McMinnvile–July 5 (Special)–Mrs. Ellen Idolette Farnsworth, 78, died June 28 [1945] in McMinnville. Services were held at Macy’s Chapel Tuesday and interment was at Multnomah Cemetery in Portland. Mrs. Farnsworth was born in Portland, May 6, 1867. She is survived by two brothers, Alonzo B. Gates and Frank H. Gates of Portland. The Oregonian, July 6, 1945 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman
Judge Robert Sharp Bean of the federal court for the District of Oregon, nationally known for his judicial mind died suddenly of a heart attack at 6:30 o’clock this morning [January 7, 1931] at his home, 1620 Briar Place. He was 76. Shock of the death was doubly felt in that it was so unexpected. According to a member of the family, Judge Bean, on retiring last night, was as well as he had ever been. He retired about 11 o’clock, Mrs. Bean said. Shortly before 6 a.m. today he arose complaining of a slight stomach ailment. He was somewhat … Read more
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
Carol Anne (Smith) Hutson, 63, of Kennewick and formerly of La Grande, died May 9 after a long illness. A private memorial service was held earlier in the month at Hillcrest Memorial Center in Kennewick. Carol was born Aug. 20, 1944, to Sherman Elton Smith and Josephine Amanda Thorpe in McMinnville. She married Richard Hutson. They later divorced. A retired library custodian and homemaker, Carol enjoyed rock hunting and arts and crafts projects. She lived in La Grande for 10 years, Lincoln City, Netarts, Tillamook and Salem and spent the last four years in Kennewick. She is survived by her … Read more
Helen M. Alford, 77, of Amity, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 14, 2008, at a Salem hospital. Her funeral was Monday at the Chapel of Macy & Son in McMinnville. Pastor Jim Peterson officiated. Burial will be at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. She was born on Nov. 5, 1930, at Enterprise to Eugene Albert Houck and Doris Francis Houck. She grew up in the Zumwalt area of Wallowa County. In 1949, she married Glen Emory Alfred of Joseph. During their lives together they lived at Wallowa County, Baker City and the Willamette Valley. She enjoyed family … Read more
Dick Towell, 60, of McMinnville, a former longtime Halfway resident, died April 5, 2002, at his home after an ongoing battle with cancer for the past four years. His funeral was Saturday at the Church of Christ at McMinnville. There was a graveside service afterward and a potluck at the Towell home. Dick was born at home in the country by Scholls on Nov. 23, 1941, to Edith Alice and Euidas Scott Towell. He attended a two-room school in first grade and then moved to a newly built school for Grades 2-4. In fifth grade he went to a one-room … Read more
N.K. SITTON. – This pioneer of 1843 was born in Calway county, Missouri, in 1825. As a boy in school he read Lewis & Clarke’s travels, and being an active and intelligent youth seventeen years old, at the time of the great interest that prevailed in the border states respecting Oregon, was moved to join the party of Applegate Or Burnett, and made the journey with these noted men across the plains. he remembers meeting with Whitman on the Sweetwater, and recalls his services in guiding the emigrants from Fort Hall. Arriving in Oregon he found employment on various farms … Read more
Frances L. Maxwell, 81, former McMinnville resident who taught for 26 years at Cook School, died Thursday, July 21, at Jefferson. Services were Monday, July 25, at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Macy & Son in McMinnville, with interment at the Masonic Cemetery. Born April 21, 1902 in Haines, the daughter of Arthur L. and Bertha Jarman Olson, Mrs. Maxwell was raised and schooled in Haines. She graduated from teacher’s college at OCE in Monmouth in 1920, then taught a few years at Muddy Creek near Haines. In June 1923, in Baker, she married Charles Dewey Maxwell who preceded … Read more
Betty Jean Myers, 83, died June 9, 2009, at her home in McMinnville. Her memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the First Presbyterian Church, 390 N. Second, McMinnville. Arrangements are under the direction of Macy and Son Funeral Directors. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice or the McMinnville School Endowment Fund through Macy and Son Funeral Directors at McMinnville. Betty Jean Davis, the eldest of five children was born Nov. 4, 1925, at Hot Lake to William Ernest and Vivian Clare McGrath Davis. She grew up on the ranch owned by her Grandparents, John and Minnie … Read more
Elgin, Oregon Norman W. Croucher Sr. Formerly of Elgin A memorial service for Norman W. Croucher Sr., 74, formerly of Elgin, is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Elgin Christian Church, 1335 Division St. A finger-food potluck will follow the service. Mr. Croucher, of McMinnville and formerly of Elgin, died Jan. 19. The Observer – Obituaries for the week ending March 17, 2007
Baker City, Oregon Margaret Elaine Maynard Joseph, 63, of Baker City, died Dec. 25, 2004, at her home after a nine-year battle with cancer. A celebration of her life will be Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 2177 First St. Elaine was born April 1, 1941, in McMinnville to John Carroll Maynard and Betty Mae Hackney Maynard. Elaine graduated from high school in McMinnville in 1959. She was married to Claude Talley for many years and they had three children: Debbie, Ted and Dan. She and Claude lived in the Carlton area before moving to Baker in … Read more
John Edward Hoffman, 82, of Forest Grove, a former Baker County resident, died Oct. 8, 2002, at Forest Grove. His graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. The Rev. Gordon Bond will officiate. Mr. Hoffman was born on June 14, 1920, at Council, Idaho, to George and Jasmine Garrett Hoffman. He was raised at Sparta. He entered the U.S. Army in 1944 and served in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He married Edna Nale on June 25, 1939, at Creswell. They were divorced in 1966. He married Thelma … Read more
Barbara E. Ringer, 77, of McMinnville, and a former Baker County resident, died Dec. 20, 2000, at a McMinnville assisted living facility. Her funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Macy & Son Chapel in McMinnville. The Rev. Jim Kirby of Community Christian Church will officiate. Entombment will be at Evergreen Memorial Park Mausoleum. Visitations will be Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. at Macy & Son Chapel. Mrs. Ringer was born Nov. 12, 1923, at Pollock, Idaho, to James and Maude Irvin Strong. She spent her youth in Baker City, graduating from Baker High School in 1942. … Read more
Elgin, Oregon Deltah M. Crimmins, 89, of McMinnville and formerly of Elgin, died Jan. 6 at Oakwood Country Place. Visitation will run from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Chapel of Macy and Son, 135 N. Evans St., in McMinnville. Graveside service begins at 2 p.m. Saturday at McBride Cemetery with Rev. Kent Savage officiating. Burial will be at McBride Cemetery in Carlton. Deltah was born Dec. 13, 1918, to Eldon and Gladys McClune Hartley in Elgin. She was raised and went to school in Elgin. She moved to McMinnville in 1941 and married Darrell Crimmins on … Read more
Dorothy L. Osterman, 91, a resident of Sunridge Retirement Community in Pendleton died Monday, Sept. 30, 2002 in Pendleton. Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Evergreen Memorial Park in McMinnville. Vault interment will be afterward. Mrs. Osterman was born Sept. 12, 1911, at McMinnville. She was a daughter of Oliver Warren and Dora Ellen Leach Inskeep. Her great-grandfather owned the stage stop at Jordan Valley. She was raised and educated at McMinnville. She started working for Macy & Son Funeral Home part time during high school. Upon graduation, she went to work full time at Macy’s. … Read more
Baker City, Oregon Betty Maynard, 80, a longtime Baker City resident, died Monday, March 25, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 2177 First St. Betty was born March 12, 1922, at LaMar, Mo., to William H. and Nell Murray Hackney. The family moved to Salem when she was 5 years old. When she was 12 they moved to McMinnville She graduated from high school there. On Aug. 11, 1940, she married John C. Maynard in McMinnville. They moved to Baker City in 1958. Betty worked for … Read more
La Grande, Oregon Laurie Dolores Turner, 65, of Redmond and formerly of La Grande, died July 26. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at her home. Laurie was born April 26, 1942, to Stanley and Jeanette Brown Mann in McMinnville. She married Darrell G. Turner on Jan. 23, 1961, in Boise. She worked as a sales assistant to her husband at Western Wear and later for The Spotted Mule in Bend. They lived in La Grande for a while, where their son graduated from high school. She enjoyed being with her family, dancing and her cat, … Read more
JAMES A.A. WILSON. – Mr. Wilson is one of our characteristic Oregonians of the early times, whose career the pen would willingly linger upon. He was born in Carrol county, Mississippi, in 1841, and in 1853 with his father crossed the plains to California. Remaining as an assistant in that state until 1858, he made a visit in that year to the northern coast, stopping off at Victoria; and, after an inspection of various points, he made a residence near McMinnville, where in 1859 he was married to Miss Susannah Owens. He continued here in farming and stock-raising until 1863, … Read more
ROBERT C. MAYS. – The well-known and capable business man, whose name appears at the head of this article, is one of the most widely known men of Union, and Wallowa counties, and is at the present time handling a large business as warehouseman at Elgin, where he is numbered among the leading residents of that thriving city, and he has made a record in this section that is both crowned with gratifying success from a financial standpoint, and wherein he has maintained a representation that is untarnished and displayed talents that properly place him among the real leaders in … Read more
JOHN E. BROOKS. – John E. Brooks was born October 29,1822, at Canton, St. Lawrence county, State of New York. His father Cooper Brooks, and his mother, Sophia Brooks (formerly Tuttle), moved from Cheshire, New Haven, Connecticut, and settled at an early day in St. Lawrence county, making the trip with an ox-sled drawn by a yoke of cattle from state to state. To them were born six children, four boys and two girls. The entire family is now dead, except J.E. Brooks, the fifth, and Aniasa Brooks, the youngest of the family, who now live at McMinnville, Oregon. His … Read more