Laird, William Edward “Bill” – Obituary

William Edward “Bill” Laird, 66, of Baker City, died April 16, 2005, at his home after a long bout with brain cancer. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Bill was born on Nov. 15, 1938, at Ketchikan, Alaska, to Ruth and Edward Laird, who was an engineer with the Lighthouse Service, now the Coast Guard. Bill’s mother died when he was a baby and he was mostly raised by his stepmother, Anna Laura Laird. The family moved to California when Bill was 5, followed by several other moves around the country. … Read more

Beitz, Phyllis Ann Fisk Mrs. – Obituary

Pine Valley, Baker County, Oregon Phyllis Beitz, 76, died April 28, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Private interment will be at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Phyllis Ann was born on Sept. 30, 1928, to Frank and Mary Fisk at the Pine Valley home of her grandparents, Tom and Willie Harmon. She attended first and second grades at Pine Valley and Grades 3-6 in Baker. Her seventh- through 11th- grade years were spent at San Diego, but she returned to Halfway to graduate in 1946. After high school, Phyllis moved to San Diego to work at an aeronautical … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. John Claypool

Mrs. John Claypool, matron 1908-9, the successor of Adelia Eaton, came from membership in the class of Mrs. A. W. Crawford of the First Presbyterian Church of San Diego, California. Her work is gratefully remembered for its uniform faithfulness and efficiency, and the sweet beneficent influence exerted by the noble womanhood and manhood of herself and husband, previously employed in a bank, who also came and remained with her at the institution. Through the aid of the latter, the profit on the poultry was greater that year, than in any other. The garden that year was greatly enlarged and surrounded … Read more

Barnhart, Olive A. Brisson – Obituary

Mrs. Olive A. Barnhart, former Ellensburg resident, died Tuesday, Jan. 24 [1961] at the home of her son Fred G. Barnhart in San Diego, Calif., at the age of 76 years. Mrs. Barnhart was born August 15, 1884 in Flint, Mich., and was married to P. Fred Barnhart in Wenatchee, June 1903. Following their marriage they moved to Ellensburg where he farmed for several years in the Fairview District before moving into town when Mr. Barnhart began working for the N. P. Railway. In 1917 they were moved to Pasco by the railroad and Mrs. Barnhart lived there until 1952, … Read more

Biography of Arthur O. Fisher, M. D

Dr. Arthur O. Fisher, who has attained prominence as a surgeon of St. Louis, was born August 4, 1884, in the state of Wisconsin. His father, E. A. Fisher, was a druggist of Wisconsin for several years but at a recent date retired from business, though he still makes his home in the Badger state. He married Emma Steuber, a daughter of Casper Steuber of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. He, too, survives. Dr. Fisher was their only child. He obtained his early education in the public schools of his native state and afterward attended the University of Wisconsin, from which … Read more

Cross, Evalyn Lois – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Evalyn Lois Cross, 92, of La Grande, died Oct. 1 at a local care center. A funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande. Burial will follow at the Cove Cemetery. A viewing will be held today from 4 to 6 p.m. at Daniels-Knopp. Evalyn was born April 11, 1917, to George and Olive (Haak) Kirkpatrick in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She moved to California in 1938 and married Harry Cross in 1943. They lived in Lawndale, Banning and then San Diego. Evalyn was a … Read more

Melchior, Bertha Mae “Peggy” Mrs. – Obituary

Bertha Mae “Peggy” Melchior, 71 of Halfway, died July 25, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center surrounded by her family. A celebration of Peggy’s life will be scheduled later. Peggy was born and raised at San Diego. In 1950, while working at Rohr making airplane parts, Peggy met and later married Donald Johnson. They had one daughter, Sherry. That marriage ended in divorce. A few years later, she married James Robert Melchior. They had three children, Jim, Dorothy and Gary. When Jim’s tour of duty in the Navy was up, they returned to his home state of Colorado. After … Read more

Ison, Luther Oliver Rev. – Obituary

The Rev. Luther Oliver Ison, 90, a former Baker City resident who served as an Episcopal priest for 61 years, died Oct. 17, 2007, at Vista, Calif. Father Ison was born and raised at Baker City. He was the son of Dr. Virgil Strother Ison and the grandson of Judge Luther Buford Ison, both of Baker City. He attended Reed College at Portland; The University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn.; and General Seminary in New York City. He was a builder of congregations, rectories, schools and church buildings, as well as an eight-story U.S. Department of Housing and Urban … 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