Billerbeck, Harry Paul – Obituary

Summerville, Union County, Oregon Harry Paul Billerbeck, 60, Summerville, died Tuesday in St. Helens of a heart attack. He was in St. Helens as a superintendent of a job in progress for A. J. Zinda Construction Co. Born in Rockford, Wash., he moved with his family to Wallowa County at the age of six. He attended schools until he began farming in 1929. After marriage to the former Bernice Slack of Enterprise in 1935, he moved to Union County to farm, later purchasing a farm here. Twelve years ago he went to work for the Zinda firm as a millwright. … Read more

Schwirse, Harold Joseph – Obituary

Oxbow, Oregon Harold Joseph Schwirse, 79, died on Saturday, June 26, 2004, at Oxbow. Hal had enjoyed coming to the Snake River area, long before Copperfield park was a park. A celebration of Hal’s life was held at St. Helens on Thursday, July 1, 2004. Arrangements are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, July 2004 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Biography of Hon. Dean Blanchard

HON. DEAN BLANCHARD. – Among those who have manifested great interest in the welfare of the Pacific Northwest as a whole, and Columbia county, Oregon, in particular, the gentleman above named figures conspicuously. He was born in Madison county, Maine, on December 20, 1832, where he resided on his father’s farm until 1853, when he left for California, reaching that state in December of that year. In April 1854, he came to Oregon, and located at St. Helens, having secured a situation as salesman and book-keeper in a store there. In 1855, he went with the command of Major Haller, … Read more

Sterns, John Austin – Obituary

Offers for the dead, followed by a requiem Mass, will be offered Monday, February 25, 9:30 a.m., for John Austin Sterns, 10256 S.E. 41st Court, Milwaukie, Oregon. Vault interment will follow at Willamette National Cemetery, Portland. Peake’s Memorial Chapel 1925 Scott St., Milwaukie, Oregon, is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Sterns was born in Baker on March 27, 1914. He died February 21 in a Milwaukie area hospital. Mr. Sterns lived in Baker until 1953 when he moved to St. Helen’s where he lived five years. In 1958 he moved to Medford and to Milwaukie two years later. He had … Read more

Biography of James McBride, M.D.

JAMES McBRIDE, M.D. – The representative pioneer is born, not made. If we glance over the history of the state-builders of the Northwest coast, we will find that not only were they pioneers in fact, but pioneers by descent, the sons and grandsons of those who laid broad and deep the foundations of the earlier communities of this republic. Doctor James McBride was in this sense a representative pioneer. He was descended from patriotic revolutionary stock. His grandfather, James McBride, was one of the patriot soldiers of the Revolution; and his grandmother, Mary Crawford, was a sister of the mother … Read more

Shoemaker, Mark D. “Monk” – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Mark D. “Monk” Shoemaker, 65, a longtime St. Helens resident, died Dec. 21, 2003, of natural causes. At the family’s request, disposition was by cremation. No service is planned. Mark was born on March 27, 1938, at Toppenish, Wash., to Marcus T. and Lorraine V. Embrey Shoemaker. He attended grade schools at Hermiston, where he lived a large part of his life. He was a 1957 Hermiston High School graduate and later moved to Coquille and then to the Myrtle Point area where he went to work for Roseburg Lumber Co. for several years. In the mid-1960s, Mark … 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

Heacock, Thomas Alphonso “Tom” – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Tom Heacock, 68, of Richland, died June 16, 2003, at his home. A celebration of his life will take place Wednesday, June 25 at 1 p.m. at Columbia View Park in St. Helens. Thomas Alphonso Heacock was born on Dec. 27, 1934, in Pennington County, Rapid City, S.D., to Frederick Alvorado and Lola Nancy Wright Heacock. When he was seven his family moved to St. Helens. Tom graduated from high school in St. Helens and went on to work at Boise Cascade. It was from that job that he retired, 43 years later. Tom and Nancy were married … Read more

Hammack, Albert James – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Rites Today For Albert James Hammack Albert James Hammack, of Deer Island, son of Mrs. Zelma Hammack of La Grande, and the late Floyd W. Hammack, passed away on Monday morning May 22, 1967 in a hospital at St. Helens following an illness of two weeks. Funeral services are being held today, Thursday, at 11 a.m. at the Lostine Presbyterian Church and Internment will be in the Lostine Cemetery. Albert was born at Lostine January 28, 1917, and graduated from the Lostine high school. He was a farmer by occupation and had lived at Deer Island … Read more

Davis, Kathryn Fae – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Kathryn Fae Davis of La Grande and formerly of St. Paul, died April 2 at a local care home. Kathryn was born in St. Helens to Fae and Lillie Irene (Rich) Harford. Her father died when she was a young girl, and her mother later remarried Tom Blum, who became a big part of her life. She and her husband, Lester “Sledge” Ernst, owned and operated Ernst Hardware Store in St. Paul until 1964. They had a son, Lester Fae Ernst, who died when he was a young child. Lester preceded her in death in 1969. On … Read more

Patrick Allen Morris – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Patrick Allen Morris, 41, of St. Helens, a former Baker City resident, died Oct. 28, 2001, at his home surrounded by family and friends. A memorial service in his honor is scheduled at 10 a.m. Monday in Baker City at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. There will be a memorial service at St. Helens Friday at the Moose Lodge, No. 591. Mr. Morris was born on Sept. 11, 1960, at the old St. Elizabeth Hospital in Baker City. He was an avid hunter and loved the mountains and fishing for anything … Read more

Schlegel, Willard “Willie” – Obituary

Willard “Willie” Schlegel, 82, a former Elgin resident, died June 26, 2003, at Emmett Rehab & Healthcare in Emmett, Idaho. The family invites all of Willie’s friends to join them in a memorial celebration of his life on Saturday, July 26, at 2 p.m. at the Stampede hall on the rodeo grounds in Elgin. The oldest son of Velma and William “Bill” Schlegel, Willie was born March 12, 1921, in Whitefish, Mont. He attended school in Whitefish, where he excelled in sports. In high school he was a member of the all-star team in both football and basketball. After graduation, … Read more

Marvin, Frances E. “Fran” Lungberg Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Frances E. “Fran” Marvin, 79, a longtime Baker City resident, died June 5, 2004, at her home. A memorial Mass will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets in Baker City. Rev. Robert C. Irwin will celebrate the Mass. Following the services everyone is invited to the Parish Hall at the church for a luncheon. Mrs. Marvin was born June 30, 1924, at Sturgis, S.D., the daughter of Carl Melvin and Lida Elizabeth (Sheldon) Lungberg. In 1943 she graduated from high school in St. Helens. She married Gilbert “Gib” … Read more