Puckett, Pauline – Obituary

Pauline G. Puckett, niece of the late T. T. Greer [Geer], 10th governor of Oregon, died Saturday in a hospital at age 76. Mrs. Puckett, who lived at 8655 NE Boehmer St., was born in Cove and lived in the Portland area for 26 years. She is survived by her husband Claude; two children, LaVerta (Pegge) Quiett of Lake Oswego and Winter [Winton] Puckett of Portland; six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Funeral will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in Caldwell’s Colonial Mortuary. Burial will be in Skyline Memorial Gardens. The family suggests remembrances be contributions to St. Mathew’s Church memorial … Read more

Bowman, Ruth Lorraine Georgeoff Mrs. – Obituary

Lorraine Bowman, 80, a former Baker Valley resident, died Dec. 10, 2001. At her request, there will be no services. Disposition was by cremation. Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise was in charge of arrangements. Ruth Lorraine Georgeoff was born March 13, 1921, the only daughter of Anna and Vasil Georgeoff. After growing up in Portland, she married Elbert Bowman and raised three sons, John, Paul, and Gary (Joe). The family lived for many years in Baker Valley. She was active in the VFW auxiliary in Baker City, and in Heppner. She is survived by three sons and numerous grandchildren. Used … Read more

Biography of Capt. John H. Couch

CAPT. JOHN H. COUCH. – A native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, he was one of the handful of hardy, brave, adventurous settlers who made the wilderness their home, and devoted the best portions of their lives in opening the way and preparing the land for the immigration and occupation of their brothers across the mountains. He was born February 21, 1811, and was perhaps influenced by the surroundings in his native place; for Newburyport is noted as one of the oldest and most famous seaports and nurseries of maritime enterprises in America. Be that as it may, he manifested in early … Read more

Biography of Thomas Guinean

THOMAS GUINEAN. – The proprietor of the Esmond Hotel, in Portland, Oregon, and one of the most popular men in his line upon the Pacific slope, was born in the city of Quebec, Canada, in 1838. In the year 1849 he was left an orphan and thrown upon his own responsibilities, and went down to Boston, but within a year left the old Puritan city and journeyed on to New York, where he took passage in the steamer California to San Francisco, arriving at the Golden Gate in the early part of 1852. He remained in San Francisco nearly one … Read more

Bean, Robert Sharp, Judge – Obituary

Judge Robert Sharp Bean of the federal court for the District of Oregon, nationally known for his judicial mind died suddenly of a heart attack at 6:30 o’clock this morning [January 7, 1931] at his home, 1620 Briar Place. He was 76. Shock of the death was doubly felt in that it was so unexpected. According to a member of the family, Judge Bean, on retiring last night, was as well as he had ever been. He retired about 11 o’clock, Mrs. Bean said. Shortly before 6 a.m. today he arose complaining of a slight stomach ailment. He was somewhat … Read more

Bilyeu, Archie M. – Obituary

Archie M. Bilyeu, retired auto dealer and longtime Portland resident, died Monday [November 6] at 118 Mercury St., Gladstone, where he had made his home since August. He was 78. Born May 3, 1894 in Brownsville, Ore., he had lived in Portland since the early 1920s and at one time was a Kaiser-Frazer dealer there. He was a member of Willamette Lodge No. 2, AF & AM. Survivors include his wife, Marguerite; two sons, Wally, Chula Vista, Cal.; Martin, Portland; a brother, Floyd, and a sister, Gertrude Christopherson, both Hemet, Cal.; and two grandchildren. Services will be held Thursday at … Read more

Farnsworth, Ellen Idolette Gates – Obituary

McMinnvile–July 5 (Special)–Mrs. Ellen Idolette Farnsworth, 78, died June 28 [1945] in McMinnville. Services were held at Macy’s Chapel Tuesday and interment was at Multnomah Cemetery in Portland. Mrs. Farnsworth was born in Portland, May 6, 1867. She is survived by two brothers, Alonzo B. Gates and Frank H. Gates of Portland. The Oregonian, July 6, 1945 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Fischer, Vinta M. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Vinita M. Fischer, 87, a longtime Wallowa County resident, died April 30 in Portland. A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday at Bollman Funeral Home, Enterprise. Burial will be at the Enterprise Cemetery. Vinita was born Sept. 4, 1919, to Lee and Arlie Cook in Enterprise. On July 29, 1938, she married Otis Fischer in Lewiston, Idaho. They spent the majority of their life together in Enterprise. A homemaker when her children were young, Mrs. Fischer later worked for many years at the Enterprise Post Office. Following retirement, she enjoyed her home, caring for her cats … Read more

Miller, Willis Gordon “Bill” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Willis Gordon “Bill” Miller, 80, of Portland, and a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 28, 2004, at Friendship Nursing Home in Portland. His memorial service was Dec. 4 at the St Johns Christian Church in Portland. Arrangements were by the Killingsworth Little Chapel of the Chimes. His ashes will be placed at Tehoma National Cemetery near his son’s home because Willamette National Cemetery’s Columbarium has no available space. Bill was born June 17, 1924, at Baker City to William F. and Josephine D. Miller. After graduating from Baker High School in 1942, he joined the U.S. … Read more

McShane, Kirk V. – Obituary

Kirk V. McShane, 52, formerly of La Grande, died June 29 in Portland. A memorial service was conducted July 5. Mr. McShane was born Jan. 30, 1954, to Francis and Margaret McShane in Ontario, and graduated from La Grande High School in 1974. He moved to Portland, where he worked for several music warehouses and stores. He graduated from Portland State University and became a distribution manager for Graybar Electric. He married Denise P. Belanger in 1984. Survivors include his wife; his mother of La Grande; brothers, Brian, Michael, Jeffrey and Gregory; sisters, Rebecca and Maureen; and other relatives. His … Read more

Hathaway, Robert M. – Obituary

Cove, Union County, Oregon Robert M. Hathaway, of this city died at the hospital in Portland, Friday afternoon. Mr. Hathaway was taken to Portland Thursday morning where an operation was performed for appendicitis from which he never rallied. The funeral took place from the M.E. church in this city Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Mr. Hathaway was a bright young man about twenty-three years of age and was well liked by all who knew him. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Warden Hathaway who have the sympathy of the entire community. Cove Ledger. Thursday January 19, 1899 Contributed … Read more

Biography of W. S. Ladd

It is seldom throughout the incipient stages of growth, down to a period covering many years in the development of a progressive commonwealth, that to any one man is accorded a foremost place by general consent. New countries, in these latter days of steam and electricity, develop often with rapidity; new issues are met by new leaders, while those who laid the foundation of society rarely retain their hold on affairs for any extended period of time. In this, however, Oregon has been an exception to the rule, and the career of William Sargent Ladd is a conspicuous example of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John T. Jewell

JOHN T. JEWELL. – Mr. Jewell is a member of the Cove Dairy Company. He is a native of Indiana, having been born in that state in 1836. After receiving his education there and in Illinois, he was drawn west in 1859 by the Pike’s Peak gold excitement. From that point he quite naturally came on to Oregon. His first employment was at West Portland, supplying steamboats with wood. As early as 1863 he moved to the Grande Ronde, entering into business as a freighter. Two years later he located a beautiful claim at The Cove, Oregon, and has devoted … Read more

Weatherspoon, Evelyn Irene – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Evelyn Irene Weatherspoon, 67, of Elgin, died March 18 at her home. A celebration of life began at noon today at the Rockwall Grange. Mrs. Weatherspoon was born April 18, 1939, to Lloyd Rodney and Gladys Marie (Dodson) Brock in White Salmon, Wash. She graduated from high school in Portland. In 1984 she moved to Elgin from Portland and worked as a bartender. On April 7, 1988, she married Donald Weatherspoon in Elgin. He died Sept. 15, 2005. Mrs. Weatherspoon loved rock hunting and the outdoors. She enjoyed her home and family. Survivors include her brother, Dwayne Lee … Read more

Biography of Hon. Josiah Failing

HON. JOSIAH FAILING. – The name brought to our state by this venerable pioneer, now no longer living, will always be revered by reason of the virtues of the man himself, and of the extensive reputation of the family which he founded upon our coast. His great-grandfather came to America from the Palatinate on the Rhine, and settled in the Mohawk valley west of Albany, New York, in 1703. Mr. Failing was born on his father’s farm July 9, 1806, at Canajohane, Montgomery county, New York. When quite a young man he removed to New York City, where he married … Read more

Frazer, Robert Lawrence – Obituary

April 2, Robert L., late of 3723 SE 28th; husband of Marie M. Frazer; brother of Bert E. Frazer, Mrs. Earl F. [Catherine] Seney, this city; uncle of Clifford F. Frazer, this city. Friends invited to attend funeral services Friday, 1 p.m., at the Conservatory Chapel of A. J. Rose & Son, SE 6th and Alder. Vault Interment Lincoln Memorial Park. The Oregonian, April 4, 1947 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Burnaugh, Dorothy Lillian McGowan – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Dorothy “Dottie” Lillian McGowan Burnaugh, 96, died March 16, 2004, in Eureka, Calif. She was born Aug. 4, 1907, in Enterprise to Claude A. and Olive (Boswell) Lockwood. While growing up in Enterprise, favorite childhood memories included entertaining the neighborhood by playing the piano with Orva and Bernice McFetridge on violin. She also won the Charleston dance contest in high school and played piano for the silent movies. After high school she attended Oregon Agricultural College (now Eastern Oregon University) in La Grande to study music followed by a return to the Portland area to study to become … Read more

Tauscher, Esther Juanita – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Esther Juanita Tauscher, 89, of La Grande, died May 27 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Esther was born July 15, 1917, the daughter of O. Dee and Ozie (Joplan) Collie in Wardville, Okla. She lived in La Grande from 1945 until 1962 when she moved to Portland where she worked as a meat wrapper for Safeway and later for Albertsons. She retired after 35 years. She returned to La Grande five years ago. She loved dancing, reading and sewing. She enjoyed spending … Read more

Hammack,Ross Robert

Ross Robert Hammack, 85, died on Nov. 27, 2004 He was born on Aug. 22, 1919 in Lostine to Floyd and Zelma Hammack, the youngest of six children. Ross graduated from Enterprise High School as president of his class and went to college at Oregon State University where he studied engineering. He married his wife of 63 years, Donna Mae Brown, on Aug. 2, 1941. He is survived by four children, Jonathan Ross Hammack (Linda) of Portland; Jeffrey Charles Hammack (Sandra) of Buhl, Idaho; Linda Hammack Giles (Don) of Portland; and Matthew Lyle Hammack of Danville, Calif.; nine grandchildren; nine … Read more