Pendleton Oregon

Lee, Jonathan Johnson – Obituary

J. J. Lee, an Oregon pioneer and an old resident of Pendleton, died at his home on Alta Street Sunday morning [May 25, 1890] at four o’clock, after an illness of five weeks. Mr. Lee was born in New York [New Jersey] in 1816. When he was two years old his parents removed to Ohio, and remained in that State until his marriage in 1842 with Miss Mary Armsby [Ormsby], who now survives him. In 1844, Mr. and Mrs. Lee removed to Iowa, and in 1862 crossed the plains in emigrant wagons to the far West, locating in Polk County. … Read more

Lee, William – Obituary

At his residence on Birch Creek, Nov. 20th [1884], William Lee. Funeral at the house today at 11 a.m. William was born April 26, 1839 in Bartholomew Co., IN. He married Amy Lee on February 21, 1858 in Mahaska Co., Fremont, IA. Amy was only 15 and William was 19 years old when they married. In 1862 they came west to Oregon. Amy and William moved to Pendleton in 1869. Lee’s Crossing was named after William Lee. It is rather shocking that only a one line obituary was written. He and his mother and father-in-law, Mary and J. J. Lee, … Read more

Derksen, Helen Mae Martin Mrs. – Obituary

Helen Mae Derksen, 93, a resident of the Baker City area for the past six years, died Jan. 13, 2006, at Pendleton, where she was living temporarily. Her memorial service was today at the New Bridge Church of the Nazarene near Richland, where she had attended regularly for the past three years. Her cremains will be buried later with her husband at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Mrs. Derksen was born on Nov. 17, 1912, in Dayton, Ohio, to George and Louise McClelland Martin. She was educated in Ohio and graduated from Davis Business College there. She also graduated … Read more

Rogers, Betty Doris – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Betty Doris Rogers, 79, of Yuma, Ariz., and formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 20 at the Yuma Regional Medical Center after suffering a stroke. No services are planned at this time. Mrs. Rogers was born May 9, 1927, to Frank E. and Luva Roberts Messersmith in Alliance, Neb., one of seven children. She attended high school in Curtis, Neb., graduating in 1945. She studied for a year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then taught at a country school in Box Butte County, Neb. She married Lyle Dunham Rogers on Sept. 27, 1947, in Alliance. The couple … Read more

Roth, Rhoda J. Coles Mattes Mrs. – Obituary

Rhoda J. Roth, 83, of Pendleton, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Aug. 23, 2002, at Willowbrook Terrace in Pendleton. Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Dennis Hickman of the First Lutheran Church will officiate. Visitations will be from noon until 5 p.m. today and from 8:30 a.m. until noon Tuesday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Rhoda Jane Coles Mattes Roth was born March 1, 1919, at Twin Falls, Idaho. She was a daughter of Joseph Joel Coles and Nettie May Locken Coles Carlson. She moved with her … Read more

Denton, Barbara Wright Mrs. – Obituary

Barbara Denton, 89, of Pendleton and formerly of the Marble Creek area near Baker City, died May 15, 2003. Graveside funeral services were held Tuesday at Skyview Memorial Park. Alice was born to Stanley Carter and Onlie Foster Wright on Feb. 5, 1914, at Clovis, N.M. She was the oldest of four children. She grew up in various locations in Iowa and Missouri. She graduated from high school in Lamoni, Iowa and also briefly attended Graceland College in Lamoni. In 1932, the family moved to Oregon and settled in Medical Springs, later moving to the Marble Creek area. She married … Read more

Fischer, Kimberly Dawn – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Kimberly Dawn Fischer, 47, of Marysville, Wash., and formerly of La Grande died Sept. 9 at her home of natural causes. A service will be begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Marysville Senior Community Center, 514 Delta St. A memorial in Oregon will be conducted at a later date. Mrs. Fischer was born April 22, 1959, to Donna and Jerry Martin in Pendleton. She attended school in La Grande, and married Randy McKinnis. On April 28, 2002, she married Craig Fischer. She worked in food and beverage management for many years. She enjoyed rock and gem … Read more

Bowman, Oliver Purl – Obituary

Purl Bowman prominent pioneer of Umatilla County and well known throughout this section of the state, passed away at St. Anthony’s Hospital Saturday, August 5 [1939] at 4:15 p.m., after an illness of three weeks. Mr. Bowman was born February 15, 1862, at Osceola, Ia. and when a baby of only six weeks left St. Louis, Mo., with his parents for the west. His family had resided at Osceola before starting the long trek across the plains in a train of 105 wagons. The Bowman’s arrived in Umatilla County on October 17, 1862, just two days more than eight months … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Harris

GEORGE W. HARRIS. – This successful business man of Morrow county was born at Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, February 18, 1858. During his minor years he followed the fortunes of his parents, who moved to Iowa in 1860, and four years later crossed the plains to California with ox-teams, locating at Red Bluff. In 1865 they came to Oregon and located at Monmouth. From that date many changes and removals were undergone, including a return to California, a residence at Corvallis and again at Eugene; also a trip across the continent to Missouri, Texas and Iowa, and a return to … Read more

Bowman, Martha Elizabeth Carroll – Obituary

Mrs. Martha Elizabeth Carroll Bowman, wife of Walter S. Bowman died at her home, 918 Main Street last night [March 13, 1931] at 7:30 her death being caused by an illness resulting from a paralytic stroke which occurred a little over five years ago. She was born December 5, 1866 in Yamhill, Oregon, and came in the early part of her life to Dayton, Washington with her family, coming to Pendleton in the early nineties. On November 24, 1896, she was married to W. S. Bowman, they being the parents of one child, no longer living [Juanita Bowman]. Mrs. Bowman … Read more

Bowman, Walter Scott – Obituary

Walter S. Bowman, 76, native of Pendleton, was fatally injured and his wife suffered concussion of the brain as well as lacerations in an automobile accident on the Old Oregon Trail yesterday [November 27, 1938] at 3:15 p.m. when the car, driven by Mr. Bowman, skidded on the icy highway and plunged over an embankment at a point some 10 miles east of here. Mr. Bowman’s neck was broken and he died on the way to the hospital, where he and Mrs. Bowman were brought by passing motorists. Mrs. Bowman’s condition is very favorable, said a report from the hospital … Read more

Day, Chad Eric – Obituary

Chad Eric Day, 30, of Redmond, died August 15, 2003. A visitation for family and friends will be held Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, 685 W. Hermiston Ave. A gathering will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the home of Vicki and Mike Koontz, 924 W. Alder St. in Hermiston. Private inurnment will be held at the Hermiston Cemetery. Chad was born Oct. 17, 1972, at Hermiston to Bob and Vicki Clark Day. He was raised and grew up in Hermiston, where he enjoyed playing baseball and soccer and attended Hermiston … Read more

Messer, David L. – Obituary

Jamieson 1949-2009 David Leo Messer, 60, of Jamieson, died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident Sept. 29, one mile west of Jamieson. Graveside services will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lostine Cemetery. A memorial service will follow on Monday at the Pendleton Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1401 SW Goodwin Place. A memorial service was held Oct. 5 in Vale. Lienkaemper Chapel of Ontario was in charge of arrangements. David was born Aug. 11, 1949, to Leo Eugene Messer and Elizabeth Lucille Jenson in Great Falls, Mont. He attended Great Falls schools and graduated from … Read more

Nord, Larry C. – Obituary

Larry C. Nord, 53, of Pendleton and a former Baker City resident, died March 19, 2003. It was his request that there be no funeral service. Inurnment will be at Phoenix, Ariz. Mr. Nord was born Jan. 18, 1950, at Bagley, Minn., to Sigurd and Carol Annonson Nord. He was employed at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution for 12 years. Mr. Nord loved spending time with his best friend and wife, Judy, with his grandchildren, with his father and other relatives; and he loved his “girls” — his cocker spaniels, Taffy and Missy. He and his sons-in-law, Don Thompson and Dwayne … Read more

Biography of Herman Rothchild

HERMAN ROTHCHILD. – Some of the leading mercantile and business establishments of Union county have been energized and built up largely by the new power infused into them from the later immigrants from the east, who brought with them from those centers of industry to these western points of distribution the sagacity, and successful methods of trade that have been learned by close and careful contact with keen competition and the wisest manipulators of finance and commerce. Among those who have made names for themselves and who have become established in the confidence of the people while they have built … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Matthew Neeves

MATTHEW NEEVES. – Mr. Neeves, a prominent citizen of Pendleton, Oregon, was born near Syracuse, New York, in 1830. He there received a common-school education and remained until he was twenty years old. Going west to Galesburg, Illinois, he made his way in that new section in the capacity of a Yankee school-master. After one year in that place he went to Platt county, and remained another year as teacher. In 1852 he was induced to join the company of the veteran pioneer Joab Powell, and arrived at Portland in October of the same year. He first turned his attention … Read more

Kononen, Norma Catherine Hunt – Obituary

Norma C. Kononen, 67, of Helix, died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1992, at Amber Valley Care Center in Pendleton. A graveside funeral service will be held at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Friends may call at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday. Mrs. Kononen was born May 19, 1925 at Athena to Frederick P. and Lulu Campbell Hunot. On Aug. 24, 1945, she married George L. Kononen at Walla Walla [married in Pendleton]. She had been a resident of Helix since 1945 and was deputy clerk for the Helix School District … Read more

Biography of Jacob Frazer

JACOB FRAZER. – This pioneer of the wool business in Eastern Oregon, and owner of some of the best buildings in Pendleton, is a native of the Buckeye state (1820), and while but a boy of ten went with his father to Indiana, and as a youth of sixteen to Iowa. In this state, then known locally as the Black Hawk purchase, his father died at the advanced age of eighty-three. In 1850 Mr. Frazer crossed the plains to California with horses, being one of a party of five. This company was made to pay a toll of sugar, flour, … Read more

Planting, Allen Arnold – Obituary

Memorial service will be 2 p.m. June 17, 1994, in Trinity Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Wash. Disposition will be by cremation. Interment will be in Park Hill Cemetery in Vancouver. Mr. Planting died of a stroke June 13 in Portland hospital. He was 80. He was born Dec. 31, 1913 in Pendleton. Before his retirement he was a shipping clerk for Crane Plumbing Co. in Portland. He had lived in Vancouver since 1929. Survivors include his wife, Leone; daughters, Ann Bates, Ruth Sundheim and Kay Planting, all of Seattle; sister, Goldie Vice of Vancouver; and one granddaughter. Remembrances: Trinity Lutheran … Read more

Conklin, Eugene – Obituary

UNION (Special) – Eugene B. Conklin died in a Portland hospital Tuesday evening following a heart attack. He had taken the exhibits, from Malheur county to the Pacific International and became ill about a week before his passing away. He was a prominent man in Eastern Oregon where he always was very active in public affairs. He was born in Ohio in 1865 and came to Oregon in 1888. He taught school at Medical Springs and Cove and in 1894 came to Union where he taught for five years. From here he went to Pendleton for seven years of teaching … Read more