Luster, Deborah Kay – Obituary

Deborah Kay Luster, 44, of Pinedale, Wyo., a former Baker City resident, died June 13, 2005, in a car accident near Evanston, Wyo. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Lennie Spooner of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the home of Carolyn and Melvin Luster. Debbie was born on Jan. 13, 1961, at Twin Falls, Idaho. She was the sixth of nine children born to her mother, Mary Helen Sartain Sharp of The Dalles. She also had … Read more

Stone, Monsignor William Sherald – Obituary

Monsignor William Sherald Stone, 85, of The Dalles, and a former Baker City resident, died Oct. 15, 2001, at his home. Office of the Dead will be held Sunday at 7 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday. Both services will be at St. Peter Catholic Church in The Dalles. Interment will follow at The Dalles St. Peter Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home. Monsignor Stone was born April 28, 1916, at Athena, the sixth of seven children of Dr. Alvin Bernard and Gertrude Ann (Burnham) Stone. … Read more

Goodnough, Charles – Obituary

Buried in Portland Remains of the Late Charles Goodnough Interred in Riverview Cemetery An Old Oregon Pioneer of 1856 Commenced Business in La Grande in 1864, Built the First Brick [Building] in Union County The funeral services over the remains of Charles Goodnough took place from the family residence, 440 Williams Avenue, Albina, Monday, December 4, 1899, Rev. W. R. Lord, of the Unitarian Church, conducting the services. Relatives and friends of the family were present, including the following well known personal friends and business associates of this county: J. M. Church and J. M. Berry, of this city, Mr. … Read more

Vass, Olga Mrs. – Obituary

Died-At Union, Ore., Tuesday, February 22, 1927, Olga, wife of John Vass, age 54 years, 11 month and 18 days. Mrs. Olga Vass, wife of John Vass, was born in Norway, Jan. 3, 1873. She came to the United States when a child with her parents, and lived in Nebraska until they moved to Oregon, where she was married to Chas. Anderson, from which union there was one son, C. M. Anderson, now living in Cambridge, Idaho. Later she married at The Dalles, Oregon, John Vass, some 18 years ago. She has lived at Union for the past three years, … Read more

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

Biography of Hon. Joseph D. Lee

HON. JOSEPH D. LEE. – It is natural for the observing student of mankind to speculate upon the effect which radical changes and new environments have upon a coming generation; and consequently the inquiry has arisen in thinking minds as to what type of manhood and womanhood will spring from the hardy and bold pioneers who peopled these shores in the forties and early fifties. Surely with such heroic and sturdy parentage, growing up under the influence of our grand and magnificent scenery, and breathing in youth the pure air from the balsamic pines, we might expect a fine mental … Read more

Lee, Eliza Alice Witten – Obituary

Mrs. J. D. Lee, a prominent pioneer of Oregon, died yesterday [June 27, 1913] at the Portland Sanatorium. She had undergone an operation and apparently was recovering when she suffered a sudden relapse and died within a short time. She was born in 1847 in Tennessee and came to Oregon in 1852. Her maiden was Liza A. Witten. In 1872 she was married to J. D. Lee. She was a resident of Portland since 1892. Prior to that time her home was in Dallas and in The Dalles. She is survived by three children-Lyman M. Lee and J. Roscoe Lee, … Read more

Biography of Henry Perry Isaacs

HENRY PERRY ISAACS. – Like many old settlers. Mr. Isaacs is so fully identified with Walla Walla, Washington, that the place would not be itself in his absence. In matters of public interest, such as schools, churches and general business enterprises, he has always had a leading part, and as the pioneer in the erection and operation of flour mills “East of the Mountains” deserves lengthy mention. He was born in Philadelphia in 1822, of English and Scotch parentage. There he was educated, and absorbed with eagerness the great lessons of that time. he commence business when only seventeen years … Read more

Womack, Crawford W. – Obituary

Lostine, Wallowa County, Oregon Lostine Pioneer Goes To His Rest Crawford Wallace Womack, a pioneer of Wallowa County, died at his home at Lostine last Saturday, February 14, 1920. Funeral services were held at the Lostine Cemetery on Monday, conducted by Rev. Eaton of the Christian church. Mr. Womack was born in Shelby County, Illinois, and the family moved when he was a boy to Missouri. When 19 years old he joined in the gold rush to Colorado and spent part of a year in the Pike’s Peak neighborhood. In the spring of the following year the call of the … Read more

Voeller, Curt Stanley – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Curt Stanley Voeller, 43, of The Dalles, died Dec. 15, 2004, at The Dalles. At his request there will not be a public funeral. Private cremation was at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory, with Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Curt was born July 17, 1961, at Baker City, the beloved son of Stanley Carroll and Winifred “Joanne” Voeller. He was the youngest of four children. The family moved to the Willamette Valley, and Curt attended school in Salem. He worked construction in Portland, Salem and The Dalles areas. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and … Read more

Jones, Robert Paul – Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon Robert Paul Jones, 60, of North Powder, died Dec. 28, 2002, at his home. A vigil service for Mr. Jones will be Friday at 7 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. in Baker City. Funeral Mass will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in North Powder. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will celebrate. Vault interment will be at the Haines Cemetery following the service. Robert was born March 30, 1942, in Tulsa, Okla., to Jess and Gertrude (Shutler) Jones. He was raised and … Read more

Maxwell, Adele – Obituary

Adele Maxwell Died at Age 95; Noted School Teacher 50 Years Adele Powell Maxwell 95, whose life was school teaching in the small communities of this Eastern Oregon region, but whose later years were on a ranch near Vale, died March 17, 1991, at the Columbia Basin home in The Dalles. Graveside service was held Thursday at Haines Cemetery, with her grandson, Rev. Dan Grady of Portland, the pastor. Her death closed a long chapter in the history of this country dating back to 1835 in the East when her father was born. But her life was Burnt River Valley … 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

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 Robert Grostein

Robert Grostein, one of Idaho’s most successful pioneer merchants, has carried on business in Lewiston since 1862 and through the intervening years has borne an unassailable reputation in trade circles, never making an engagement which he has not kept nor contracting an obligation that he has not met. His sagacity and enterprise and moreover his untiring labor have brought to him a handsome competence, and the most envious could not grudge him his success, so honorably has it been acquired. Mr. Grostein is a native of Poland, born in 1835, and is the eldest in the family of four children … 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

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

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

Smith, Dorothy Mrs. – Obituary

Dorothy Smith, 85, of Unity, died July 30, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Helix Cemetery. Jack Pittman of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Dorothy was born on Aug. 23, 1919, at Burns. She was the valedictorian of her high school class at Entiat, Wash. She attended Washington State College and later earned a degree in education from Western Oregon University at Monmouth. She taught elementary school for many years at Nyssa, The Dalles and the Reynolds School District in Portland. She married Arthur W. Smith … Read more

Biography of George F. Herbert

GEORGE F. HERBERT. – This gentleman and his wife were a venerable couple whose lives as pioneers in our state, and as citizens of great merit in social, religious and business life, have made them well known and highly respected in the entire circle of their acquaintances. Mr. Herbert was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in September, 1815. Mrs. Herbert (Elizabeth) née McCormick, was born May 1, 1818, in the same state. They were married in 1838, and emigrated to the frontier of Illinois, where they remained until 1842, when they moved to Iowa, making a second prairie home. In … Read more