Sumpter Oregon

Dickison, Wilson McConnell “Willie” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Wilson McConnell “Willie” Dickison, 81, a longtime Baker City resident, died Oct. 26, 2004, at Providence Medical Center in Portland, after brain surgery. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at McEwen Bible Fellowship near Sumpter. Pastor Bill Cox will officiate. Interment will be at the Sumpter Cemetery. After the committal service at the cemetery, everyone is invited to the luncheon at the Masonic Hall in Sumpter. Visitations will be Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Wilson was born at Flora on May 1, 1923, to Mark and … Read more

Wood, Charles Douglas – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles Douglas Wood, 59, of Odell and a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 10, 2004, at Providence Hood River Memorial hospital. His funeral was Feb. 14, at Anderson’s Tribute Center in Hood River. Doug was born on Oct. 2, 1944, in Baker City to Harold Jack Wood and Olive M. Boling Wood. He was raised in Baker City and graduated from Baker High School in 1963. In 1965 he married Rita Gordon. They had two children, Tracy Lockwood and Camille McCafferty, both of whom live in Las Vegas. In 1972 Doug was married to Catherine Clement. … Read more

Blaylock, Thomas Reed “Tom” – Obituary

Thomas Reed “Tom” Blaylock, 79, died Sept. 8, 2005, at St. Charles Hospital in Bend. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the McEwen Bible Fellowship. Pastor Bill Cox will officiate. Interment will be at the Sumpter Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded by Baker City AMVETS, Post No. 1874. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Tom was born on Aug. 8, 1926, at Seattle, Wash. He came to Oregon in 1945. He rode a horse to Arlington to work on a ranch. He graduated from school at Arlington. He … Read more

Old Sumpter Cemetery, Sumpter, Oregon (1)

One of the earliest cemeteries in Baker County is located at Sumpter. We have been unable to learn exactly when it was started but it is believed to have had its beginning soon after discovery of gold in the area, some time in the 1860’s. The cemetery is located just off of State Highway 220, about one mile south and east of the town of Sumpter on the right hand side of the road going westward. Sumpter was first settled by a few white men who mined in the area. Later several hundred Chinese came to the mines. Many of … Read more

Province, Richard La Verne – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Richard “Dick” La Verne Province, 78, of Elgin, died Sept. 19 at his home. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Elgin Stampede Hall. Dick was born on Oct. 3, 1928, to Fred and Florence (Haustien) Province in Callaway, Neb. He served as a Seaman Second Class in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1947. He was a long-time logger in Pierce, Idaho, La Grande, Elgin and Sumpter. He participated in all phases of the logging process and retired in 2006. He moved to Elgin from La Grande in 2005. Dick was a … Read more

Harrison, Joe E. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Joe E. Harrison, 85, died at his home in Baker City on Jan. 22, 2003. At his request, there will be no funeral. An urn burial will take place later at Lane Memorial Gardens in Eugene. Joe E. Harrison was born on Dec. 24, 1917, at Wallowa to John Baker Harrison and Lula Jane Markham Harrison. He attended school at McEwen in Sumpter Valley until the age of 16 when he moved to New Bridge in Pine Valley to finish his education and to work in the Cornucopia Gold Mine. He later moved to Portland where he … Read more

Quartz Mining, Baker County Oregon

About two thousand claims on quartz lodes have been recorded in Baker County since 1862. More or less development work has been done on most of them, perhaps one half of them having been worked to the extent which the law requires in order to make the claim secure. Nineteen quartz mills have been built, ranging in capacity from two to sixty tons per day. The first one built was the Ruckles mill at Baker City, which was put in operation in 1864. The mill was run by waterpower, and was built to work the ore from what was then … Read more

Biography of Arthur A. Miller

The list of Wallowa County’s business men and prominent stock raisers would be quite incomplete were there failure to incorporate in the number that of the prominent and intelligent young man which is the subject of this sketch, and of whom we are pleased to record that he has manifested marked ability in business enterprises during the years in which he has wrought here, as well as before coming here, and that also there must be accredited to him sound principles, and a high sense of honor that he has maintained intact and by which excellent sagacity he is demeaned. … Read more

Pearce, Charles R. – Obituary

Charles R. Pearce, 89, of Nampa, Idaho, died at his home with his family by his side on April 4, 2003. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Hall at 15403 Sumpter Stage Highway near Sumpter. Pastor Bill Cox will perform the service at the Fellowship Hall. Charles and his wife Jeanette were members of this church when they lived in Sumpter. Arrangements are under the direction of Alsip & Persons Funeral Chapel, 404 10th Ave. S. at Nampa. Charles was born to Clara and David Penn Pearce at Belton, Texas, on Sept. 5, … Read more

Crockett, Rosslee Dama “Rosy” Taylor Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Rosslee Dama “Rosy” Crockett, 82, a longtime Baker City resident, died Dec. 21, 2000, at her home. A celebration of her life will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Darlene Friedlander will conduct the service. A reception will follow the service in the Oregon Trail Room at the Quality Inn Motel, 810 Campbell St. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Mrs. Crockett was born Feb. 8, 1918, at Monett, Mo., to Leslie A. Taylor … Read more

Crane, Helen Iva Ranes Mrs. – Obituary

Helen Iva Ranes Crane, 80, of Baker City, died June 21, 2005, at Baker City. There will be no service. She will be buried in the family plot at Lostine. Helen was born to Fred Richard Ranes of Forest Grove and Iva Agnes Harris Ranes of Pomroy, Wash. She was raised in Wallowa County and then spent the rest of her life at Sumpter and Baker City. She was married to Billie Jerome Crane at Weiser, Idaho, on Nov. 29, 1941. They divorced in 1950. She married Dorrel George Dotson in La Grande on Dec. 19, 1950. They divorced in … Read more

Dinger, Jiles D. – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Dinger, Jiles D. Jiles D. Dinger, 91, a former Sumpter and Baker City resident, died Sunday, December 28, 2003, at Kellogg, Idaho, while recuperating from injuries sustained in a fall. His graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. MST Monday at the Valley View Cemetery in Vale. Pastor Roy Obermeier of Willowcreek Community Church at Willowcreek will officiate. Vault interment will be after the service. Jiles Dennis Dinger was born at Taloga, Okla., on July 28, 1912. He worked on a farm for 20 years. He also was part owner of the Sumpter Supply Store. He loved mining … Read more

Flower, Anna Mae Whiting Mrs. – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Anna Mae Whiting Flower, 86, of La Grande, who taught school for many years in Eastern Oregon, died Jan. 18, 2004, at La Grande. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Island City Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was born on April 11, 1917, at Mount Glenn to Edward Daniel and Mary Emelia “Mille” Olsen Whiting. She married Jake Cecil Flower on Jan. 17, 1944, at Los Angeles. They were later divorced. The couple had three children, Kay, Lee and Keith. Anna attended schools at Mount Glenn and La Grande. She … Read more

Beck, Arlyn Duane – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Arlyn Duane Beck, 89, of Baker City, died Dec. 28, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. The rosary was said Sunday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. A Memorial Mass was celebrated Monday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. The Revs. Julian Cassar and Camillus Fernando concelebrated the Mass. Arlyn was born on Aug. 14, 1916, at Molalla, the second of four sons born to Walter A. and Agnes M. Robbins Beck. He received his early schooling in the Meadowbrook area near Molalla. When he was 12 the family moved … Read more

McKim, Doris J. Gardinier Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Doris J. McKim, 94, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 7, 2004, at Ashley Manor Care Center. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St. The Rev. Susan Barnes of the church will officiate. Private inurnment will be later at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. McKim was born May 25, 1909, at Sumpter, to Frank and Julia Demro Gardinier, the seventh of eight children. Doris married Dr. Charles Palmer McKim in 1936 at The Dalles. Mrs. McKim worked as the secretary at Baker High School from 1964 until … Read more

Menolascina, Kay Sharon Phillips Mrs. – Obituary

Kay Sharon Menolascina, 68, of Baker City, died July 16, 2009, at an adult foster care home after an extended illness. At her request, her body was cremated. Private inturnment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Menolascina was born on Nov. 17, 1940, at Oregon City to Raymond I. and Emma “Jean” Phillips. Kay graduated from Franklin High School where she sang in the choir. She also attended Business College. For more than 10 years she and her husband, Dino, operated D & K Detector Sales, a successful metal detecting and prospecting business they started together in 1968 in … Read more

Wire, Sedonia M. Davis Mrs. – Obituary

Sedonia M. Wire, 93, of Lebanon died Sunday May 11, 2003, at Twin Oaks Care Center in Sweet Home. A graveside service was held Thursday, May 15, 2003 at Providence Cemetery near Scio. Huston-Jost Funeral Home handled the arrangements. She was born Oct. 21, 1909, in Portland, the daughter of Leroy and Anna (Burghardt) Davis. She was raised on a farm in the Lebanon area and graduated from Albany High School. During World War II, she worked at Fort Lewis, Wash. On Oct. 8, 1943, she married Walter Wire. The couple moved to Lebanon then settled in Sumpter. Her husband … Read more

Thornton, Marcia A. Carver Mrs. – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Marcia A. Thornton, 67, of Sumpter, a Baker County native, died March 19, 2001, at her home. Her memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the McEwen Bible Fellowship. Pastor Bill Cox of the church will officiate. Mrs. Thornton was born on Nov. 14, 1933, at Baker City to Alice and George Carver. She attended schools in Baker, Hermiston and Walla Walla, Wash. She was a 1951 Baker High School graduate. She married Norman Charles Thornton on Dec. 1, 1950, at Pasco, Wash. They lived in Baker City and had homes in Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Nevada, … Read more

VanCleave, Gordon E., Sr. – Obituary

Gordon E.VanCleave Sr., 78, of Mount Vernon, a former longtime Baker County resident, died July 2, 2003, at Mount Vernon. He was born on Oct. 16, 1924, at Hereford to Benjamin Franklin and Sarah Maude Williams VanCleave. They moved to the Sumpter junction when he was small and he had lived in Baker County most of his life. He loved to hunt and fish and he loved the mountains and camping. He was a logger, rancher and truck driver. He especially loved coaching high school rodeo. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1945. He married his wife, … Read more

Laursen, Maybelle Sheret Mrs. – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Maybelle Laursen, 78, a resident of Deer Creek Road near Sumpter, died Oct. 18, 2002, at her home. At her request there will be no service. Disposition was by cremation. Mrs. Laursen was born at Seattle, Wash., on Aug. 8, 1924, a daughter of Albert Alexander and Sarah Durie Sheret. She was raised and educated at Milwaukie. She started her career as a telephone operator in British Columbia and returned to the United States working for Pacific Northwest Bell as a long-distance operator. She met and married Otto Laursen in 1953 at Portland. They were married 46 years … Read more