at Ironside. She attended Vale schools. She married William McCarver on Sept. 21, 1940, at Payette, Idaho. They ran a sawmill and trucking company at Ironside. In 1954 the family moved to Ontario where they had a dairy on the Oregon Slope. Later they moved to Richland, where they had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Clinton

A veritable pioneer of the pioneers, and a man of sterling qualities of worth and substantiality, while his excellent achievements mark him one possessed of more than ordinary ability for business enterprises, the subject of this article is to be mentioned with the prominent men of Malheur County and is well worthy of the prestige and esteem that he enjoys. Mr. Clinton was born in New York, in 1837, being the son of Alexander and Margaret (Balfour) Clinton, natives respectively of Maryland and Pennsylvania. In 1844 the family removed to Wisconsin, and in 1859 they took up the arduous journey … Read more

Biography of Herbert F. Ward

This capable and progressive gentleman is one of the leading men of this vicinity, being a well-to-do and prominent farmer and was one of the promoters of the valuable Owyhee ditch, being an incorporator and one who led the enterprise to a successful issue. Mr. Ward was born in Quebec, Canada, on April 12, 186, the son of George P. and Elizabeth (Sherman) Ward. He spent his youthful days in the invigorating exercise of farm work and in gaining a good education from the public schools. At the age of twenty-two he left the parental roof for the world of … Read more

Manners, Rachel C. Buchanan Crimin Mrs. – Obituary

Rachel C. Buchanan Manners, 85, of Ontario, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 9, 2000, at Ontario. Her graveside funeral was Tuesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church officiated. Mrs. Manners was born and raised in the Wingville and Pocahontas areas where she met and married James Crimin. She later married Howard Manners and lived at North Powder where he taught school for many years. Survivors include her son, Robert Crimin of Aztec, N.M.; three grandchildren, Randy Crimin of Utah, Shelly Daws of Fruitland, Idaho, and Scott Crimin of Weiser, Idaho; and … Read more

Messer, David L. – Obituary

Jamieson 1949-2009 David Leo Messer, 60, of Jamieson, died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident Sept. 29, one mile west of Jamieson. Graveside services will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lostine Cemetery. A memorial service will follow on Monday at the Pendleton Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1401 SW Goodwin Place. A memorial service was held Oct. 5 in Vale. Lienkaemper Chapel of Ontario was in charge of arrangements. David was born Aug. 11, 1949, to Leo Eugene Messer and Elizabeth Lucille Jenson in Great Falls, Mont. He attended Great Falls schools and graduated from … Read more