Union County OR

Shelton, Emmabelle – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Emmabelle Shelton, Emmabelle Shelton, 87, of La Grande died Feb. 16 in Boise. Services will be announced at a later date. Emmabelle was born Sept. 22, 1919, near Weston Mountain to Thomas and Ruth Booher. Her family moved to La Grande in 1923, where they farmed and where Emmabelle called home for the rest of her life. She married Rock C. Shelton on June 11, 1968. They met while working together at a Laundromat owned by Rock’s brother, Bert Shelton. Emmabelle began working at the Grande Ronde Hospital in 1968 and did not fully retire until the … Read more

Vernholm, Willard Dale – Obituary

Willard Dale Vernholm, 73, of Baker City, died Sept. 25, 2005, at Idlewood Manor. At his request there will be no services. Cremation by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. Dale was born on Feb. 11, 1932, in York, Neb., to Carl Willard and Lois Louetta Middleton Vernholm. When Dale was about 4 years old the family moved to Corvallis. He attended school at Lewisburg and Corvallis High School. In 1947, at 15, Dale’s family moved to New Plymouth, Idaho. When Dale was only 16, but needing to be 18, he lied about his age and went to work for the Payette … Read more

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Union County Oregon

  AKA Scott Cemetery   On Palmer Junction road, 4.5 miles N. of its junction with Oregon Highway 82 at the Minam Hill summit; 110 yards W. of Palmer Junction road; church is on road, 80 yards N. of gate to cemetery lane. In N. E. 1/4 of Section 15, T .2 N., R. 40E. (Checked Fall 1972.) Marked graves only, beginning in N. W. corner and taking each row from North to South. Stones or markers are numbered consecutively. Illegible temporary markers as placed by funeral directors are indicated by the abbreviation ‘TM’: 1. WHEELER, Milton; b 1836, d … Read more

Tuttle, A. R. – Obituary

Elgin, Union County, Oregon Death of A. R. Tuttle Well Known Citizen and Editor of Elgin Recorder Passes Away The grim reaper, death, has again visited our community and has taken from our midst one of its most prominent citizens. A.R. Tuttle was well known throughout Union and adjacent counties, having been a resident of this county for more than forty years. He was born in Marion County, Iowa, May 6, 1859, and when three years of age crossed the plains with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Terry Tuttle, settling on Willow Creek, in the extreme northern part of Grande … Read more

DeBoie, Ross Graham – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Ross Graham DeBoie, 67, of Pittsburg, Calif., and formerly of La Grande, died March 30 at his home from complications of an extended lung illness. A memorial service celebrating his life will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral Cremation & Life Celebration Center. Ross will buried next to his father in the Hillcrest East Cemetery in La Grande, in the community he considered a place of family and peace. Ross was born June 8, 1940, to Ralph and Bonnie DeBoie at St. Joseph’s Hospital in La Grande where he was raised and educated. He attended … Read more

Reese, Harry – Obituary

Harry Reese, 73, Dies at Portland Cove – Word was received here today of the death in Portland of Harry Reese, 73, former long-time resident of this area. Reese died Tuesday after a short illness. Funeral services will be held in Portland tomorrow. Surviving are: a brother, E. C. Reese, Cove, and daughters Connie Waterston, Portland and Lucille Day, Tacoma. La Grande Observer Wednesday, February 16, 1949 Front Page Contributed by: Tom Childers

Biographical Sketch of John E. Jones

JOHN E. JONES. – The second to locate in the beautiful Indian valley was the gentleman of whom we write. He was born in South Wales in 1818, and crossed the Atlantic to America in 1850, removing to Salt Lake in the next year. Removing to Cache valley in 1859, he made some valuable improvements on his place; but, disagreeing with the Mormons, he removed to Soda Springs in 1863. The next year he removed to Deer Lodge valley, Montana, farming until a destructive invasion of grasshoppers. Meantime he has been making butter, which commanded a price of two dollars … Read more

Lee, Tabitha Mrs.- Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon Mrs. Tabitha Lee Passes This Life Mrs. Tabitha Lee, aged 76, died at her home in North Powder, Thursday morning at about six o’clock. Mrs. Lee was found in her bed in an unconscious condition at about that time, by Miss Ruth Agustus. She died without a struggle. Heart failure is given as the cause of death. Mrs. Lee was the widow of the late Geo. E. Lee and the mother of Mrs. W.A. Hudelson, Mrs. Walter Jones, Mrs. Howard Sloan, Volney E. and Oey (?) Lee, all of this city. Numerous other relatives survive. … Read more

Rogers, James Leonard – Obituary

James “Jim” Leonard Rogers, 66, of La Grande, died of natural causes while cutting wood on Sept. 25. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, 1308 Washington Ave., La Grande 97850. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Jim was born on Feb. 16, 1941, to Lawrence and Ella (Guptil) Rogers in Priest River, Idaho. He married Shirley Bernice Olson on July 13, 1963, in Orville, Calif. They have lived in La Grande since 1965. He was a carpenter and built homes, traveling with his wife doing heavy construction and building … Read more

Biography of Adna C. Craig

ADNA C. CRAIG. Deceased. – Among the prominent citizens of Union county stands the gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, and we are constrained because of his real merit and worth, and because of his activities in advancing the welfare of this county, to grant him this memoir in the history of the county where he wrought so faithfully. In pioneer life he was a leader in many sections, and the rugged life of the frontiersman was his to pass through for many years, and his vigor and energy led the way into many scenes where others would only follow. … Read more

Darr, Nora – Obituary

Elgin, Union County, Oregon Nora Darr, age 83, of 16901 S. E. Division, Portland, a former resident of Elgin, died last Thursday in Portland. Mrs. Darr was born on November 18, 1895 at Bald Knob, West Virginia, the daughter of William and Ida (Perry) Brooks. She moved to Elgin in 1946 and to Portland two years ago. Her husband, George Darr, preceded her in death on March 16, 1965. Mrs. Darr was a member of the First Christian Church of Elgin; Elgin Rebecca Lodge and Elgin Pythian sisters. Survivors include her daughter, Jacque Zenger, Portland; granddaughters, Marlene Rahn, Kelso, Wash.; … Read more

Draper, Noah – Obituary

Noah Draper, 77, died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pat Powers at Medical Springs Monday morning March 14. Mr. Draper was born near London, England May 1, 1850, and came to this country when a young man. He lived many years in and around Chicago and had a family of four children, but drifted away from them thirty years ago and was never able to locate them. For the past ten years he has made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Powers. The funeral was held at Cock Bros. Chapel Tuesday March 15, at 1 o’clock p.m., services … Read more

Harris, J. C. – Obituary

Frozen to Death Coroner Steincamp was summoned to Sumerville last evening to hold an inquest upon the remains of J.C. Harris who was found dead in his cabin six miles northwest of that place in the timber. He had been in town the evening before and went home drunk. Upon reaching his cabin, he flung himself upon the floor and asked his partner, a Mr. Smith, to care for his horse, which he did, and supposing he would sleep off his drunken stupor, paid no more attention to him. In the morning he found him dead. Harris was a wood-chopper, … Read more