Milton-Freewater, Oregon Obituary Harry Russell Graham, 80 a retired fruit farmer of Milton-Freewater died at a local rest home, Tuesday, Sept. 12 following an extended illness. Services will be held at the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home in Milton-Freewater, Friday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. Interment will also be at Milton-Freewater. The La Grande Observer, La Grande, Oregon – Wednesday, September 13, 1967 Transcribed by Dixie Ricker
Joseph, Wallowa County Melvin Charles Down, 55, of Island City, died Friday, May 25, in Baker. Mr. Down was born Aug. 8, 1923 in Joseph to Roy and Ethel Stanford Down. On April 29, 1950 he married Peggy Waddingham in La Grande. In 1969 he moved from Milton-Freewater to La Grande. He was a World War II veteran and a member of La Grande Eagles Aeri No. 259, La Grande Elks Lodge #433 and the American Legion. He was a logger and former member of the Oregon Log Truckers Association. Survivors include his wife of Island city: sons, Kenneth, stationed … Read more
There will be a graveside celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. A potluck reception is scheduled afterward at the Pine Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Halfway. Visitations will be Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home in Halfway. Georgettae Pearl was born on May 26, 1938, in Enterprise to Richard and Dellourias Whitmore Brock. She was raised and educated at Enterprise, graduating from high school in 1956. That very year, in December, she married Harvey Colpitts. They had four children, Audrey, Alice, Arlene and … Read more
Wallowa, Oregon Lydia I. Wheeler, 77, formerly of Wallowa, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 1987 at her home in Milton-Freewater. She was born June 26, 1910 at Kirwin, Kan., daughter of Daniel and Alpha Vest Lare. The family lived in Kirwin, where she attended school until October, 1916, when the family moved to Oregon. They settled at Wallowa, where she graduated from high school. On Sept. 8, 1930, she married Joseph R. Wheeler at Enterprise. They moved to Freewater in the spring of 1931 and moved to a home on the South Fork of the Walla Walla River in the spring … Read more
Joseph, Oregon Esther Elaine Akes of Milton-Freewater died June 27, 2006, at Evergreen Nursing Home. She was 86. Mrs. Akes was born August 23, 1919 in Pendleton to James Wallace and Lucia Mae Tilton Spencer. On February 27, 1943, she married Charles Leonard Akes, Sr. at Olympia, Wash. She worked at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle as a “Rosie the Riveter,” putting the metal skin on B-17 bombers, while her husband served overseas during World War II. After the war the couple ranched in Bickleton and Roosevelt, Wash and Mrs. Akes started Oasis Aviaries, marketing her birds in the area. They … Read more
Geneva R. Cannon, 1261 Melrose, Walla Walla, Wn., died June 6, 1979 at Walla Walla. She was born in Michigan, June 27, 1902 to Gordon and Lizzie Mae Treat. She moved to Oregon with her family as a small child. She was a graduate of Monmouth Normal School, Monmouth, OR. She married Everett L. Cannon on June 17, 1925 at Monmouth.. They made their home north of Flora until their retirement in 1959 when they moved to Milton-Freewater. After her husband’s death in 1973 she moved to Walla Walla. She was a member of the Eastgate Baptist Church and a … Read more
Wallowa, Oregon Mary A. Carper died Oct. 7, 2005, at the Regency At the Park. She was 78 years old. She was born Oct. 19, 1926 in Enterprise to Emmet and Erma Chenoweth Landers. Mrs. Carper attended school in Wallowa. On Dec. 31, 1947 she married Fredrick C. Carper. They lived in Wallowa, Elgin and then in Milton-Freewater until 1962. Mrs. Carper worked for Lynden – Umatilla Cannery, Rogers Cannery and also the Carters Tree Farms. Later in life she worked for the school district in Athena and St. Mary Medical Center. She enjoyed the outdoors, hunting and fishing. She … Read more
La Grande, Oregon Lawrence “Larry” Waliser, 84, of La Grande, died Aug. 26 at Grande Ronde Hospital of lung cancer. A private family service will be held with burial following at Summerville Cemetery. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Larry was born in January 1923 to George and Mary Waliser in Sykeston, N.D. His family settled in Milton-Freewater in 1934. At 17, Larry joined the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp at Heppner. In 1943, he joined the Navy and served aboard the USS White Plains aircraft carrier, serving in the South Pacific in five invasions including the … Read more
Lyle B. Slack, 1915 Davis St., died at his home Wednesday. He was 64. He was born Oct. 14, 1914, at Summerville, Ore. He attended elementary schools at Summerville and Imbler, and graduated from La Grande High School. Later, he lived in Wallowa County for five years. He was in the Army during World War II. Mr. Slack married Ruth Hopkins at Cheyenne, Wyo., June 4, 1943. They farmed in the Summerville area several years before moving to Milton-Freewater in 1962, where he owned and operated Slack Upholstery Shop. Survivors are his wife; son, Donald, Hermiston; daughter, Mrs. Don (Kathy) … Read more
Sonja Estes, 64, of Richland, died Feb. 21, 2005, at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise. A memorial service celebrating her life will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the Richland Methodist Church. Friends are invited to join the family for a potluck afterward at the Richland Grange. Sonja Lou was born in Bend on Sept. 6, 1940, to Leonard and Lucille Larson. She lived in Central Oregon most of her childhood. She moved to Milton-Freewater with her family where she graduated from high school in 1958. She married James Franklin Estes on June 13, 1968, at Lewiston, Idaho. … Read more
Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Joe Jewett, 93, of La Grande, died Feb. 19, 2005. He was born May 13, 1911 in Helena, Montana to George and Alice Geary Jewett. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Christian Church in La Grande. Visitations will be until 4 p.m. today at Loveland Funeral Chapel. Joe was raised at Winston, Mont. He went to electrical school in Chicago, and graduated after one year. He returned to Aberdeen, Wash., to finish his high school education as an adult. He worked about 1 year before deciding to go to … Read more
Milton-Freewater – Dale Childers, 57, of Milton-Freewater, died Sunday, Nov. 13, 1988, at his home. At Childers’ request there will be no funeral service. He was born Aug. 7, 1931, in Wallowa, to Cecil and Thelma Crow Childers. He grew up in the Wallowa Valley and graduated from Joseph High School in 1949. He attended Moler Barber College at Portland, graduating in 1950. Childers owned and operated barbershops at Klamath Falls and Arlington before moving to the Milton-Freewater area in the late 1960s. He operated Dale’s Barber Shop in Milton-Freewater for 20 years. On Nov. 5, 1973, he married Jan … Read more
Wallowa, Oregon Nancy Belle Coyle, 80, of Walla Walla, Wash., died Dec. 25, 2003, at Walla Walla General Hospital. She was born July 24, 1923, in Wallowa to William E. and Laura Belle (Johnson) Johnson. After growing up and getting most of her schooling in Wallowa, she graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in Milton-Freewater and attended Oregon Normal School (now Eastern Oregon University) for two years. She made the Walla Walla area her home after marrying Walter C. Coyle in 1946 and worked as a bookkeeper for the telephone company until retiring in 1968. She was a member of … Read more
Island City, Oregon Donald L. “Don” Frison, 62, of Island City, died March 30 at his home. Private services will be held at a later date. Don was born Dec. 10, 1945, to Joseph and Alma I. Kluth Frison in Mobridge, S.D. He grew up and attended school in Weston. After his schooling he joined the U.S. Air Force, serving from 1962 to 1966. After his discharge from the service he worked in Portland for the Teamsters Union for 10 years and later for the Operating Engineers Union for 22 years, doing various jobs. He retired from the unions and … Read more
Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Belle Rose, 73, died at Milton-Freewater Sunday Belle Rose was born June 6, 1913, in Wallowa County, to Willard B. and Grace (Feagins) Heskett. On May 10, 1932, she married Arthur Rose in Enterprise. She was a homemaker and a member of the Enterprise Community Church and Emerald Rebeckah Lodge. Survivors include her husband Arthur in Enterprise; daughter, Arthene Sigsbee of Milton-Freewater; brother, William Heskett of Portland; sister, Olive Wart of Milton-Freewater; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The funeral will [be] held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise. The Rev. Ed Morrison … Read more
Kathleen “Kate” Elizabeth Ann Winn Sutton, 90, of La Grande passed away at a local care facility on June 22, 2005. Loveland Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements. Celebration of Life Services were held on Monday, June 27, 10 a.m. at The Elgin United Methodist Church. Viewing was held on Sunday, June 26 from 1-4 p.m. at Loveland Funeral Chapel 1508 4th Street, La Grande. She was born on Nov. 6, 1914, in Milton-Freewater, Ore., to Henry and Ethel Dougherty Winn. She graduated from Maclaughlin High School in Milton-Freewater. She married Harold L Sutton on Dec. 2, 1932, in College … Read more
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
Mary Nell Carder, 84, of Baker City died April 10, 2005, at Meadowbrook Place. There will be a private family inurnment at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Mary was born on June 11, 1920, to Rueben and Lenna Reusaw Isitt at Elgin. Her family moved by wagon from Milton-Freewater to Elgin. She was married to Elmer Midkiff in 1941. Together they raised two children, Bernadine J. Stillwill and David E. Midkiff. After Elmer’s service in the U.S. Navy, the family traveled to Oregon following his work in construction. They spent most of their time in Klamath Falls and Umatilla. The couple later … Read more
Dale Childers, 57, of Milton-Freewater, died Sunday, Nov. 13, 1988, at his home. At Childers’ request there will be no funeral service. He was born Aug. 7, 1931, in Wallowa, to Cecil and Thelma Crow Childers. He grew up in the Wallowa Valley and graduated from Joseph High School in 1949. He attended Moler Barber College at Portland, graduating in 1950. Childers owned and operated barbershops at Klamath Falls and Arlington before moving to the Milton-Freewater area in the late 1960s. He operated Dale’s Barber Shop in Milton-Freewater for 20 years. On Nov. 5, 1973, he married Jan Hobbs at … Read more
Wallowa County, Oregon Wallowa County rancher, Clara Hearing, died Jan.4, 1990, at Elzora Manor in Milton-Freewater where she had resided since Oct. 9, 1987. She was born Jan. 31, 1909, at Spokane, Wash., the daughter of John and Dorothy (Briscoe) White. The family moved to Wallowa County when she was five years old. On July 11, 1933, she married Fred Hearing in Pasco, Wash. He preceded her in death in 1962. They operated a ranch on Powwatka for 25 years. Later they bought the Butte Creek holdings (the old Bill Zurcher Place) from Mark Sevier. After her husband’s death, Mrs. … Read more