Wilson, Shirley J. Tilcock Mrs. – Obituary

Shirley J. Wilson, 65, of Helena, Mont., died April 4, 2003, at St. Peter’s Hospital after a long illness. Mass of Christian burial was Saturday, April 12, at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church at East Helena, Mont. Interment was at St. Ann’s Cemetery. Shirley was born at Pampa, Texas, on May 17, 1937, to George and Helen Tilcock. She was later joined by a brother, Don, and a sister, Sherry. Her father drove truck in heavy hauling, so the family moved quite often. She attended several different schools in several states, graduating at Fillmore, Calif. She met her husband, … 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

Lansdon, Richard Thomas – Obituary

Richard Thomas Lansdon, 19, of Payette, Idaho, and formerly of Baker City, died May 28, 2005, as the result of a vehicle accident on Anthony Lakes Highway. A traditional funeral service will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Following the service, friends and family will gather near the Baker County Library, 2400 Resort St., where Richard will be taken in a horse-drawn hearse around Geiser Pollman Park with family and friends walking behind in tribute of all the fond memories he leaves behind. At the conclusion of the … Read more

Storm, Hazel Lightfoot Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Hazel L. Storm, 78, of Culver, a former Baker City resident, died May 26, 2004. Her graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Storm was born on Aug. 20, 1925, at Payette, Idaho, to Richard and Julia Nelson Lightfoot. She married her high school sweetheart, Joe Storm, on March 20, 1943, at Weiser, Idaho. She worked as a salesperson for Payless Drug Store. She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary, Post 3048, in Baker City, serving as president in 1962-63. She enjoyed gardening, camping and reading. … Read more

Biography of William L. Ryder

Prominent among the businessmen of Payette is William Louis Ryder, who for eight years has been closely identified with the history of the city as a representative of one of its most important business interests. He is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concern with which he is connected a large degree of success. The safe, conservative policy which he inaugurated commends itself to the judgment of all, and has secured to the company a patronage which makes the volume of trade transacted over its counters of … 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

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

Biography of William Lauer

Since the establishment of Payette William Lauer has been identified with its development and upbuilding, and his labors have been most effective in promoting its welfare. He is the pioneer hardware merchant of the town, and still continues in that line of business, his well directed efforts bringing him success. He is among the worthy citizens that the Fatherland has furnished to the New World, his birth having occurred in Germany on the nth of November 1833. In his youth he crossed the Atlantic to New York with his father, Isaac Lauer, who made his home in the eastern metropolis … 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

Hickerson, Mabel Boyce Mrs. Obituary

Mabel (Boyce) Hickerson, 98, a former resident of Payette, Idaho, died at her Salem home Monday, Feb. 3, 2003. Mabel’s family were pioneers in the Baker Valley. A graveside service will be held at Riverside Cemetery, Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. Survivors include daughters, Beverly Perkins of Fruitland, Idaho, and LaVelle Lasher and her husband, Frank of Salem; 11 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Helen Brown of California. She was preceded in death by her husband, Art (1959); daughters, Genevieve Brown (1999) and Evelyn Cainan (2002); and three sons-in-law. Memorial contributions may be made to Payette … 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

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

Schock, Berniece Parker Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Berniece Schock, 71, of Hermiston, died Nov. 10, 2004, at the Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston. Her graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Eternal Hills Cemetery in Klamath Falls. She was born on Oct. 11, 1933, at Baker City to Clifford and Cecelia Bowman Parker. She married Harold H. Schock on May 23, 1952, at Payette, Idaho. The couple lived at Pondosa and later in the Baker City area for more than 30 years. They moved to Ashland in 1990. Harold died in 1992. Berniece returned to Baker City in 1994 and lived … 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

Courtney, Pinkney L. – Obituary

Mrs. B.T. Long received word Thursday evening of the death of her father, P. L. Courtney at Payette, Idaho and left for that place Friday. M. O. Courtney of Lostine accompanied her. P. L. Courtney was one of the earliest settlers of the valley and lived here until recent years when he was compelled to try a different climate to relieve asthma from which he was a sufferer. He spent the past year in California from there going to Payette only two weeks ago and on the trip contracted the influenza to which he succumbed. Pinkney L. Courtney was born … Read more

Obituary of Lester E. Hammack

Jamison, Oregon—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

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

Biography of David C. Chase

David C. Chase, the secretary and treasurer of the great Payette Valley Mercantile Company, Limited, doing business in Payette, Idaho, is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Johnsonville, Trumbull County, on the 26th of April 1853. He traces his descent from English ancestors who were early settlers of Connecticut, and participated in many of the leading events which go to make up the history of that state. His father, David Chase, was a New England farmer, and died when his son and namesake was only a small boy. The latter was educated in the public schools of … Read more

Phelps, James Edmond – Obituary

James Edmond Phelps, 73, of Payette, Idaho, died Dec. 20, 2002, at an Ontario care home. His funeral was at 10 a.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Payette, Idaho. Pastor John Tucker officiated. His graveside service was at 1 p.m. today at Mount Hope Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel at Payette. Jim was born April 29, 1929, at Chelan Falls, Wash., to Samuel and Gladys Phelps. He was a Baker High School graduate. Jim’s life centered on his love for his family, his love of animals, and his work. He ranched in the … Read more

Ward, Mary Jane Mullen Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Jane Ward, 85, of La Grande and formerly of Baker City, died Aug. 2, 2003, at a local care facility. A private family service and interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Ward was born on Feb. 26, 1918, to James Levi and Daisy B. Bishop Mullen at Westfall. She was a 1936 graduate of Ontario High School. She married Frank Eldon Ward at Payette, Idaho, on July 24, 1948. They later moved to Baker City where they owned and operated Scotty’s Tavern. Mr. Ward died on Oct. 16, 1972. She continued to operate the business until 1979 … Read more