Prairie City Oregon

Biographical Sketch of Dr. V. C. Balkans

A well known and popular physician of Prairie City, and one whose kind, attentive treatment of the sick, and geniality of manner towards the well have made hint deservedly the favorite of all classes, was born near Corvallis, Ore, in 1871. He received his preliminary education in the schools of Prineville, and later in Portland. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1894, and then practiced for a while in the hospital there. In January 1895, he located at Prairie City, where he is still practicing. He is married to Miss Clara McHaley, and his home is the … Read more

Jacoby, Nellie Althea – Obituary

Nellie Aletha Jacoby, 84, of Union, died Oct. 13 after an extended illness. A graveside service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Prairie City Cemetery in Prairie City. Nellie was born Nov. 14, 1922, to William and Beatrice King. Those who knew her say family was what Nellie was all about. She loved writing poetry and spending time with family and friends. Survivors include her six children, Georgia Shank of Union, Ed Jacoby Jr. of Imbler, Corkey Jacoby of Salem, Terry Everidge of La Grande and Susie Young of Union; two brothers, Wilbur King and Dave King, both … Read more

Taylor Brothers

John and Solomon Taylor, composing the term of Taylor Bros., who operate the Prairie City Roller Mills, are natives of that grand old commonwealth Ohio. The older brother, John, became a resident of the county in 1862, and for a number of years was engaged in mining on Canyon creek. In 1881, on the arrival of his brother they became engaged in farming three miles from Prairie City, and today have 640 acres under cultivation, all of it being highly improved. Their home being one of the nicest in the county. In 1891 they bought the mill property which is … Read more

Pratt, Larry Arnold – Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon Larry Arnold Pratt, 67, of Prairie City, who was raised in North Powder, died April 28, 2005, after a long illness. His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Haines Cemetery. There will be a reception dinner afterward at the First Baptist Church in Haines, 714 Cole. Visitations will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Grays West & Co. Pioneer Chapel , 1500 Dewey Ave. He was born on Dec. 2, 1937, to Louis and Edythe Pratt and was raised on the North Powder River, and attended North Powder School. He was … Read more

Eccles, Richard David – Obituary

Richard David Eccles, 78, of Stockton, Calif., died Saturday, May 3, 2003, in a hospital. A memorial service was held in Stockton. Eccles was born Sept. 2, 1924, in Hood River and lived in Whitney and Prairie City where he attended the first grade. He lived in Stockton for 50 years. Eccles was a self-employed helicopter pilot for 40 years, and was a former president of Helicopter Association of American and Helicopter Association International. He served in the Naval Air Corps as a lieutenant and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He is survived by … Read more

Leishman, Carl – Obituary

Carl Leishman, 83, of Prairie City, a former Baker City resident, died April 18, 2003, at his daughter’s home in Prairie City. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Prairie City Cemetery. Mr. Leishman was born on Jan. 30, 1910, at Baker City to John and Martine Leishman. He attended Baker schools and was a 1928 Baker High School graduate. After high school he moved to Bates where he worked at various jobs including firing a wood-burning locomotive and serving as purchasing agent and office manager for Oregon Lumber Co. In 1946, he purchased the Bates … Read more

Landweer, Vada Adelle Graves Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vada Adelle Landweer, 57, died Sept. 25, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. There will be a celebration of her life at 3 p.m. (MDT) Friday at Bucky’s Cafe in Cambridge, Idaho. Vada was born on Oct. 13, 1946, at Baker City. She was raised at Sparta and attended the Sawmill Gulch school and Eagle Valley High School at Richland. She attended her last year of high school at Vale, where she graduated. During her life, she lived in Prairie City, and then moved to Richland. Her last years were near the Cambridge, Idaho, … Read more

Jackson, William David “Bill” – Obituary

William “Bill” David Jackson, 57, of Prairie City, Ore., passed away April 8, 2008, in Richland, Wash. A graveside service was held 1 p.m., Monday, April 14, at the Prairie City Cemetery. Bill was born Sept. 27, 1950, in Baker City, Ore. to David M. and Elaine (Spiropolas) Jackson. He graduated from Baker High School in 1969 and achieved a BS from Eastern Oregon University in 1974. He also received a Masters. On October 24, 1981, Bill married Cynthia Beck in Portland, Ore. The couple had two sons, Kyle and Jason. Bill loved the out of doors and was an … Read more

Vandetta, Ray – Obituary

Ray Vandetta, 55, of Baker City died Jan. 4, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Moose Lodge, 61341 Highway 97, in Bend. Ray was born on Sept. 20, 1949, at Prairie City to Choicey Aldura Jones and Charles Freeman Vandetta. He grew up at Monument. At the age of 12, the family moved to Bend. Ray lived most of his life in John Day, until moving to Baker City in 2002. Ray was an avid hunter and fisherman; he enjoyed anything that included being in the great outdoors. He … Read more

Burril, Verna Lee Kirkwood Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Verna Lee Burril, 65, died March 29, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A celebration of life will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the McEwen Bible Fellowship, which is located 23 miles south of Baker City on Highway 7. Verna was born June 6, 1938 to Vernon and Ernestine Kirkwood at Prairie City. In the early 1950s she married Harry “Ted” Barnhart and had three children, Terry, Ted and Mitch. They were divorced in the early 1970s. She later remarried. Her son Ted now resides in Lolo, Mont., and Terry and Mitch live in Baker … Read more

Shreffler, Clem – Obituary

Clem Shreffler, 96, of Prairie City, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 6, 2006, at Prairie City. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Darrell Johnson of Grace Chapel at Prairie City and Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church at Baker City will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Clem E. Shreffler was born to Ferd and Mary Shreffler in Culdesac, Idaho, on Feb. 22, 1909. Clem was the fourth of six children in the family. At … Read more

Pratt, Edythe Augusta Boyce Mrs. – Obituary

Edythe Augusta Pratt, 91, of Prairie City, died Aug. 23, 2006, at Blue Mountain Nursing Home in Prairie City. Her graveside service will be Friday at 1 p.m. at the Haines Cemetery, with Pastor Frank Humber officiating. There will be a reception afterward at the Haines Baptist Church. Visitations will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Edythe was born on Aug. 8, 1915, at Baker City to Robert and Leilath Boyce. She had three brothers and five sisters. She married Louis Franklyn Pratt in 1933 and was married … Read more

Davis, Wilma D. – Obituary

Wilma D. Davis, 86, of Hood River, a former Northeastern Oregon resident, died Jan. 4, 2005. The family will gather later for burial of her ashes. Wilma was born on April 20, 1918, at Prairie City to Alma Davis and Annie Merle Dalton Davis. She grew up and attended school at Prairie City. She later lived in the Hood River area. Wilma’s dad and his family came from Kansas across the Oregon Trail when he was 5 years old. She is remembered by her family as a very compassionate person who always had a ready smile. Survivors include her brothers, … Read more

Watkins, Patricia Joe Frey Mrs. – Obituary

Patricia Joe Watkins, 76, of St. Helens, a former Baker City resident, died March 18, 2003, at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. At her request, there will be no funeral. Patricia was born on April 3, 1926, at Baker City to Frank and Neni Eddy Frey. She attended schools at Austin, Baker City and Prairie City and was a 1943 graduate of Prairie City High School. She married Donald Leslie Watkins in 1946. She had been a resident of St. Helens since 1960. She worked for many years at the Bank of St. Helens and Western Bank at St. Helens … Read more

Owens, Viola J. “Mike” Mrs. – Obituary

Prairie City, Grant County, Oregon Viola J. “Mike” Owens,73, of Prairie City, Ore., died Monday, March 13, 2006, at Blue Mountain Nursing Home in John Day, Ore. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, March 17, 2006, at Driskill Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at Canyon City Cemetery. Survivors include three daughters, Kathy Moothart of Mt. Vernon, Connie Lee Carstens of Baker City, and Linda Phelps of Prineville; nine grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. Contributions may be made to the Viola Owens Memorial Fund through Driskill Memorial Chapel 241 S Canyon Blvd John Day, OR 97845. Used with … Read more

Wright, Guy Lloyd – Obituary

Guy Lloyd Wright, 81, of Prairie City, Ore., died Thursday, July 20, 2006, at his residence. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29, 2006, at Prairie City Cemetery with Pastor Darrell Johnson officiating. A reception will follow at the Strawberry Mountain Grange. Guy was born May 30, 1925, in Baker City, Ore., to Earl and Ann (Grabill) Wright. He attended school in Baker City through the 11th grade. He married Emiline Zemmer on June 10, 1946. He was a security guard at a mill for many years and retired as one. Guy loved gardening roses, and … Read more

Davis, Claire Guttridge Mrs. – Obituary

Claire Guttridge Davis, 98, a native of Prairie City and a a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 12, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Chapel, 3325 Pocahontas Road. The Rev. Rob Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Interment will be at the Prairie City Cemetery. Mrs. Davis was born May 26, 1902, at Prairie City to John Sherman and Anna Brodie Guttridge. She was raised on the Guttridge Ranch south of Prairie City and was a graduate of Prairie City High School. She married Herbert … Read more

Patterson, Ethel Hazel Reed Mrs. – Obituary

Ethel Hazel Patterson, 97, of John Day, died Oct. 9, 2005, at Blue Mountain Nursing Home in Prairie City. Her graveside memorial service will be Saturday at the Fox Cemetery in Fox. Ethel was born on Aug. 11, 1908, at Fox to George and Amanda Medlin Reed. She grew up in the Fox Valley and attended school at Cottonwood, John Day and Hood River. In 1924, Ethel married John Smith at Hood River. She and John remained married for about 25 years before they divorced. She operated a dress shop and restaurant at Condon for a while. A few years … Read more

Sullens, Wilbert L. “Will” – Obituary

Wilbert “Will” L. Sullens, 79, of Medical Springs, died April 4, 2005, at his home. His memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Dale Bingham will conduct the services. Everyone is invited to a finger-food potluck reception at the VFW Hall, 2005 Valley Ave., immediately following the service. Will was born Nov. 3, 1925, in Prairie City to Russell and Madeleine (Barlow) Sullens. He was raised and received his education in Prairie City. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, attending flight school in Santa Ana, Calif. He was honorably … Read more

Asher, Mabel Roland Mrs. – Obituary

Mabel Roland Asher, 94, of Prairie City, a former Baker City resident, died January 10, 2005, in Prairie City. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Private vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Mabel was born on Jan. 18, 1910, in Wheeler County. She was the oldest of five children. Mabel lived in the Wheeler County area from birth until shortly before her marriage. Like many children of the era, Mabel rode a horse to at … Read more