Milton Freewater Oregon

Slack, Lyle B. – Obituary

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

Sutton, Harold L. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Harold L. Sutton, 91, a La Grande resident and a former longtime Elgin resident, died March 22, 2004, at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. His funeral will be Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the Elgin United Methodist Church. Vault interment and concluding services will follow in Summerville. Pastor Kay Garver will officiate. Visitations will be Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Loveland Funeral Chapel 1508 Fourth St. in La Grande. Mr. Sutton was born March 10, 1913, at Bethlehem, Iowa, to Robert and Viola (Hancock) Sutton. His father died when he was 9-years-old, … Read more

Wright, Gladys – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Gladys Wright, a former teacher who taught at a country school on the Sheep Creek Divide, died Sept. 11, 1987 at the Odd Fellows Home in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 81. Funeral services were held Sept. 14th at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel in Milton-Freewater with Rev. Edward Morrison officiating. Ritualistic services were conducted by Integrity Rebekah Lodge. Graveside services and burial followed later the same day in the Prairie Creek Cemetery near Joseph. Wright was born April 22,1906 in Evelyn, Wash., the daughter of Douglas and Edith Eaton Towers. She was the eldest of nine children. Following … Read more

Obituary of Jack O. Thompson

Jack O. Thompson, 81, of Baker City died Aug. 10, 2008, at home with his faithful dog Dutch at his feet. At his request, there will be no funeral service. Interment will take place at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery in Milton-Freewater. Mr. Thompson, the youngest son of Bress Thompson and Annie Bowyer Thompson, was born Sept. 12, 1926, in Wallowa. He graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in Milton-Freewater in 1944. He served proudly in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps during the late 1940s and 1950s. He was stationed in California and in Asia. He also served in … Read more

Shirley, Michael L. – Obituary

Union, Oregon Michel L. Shirley, 60, of Milton-Freewater and formerly of Union died Aug. 13 at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Mr. Shirley was born Nov. 5, 1945, to Ancle L. and Eva M. Fulp Shirley in Tranquillity, Calif. He graduated from Union High School in 1963, and served in the Air Force specializing in computer systems. In 1966 he was assigned to NORAD Headquarters in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colo., where he received the Armed Forces Commendation Medal. He graduated from the USAAFSS NCO Academy, and finished … Read more

Molstrom, Eldon Walfred – Obituary

Eldon Walfred Molstrom Umatilla Co., OR Eldon W. Molstrom, 46, Adams resident for many years, died at his home [September 19, 1952] at Milton-Freewater Friday from cancer. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Folsom’s in Pendleton with the Rev. Truman Robbins, First Christian Church at Milton-Freewater, officiating. Burial will be at Olney Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jasper Hodge, Frank Tubbs, and William Coppock, all Adams; William Allen, Milton-Freewater; Glen Bayne, Walla Walla, and Latcher Norvel, Helix. Born in Pendleton Dec. 27, 1905 Mr. Molstrom received his early education in rural schools, later graduating from Pendleton High School … Read more

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

Molstrom, Grace Herr – Obituary

Grace E. Molstrom, 88, of Milton-Freewater, died Friday, October 15, 1999, at her home. The funeral will be held at the First Christian Church in Milton-Freewater, on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Private vault interment will be at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton on Friday morning. Mrs. Molstrom was born July 13, 1911, at Milton-Freewater to Herbert and Nellie Herr. She and her two sisters Ruby and Stella, grew up on the family farm along the old Walla Walla Highway. She was a graduate of Ferndale School, McLoughlin High School and Eastern Oregon College. In 1936 she married Eldon Molstrom at Walla … Read more

Coyle, Nancy Belle – Obituary

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

Cross, Lauretta – Obituary

Lauretta Cross, of Milton-Freewater and a former resident of Wallowa County, died July 9, 2007, at Walla Walla General Hospital in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 85. Mrs. Cross was born June 19,1922, in La Grande to James Everett and Etta Rebecca Berg Rachau. The family resided on Pumpkin Ridge, outside of Elgin. They later moved to Minam, where Mrs. Cross attended school through the second grade. In 1930, the family moved to Onalaska, Wash., where she finished her schooling, graduating from the eighth grade twice. Her father didn’t believe in higher education for women. She married young and had … Read more

Down, Melvin C. – Obituary

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

Johnson, James “Mike” – Obituary

Wallowa native, James “Mike” Johnson, 69, died October 2, 1988 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington. He had been a patient there since May. He was born September 12, 1919 at Wallowa, the son of Charles and Mabel (Fields) Johnson. Johnson attended schools in Wallowa, graduating in 1937. He attended Abilene Christian College in Texas for one year. He served in World War II as a flight navigator on a B-29 in the Army Air Corps. He married Helen Moffit in Wallowa, They divorced. He married Vesta Tippett. They later divorced. Johnson was a logger and … Read more

Hearing, Clara – Obituary

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

Rose, Arthur Delbert – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Arthur Delbert Rose, 87, died Friday, Sept 30, 1994, at the Grande Ronde Retirement Residence, La Grande, after an extended illness. A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Enterprise Cemetery with the Rev. Ed Morrison officiating. Bollman Funeral Home of Enterprise is in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Rose was born Jan. 24, 1907, in Mabton, Wash., to George and Matilda Rose. When he was a young boy his family moved to Wallowa County. He attended the Swamp Creek School. He married Isabelle (Belle) Heskett on May 10, 1932. He … Read more

Bork, Agnes R. – Obituary

Agnes R. Bork, 92, formerly of Milton-Freewater died September 1, 1992 in Highland, California. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home. Pastor Dick Jewett of the Stateline Seventh-Day Adventist Church will officiate. Concluding services and burial will follow at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Those who wish to pay their respects may do so today from 1 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. The oldest of three children, Mrs. Bork was born August 19, 1900, in Flora, Ore., to Frank and Ella Davis Lindley. The family moved to Wallula early in her life, and later returned … Read more

Hook, Vivian Lee Lovell – Obituary

Vivian Lee Lovell Hook of Baker City died Sept. 12 at her brother’s home in Milton-Freewater. A Rosary will be conducted at 7 p.m. tonight at Bollman Funeral Home, with a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Katherine Catholic Church in Enterprise. Burial will follow at the Enterprse Cemetery. Mrs. Hook was born Feb. 27, 1929 to Garrett Samuel and Evelyn Billerbeck Lovell. She attended Hurricane Creek School on Alder Slope, as well as schools in Enterprise and Joseph. She marred the late Carl Eugene Hook Aug. 3, 1946 in Baker. She was a homemaker and ranch wife … Read more

Carper, Mary A. – Obituary

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

Waliser, Lawrence – Obituary

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

Graham, Harry Russell – Obituary

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

Childers, Dale – Obituary

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