Olson, Christian – Obituary

Medical Springs Pioneer Passes Christian Olson, 77, for 40 years a resident of the Medical Springs district, died at his home six miles north of that town Monday afternoon, the body was brought here. Funeral services were held at the West chapel at 2 p.m. Wednesday, interment was in the Mount Hope cemetery. Mr. Olson was born in Norway, March 2, 1850. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Engeburg Olson, three daughters, Mrs. Solphia Phillips, Medical Springs; Elma Hickerson, Baker; Mrs. Christine Olson, Baker; Mrs. Emma Miles, Portland; two sons, Alfred and Chas. Olson of Baker. – Baker Herald. … Read more

Duncan, Roscoe E. ‘Roc’ – Obituary

Roscoe E. “Roc” Duncan, 72, 2039 Cherry St., a longtime Keating area rancher, died Saturday, Jan. 25, 1986, at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. His Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Grays’ West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Monsignor Charles t. Grant of St. Francis Cathedral will officiate. Private interment will follow at Big Creek Cemetery near Medical Springs. Mr. Duncan was born on Sept. 9, 1913, at lower Powder Valley to W. H. “Win” and Emma Holt Duncan. He attended Medical Springs and Baker schools. He married Ruth H. Hermsen in Baker on Sept, 23, 1937. … Read more

Jeremiah John Miller – Obituary

Medical Springs, Oregon Jeremiah John Miller, 81, a longtime Medical Springs resident, died Dec. 5, 2001, at his home. There will be a memorial service later. Jeremiah was born at Baxter Springs, Kan., where he grew up on his grandmother’s farm. He graduated from Joplin High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which took him to Randolph Field at San Antonio, Texas. There he met and fell in love with Adeline Kosharek. They were married on July 1, 1940, and spent 27 years in the U.S. Air Force where his career was in aircraft maintenance and engineering. … Read more

Emele, Elmer A. Obit

Elmer Emele Of Baker Succumbs Former Farmer Employed By City for Last 16 Years. Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Elmer A. Emele of Baker died yesterday afternoon at his home on tenth Street after a long illness. Born October 24, 1889, in Rosendale, Missouri, Mr. Emele crossed the plains with his parents when was but four years of age. The family camped here in September 17, 1873 and later moved to Big Creek, which is now known as Medical Springs. Mr. Emele purchased the Ross homestead in that region and lived there much of his early life, engaging in farming … Read more

Wirth, Ethel M. Mills Mrs. – Obituary

Ethel M. Wirth, 89, a longtime Eagle Valley and Baker City resident, died Aug. 27, 2001, at the Aspen Assisted Living Center in Hines. Her memorial service will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will conduct the memorial service, and Associate Pastor Bob Whiteman will conduct the graveside services at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Wirth was born April 3, 1912, at Halfway to John W. and Jessie Shook Mills. She was raised on a farm on Pine Creek, above Jimtown. She graduated … Read more

Whitley, Brett Allen – Obituary

Medical Springs, Oregon Brett Allen Whitley, 24, of Medical Springs, died Sept. 2, 2001, at his home. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Vault interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Whitley was born in January of 1977 at Merced, Calif. He was a 1995 Baker High School graduate. He enjoyed the outdoors and graduated from Treasure Valley Community College at Ontario with a degree in forestry. He enjoyed hunting, camping, snowboarding and four-wheeling. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Chuck Drummond and … Read more

Lay, Urdel LaMar “Sam” – Obituary

Urdel LaMar “Sam” Lay, a long-time resident of Baker City, passed away Wednesday, June 8, 2005, at the St. Elizabeth Care Center, at the age of 79. Visitation was held on Monday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Funeral services were held on Monday, June 13, 1 p.m. at Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., followed by a vault interment at Mount Hope Cemetery. Orrin Lay officiated and Bishop Jeffery Daniels conducted. Military Auspices were by the United States National Guard. Friends were invited to join the family for a … Read more

Duncan, Leslie – Obituary

Leslie Vern Duncan, 90, 1350 10th St. who ranched and farmed in the Medical Springs and Ebell Creek areas, died Friday, May 8, 1987, at St. Elizabeth Hospital. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. The Rev. Greg Eicher of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Duncan was born March 12, 1897 at Medical Springs to Richard and Julia Ann Gobel Duncan. He married Blanche Ramsey in Weiser, Idaho, on March 11, 1941. He attended school in Medical Springs and was … Read more

Burford, Paula Errolo Mrs. – Obituary

Paula Errolo Burford, 80, of College Place, Wash., a former Medical Springs resident, died Sept. 17, 2006, at her daughter’s home. Her funeral was at 1 p.m. today at the chapel of the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home in Milton-Freewater. A concluding service and interment was at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Errolo was born on March 25, 1926, at Medical Springs. She was the youngest of 10 children born to Joseph Coleman and Katie Rosilla Deuel Lay. She was raised on a ranch near Union and attended Union schools. After graduation from high school, she attended Brigham Young University at Provo, Utah, where … Read more

Lewis Howard Wirth – Obituary

Lewis Howard Wirth, 81, a former Baker City resident, died July 29, 2009, at Orem, Utah. His funeral was Monday at the Walker Sanderson Funeral Home in North Orem, Utah. Interment was at the Orem City Cemetery. Lewis was born on July 10, 1928, to Joseph and Inez Wirth at Burns Lake, British Columbia, where he lived until the age of 8. His family then moved to Medical Springs where they farmed and ranched. He graduated from Baker High School, where he met and married Arlene Johnson. They were married on April 9, 1950, at Baker City. Together they raised … Read more

Tucori, Peter Joseph – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Peter Joseph Tucori II, 59, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, died July 24 at the Veterans Hospital in Portland after a long battle with cancer. At his request there was no service. Mr. Tucori was born June 4, 1947, to Peter Sr. and Frances Tucori in Baker. His first home was a log cabin in Medical Springs, where his father worked at the Pondosa mill. He graduated from La Grande High School in 1964. He then served in the Navy for four years during the Vietnam War. He moved to Portland where he went to … Read more

Emele, B. D. – Obituary

Muddy Creek, Baker County, Oregon B. D. Emele Dies at Farm Home Position in Haines Commercial Company Filled for 29 Years Benjamin David Emele died Sunday night at his farm home in Muddy Creek after a long illness. Born February 25, 1881 at Medical Springs, Mr. Emele accepted employment with the Basche- Sage Hardware Company as a traveling salesman after finishing school and business college here. He resigned five years later to become connected with the Haines Commercial Company, where hw worked for 29 years. He resigned a year and a half ago because of ill health. He was a … Read more

Kennedy, Hazel – Obituary

Medical Springs, Dec. 12 – The funeral of Hazel Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Kennedy, was held here at 12:30 o’clock this afternoon, Rev. Ward MacHenry conducting the services. Burial was at the Park cemetery here. The girl, aged 13, was ill but a few days, diabetes causing her death Thursday evening at 6 o’clock. She waas out playing last Sunday and became ill Monday. She rapidly grew worse but until just before the end there was little suspicion of the gravity of her condition. She was the daughter of Elmer Kennedy, a prominent farmer of this place. … Read more

Draper, Noah – Obituary

Noah Draper, 77, died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pat Powers at Medical Springs Monday morning March 14. Mr. Draper was born near London, England May 1, 1850, and came to this country when a young man. He lived many years in and around Chicago and had a family of four children, but drifted away from them thirty years ago and was never able to locate them. For the past ten years he has made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Powers. The funeral was held at Cock Bros. Chapel Tuesday March 15, at 1 o’clock p.m., services … Read more

Scarbrough, Robert E. “Bobby” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Robert E. “Bobby” Scarbrough, 79, died March 25, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Vault interment will be after the service. Military rites will be accorded by Co. A 3/116th Cavalry Oregon Army National Guard. Everyone is invited to a luncheon at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral Parish Hall, First and Church streets, after the service. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Bobby … Read more

Hoskinson, Ed – Obituary

Ed Hoskinson Leaves Note Indicating Suicide The mystery surrounding the death of Ed Hoskinson, middle-aged trapper and dam keeper, was cleared up when a group of men from Medical Springs visited the lonely cabin, eight miles from Medical springs, on Catherine Creek, where they found the body and a note, giving the date of the suicide and saying “good-bye to all.” The note explained that he had been ill since January 18 and was dated February 20. At the end of the short note he asked that his body be taken to Baker for burial. Coroner F.L. Ralston decided that … Read more

Fleetwood, Johannah Morrissey Mrs. – Obituary

Johannah Morrissey Fleetwood went to her eternal rest on May 10, 2008 at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. She was born on June 26, 1916, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Baker City. She was the daughter of James and Kate Morrissey originally from County Wexford Ireland. In 1940, she married C.A. “Rastus” Fleetwood. Upon his enlistment in the Navy Seabees in 1942, she became a war bride until the conclusion of World War II in 1945. She was raised on the family ranch in the Medical Springs/ Keating area. After the completion of the 8th grade at Medical … Read more

Emele, Elsie – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Mrs. Elsie C. Emele, 82, 220 Bridge Street, died early Wednesday morning in the St. Elizabeth Hospital after a long illness. Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the Beatty Chapel with the Rev. Robert Oestreich officiating and burial will follow in the family plot in Mt. Hope Cemetery. The daughter of J. B. and Anna Keiser Sams, she was born Dec. 26, 1877, at Medical Springs. She married Elmer A. Emele in Baker June 2, 1894. They lived several years at Medical Springs then moved to a ranch on Lower Power. She … Read more

Sullens, Wilbert L. “Will” – Obituary

Wilbert “Will” L. Sullens, 79, of Medical Springs, died April 4, 2005, at his home. His memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Dale Bingham will conduct the services. Everyone is invited to a finger-food potluck reception at the VFW Hall, 2005 Valley Ave., immediately following the service. Will was born Nov. 3, 1925, in Prairie City to Russell and Madeleine (Barlow) Sullens. He was raised and received his education in Prairie City. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, attending flight school in Santa Ana, Calif. He was honorably … Read more