Portland Oregon

Neeley, Francis M. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Frances M. Neeley, 83, of La Grande died Aug. 23 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial took place at 9 this morning at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. A graveside service will begin at noon Monday at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Mrs. Neeley was born June 11, 1923, to Frank Kovenz and Anna Schmidt in Billings, Mont. She attended St. Patrick’s Grade School and graduated from Commerce High School in 1941. She lived in northeast Portland until April 2002 when she moved to La Grande to be near her daughter. She … Read more

Lillard, Kenneth Leroy – Obituary

Kenneth Leroy Lillard, 84, of La Grande, died March 19 at his home. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church of La Grande. There will be a viewing from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel. Ken was born in Yale, Okla., on Jan. 22, 1924, to Frank and Sadie Lillard. He graduated school in Lovell, Wyo., in 1941, and attended Radio Broadcasters School of America in Beverly Hills, Calif. He moved to Portland in 1944 and worked at KVAN Radio in Vancouver, Wash. He went to work for … Read more

Ward, A. J. Mrs. – Obituary

Dies at Stayton Mrs. A. J. Ward passed away at her home in Stayton, Oregon September 05, 1967. Margaret Jane Everett was born on June 30, 1883 in Madison County, Arkansas to the late William and Catherine Presley Everett. She was Married to Albert J. Ward on may 04, 1902 in Alabam, Arkansas and came west with him in 1910, at which time they settled in Wallowa county, where they owned and operated a store. They sold their business in 1941 and moved to Portland, Oregon, where Mr. Ward died on Sept. 15, 1946. Two children predeceased their parents. In … Read more

Wicks, Albert G. – Obituary

Albert G. Wicks, 100, of Warren, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 24, 2005, at Warren. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 6 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Albert was born on Sept. 21, 1904, at Hereford. He was the third child of Arrie Jane Osborn and Jasper E. Wicks. Albert’s father and grandfather, Henry M. Wicks, traveled to Oregon by covered wagon and homesteaded property in the Hereford area. Albert lived for many … Read more

Establishment of a Civil Government in Portland

The first effort looking toward the organization of a civil government was made in 1841, at Champoeg, which at the time was the seat of the principal settlement in the Willamette Valley. It originated among the members of the Methodist Mission, and for that reason did not have the cordial support of the independent settlers. The movement failed, and although several causes contributed to this result, the main reason was the unpopularity of its chief promoters among those Americans disconnected with the missions. At this time, says an early pioneer, the people of Oregon were divided into two great divisions … Read more

DeRoest, Maurice – Obituary

A memorial mass will be held Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2001 at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Portland for Maurice DeRoest who died Aug. 30, 2001 from complications of Rheumatoid arthritis at age 69. Maurice was born Nov. 10, 1931, in Baker City. He attended St. Francis Academy. He married Blanche Fuller on Nov. 27, 1950. Maurice worked for Safeway stories in Baker City, La Grande, Hermiston, The Dalles and Portland for 39 years until his retirement. Maurice was a member of St. Joseph the Worker Church, the Knights of Columbus and the Safeway Employees Union. He … Read more

Dixon, Bill

Bill Dixon, 62, of Baker City died June 19, 2005, after a 15-year battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loved ones. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Coles Funeral Home. Greg Baxter will conduct the service. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery with Oregon State Police honors. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Bill was the second child of Eldred Dixon and Virginia Ione Miller born at Salt Lake City on Feb. 18, 1943. His only sibling was his sister, Betty Lee Stone. His childhood years were … Read more

Biography of Earl C. Bronaugh

Bronaugh, Earl C., one of the most prominent attorneys of the State, was born in Abingdon, Virginia, March 4, 1831. He secured his educational advantages in his native town prior to reaching the age of twelve years, when with his parents he moved to Shelby County, Tennessee. They founded a new home in the woods and endured all the privations of pioneer life at that early day. Here Mr. Bronaugh spent six years of his life, assisting his father in the support of the family, after which becoming imbued with the desire to read law he entered the office of … Read more

Gentry, Wanda L. Coffinberry Mrs. – Obituary

Wanda L. Gentry, 83, of Ontario, who with her husband established the Gentry Ford Sales dealership, died July 27, 2005, at her home in the Meadow Brook Retirement Center. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Ontario. Ontario’s Lienkaemper Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Wanda was born on March 18, 1922, at Portland to Walter B. and Verna D. Coffinberry. The family lived at Portland until 1926 when they relocated to Hot Lake and subsequently moved to Halfway in 1928. Wanda was a 1940 Halfway High School graduate. She moved to Portland … Read more

Comstock, Blanche Helen Lee – Obituary

A funeral Mass will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 1998, in St. Anthony Catholic Church in Portland for Helen L. Comstock, who died of congestive heart failure May 12 at age 95. Mrs. Comstock was born March 19, 1903, in Bandon. Her maiden name was Lee. She was a legal secretary with Nelson and Nelson law firm for many years before retiring in 1964. She was a member of the church. She married John K. in 1929; he died in 1969. Survivors include her daughters, May Lou Swan [Mary Lou] and Barbara Delaney, both of Portland, Helen Horton … Read more

Young, Kenneth Gordon – Obituary

Kenneth Gordon Young, 74, of Cove died March 13 at Grande Ronde Hospital of heart failure. Gravesite services will begin at 1 p.m. May 24 at the Cove Cemetery. Friends and relatives may sign the guest registry at www.danielsknopp.com. Kenneth was born May 24, 1933, to Fred and Laura Ackerman Young in Baker City. He lived in Sumpter during his childhood and completed his junior high and high school education in Baker City. He completed a bachelor of science degree at Eastern Oregon University and a master of arts degree at Colorado State University. He served in the Navy from … Read more

Biography of Hon. J. A. Strowbridge

HON. J.A. STROWBRIDGE. – Mr. Strowbridge, universally known as one of the leading business men and philanthropists of Portland, Oregon, was born in 1835 in Monteur county, Pennsylvania. With his parents he early made a home in Ohio, receiving the substantial home training of very careful christian parents, and gained thereby the habits of thrift, industry and enterprise which have made him uninterruptedly successful through life. He was also afforded excellent advantages at school, and prepared himself to enter the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware Ohio, with a view to studying law. When but a lad of fourteen he was … Read more

Rumble, E. W. – Obituary

E.W. Rumble Passes Away in Portland Joseph, Wallowa County,Oregon Jay Dobbin was called to Portland Monday by the news of the death of E.W. Rumble, manager of the Columbia Basin Woolgrowers association, of which Mr. Dobbin is president. Mr. Rumble died of heart disease Monday morning while taking vigorous exercise in a gymnasium. The death was entirely unexpected as Mr. Rumble was not aware, as far as known of any heart trouble. He was a large man and vigorous. Mr. Rumble had been a resident of Portland for four years, going from Joseph, where he was born. He was 52 … Read more

Throop, Harold Pat Lawrence – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Harold Pat Lawrence Throop died May 6, 2007, at the Wallowa Valley Care Center. He was 89. Mr. Throop was born March 17, 1918, in Portland to Herrel R. Throop and Anna Throop Lynch. He grew up on the ranch of his parents, Anna and Charles Lynch. He graduated from high school there in 1936. In 1938 he moved to Cloverdale with his mother and stepfather. Prior to the start of World War II, Mr. Throop studied law at Willamette University. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the war, he returned to Cloverdale, bought his parents’ ranch … Read more

Emele, Donald Franklin – Obituary

Funeral services for Donald “Don” F. Emele, 2750 Myrtle Street, 54, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at The Beatty Chapel. The Rev. James Berentson will officiate with concluding services in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Emele was born May 30, 1914, at Baker, Oregon, the son of Elmer A. and Elsie Sams Emele, and attended schools in Baker. After his schooling, he worked for the Union Pacific R. R. Co., was a truck driver for a Co-op in Walla Walla, Washington, worked in the shipyards in Portland, Oregon, during World War II, and had been an employee … Read more

Biography of Marion Francis Mulkey

MARION FRANCIS MULKEY.- This gentleman, the eldest son of Johnson Mulkey, and who took up, and conducted in the spirit, and to some extent in the method, the pioneer activities of his father, was born in Johnson county, Missouri, November 14, 1836. He was therefore but a boy of ten when, in 1847, he accompanied his father across the continent to Oregon. His, however, was one of those old heads on young shoulders; and so responsible was he, and so capable of affairs, that he was intrusted with the driving of oxen, and all work adapted to his strength, with … Read more

Snodgrass, Janice A. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon 1942-2007 Janice Ann Snodgrass, 64, of La Grande and formerly of Union, died March 8 at the Oregon Health and Science University hospital in Portland. A graveside service is planned for 2 p.m. Thursday at the Island City Cemetery. A celebration of life dinner will follow at the La Grande First Christian Church, 901 Penn Ave. Viewing will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande. Janice was born May 30, 1942, to Richard and Ruth (Gruis) Young in La Grande. She was raised in La Grande and … Read more

Biography of Rev. Clinton Kelly

REV. CLINTON KELLY. – Reverend Clinton Kelly, one of the early pioneers of the Pacific Northwest, was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, June 15, 1808. In January, 1827, he was converted, and commenced his life-work as a minister in the Methodist-Episcopal church, and ha since devoted his talents and energies for the benefit of his fellowmen, always denying himself the comforts and enjoyments of this life that he might the better assist others. In 1827 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Baston, by whom he had five children, three of whom are still living, – good citizens of … Read more

Biography of Hon. A. M. Cannon

HON. A.M. CANNON. – Mr. Cannon, like so many of our prominent men and large capitalists, began life on a farm, where his energies were devoted until he was twenty-one years old. His father was a farmer and a man of fine qualities, but had very limited means to devote to the education of his son. In 1858 he left Illinois, and started with two yoke of oxen for Pike’s Peak. At St. Joseph he was elected captain of a company of emigrants consisting of fifty-two souls, and succeeded in leading them safely across the plains through a dangerous Indian … Read more

McFetridge, Alta M. – Obituary

Wallowa County, Oregon Alta M. McFetridge passed away September 3, 1978 at Emanuel Hospital in Portland. Born February 8, 1900 at Enterprise, she was the daughter of Nicholas and Mary Ownbey. She was a resident of Wallowa County most of her life. Mrs. McFetridge was a homemaker, a member of Enterprise Christian Church, the Woman’s Benefit Association, and a former employee of a local bank. On June 30, 1918, she was married in La Grande to John O. McFetridge, who preceded her in death on April 21, 1974. Funeral services will be held Thursday (today), September 7 at 2:00 p.m. … Read more