Saunders, Raymond M. “Ray”, Jr. – Obituary

Raymond M. “Ray” Saunders Jr., 78, of Hermiston, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Dec. 2, 2005, at his home. His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Gordon Bond will officiate. Ray was born on July 30, 1927, at Salem. He moved with his family to Eagle Valley at the age of 5. He was a 1945 graduate of Eagle Valley High School at Richland. Ray married Alice Martin on March 10, 1946, at Richland. He joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the South Pacific on the USS Hollandia … Read more

McNulty, Viola Margaret “Vi” Devine Mrs. – Obituary

Viola Margaret “Vi” Devine McNulty, 96, died Aug. 8, 2005, at the Siuslaw Care Center in Florence. A private family graveside service was held in honor of Viola on Aug. 18 at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. A rosary and Mass for the repose of the soul of Viola were offered at the St. Therese Catholic Church in Halfway. Vi Devine was born on Nov. 13, 1908, in Oklahoma to Herbert and Ida Cecilia Stroud Devine. At birth Vi weighed less than three pounds. Stories passed down from family indicate that her tiny head would fit in a teacup and … Read more

Hinzpeter, Norbert O. – Obituary

Norbert ‘Nibs’ O. Hinzpeter Formerly of La Grande 1919-2009 Norbert “Nibs” Otto Hinzpeter, 89, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande, died of a heart attack Oct. 22 at St. Elizabeth Health Services in Baker City. A celebration of his life will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Community Connection/Baker Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St. in Baker City. Pastor Sally Wiens of the Haines United Methodist Church will officiate. Friends and family are invited to have a light meal at Community Connection following the service. Nibs was born Dec. 7, 1919, to William and Ida (Harris) Hinzpeter in St. … Read more

Richardson, George Gerald – Obituary

George Gerald Richardson, 81, a lifetime resident of Baker County, died Feb. 7, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at the Baker City Elks Lodge, No. 388, 1896 Second St. Pastor Ralph Holcomb of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Ritualistic rites will be accorded by the Baker Elks Lodge, and military rites will be accorded by Baker City American Legion Post No. 41. Vault interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be Monday from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. George … Read more

Remsen, Ruth Abbott Mrs. – Obituary

Ruth Abbott Remsen, 83, of Richland, Wash., a former Richland, Ore., resident, died April 8, 2005, in the company of her daughter. Her graveside memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the Island City Cemetery. She was born Aug. 13, 1921, in Malheur County, near Weiser, Idaho, to Isaiah and Nannie May Wade Abbott. Ruth was one of 11 children. Ruth and her husband, Mearl F. “Mick” Remsen, were married on July 7, 1942. After the war, the family moved to Lakeview, where they lived for 12 years. They later moved to La Grande, where … Read more

Sass, Rowena Louise Howell Mrs. – Obituary

Rowena Louise Howell Sass, 83, of Baker City, died March 22, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Disposition was by cremation at Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. A private service will be held at a later date. Rowena was born May 11, 1920, near Richland to Orla and Imogene Cooper Howell. She attended 12 years of school in Richland, graduating from Eagle Valley High School in 1937. She then attended Baker Business College in 1938. Rowena worked at Baker Packing Co. for about 10 years before marrying John R. Sass on Sept. 17, 1948. John and Rowena had two children: Robbi … Read more

Graven, Ethel L. Gillett Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Ethel L. Graven, 96, of Weiser, Idaho, a former resident of Baker City and Halfway, died Jan. 19, 2003, at an assisted living center in Weiser. Her graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church will officiate. Visitations will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Ethel Graven was born on Sept. 9, 1906, at Halfway to William T. Clark and Lillie Gillett. Ethel was raised at Halfway by … Read more

Ashby, Wanden Lloyd – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Wanden Lloyd Ashby, 77, of Richland, died Nov. 10, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise of complications from heart surgery. His graveside service will be at noon Saturday at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Ralph Holcomb of the Baker Christian Church will officiate. Military rites will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7847, Halfway. Wanden was his own man. He served his country during World War II, after joining the U.S. Navy at age 16 with his dad’s OK. He received two Purple Hearts, one in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and … Read more

Ashby, Madonna Cummings Mrs. – Obituary

Madonna Cummings Ashby, 79, a former Richland resident, died Dec. 4, 2007, in Seaview, Wash. A graveside service at Eagle Valley Cemetery has already been held. Madonna was born to Albert and Jessie Sullivan Cummings on Aug. 9, 1928, in Portland, the fifth of six children. Her happiest memories were of those times spent on the ranch with her brothers and sisters and loving parents. Madonna attended school in Richland, graduating from Eagle Valley High. She went on to college in Portland. On May 25, 1946, she married Dale Ashby. Madonna and Dale were the parents of three children: Randall … Read more

Hickerson, Kenneth “Ken” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Kenneth “Ken” Hickerson, 63, of Baker City died Oct. 12, 2002, at his home. His graveside funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church will officiate. There will be a potluck for family and friends at the Richland Grange after the service. Mr. Hickerson was born Feb. 19, 1939, at Baker City. He was the only son of Wallace Hickerson and Shirley Evans Hickerson Hageman. He was educated at Richland and Baker City. Upon graduating, he joined the U.S. Army and served his country … Read more

Yaggie, Barbara Cast Mrs. – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Barbara Yaggie, 76, of Richland, died Nov. 10, 2000, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A private family memorial service will be scheduled later this spring at the Summers Ranch. The family asks that no flowers be sent at this time. Mrs. Yaggie was born Aug. 12, 1924, at Little Rock, Ark., to Leonard and Beatrice Cast. In 1943, she married Ralph D’Adamo. They moved to San Diego in 1949 and had three daughters. She was a homemaker. Her youngest daughter married and left home in 1972. She then pursued a career and went to work for the San … Read more

Herbert R. Fenner – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Herbert R. Fenner, 100, of Baker City and a former Richland resident, died March 2, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. At his request, disposition was by cremation. Interment will be later in Wisconsin. Mr. Fenner was born on Aug. 30, 1901, in Wisconsin to Frank and Mary Fenner. He worked as a salesman in heavy equipment and lived in various locations. Mr. Fenner was a member of the Baker City Masonic Lodge, No. 47 A.F. & A.M., Scottish Rite and Baker County Shrine Club. He enjoyed fishing. Survivors include his son, Dean Fenner of White … Read more

Masterson, Jesse Clarence – Obituary

Services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Christian Church, Richland, for Jesse Clarence Masterson, 78, a retired stockman who died at his home in Baker Sunday evening. Pastors Roy Biggs, Richland and Joe Jewett, Richland, will officiate. Interment will follow at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Mr. Masterson was born at Lostine, Oregon, September 15, 1884, the son of Robert A. and Maria Reese Masterson. He attended schools in Lostine and Richland, ans was married to Angie Ownbey in 1907 at Joseph, Oregon. He lived at Wallowa, Oregon, for a short time after his marriage, then … Read more

Basche, Helen Leake Mrs. – Obituary

Helen Basche, 88, a longtime Richland resident, died Jan. 7, 2007, at Richland. There will be a celebration of Helen’s life at 11 a.m. Monday at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception afterward at Warren and Betty Whitnah’s home in Richland. Helen was born on July 26, 1918, at Flora, Ill., to Edward Leake and Delia Morrison Leake. Helen’s father died when she was quite young and the family moved west to be near relatives. Going west, they found their home at Halfway, where Helen was raised and educated. During her … Read more

Walker, Harriet Hortense Ward Mrs. – Obituary

Harriet Walker, 98, died on April 11, 2006, at Arcadia, Calif. With the help of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, Harriet is now resting next to her parents at Cloverdale Cemetery in Boise. Harriet Hortense Walker, or “Aunt Horty” as she was affectionately known, was born at home in Nampa, Idaho, on Aug. 8, 1908, to Kate Share Ward and Henry B. Ward. She lost her hearing at the age of 9 months, the result of scarlet fever and whooping cough. At age 7, Harriet and her mother boarded a train at Nampa on their way to the Idaho State … Read more

Williams, Daryl LaVerne Holtzer Mrs. – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Daryl LaVerne Williams, 84, died Saturday, July 22, 2006, in Richland, Ore. She will be intered at a later date with her husband in Eagle Point National Cemetery. Daryl was born on Sept. 18, 1921, in Port Carbon, Penn., to William and Laura Goodwin Holtzer. She was raised in Port Carbon and graduated from Port Carbon High School in 1939. LaVerne met and married George Edward Williams on May 28, 1940, in Minersville, Penn. Together they lived for many years in Pennsylvania raising their only son Gary then left Pennsylvania for California in January 1956 and lived in … Read more

Tuning, Rachel Sarah Bogart Mrs. – Obituary

Rachel Sarah Tuning, 93, of Baker City, died Nov. 14, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Roger Scovil of Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Private interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Rachel was born on May 26, 1912, at Richland to Clarence and Lyda Bogart. She was a 1931 Richland High School graduate and went on to nurses training in Baker City. She worked as a nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital and later at Cedar Manor Nursing Home. In 1935, she married … Read more

Robinette, Amos D. – Obituary

Funeral services for Amos D. Robinette, 77, of Newbridge, a lifetime Baker county resident, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday Feb. 12, 1970 at Christian Church at Richland, Oregon. Leora Sharp will officiate and the Pine Masonic Lodge No. 149 A.F. & A.M. will participate. Interment will follow in the family plot at Eagle Valley Cemetery, Richland, Oregon. Mr. Robinette was born on New Years Day, Jan. 1, 1893 at Robinette, Oregon, the son of pioneer parents, James E. and Eva Lincoln Robinette. Mr. Robinette’s father James E. homesteaded at Robinette and the township was named in his honor. … Read more

Kirby, Ella R. – Obituary

Ella R. Kirby, 78, who lived in Baker County all of her life, died at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Tuesday, Feb 14, after a long illness. Rosary will be recited at St. Francis Cathedral in Baker Friday night and mass will be said Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the cathedral with Father Joseph Hayes officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Those who wish to contribute to the memorial fund for the Durkee Catholic Church in lieu of sending flowers. Mrs. Kirby was born March 14, 1882, at Richland, Oregon, the daughter of Fredrick and Mary Simonis, … Read more

Vernholm, Willard Dale – Obituary

Willard Dale Vernholm, 73, of Baker City, died Sept. 25, 2005, at Idlewood Manor. At his request there will be no services. Cremation by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. Dale was born on Feb. 11, 1932, in York, Neb., to Carl Willard and Lois Louetta Middleton Vernholm. When Dale was about 4 years old the family moved to Corvallis. He attended school at Lewisburg and Corvallis High School. In 1947, at 15, Dale’s family moved to New Plymouth, Idaho. When Dale was only 16, but needing to be 18, he lied about his age and went to work for the Payette … Read more