Hoffman, John Edward – Obituary

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

Hutson, Carol Anne – Obituary

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

Farnsworth, Ellen Idolette Gates – Obituary

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

Croucher, Norman W., Sr. – Obituary

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

Bean, Robert Sharp, Judge – Obituary

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

Osterman, Dorothy L. Inskeep Mrs. – Obituary

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

Crimmins, Deltah M. – Obituary

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

Joseph, Margaret Elaine Maynard Mrs. – Obituary

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

Lambert, John A. – Obituary

John A. Lambert was born in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 10, 1845, and died July 28, 1917, making him 72 years, 5 months and 18 days old. From Nashville he went with his parents to Illinois, and from there to Missouri.. In 1864 his parents died and he with an older brother crossed the plains, arriving in Oregon in December, 1869. He was converted and joined the Methodist Church of which he was a lifelong member. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ellen Coovert, March 13, 1870. Their home was on a farm four miles south of Dayton until … Read more

Christenson, Gayle Arlyn

Gayle Arlyn Christenson, 74, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 7, 2005, at home surrounded by family and friends. An Elks service and celebration of his life will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St. Gayle was born in 1931 at McMinnville to Chester and Lola (Johnson) Christenson. He attended school in Newberg and graduated there in 1950. He received training in radio engineering and moved to Salt Lake City where his distinct deep voice got him a job as a radio announcer. From there, Gayle worked a short time in the oil … Read more

Biography of Robert C. Mays

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

Coles, Edward – Obituary

Death came to Edward W. Coles, 103 year old retired Haines cattleman and one time Oregon livestock industry leader, at McMinnville, Tuesday, January 5. He passed away about three months after actively participating in his 103rd birthday anniversary party there early in October. Funeral is scheduled for Saturday, January 9, 1982, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Haines. Interment will follow in the Haines Cemetery. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers that donations may be made to the Memorial Fund of the First Baptist Church at Haines or to a charity of ones choice. Gray’s West … Read more

Biography of James L. Story

JAMES L. STORY. – Mr. Story, the present mayor of The Dalles, Oregon, and a lawyer of leading character, is one of the Oregon educated men of whom the state has reason to be proud. He was born in Missouri in 1845, but at the age of eight years came with his parents across the plains to Oregon. The first home was on the Willamette river among the groves of maple and magnificent cottonwood trees where is now situated the little town of Lincoln. In 1854 he removed to McMinnville, and at that place, in 1864,enlisted in the First Oregon … Read more

Biography of John E. Brooks

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

Vollmer, Thomas Wesley – Obituary

Thomas Wesley Vollmer, 25, of Portland, died May 19, 2002. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Central Lutheran Church in Eugene. Mr. Vollmer was born on June 1, 1976, at Baker City to Andrea Nicholson Wiggins and Wesley Vollmer. He moved with his family to McMinnville in 1980 where he lived until 1985 when they moved to Corvallis. He lived there until 1989 and then moved to Eugene where he lived before moving to Portland in 2001. He worked at Starbucks and Renner’s Grill in the Multnomah Village of Portland. He also worked at the … Read more

Conaway, Violet – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Violet Effie Conaway, 88, of McMinnville, died April 15, 2004, at home. She was born Oct. 3, 1915, in Flora to Roy and Bessie Varney. Mrs. Conaway spent most of her growing up years on Upper Prairie Creek and graduated from Joseph High School. After marrying James B. Conaway in 1938, the couple moved to La Grande a few years later where she worked as a high school secretary, followed by a move to McMinnville in 1950. After a short time in Alaska, the couple lived in Vancouver, Wash., before returning to McMinnville in 1980 with two young … Read more

Maxwell, William J. (Billy) – Obituary

Services will be Friday, February 13, 10:30 a.m. at Macy and Son in McMinnville for William J. (Billy) Maxwell, 73, who died of a heart attack Monday, Feb. 9. The Rev. Bernard Turner will preside at service, which will be followed by private interment at Evergreen Memorial Park. Maxwell was born July 22, 1902 at Haines, Oregon the son of J.O. and Nancy Ann Maxwell. He grew up on a farm in the Muddy Creek area and graduated from Muddy Creek high school. He entered Linfield College in McMinnville, and after his graduation in 1924, he started a long teaching-administrative … Read more

Lockett, James H. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon James (Jim) H. Lockett, 78, of McMinnville and formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 26 at the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville. There will be an 11 a.m. memorial service today at the First Baptist Church in McMinnville with Pastor Kent Harrop officiating. A private family burial will be at the Enterprise Cemetery. Mr. Lockett was born in La Grande June 16, 1928, to Arden Carmen and Gwendolyn Bell Lockett. He spent the first six years of his life in Kamela. He finished grade school in La Grande, attended high school in Athena and graduated from … Read more