Ontario Oregon

Shephard, Wallace D. – Obituary

Wallace D. Shephard, 82, of Ontario, a former longtime Baker City resident and well-known chef, died Sept. 22, 2001, at an Ontario hospital of natural causes. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Ontario’s Lienkaemper Chapel. There will be a graveside service at 2 p.m. PDT at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Shephard was born Nov. 13, 1918, at Baker City to Delbert W. and Cordelia Yeager Shephard. He married La Neva E. Scott on June 20, 1937, at Klamath Falls. The couple returned to Baker City soon after their marriage and remained here until 1964. Mr. Shephard … Read more

Whitnah, Calvin Hugh – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Calvin H. Whitnah, 70, of Richland, died Aug. 10 at his home. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Halfway. A vault interment will follow at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. A reception will take place at the New Bridge Grange. The Observer – August 12, 2008 _______________________________ Calvin Hugh Whitnah, 70, of Richland and formerly of La Grande, died Aug. 10 at his home. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at the LDS Chapel in Halfway, with a viewing to … Read more

Lang, Roger C. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Roger C. Lang, 78, of Ontario and formerly of La Grande, died April 7 at an Ontario hospital. A funeral service is planned for 2 p.m. today at the Lienkaemper Funeral Chapel in Ontario. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Ontario. Mr. Lang was born Dec. 25, 1928. He was a lifelong member of the American Legion and the Elks Lodge. He was a very kind and gentle man to all. Survivors include his wife, Lois Lang; children and their spouses, Garrett and Meri Lang of Sandy and Karen and Mike Kleng of La Grande; stepchildren and … Read more

Farson, Eileen Withrow Mrs. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Eileen Farson, 75, died Jan. 25, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services from complications of diabetes. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. MST Tuesday at the Haren-Wood Payette Chapel, 840 6th Ave. S. at Payette, Idaho. Vault interment will be at the Riverside Cemetery in Payette. Eileen Muriel Withrow Farson was born to Wallace and Viola May Hofeldt Withrow on March 7, 1926, at Cleveland, Mont. She spent her youth traveling with her family while her father worked construction. Eileen was a 1944 Baker High School graduate. On July 3, 1947, she married W.H. “Bill” Farson at … Read more

Beatty, Brenda L. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Brenda L. Beatty, 63, a longtime Baker City resident, died June 8, 2004, at her home. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 2177 First St. The Rev. Richard Thew will officiate. Deacon Connie Boone will assist. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Brenda was born on March 3, 1941, at Ontario to Thad P. and Genevieve Clinkingbeard Beatty. She attended school in Baker City and was a Baker High School graduate. She went on to college, getting her degree in nursing. She was a registered nurse and worked in … Read more

Robertson, Helen Mae – Obituary

Helen Mae Robertson Dies after brief illness; Funeral Services Sunday. Miss Helen Mae Robertson, 14, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Robertson, died at the Holy Rosary Hospital Friday after an illness of five days. She was taken ill with appendicitis Sunday and rushed to the hospital, where an emergency operation was performed, during which it was discovered that peritonitis had set in, and hope for her recovery was deemed slight. Her father, Traffic Officer J. A. Robertson, was called from La Grande and reached here before she passed away. Funeral services were held from the St. Matthews … Read more

Biography of Richard S. Rutherford

As a man among men, possessed of integrity, ability and perseverance; as a soldier, whose steady and constant service in the struggle for the punishment of treason and the wiping out of the insult to the stars and stripes was valiant and brave; as a business operator, whose wisdom and enterprise have been well manifested: the subject of this sketch stands, and it is fitting that a representation of him be granted space in this volume of Malheur’s history. Richard S. was born in Armagh county, near Bellfast, Ireland, on February 22, 1840, being the son of Thomas and Amelia … Read more

Cathey, Laura Louise – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Laura Louise Cathey, 101, of Ontario and formerly of Baker City and La Grande, died April 28 in Ontario with family at her side. Graveside services will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City. Pastor Jon Privett will officiate. Following the services there will be a reception at the Church of the Nazarene in Baker City for family and friends. Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel in Payette, Idaho, is in charge ofarrangements. Laura was born Nov. 1, 1906, to James and Hulda Ray in Rushville, Neb. She was the second of 12 children. Laura’s … Read more

Biography of Hon. J.R. Blakaby

Malheur County can boast of many distinguished pioneers who have made brilliant success in both the financial world and in the political realm, and one of the prominent men of this influential number is the gentleman whose name is at the head of this article, and who stands as one of the real builders of the County and is also one of the largest general merchandise operators within her borders at the present time, his store being located in Jordan Valley. Mr. Blackaby was born in Iowa, on April 12, 1861, being the son of Bernard and Emeline Blackaby. There … Read more

Evins, Dale Erwin – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Dale Erwin Evins, 52 of La Grande died July 30 at Grande Ronde Hospital. Viewing will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church in Island City. Mr. Evins was born Aug. 18, 1953, to Raymond and Evangeline Kendall Evins in Ontario. The family moved numerous times before settling in La Grande. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and played baseball for the San Diego Padres organization in the early 1970s. … Read more

Dillman-Van Vleck, Luana Marie Baze Mrs.

Luana Marie Dillman-Van Vleck, 77, died Aug. 24, 2004, at Holy Rosary Hospital in Ontario, where she had been hospitalized the past few days for flu-like symptoms. Luana will be remembered in the Baker City and Halfway areas as Luana Dillman, and the mother of Walt Dillman Jr., Sammy (Nancy Dillman) Mercer, Lonnie Dillman and Dock Dillman. Luana’s graveside memorial service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Pastor Bill Shields of the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church will officiate. Interment will follow the services. Luana, the daughter of Dock and Armilda Baze, was born Sept. … Read more

Bloom, Joan Smith Mrs. – Obituary

Joan Bloom, 72, of Weiser, Idaho, and formerly of Halfway, passed away Thursday, Aug. 21, 2003, at a Weiser care center. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Thomason Funeral Chapel, Weiser. Joan was born Feb. 3, 1931, at Hill City, Kansas the daughter of Ray and Dorothy Stearns Smith. She received her education in Halfway where she met her future husband. Joan married Bud Bloom May 24, 1947, at Baker. The couple resided in several places in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, finally settling in the Ontario area where both children were raised. She was … Read more

Foster, Letha Ardelle Mrs. – Obituary

Letha Ardelle Foster, 89, died July 9, 2001, at Ontario. Her memorial service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. in Baker City. Interment will be at Medford. Mrs. Foster was born July 14, 1911, at Ashgrove, Mo., and was raised in the Idaho Falls, Idaho, area. She was schooled there and graduated from LIFE Bible College in Los Angeles in 1941. She was pastor of a Mission Church at Long Beach, Calif., during World War II, worked as assistant pastor and secretary of Long Beach Foursquare Church for many years, and spent most … Read more

David Phillip Scott – Obituary

David Phillip Scott, 67, of Ontario, and a former Haines resident, died July 23, 2002, at Holy Rosary Medical Center. His memorial service will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Haines. Pastors Sally Wiens and Mike Allen will officiate. David was born March 3, 1935, at Haines to Raymond Earl and Georgia (Jaroman) Scott. He found his house 17 years ago with Louise Pierce and they have been devoted to each ever since. David worked the past 14 years at Bellows Construction in Ontario as a truck driver. He loved collecting collector cars and trucks, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles D. Davis

This worthy pioneer and capable citizen of Malheur County is one of the well known farmers of the vicinity of Ontario, having a farm of eighty acres two and one-half miles northwest from Ontario which is well improved with comfortable buildings, orchards, etc., having also a good supply of water for irrigating. Mr. Davis is a native of Douglas County, Nebraska, being born on November 23, 1855, and the son of Charles B. and Jane (Platt) Davis. The father was a veteran of the Mexican war, participating in many battles and skirmishes and, being honorably discharged at its close. He … Read more

Biography of Erwin A. Rieger

The subject of this sketch is one of the younger men who have achieved brilliant success in the business world of the west, being located in Ontario, where he has an important interest in the Oregon Forwarding Company. one of the largest general merchandise establishments of the eastern part of Oregon, which owes much of its unbounded success to the keen business ability- and fine executive force of Mr. Rieger. The birth of Erwin A. occurred in Ludwigburg, Germany, on January 28, 1873, being the son of Frederick J. and Mary (Kiesel) Rieger. The father was a leading attorney of … Read more

Johnson, Zeb Dee – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Zeb Dee Johnson, 29, formerly of Elgin, died Aug. 23 in Tillamook County. A celebration of life runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Community Center in Elgin. A second service begins at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Tillamook Cheese Visitor Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Oregon. Cash donations can also be made to Community Bank in Northeast Oregon, to help offset funeral costs. The Observer – Obituaries for the day of August 30, 2008 ______________________________ Zeb Dee Johnson, 29, formerly of Elgin, … Read more

Bradford, Steven Ray – Obituary

Steven Ray Bradford, 53, of Unity, died March 28, 2005. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Burnt River Community Church at Unity. Pastor Bill Cox of McEwen Bible Fellowship will officiate. The graveside service will be at Unity Cemetery. There will be a potluck dinner at a location to be announced later. He was born on March 15, 1952, at Ontario to Elbert and Donna Koontz Bradford. He lived at Unity all of his 53 years. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed hunting with his family and friends. In the last few years he was … Read more

Langlitz, Judy – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Judy Langlitz, of Enterprise, died May 19, 2007. She was 56. Ms. Langlitz was born in Ontario on Oct. 22, 1950, to Albert and Mowetta Langlitz. Ms. Langlitz was a loving mother and grandmother and was affectionately called Grandma Judy by those who knew her. She always gave to those in need. She was active in the Blue Mountain Old Time Fiddlers Association as was her two oldest granddaughters. She shared her love of the beautiful Oregon mountains with all who were close to her. Ms. Langlitz was preceded in death by her father Albert B. Langlitz; daughter … Read more

Wright, Eric S. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Eric S. Wright, 58, a longtime Baker City resident, died March 29, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A private family service will be scheduled later. Eric was born June 18, 1943, in Ontario to James and Opal (McClellan) Wright. The family moved to Baker City when he was a year old. Eric attended schools in Baker City and graduated from Baker High School. After graduation he attended Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, where he received his teaching certificate. He taught school at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation for a year before returning to Baker City. … Read more