Umatilla County OR

Biography of Hon. Zenas Ferry Moody

HON. Z.F. MOODY. – Zenas Ferry Moody, ex-Governor of the State of Oregon, was born on the 27th of May, 1832, in Granby, Massachusetts. His father was Major Thomas H. Moody. His mother was Hannah M. Ferry, an aunt of ex-Senator T.W. Ferry, of Michigan, formerly vice-president of the United States. Governor Moody comes of good old New England Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Gideon Moody, having borne arms as a soldier during the Revolutionary war. He has proved himself worthy of his lineage; and the principles which he imbibed on New England soil have been the guide of his whole … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John H. Boyce

JOHN H. BOYCE, – The vicissitudes and characteristic frontier life of this redoubtable miner and freighter are not easily expressed in a few sentences. He was born in Vermont in 1832, and in 1850 came around Cape Horn to California. The succession of his labors thereafter is thus stated; In 1851, he mined on the Stanislaus; in 1852 was freighting with a sixteen-mule team from Stockton to various points; in 1860 was hauling quartz in Nevada; in 1862 came to Elk Creek mines, Eastern Oregon; in 1863 was at Bannack, mining and packing; from 1864 to 1869 was engaged as … Read more

Akes, Esther Elaine – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Esther Elaine Akes of Milton-Freewater died June 27, 2006, at Evergreen Nursing Home. She was 86. Mrs. Akes was born August 23, 1919 in Pendleton to James Wallace and Lucia Mae Tilton Spencer. On February 27, 1943, she married Charles Leonard Akes, Sr. at Olympia, Wash. She worked at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle as a “Rosie the Riveter,” putting the metal skin on B-17 bombers, while her husband served overseas during World War II. After the war the couple ranched in Bickleton and Roosevelt, Wash and Mrs. Akes started Oasis Aviaries, marketing her birds in the area. They … Read more

Bowman, Oliver Purl – Obituary

Purl Bowman prominent pioneer of Umatilla County and well known throughout this section of the state, passed away at St. Anthony’s Hospital Saturday, August 5 [1939] at 4:15 p.m., after an illness of three weeks. Mr. Bowman was born February 15, 1862, at Osceola, Ia. and when a baby of only six weeks left St. Louis, Mo., with his parents for the west. His family had resided at Osceola before starting the long trek across the plains in a train of 105 wagons. The Bowman’s arrived in Umatilla County on October 17, 1862, just two days more than eight months … Read more

Rettig, Richard T. – Obituary

Fireman Is Killed When Train Strikes Boulder Richard T. Rettig, 31, locomotive fireman of La Grande, was instantly when passenger train, No. 26 was wrecked a mile this side of Cayuse station at 12:30 Tuesday morning. The wreck was caused by the engine crashing into a huge boulder that had fallen upon the track. The engine was thrown against the left bank and the tender toward the river on the right. Rettig was crushed between them, as his body was hurled the opposite side of the cab. Engineer J.H. Snodgrass, also of La Grande, suffered only a scratch on one … Read more

Judah, Carol Galbreath – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Carol Galbreath Judah, 57, formerly of La Grande, died Nov. 15 at a hospital in Meridian, Idaho. A memorial service will be held in Fox at a later date. Accent Funeral Home in Meridian is in charge of arrangements. Carol was born April 11, 1950, to Bruce and Colleen Reynolds Galbreath in Pendleton. She lived in the Long Creek area of Grant County. At 7, she moved with her family to Pendleton. She attended elementary school at West Hills in Pendleton and later La Grande High School. In 1966 the family moved to Springfield and she graduated … Read more

Wright, Gladys – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Gladys Wright, a former teacher who taught at a country school on the Sheep Creek Divide, died Sept. 11, 1987 at the Odd Fellows Home in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 81. Funeral services were held Sept. 14th at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel in Milton-Freewater with Rev. Edward Morrison officiating. Ritualistic services were conducted by Integrity Rebekah Lodge. Graveside services and burial followed later the same day in the Prairie Creek Cemetery near Joseph. Wright was born April 22,1906 in Evelyn, Wash., the daughter of Douglas and Edith Eaton Towers. She was the eldest of nine children. Following … Read more

Buchanan, Gary J. – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Gary J. Buchanan, 34, formerly of La Grande, died Sunday in Hermiston. Mr. Buchanan was born Sept. 25, 1953, to Harry and Laneta (Gray) Buchanan of La Grande. He lived in La Grande until moving to Echo last summer to work on the Mosgrove Ranch. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 259 of La Grande. He is survived by sons, Gary Dean and Jason, both of Ontario; brothers, Terry Ray Buchanan of Chatteroy, Wash., and Jack Thomas Buchanan of Seattle; sister Carol Kay Baycroft of Spokane; grandmother, Verda Gray … Read more

Belfield, Oscar – Obituary

Funeral services were held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Belfield Sunday for the late Oscar Belfield who passed this life at Pendleton on June 3. The services were conducted by Rev. Ira J. McFarland and burial was in the local cemetery. Oscar Shaw Belfield was born at Burton, Harvey county, Kansas, January 2, 1892 and died at Pendleton, Oregon, June 3, 1925, aged 33 years, four months and 11 days. He had been in ill health for several months. He leaves to mourn his loss, his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Belfield of North … Read more

Lindley, Hildreth Colton Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Hildreth Lindley, 83, a longtime Baker City resident, died May 6, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. The rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the cathedral. The Rev. Rob Irwin of the church will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward in the church basement. Visitations will be until 5 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. Hildreth C. Lindley was born on Dec. 24, … Read more

Schmittle, Thelma C. – Obituary

Formerly of Elgin 1929-2009 Thelma Carleen Schmittle, 79, of Pendleton and formerly of Elgin, died Feb. 2 at her home. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande. Thelma was born Nov. 22, 1929, to Charles and Nora (Hensley) Hanson in Wallowa. When she was young she worked in the farm fields and later worked for a sawmill. She was also a bartender, waitress and cook for a restaurant owned by extended family. On June 29, 1949, she married Edwin Schmittle in Weiser, Idaho. … Read more

Childers, Minnie M. (Bailey) – Obituary

The funeral for Minnie M. Childers will be 10 a.m. Wednesday in the chapel at Burns Mortuary of Hermiston with burial to follow at the Hermiston Cemetery. Mrs. Childers, 93, of Hermiston, died Sunday, July 14, 1996 at her home. She was born Feb. 21, 1903, at Tillamook, to John and Elvira Parrish Bailey. She grew up in Wallowa County and lived there until her marriage to Howard B. Childers. The couple moved to Walla Walla. She came to Hermiston in 1953. Mrs. Childers enjoyed playing cards, fishing and quilting. Survivors include her son, H. Jay Childers of Prosser, Wash.; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas G. Matlock

This well-known citizen of Heppner, Morrow County, Oregon, who devotes himself to the improvement of our stock of horses, was born in Dade County, Missouri, March 4, 1849, and came with his parents across the plains to Oregon in 1853, locating with them near Eugene, where they engaged in stock-raising, and remaining until the death of the father at Bannack City, Idaho. He was buried on Buena Vista Bar, July 1, 1863. Thomas received a common-school education, and worked on the farm. His father having been a fancier and producer of fine horses, our subject went in 1871 to Umatilla … Read more

Biography of Neri L. Ackles

NERI L. ACKLES. – A man of broad experience in the business world, gained by practical contact with the different lines of enterprise in the northwest, the subject of this sketch is today one of Union county’s prominent and capable farmers and stockmen, whose ability has wrought for the advancement of the welfare of all, while he has prosecuted with vigor the industries that have come to his hand, gaining the reward of wisely bestowed labor in the land of resources and fertility. In Linn county, Missouri, Neri L. first saw the light and July 30, 1860, was the time … Read more

Fisher, Shirley “Rusty” Barleen Mrs. – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Shirley “Rusty” Fisher, 63, of Pendleton and a former North Powder resident, died Wednesday, March 12, 2003, at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla of cancer. A memorial service was held for Rusty at the Vert on Monday, March 17, at 3 p.m. with concluding services and internment at the Olney cemetery. A “celebration of life” will be held at the Let’er Buck room beginning at 5:30 p.m. Rusty was born May 28, 1939, at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence “Newt” W. Barleen. She grew up in Klamath Falls and graduated from Klamath … Read more

Heskett, Jesse C. ‘Jerry’ – Obituary

Pendleton–A graveside funeral for Jess C. “Jerry” Heskett will be held Saturday, 1 p.m. at the Enterprise Cemetery. Heskett, 76, of Pendleton, formerly of Milton-Freewater, died Wednesday, September 18, 1985, at Amber valley Nursing Home, Pendleton. He was born May 31, 1909, in the Leap area near Enterprise, the son of Willard and Grace (Feagins) Heskett. He attended schools at Trout Creek and Joseph and upon completion of his schooling Heskett farmed with his parents. He lived in Wallowa County until the mid-1960s when he moved to the Milton-Freewater area. He came to Pendleton in 1981 where he entered Amber … Read more

Prindle, Joan Oribel Eddy Mrs. – Obituary

Joan Oribel Prindle, 70, of Umatilla, died March 6, 2002, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hermiston Assembly of God Church. Disposition was by cremation. Joan was born on March 13, 1931, at Malheur City to George and Lucy Woodcock Eddy. She had been a Umatilla resident since 1961. She married Harold Prindle on Aug. 27, 1949, at Heppner. She owned and operated Joan’s Beauty Salon in Umatilla from 1970 until she retired in 2000. She was baptized at the First Christian Church in Vale. She loved gardening … Read more

Miller, C Jack- Obituary

Baker City, Oregon C. Jack Miller, 86, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 19, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home. Pastor Susan Barnes of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. The service will conclude in the chapel. Friends and family are invited to the Rogers Hall at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St., for a time of fellowship and sharing after the service. Private interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Miller was born at Pilot Rock on July 30, 1916. He was raised … Read more

Washburn, Marianne G. Hunter Shurtleff Mrs. – Obituary

Marianne G. Washburn (Shurtleff), 90, of Pendleton, died May 25, 2008, at Willowbrook Terrace in Pendleton. Graveside services were held May 31 at Rock Creek Cemetery near Haines. Marianne was born Feb. 5, 1918, at Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to William and Nellie Kimball-Hunter. As a child she lived and attended schools in Wyoming, California and Oregon. She married Lionel D. Shurtleff (who preceded her in death) in 1941 and together they operated the Baker Airport until 1948. In succeeding years they lived and ranched in Baker Valley. She married Leon Washburn (who preceded her in death) in 1968 in Colorado. … Read more

Hill, Fred W. – Obituary

Fred W. Hill, 92, of Walla Walla, Wash., a former Baker County Extension agent and longtime supporter of the Pendleton Round-Up, died April 22, 2005, at St. Mary Medical Center at Walla Walla. His funeral will be May 6 at the Pendleton Episcopal Church. There will be a Celebration of Life party afterward at the Let ‘Er Buck Room on the Round-Up Grounds in Pendleton. Fred was born on Feb. 15, 1913, at Helix to James and Beulah Rankin Hill. The family moved to Pendleton when he was 5. He was a member of the 1931 Pendleton High School State … Read more