Burgess, Eliza Ann Horn – Obituary

Services for Mrs. Eliza A. Burgess, 66, Vale resident for the past 35 years who died in her home Sunday [January 7, 1968], was at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Chapel of the Roses at Payette, with Elder Harry Sunday Fry of Payette Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints officiating. Mrs. Burgess was born in Ellensburg, Wash., Oct. 16, 1901. In 1915 she moved with her family to Oregon, settling in Curry County. She was married to Fred Burgess, December 19, 1922 in Coquille, Ore. They lived in Curry County 11 years and came to Vale in 1933. They … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wheeler, R.G. Hon. R. G. Wheeler

Of Vale is one of those genial, wholesouled men whom it does one good to meet and who infuses new life into you with the simple shake of the hand. His affability and good nature make him a general favorite, and his friends are legion. Mr. Wheeler is a native of Pennsylvania. In which state he received his education, and in August 1868 became a member of the bar. Shortly after he moved to Illinois, and later again to Iowa and Nevada. March 1891 he came to Malheur County, and is at present mayor of the county seat, Vale. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Weaver, James

A man of sterling worth and a well-known citizen of Malheur, was born in Minnesota in 1860, and with his parents moved to this state in 1864, settling near Walla Walla, Wash. He received his education in the schools of Milton, Or. and then followed farming in that section until 1885. Moving to Morrow County, near Heppner, he followed the sane avocation until 1890. He then moved to Malheur County, and in 1892 bought out the drug store of A. W. Rime of Vale, and has successfully conducted it since. He carries a complete line of drugs and sundries, schoolbooks, … 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

Biography of Louis B. Rinehart

LOUIS B. RINEHART. – Mr. Rinehart was born in Illinois in 1844, and ten years later accompanied his parents across the plains to Oregon. They followed the track s of 1853 from the mouth of the Malheur to Eugene City via Harney Lake. Ten miles west of Eugene the elder Rinehart located a half section of land, and provided a home for his family. Louis remained there until 1862, but that spring came with his brothers to the Grande Ronde valley. After living in a tent three months, he hauled the logs and assisted in the erection of the third … Read more

Ormsby, George William – Obituary

Services for George W. Ormsby, 85, formerly of Nampa, who died Tuesday, June 10 [1986], in Olympia, Wash., will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at the Fissel Chapel of the Brown Mortuary Service, Chehalis, Wash. Burial will follow at the Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis. Mr. Ormsby was born Sept. 30, 1900, at Sams Springs, Iowa. He married Edith Roberts Oct. 8, 1924, in Mountain Home. They moved to Nampa, where he worked for the Pacific Fruit Express, retiring after 20 years service in 1945. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Engineers in Idaho. He then operated a … Read more

Levanger, John Laurance – Obituary

John Laurance Levanger, 41, died July 2, 2008. The rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church at Vale. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Burial will be at the Ironside Cemetery in Ironside. John was born on Sept. 28, 1967, at Ontario to Jerry and Nancy Levanger. He was raised at Vale, Brogan and Juntura. John was a 1985 Vale Union High School graduate and continued to live in the Vale area. He was an avid hunter and fisherman – some of John’s greatest friendships began with … Read more

Russell, David Alan – Obituary

David Alan Russell, 61, a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 26, 2005, at his mother’s home in Vale after a sudden illness. There will be no funeral. Disposition was by cremation. His cremains will be scattered at the same site as those of his brother, Fuller. Dave was born on Jan. 13, 1944, at Randleman, N.C., to Paul T. and Verneta Mae Russell. He grew up in North Carolina, Idaho and Oregon. After graduating from high school at Portland, he joined the U.S. Navy Seabees, serving on Guam and Okinawa. After his discharge from the Navy, he worked for … 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

Fisher, James W. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Enterprise resident, James Wolvert Fisher, 74, died Dec. 18, 1994, at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. “J-Dub”, as he was affectionately called, was born June (incorrect) 21, 1920, at Vale, the son of James E. and Vera Kyle (Draper) Fisher. After graduating from Wallowa High School in 1939, he worked with his father on Alder Slope cutting wood and helping in the family restaurant “Fisher’s Cafe”. On May 2, 1945, he married Margaret (Margy) Ruth Reece. She preceded him in death in 1988. After a 3 1/2 year tour of duty in France, Italy … Read more

Graven, Terry Evan – Obituary

Terry Evan Graven, 58, of Nampa, Idaho, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005, after a brave and valiant 21-month battle with cancer. His funeral was held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, in the Nampa 10th Ward Chapel, 7908 Deer Flat Road. Terry was honored by police color guard and the military. A viewing was held on Tuesday at the church from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. prior to the service. Interment was at the Veterans Cemetery in Boise. Terry died peacefully at his home in Nampa, with his family at his side. He died with the same calm collected nature … Read more

Hecht, Jean – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Jean Hecht, 86, of Wilsonville and formerly of La Grande died April 11. Mrs. Hecht was born April 20, 1920, to Drs. Joseph and Margaret Ingle in La Grande. She graduated from La Grande High School and earned bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Oregon where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She earned a pilot’s license and taught high school in Vale and Corvallis. She served in the Navy and was stationed in Lakehurst, N.J., where she married Irwin Hecht. The couple moved to Portland nine years ago to be closer to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward Beam

This young and enterprising farmer and stockman of northern Malheur County is one of the men whose life has been largely spent in this section and he is a real product of the west and a credit to his county, both because of his worthy labors which are being crowned with a good success and because of his own intrinsic worth which stamps him a man of ability and uprightness. Edward Beam was born in Missouri, on January 18, 1874, being the son of William W. and Sarah (Lafton) Beam. In the year of his birth the parents came to … Read more

Malone, Mary Jane – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Mary Jane Malone, 82, of Vale, a former longtime Richland resident, died Dec. 22, 2003, at Pioneer Place in Vale. Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Vale. Interment will be at Valley View Cemetery in Vale. Mary Jane was born March 3, 1921, at Richland to Joseph and Rebecca McPartland. She married Alfred Malone on Sept. 29, 1939. They lived at Richland until 1961 when they moved to Vale. Mary Jane worked many years at Becker’s Market. After working she enjoyed her volunteer service, square dancing and card … Read more

Heard, Erma June Taylor Mrs.

Erma June Heard, 95, a longtime resident of the Haines area, died at her home on Sept. 16, 2005. Her graveside service was at 2 p.m. today at the Haines Cemetery. Sally Wiens of the Haines United Methodist Church officiated. There was a luncheon and fellowship afterward at the Methodist Church Annex. Erma was born on Jan. 12, 1910, at Haines to George H. and Mary Elizabeth Ashwood Taylor. She lived most of her life on the same farm where she was raised. She graduated from Muddy Creek High School and attended her first year of teachers college at Monmouth. … Read more

Sinclair, Antoinette C. Blais Mrs. – Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon Antoinette C. Blais Sinclair, 89, a former resident of North Powder and Baker City, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2005, in Redmond. Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 5, at Dechutes Memorial Gardens in Bend. Antoinette was born Dec. 28, 1915, in Eugene to Benjamin and Dorothea Blais. In February 1921, she along with her parents and brother, Phillip Blais, moved to Clover Creek near North Powder where she attended school. Antoinette went to high school at St. Francis Academy in Baker City, graduating in 1932, then she went on to graduate from So. Oregon State … Read more

York, Flora Etta Killian Mrs. – Obituary

Flora Etta York, 65, 2584 Cedar Street, died Friday afternoon in St. Elizabeth hospital. Mrs. York, the daughter of Daniel O. and Genora Killian was born in Scopes, Missouri, September 21, 1898. She was married to Herbert A. York at Clarkston, Missouri, April 17, 1915. The family lived in Missouri until 1946 when they moved to Vale. They then moved to Unity where she lived for three years and to Bates where Mr. York was employed by the government. They moved to Baker in the fall of 1962. Mrs. York was a member of the Baptist church. She is survived … Read more

Smurthwaite, Paul Rey – Obituary

Paul Rey Smurthwaite, 72, a former Baker City resident, died peacefully at his home on April 5, 2006 after a battle with cancer. There will be a service celebrating his life at 11 a.m. Monday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 15555 S.W. 98th St., in Tigard. Paul was born on Feb. 24, 1934, at Baker City to Jesse Abraham and Zina Smurthwaite. He was the youngest of eight children. He grew up in Baker City where he enjoyed gymnastics, bowling, camping, fishing and hunting. He served his country as a U.S. Marine in the Korean conflict. … Read more

Rogers, Ardis Rea Mrs. – Obituary

Ardis Rea Rogers, 90, of Baker City, died July 19, 2005, at Settlers Park. Her memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home. Pastor Robin Harris of Cornerstone Baptist Church at North Powder will officiate. Ardis was born on Jan. 12, 1915, at Alpena Pass, Ark., to Minnie Walker and James Howard Rea. The family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1915 where they farmed. Ardis, her sister, Theta, and her brother, Paul, went to grade school at Sandpoint. Her parents moved to Meridian, Idaho, where she finished grade school. Her parents moved to Barber, Idaho, a … Read more

Biography of Robert M. Divin

This venerable citizen and esteemed gentleman and resident of Vale is one of the substantial men of Malheur County and is well and favorably known throughout the precincts of this region, being a man of stanch integrity, and always manifesting those qualities of worth and merit that redound to the good of all. Mr. Divin was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, on December 17, 1831, being the son of Irbin F. and Hannah Divin. The father died when our subject was two years of age, having removed with the family to Washington County, Arkansas, where the death occurred. There were … Read more