Ontario Oregon

Biographical Sketch of Edmund A. Fraser

The young and eminently successful gentleman whose name appears above is one of the leading men of Malheur county, being the owner of a controlling interest in the Malheur Mercantile Company, a large general merchandise establishment of Ontario, which does an immense business not only from the country adjacent to Ontario, but also from the interior of Malheur and Harney counties. Our subject was born in Woodstock, Canada, on September 2, 1870, being the son of George and Sarah (Sheperd) Fraser. He attended the common school, and at the age of twelve was ready to enter the Upper Canada College … Read more

Jacoby, Albert “Jake” – Obituary

Albert “Jake” Jacoby, 77, of Ontario, died Aug. 7, 2003, at his home. His graveside funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. MDT at Rosedale Memorial Gardens in Payette, Idaho. Visitations will be Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. MDT at Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, 2543 S.W. Fourth St. in Ontario. Albert was born July 28, 1926, the youngest of 10 children born to Jacob and Katherine Jacoby. He was raised in Windsor, Colo., where his family worked in the produce fields. His mother always told stories of what a sweet, loving boy he was. Albert served in the U.S. … 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

Hamilton, Ina Mae – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Ina Mae Hamilton, 80, of Newberg and formerly of La Grande, died Jan. 5 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Beaverton. A memorial service begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at 307 S. College St. in Newberg. Ina was born Nov. 29, 1927, to Mable and Melvin Walker in Ontario. She attended high school in La Grande and attended Oregon State College and San Jose State College in California. She married William on Aug. 29, 1948, in La Grande. She was a homemaker, a cook-manager of a middle school cafeteria and a library aide at La Grande High School. … Read more

Hoffman, Alvin C. “Si” – Obituary

Alvin C. “Si” Hoffman, 87, of Ontario, a former Baker County resident, died July 23, 2004, at his home. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. (MDT) Wednesday at Park Community Church in Ontario. Pastor Ed Renk will officiate. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Ontario. Visitations will be until 8 o’clock tonight (MDT) at Ontario’s Lienkaemper Chapel. Si was born at Powell, Wyo., on May 10, 1917, to Charles and Myrtle Hoffman. The family moved to Ontario in 1918. Si attended Cairo Elementary School and was an Ontario High School graduate. He married Maxine Cartwright in 1938. Si … Read more

Munkers, William Martin “Bill” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon William Martin “Bill” Munkers, 77, of Baker City, died Nov. 8, 2004, at Settlers’ Park. A graveside inurnment will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family at Lorraine’s home after the service for a reception. Bill was born on March 28, 1927, at Ontario to William and Helen Munkers. He was raised in the Juntura and Burns area until 1966 when he moved to Baker City. Bill ranched and farmed his whole life; at one time his family … Read more

Lovelace, Carolyn Rees – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Union County, Oregon Obituary Carolyn Rees Lovelace, 74, of Ontario and formerly of Cove died of cancer June 25 at the home of her daughter, Rilla Lovelace Hanger, of Monroe, Wash. Her ashes will be spread at Cove Cemetery, followed by a family celebration of life at the Cove Pool at a time and date to be announced later. Born Feb. 18, 1933, Carolyn loved animals, especially horses. She also took in young people who needed a safe place. Carolyn passed on a strong love of family connections, family members said. She was a proud fourth-generation Oregonian from … Read more

Hagood, Elsie Lee “Kelly” Black Hampson Olsen Mrs. – Obituary

Kelly Hagood passed away April 13, 2008, at her home in Ontario, Ore., of natural causes. Kelly was born Elsie Lee Black in a one-room cabin in Wilsall, Mont., on Sept. 29, 1932. Her parents were Louis Donnor (Red) and Ester Faye (Williamson) Black. Kelly was a direct descendent of the famed Donner Party and had a great deal of fun sharing information with others. At an early age, Kelly married Robert (Bob) Hampson. Out of this marriage, three children were born: Vicki Lee, Robert Michael and Peggy Jean. While her children were growing up, Kelly became quite the traveler. … Read more

Wingerd, Claude “Shorty” – Obituary

Claude “Shorty” Wingerd, 60, a former resident of LaGrande, OR, died Friday, July 26, in West Virginia. Graveside services for “Shorty” will be held Friday, August 2 at 10:00 a.m. in the Veterans section of Mt. Hope Cemetery, Baker City. Military rites will be accorded by the Mt. Home Air Force Base Honor Guard, Mt Home, Idaho. Friends may call for visitation at Gray’s West and Co. Thursday, August 1 from 9:00 a.m. until ?p.m. Mr. Wingerd was born, February 12, 1931 at Longmont Colorado, the son of Claude and Virginia (Black) Wingerd. At a young age, with his family … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andreas L. Sproul

The well known representative of business in Ontario, whose name initiates this paragraph is a man of enterprise and intelligence, being at the present time the incumbent of the post office, where he has served the interests of the people since March 20, 1899, and has demonstrated, as also, in all his career, his ability, faithfulness, and integrity. Mr. Sproul was born in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, on February 18, 1863, being the son of Samuel and Mary (Litch) Sproul. He was favored with a good education from the common schools and at the age of fourteen went to sea, … Read more

Gurney, Areta Littlejohn – Obituary

Washington Co., OR A graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, in Evergreen Cemetery in Ontario for Areta Gurney, who died Jan. 6 at age 93. Mrs. Gurney was born Oct. 13, 1902 in Pendleton. She taught high school in Marshfield in the 1920s and grade school during the 1960s. In 1976 she moved from Ontario to Portland. She was a member of the Ontario Methodist Church. Surviving are her son, Norris of Portland and one grandchild. The family suggests remembrances to the American Cancer Society. The Oregonian, January 10, 1996 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Foster, (Son) – Obituary

A Sad Affliction Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Foster, living at Sanger, sent their two children a girl about 10 years and a boy about 7 yeras of age to live with their grandmother at Ontariio, for the purpose of going to school. On Saturday the children were at Washo in Idaho, and the boy was out playing with two others about the same age and in the evening he was missing. Inquiring of the other two boys of his whereabouts, they said they did not know but supposed he had got lost in a field where they had gone to … 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

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

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

Pallis, Zella May Fisher Davis Mrs. – Obituary

Zella May Pallis, 78, of Ontario, a former Baker City resident, died June 7, 2001, at home with her family by her side. Visitations will be from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Colonial DeWitt Funeral Home at Walla Walla, Wash. There will be a graveside service at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Mountain View Cemetery at Walla Walla. Mrs. Pallis was born on May 14, 1923, at Clayton, Idaho, to Guennie Fisher Geist and William Fisher. She married Woodrow Davis in 1941. He died in 1952. She then met Anthony John Pallis of Walla Walla, Wash. They were … Read more

Wilson, Lem Edward – Obituary

Lem Edward Wilson, 87, a longtime Northeastern Oregon farmer and rancher, died Jan. 3, 2006, at Ontario. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Bethany Presbyterian Church, 1712 W. Idaho Ave., in Ontario. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville, Idaho. Lem was born on Sept. 22, 1918, near Nyssa. He was the seventh of 12 children. His parents, Lemen Elijah and Nancy Isabelle Wilson, were children of pioneers who had moved West in covered wagons. Lem grew up working on his father’s farm and herding sheep at an … Read more

Sheehy, Mary Magaret Black Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Margaret Black Sheehy, 83, a former Baker County resident, died May 13, 2001, at the Wallowa County Memorial Hospital in Enterprise after a long and courageous fight against cancer. Her funeral was May 21 at the St. Katherine Catholic Church at Enterprise. Interment was at the Wallowa Cemetery. Mrs. Sheehy was the eldest daughter of George Alfred and Hanorah Margaret Doherty “Nora” Black. She was born on June 9, 1917, at The Dalles. In 1935, she graduated from high school at Paisley. After graduation from Eastern Oregon Normal School in La Grande, she began her teaching career in one-room … Read more

Phelps, James LeRoy Jr. – Obituary

Dad went to visit his Father in Heaven on October 8, 2007 after a brief illness. James was born in Weldona, Colorado on March 26, 1928 to James “Lee” and Gladys “Bernice” Phelps. The family arrived in Idaho in the late 1930’s, and he was raised on a farm on the hill outside of Roswell, Idaho. He graduated from Wilder High School spring of 1946 and entered the Navy that fall. He served his country in the Mediterranean on the U.S.S Midway. During those years he corresponded with Dorothy Burt and upon returning from the Navy he married Dorothy on … Read more

McGregor, John Vernon – Obituary

John Vernon McGregor, 87, a longtime Livermore, Calif., resident, formerly of Baker City, died suddenly on May 13, 2005, after a brief decline in health. John was born to John and Frances McGregor in Ontario. He spent his first years on the family farm. He later moved to Baker City where he married Sadie Darlene Tripp in 1941. They lived briefly in Wonderland, Calif., where he worked as a welder helping in the construction of Shasta Dam. In 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps. He served as a tail gunner in a B-24 during World War II. He flew … Read more