The Dalles Oregon

Biography of John M. Crooks

John M. Crooks, now deceased, was numbered among the Idaho pioneers of 1862 and was at one time the owner of the land upon which the town of Grangeville is now located. He was born in Indiana, June 28, 1820, and was of Irish and German lineage. He married Martha Pea, a native of Virginia, and in 1852 they crossed the plains to Oregon, accompanied by their five children. One child was added to the number during the journey. For many long weeks they were upon the way, traveling across the arid sands or through the mountain passes, but at … Read more

Coon, Delbert Ernest – Obituary

Delbert Ernest Coon, 81, of Odell, a former Baker City resident, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at his home. Private cremation was held at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home are in charge of arrangements. There will be a private family service and inurnment later at Baker City. He was born on Sept. 30, 1921, at Portland, the only child of Oliver and Edna Craig Coon. Delbert was raised at Baker City where he attended schools. He served as a medic in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed at North Africa and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George A. Herbert

GEORGE A. HERBERT. – The parents of George A. Herbert crossed the plains in 1850, locating in Wasco county, where our subject was born January 22, 1860, on Fifteen-mile creek. The early years of George’s life were spent on the farm of his father until he reached the age of sixteen years. Previous to this time his opportunities for securing an education were very limited; but afterwards he was able to attend The Dalles Public School during the winter, while he still rode the ranges during the summer. In 1879 he commenced a regular course of study at the Oregon … Read more

Bork, Ivan Richard – Obituary

Ivan Richard Bork, 84, a resident of The Dalles, since 1966, died at a local care center on Saturday, July 21, 2001. He was born May 30, 1917, in Flora, Oregon, the oldest of eight children to Ira H. and Lora (Moys) Bork He was the grandson of early Wallowa County pioneers, Rudolph and Bertha Bork, who came from Germany in 1885 and settled in Wallowa County as United States citizens in 1891. Ivan was married to Leola Surber on June 23, 1940, in Enterprise, by the same Justice of Peace, A.B. Conway, that had married their parents, Ira and … Read more

Spellman, Gladys A. Wing Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Gladys A. Spellman, 75, of Baker City, died Sept. 29, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Dennis Hickman of First Lutheran Church will officiate. Gladys was born at Wamic on Sept. 3, 1927, to George and Della Wing. She was from a pioneer family from Germany that migrated with covered wagons to Oregon City, then to Wamic. As a young girl, she helped in the family’s lumber mill business. She attended schools at Wamic and graduated in 1945. After graduation, she moved to … Read more

Sullivan, Sean Richard – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Sean Richard Sullivan, 27, of La Grande and formerly of The Dalles died Aug. 14 in Riggins, Idaho, following an automobile accident. A Mass of Christian Burial was held today at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church with burial at the Island City Cemetery. Mr. Sullivan was born June 15, 1979, to Joseph Patrick and Toni Gaye Walker Sullivan in Portland. He graduated from The Dalles High School in 1998, and from Eastern Oregon University this year with a degree in Rangeland Management. He worked at various jobs, including at D&B Supply and the auction yard. … Read more

Bilyeu, Nettie Edmunsen – Obituary

Mrs. Rupert A. Bilyeu and infant babe died at The Dalles hospital Friday morning [January 13, 1911 for Nettie and January 11 for baby]. She was a native of the city, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Edmunson, in her eighteenth year. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. D. Lewellen, at the Crandall Undertaking parlors at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. [Interment in IOOF Cemetery] The Dalles Optimist, January 19, 1911 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Shepherd, John Frances – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon John Francis Shepherd, 67, of The Dalles and formerly of La Grande, died Aug. 8, at his home of cancer. Mr. Shepherd was born July 28, 1939, to John and Francis May Furgason Shepherd in La Grande. He graduated high school in Portland, and served in the Army from 1958 until 1962. He moved to Baker, and settled in The Dalles in 1971. He was a journeyman lineman, and married Marie Fay Mattison on April 13, 1963, in La Grande. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and the Electricians Union Local 125 IBEW. He … Read more

Gerking, Samuel – Obituary

Samuel Gerking, covered wagon pioneer of 1862, died yesterday evening at 3:50 at the family residence, 1314 Washington Street at the age of 84 years after having lived in The Dalles for about 19 years. He came here from Umatilla County. Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon from Crandall’s. Interment will be in the Odd Fellows Cemetery. No announcement was made today of the minister who will officiate or of pallbearers for the services. Samuel Gerking was born in Indiana, November 24, 1844. He crossed the plains in 1862 and settled in Umatilla County. He lived … Read more

Biography of Frank McFarland

FRANK McFARLAND. – This representative merchant of Eastern Oregon, one of our best and most enterprising men, was born at The Dalles December 17, 1858, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. McFarland, who crossed the plains in the year 1852 from Ohio with four-horse teams, and in Oregon have reared a family of four daughters and two sons, all of whom occupy honorable positions in the Northwest. He made his native city his home until 1882, and spent his boyhood days in assiduous attendance upon the public school, obtaining thereby a thorough, practical education. He secured … Read more

Grisham, Ira C. – Obituary

Ira C. Grisham, 51, a former resident of Maupin and a retired rancher of that section died at 8 o’clock Sunday morning following a dinner at his home on Friday evening when poison food was consumed. Mr. Grisham’s wife, Nettie, is seriously ill, as is Mr. and Mrs. Perry Strong, now confined in The Dalles Hospital. All are reported in better condition but unable to leave their beds as a result of the family dinner. According to the facts given by the guests and by Mrs. Grisham after they had taken sick, meat pie, beans, and canned beets had constituted … Read more

Shull, Vernon E. – Obituary

Haines, Baker County, Oregon Vernon E. Shull, 88, died April 9, 2006, at his home in Haines. His graveside memorial will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Haines Cemetery. Chaplain Assistant Sgt. Daggett from the La Grande Armory will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception after the service at the Haines United Methodist Church. Vernon was born on Dec. 26, 1917, and raised at Glen Elder, Kan., the sixth of eight children of James and Sarah Shull. After eight years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he settled in Oregon with his … Read more

Killingbeck, Fern E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Fern E. Killingbeck, 94, died Aug. 21 at Richland Rehabilitation Center in Richland, Wash. A private family graveside service will be held at the Redmond Memorial Cemetery in Redmond. Mrs. Killingbeck was born July 8, 1912, at Madras to Thomas Jefferson and Etta Mora Parsley Fields. She lived in Longview, Wash., and The Dalles before moving to Redmond, where she graduated from high school. On Dec. 22, 1930, she married Clarence Herbert Killingbeck in Bend. She owned and cooked at her restaurant in Redmond for several years. In 1949 she moved to La Grande and operated the … Read more

Biography of Joseph L. Carter

JOSEPH L. CARTER. – This prominent educator of Eastern Oregon was born at the old Methodist Episcopal Mission, near Salem, January 22, 1845. He is the son of David Carter, who fifty years ago was a merchant in the various cities and states of South America, and in 1840 came via the Sandwich Islands to the then unclaimed Oregon, marrying Miss Orpha Lankton, of the mission party of the bark Lausanne, and settling on Mill creek near Salem, and also living at The Dalles, passing much time in the mines of California and becoming prominent upon our coast in the … Read more

Biography of Hon. R. O. Dunbar

HON. R.O. DUNBAR. – It is not always an enviable distinction to be made eminent for political preferments. The exceptions are in the cities where office is held as the currency of political services, and as the opportunity for public plunder. In the smaller communities, however, where personal acquaintance extends to all citizens, and an honest public spirit precludes fraud, one may well feel pride in that confidence of his friends in his ability and probity which selects him as a public servant. Preferment at the suffrage of the citizens of a place like Goldendale, noted for its correct sentiment … Read more

Biography of James Birnie

JAMES BIRNIE. – Mr. Birnie was a Scotchman by birth. He was born at Paisley, county Renfrew, Scotland, in the year 1800. In 1816 the ambitious lad left his native health and emigrated to Montreal, Canada. Here, under the tutelage of a Catholic priest, he studied the French language for about two years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Northwest Fur Company as one of its clerks, and was sent across the Rocky Mountains to Fort Spokane, where he arrived towards the close of 1818. The fort at this time was in charge of … Read more

Mrs. June Lucille Grant Brown – Obituary

June Lucille Grant Brown, 82, loving wife and mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died April 7, 2002, at Portneuf Valley Nursing Home in Pocatello, Idaho. A celebration of her life will be held Friday at 11 a.m. MDT at the Century Ward Chapel on Fourth and Fredregill in Pocatello. The family will visit with friends from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow at Myers Evergreen Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah. Arrangements are under the direction of Colonial Funeral Home in Pocatello. June was born June 17, 1919, in Dietrich, Idaho, to Charles … Read more

Grove, Patricia Anne Davis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Patricia Anne Grove, 71, of Baker City, died Aug. 8, 2002, at her home. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City First Christian Church will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception following at the Christian Church. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. Pat was born Feb. 23, 1931, at The Dalles to Lloyd W. Davis and Ruth G. (Hazen) Davis. Her family moved to … Read more

Biography of James A. Masterson

JAMES A. MASTERSON. – It now becomes our pleasant privilege to outline the interesting career of the estimable gentleman, whose name is at the ehad of this article, and who stands as one of the prominent and representative men of Union county, being also aheavy property owner, and having manifested since an early day here ability that was master of the situation and has acuumulated his holdings from the raw resources of the county, while also he has maintained an untarnished reputation and has done much for the advancement of the county, being really one of the builders of Union … Read more

Phegley, Charles W. “Chuck”, Jr. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles W. “Chuck” Phegley Jr., 72, a longtime Baker City resident, died Aug. 13, 2004, at a Boise hospital. There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the church. Viewing will be for family only. Disposition will be by cremation through Gray’s West & Co. Crematory. Chuck was born on April 14, 1932, at The Dalles to Charles Wesley and Leolia Pear Phegley. Graduating from … Read more