Hall, Lois Jean Beamguard Sanford Mrs. – Obituary

Lois Jean Beamguard Sanford Hall, 78, of Boise, a former Baker City resident, died Oct. 3, 2007, at her home. There will be a memorial service to celebrate and honor her life at 10 a.m. MDT Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church, Cathedral of the Rockies, in Boise. The Rev. Steve Tollefson and Ralph Lawrence will officiate. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. MDT at the Rosedale Cemetery in Payette, Idaho, near her parents, William Clark and Vinnie Beamguard. Visitations will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at The Cathedral of The Rockies, First United Methodist Church. … Read more

Smith, Robert Darrel – Obituary

Robert Darrel Smith passed away peacefully early October 16, 2004, at Ivy Place in Boise, Idaho. Darrel was born in the Crane Creek, Idaho area, April 20, 1904, to Alex and Effie Anne Cochran Smith, the youngest of three children. The family lived on their father’s homestead until Darrel was 2 years old, when they moved to Payette, Idaho. When he was 7, the family moved to the ranch his father purchased near Durkee where he rode a horse to a one-room schoolhouse and completed the eighth grade. After attending his high school freshman year in Brownsville, Ore., he returned … Read more

Fales, Alta Faye Wunder Mrs. – Obituary

Alta Faye Wunder Fales, 71, of Payette, Idaho, died June 28, 2008, at Holy Rosary Medical Center in Ontario surrounded by her family. There will be a celebration of her life at 1 p.m., Saturday at the Payette Christian Church. The Rev. Ralph Pearson will officiate. Cremation and services are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette. Alta was born on Aug. 6, 1936, in Baker City to Clive and Nina Payton Wunder. She lived at various mining towns in Baker County until she was 6 and her family moved to Baker City, where she grew up and met … Read more

Pullen, Raymond Francis – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Raymond Francis Pullen, 86, a longtime Baker City resident, and former longtime mayor/police chief and fire chief in Haines, died Sept. 10, 2001, at his home. His graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Haines Cemetery. Pastor Sally Wiens of the United Methodist Church of North Powder will officiate. Visitations will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. today at Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. Mr. Pullen was born Feb. 27, 1915, at Wakefield, Neb., to Marion Francis Pullen and Emma Lena Fuoss Pullen. His family lived on a small farm near … Read more

Medlin, Leona R. Keele Mrs. – Obituary

Leona R. Medlin, 83, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 4, 2003, at her daughter’s home. Mrs. Medlin’s funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Gene Saunders of the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church will officiate. Interment be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Medlin was born Sept. 21, 1919, at Payette, Idaho, to Charles Alfred and Beulah Mae Abernathy Keele. She was raised and educated at Payette, Idaho. Mrs. Medlin came to Baker City in 1946 and was married … Read more

Biography of Joseph F. Griffin

For more than a half century Joseph F. Griffin, of Ketchum, has resided in the northwest. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Cumberland County, December 10, 1831. The family is of Scotch origin, and the first American progenitors were early settlers of South Carolina and participants in many of the events which form the colonial history of the south. Jesse Griffin, the grandfather of our subject, was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, where occurred the birth of Burrell Bell Griffin, the father of Joseph. Having arrived at years of maturity he married Miss Sally Thogmorton a native … Read more

Witham, Hertha Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Hertha Witham, 85, of Baker City, died March 5, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church at Third and Broadway streets. Pastor Ed Niswender of the church will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the Calvary Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Mrs. Witham was born on Jan. 30, 1918, at Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was raised by Eugene and Mattie Lee LaBrier. Her early education was received in Boise and at Middleton, Idaho. She graduated from high school at Ontario in 1935. After graduation, … Read more

Morehead, Alice F. MacDonald Mrs. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Alice F. MacDonald Morehead, 97, of La Grande died June 26, 2003, at her home. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley in La Grande. The Rev. Norman Shrumm of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Committal and interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in La Grande. Visitations will be until 6 o’clock tonight at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mrs. Morehead was born on June 15, 1906, at Knappa to Angus and Lenore MacDonald. She moved with her parents to a homestead near Ontario. She attended Pioneer schools, Payette, … 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

Biography of James A. Lauer

One of the popular and enterprising young merchants of Payette is James A. Lauer, who is numbered among Idaho’s native sons, his birth having occurred in Idaho City, on the 26th of February 1872. His father, William Lauer, is numbered among the early settlers of the state, having located here in 1861, and is the pioneer hardware merchant of Payette. The subject of this review was educated in the public schools of Idaho City, and with his parents came to Payette in 1885. Here he accepted a position as clerk in the general mercantile store of Marquardsen & Lamme, acceptably … Read more

Vandecar, Robert L. – Obituary

Robt. L. Vandecar Was Durkee Creek Rancher 54 Years Funeral services for Robert L. Vandecar of Durkee, 77 years of age and a well known Baker County stockman were conducted at 2:00 pm Tuesday Feb. 20 at Gray’s West and Co. Pioneer Chapel. The Rev. Richard A. Toll of the St. Stephens Episcopal Church officiated. Vault interment followed in the family plot at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Vandecar was born May 14, 1895 in Payette, Idaho the son of Augustus Byron and Rose Mott Vandecar. He had his schooling in Haines and in 1918 moved to Durkee. He was married … Read more

Starry, Beverly C. “B.C.” – Obituary

Beverly C. Starry, better known as “B.C” or “Bunk,” 93, a former Baker City resident, died July 1, 2003, at Fresno of lung cancer. His memorial service was July 9. B.C. was born on Jan. 14, 1910, at Louisburg, Kan., to Beverly Cashman and Elizabeth Starry. The family included a brother and four sisters. He married Edith L. Livingston on May 10, 1931, at Louisburg, Kan. They had two children, Beverly Ann and John Livingston Starry. B.C. worked in Southern California from 1936 to 1944 in the grocery business. The family then moved to Mount Morrison, Colo., to operate their … Read more

Palumbo, Leo – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Leo Palumbo, 89, a longtime Baker City resident, former elementary school principal and musician, died June 6, 2003, at Settler’s Park. Visitations will be until 6 o’clock tonight at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. There will be a vigil service at 7 p.m. Monday at Coles Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Interment will be at 3 p.m. MDT Tuesday at Park View Cemetery in New Plymouth, Idaho. Leo Joseph Palumbo was born Nov. 24, 1913, at Logansport, Ind., to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James A. Walker

About five miles southwest from Ontario is the farm and home of the subject of this article. It is a place of eighty acres well improved, skillfully tilled, has line buildings, good orchards and a vine-yard, and in connection with the care of this estate, Mr. Walter is operating a dairy and manufacturing a good quality of butter, which is readily sold in the markets. In person Mr. Walter is a man of sound principles, stands well among his fellows, possesses good ability, and has made a success of his labor, starting with his bare hands and now has a … Read more

The Payette Valley, Its Towns

For the following graphic and ably written article in regard to the attractions of the Payette valley we are indebted to a souvenir edition of the Payette Independent issued in March, 1898: The Payette valley lies in the southwestern part of Idaho, with its upper and narrow end extending far back into pine-clad mountains and its lower flaring into broad, fertile fields, terminating at the banks of the Snake river, just across whose waters rise the mountain peaks of Oregon. Its length is upward of forty miles, its width varying from two miles at the upper point to eight where … Read more

Biography of Peter Pence

The life record of this honored pioneer, and his connection with many of the leading events in the history of Idaho, form no unimportant chapter in the annals of the state. He has been identified with its early development through the period when existence in the northwest was attended by many difficulties and dangers, and with its latter-day progress and advancement which have placed Idaho on a par with many of the older states of the east. His early years were spent far from this “Gem of the Mountains.” He was born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in October 1837, and … Read more

Hauser, Melvin Michael “Mike” – Obituary

Melvin Michael “Mike” Hauser, 34, of Fruitland, died Sept. 1, 2004. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Riverside Cemetery in Payette, Idaho. Pastor Dick Wilson will officiate. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel in Payette. Services and arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel. Mike was born to Marietta and Melvin Hauser on Feb. 1, 1970, at La Grande. He attended Brooklyn Elementary School and Baker High School at Baker City. He earned an associate’s degree at Treasure Valley Community College in law enforcement and was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Roswell W. Clement

Among the leading agriculturists of Malheur county is to be mentioned the subject of this sketch, whose life has manifested a worthy record of honest and rigorous endeavor, dominated with sagacity and tempered with prudence and display of affability and genial bearing toward all. In Middleville, Barry county, Michigan, on January 5, 1862, occurred the happy event of the birth of Roswell W. Clement, his parents being Judge James T. and Lucy (Hayes) Clement. The family came to Usage, Iowa, while our subject was a small child, and thence they removed to the vicinity of Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1868. In … Read more

Biography of William A. Coughanour

For almost fourteen years Payette has numbered William A. Coughanour among its most prominent and progressive citizens. He may well be termed one of the founders of the city, for he has been the promoter of many of its leading business enterprises, and the growth and development of a city depend upon its commercial and industrial activity. His connection with any undertaking insures a prosperous outcome of the same, for it is in his nature to carry forward to successful completion whatever he is associated with. He has earned for himself an enviable reputation, as a careful man of business, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Almer G. King

The subject of this review is one of the well known and representative men of Malheur County and is to-day entrusted with the responsibilities of one of the main County offices and has made a record for himself of faithfulness, integrity, and capabilities, that places him secure in the esteem and respect of the entire population of the County. Almer G. was born in Waverly, Iowa, on December 6, 1866, being the son of George and Littie (Kimball) King. In 187o, the family came west via San Francisco and Portland to a place opposite Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia, where … Read more