Vancouver Washington

Biographical Sketch of Matthias Spurgeon

MATTHIAS SPURGEON. – This pioneer of Clarke County is a native of Iowa, having been born in Cedar County in 1838. In his childhood he was bereft of his parents, and found a home in the family of an uncle, Mr. George Spurgeon. With this relative he came to Oregon while but a boy of fourteen, and found a home in the household of Mr. William H. Dillon. Soon after becoming of age, he spent two years in the mountains and gorges of Idaho prospecting for gold, meeting, however, with but little success. Returning to Clarke county he took up … Read more

Gray, Nellie Frances – Obituary

Nellie Frances Gray, 91, formerly of Union County, died Tuesday, May 25, 1993, of natural causes in Spanaway, Wash. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at Unger Funeral Chapel in Silverton. Interment will follow in Belle Passi Mausoleum in Woodburn. Mrs. Gray was born Sept. 25, 1901, in Lenox County, Iowa, to George Washington and Alice Mae Wiley Lemon. The family moved to Lynden, Wash., when she was very young. Her father died there when she was six, and her mother moved the family to Union, where she received her education. She married Ernest Merrell Gray on May 28, … Read more

Stoner, Paul Hiram – Obituary

Paul Hiram Stoner, of Vancouver, Wash., a former longtime Baker City resident, died Aug. 12, 2009. His funeral was Aug. 15. Vancouver Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Paul was born to William and Augusta Kinney Stoner in Canyon County, Idaho. He graduated from the College of Idaho at Caldwell, Idaho, and continued his educated at Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland. He was a medical technologist at St. Elizabeth Health Services in Baker City for many years. Paul married Mary Bartshe in 1940 and they were married for 38 years before Mary’s death. Paul later married Elaine … Read more

Polk, Opal Laverne – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Opal Laverne Polk, 80, of Vancouver, Wash., and formerly of North Powder died June 8. Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Polk was born July 15, 1925, to Mary and Jacob Simonis in North Powder. She married Perry Polk who died earlier. Survivors include children and their spouses, Betty and John Sneddon of Vancouver, Linda Sill and her fiance Bob Turkington of Anchorage, Alaska, and David and Margaret Polk of Longview, Wash.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The Observer Online, Obituaries for the week ending June 24, 2006, Published, June 26, 2006

Biography of John Krall

Few lives have been more active or more thoroughly filled with incidents of interest and of unusual nature than has that of John Krall, one of the pioneers of Idaho, and for about thirty-five years a resident in the vicinity of Boise City. Now a wealthy man, he is indebted to himself alone for his fortune, for he started out in youth to fight the battle of life, a poor boy, and by the exercise of industry and perseverance, in the face of great difficulties, he came off victor over all. Mr. Krall is a native of Germany, born December … Read more

Biography of Dr. W. C. McKay

DR. W.C. McKAY. – One by one the pioneers who braved the wilderness and its dangers, in order that their posterity might enjoy the fruits of their hazardous conquests of the domain of the savage are passing away. As the poet sang of the valorous knights of the days of chivalry, “Their souls are with the saints, we trust,” so, at no distant day, will the same be sung o’er the graves of the last of the pioneers. So, while yet alive, let us honor them as they deserve to be honored; and when dead let their deeds be recorded … Read more

Conaway, Violet – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Violet Effie Conaway, 88, of McMinnville, died April 15, 2004, at home. She was born Oct. 3, 1915, in Flora to Roy and Bessie Varney. Mrs. Conaway spent most of her growing up years on Upper Prairie Creek and graduated from Joseph High School. After marrying James B. Conaway in 1938, the couple moved to La Grande a few years later where she worked as a high school secretary, followed by a move to McMinnville in 1950. After a short time in Alaska, the couple lived in Vancouver, Wash., before returning to McMinnville in 1980 with two young … Read more

McEwen, Sarah Agnes Banister – Obituary

Following a long illness, Mrs. Sarah Agnes McEwen, age 91, died early Saturday morning, Jan. 27, 1962, in the Ellensburg General Hospital. Mrs. McEwen was born March 28, 1870 in Clark County near Vancouver, Wash., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel N. Banister [mother was Martha Dixon]. When she was a small child, the Banister family first came to the Kittitas Valley. They spent one winter here, then moved to Walla Walla because of the Indiana scare. In the fall of 1884 they returned here to make a permanent home. Sarah Banister was married Jan. 3, 1884 to James … Read more

Biography of Gay Hayden

MR. AND MRS. GAY HAYDEN. – Prominent among the many pioneers of the Pacific Northwest who deserve an enduring place in its history are Mr. and Mrs. Hayden of Vancouver, Washington, whose heroism under the many difficulties that beset the emigrants who broke the way for advancing civilization on this far frontier will seem to generations yet unborn, who are destined to read these pages, more like the dream of the novelist than a recital of fact. Mrs. Mary J. Hayden, who at this writing is a handsome, well-preserved and charmingly vivacious woman, as ready-witted, graceful and gentle as though … Read more

Wood, James LeLand – Obituary

James LeLand Wood, a carpenter and 12-year resident of the Vancouver area, died Friday. He was 59. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Evergreen Staples Funeral Chapel with Rev. James Finkbeiner officiating. Private burial will be in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Wood was born August 21, 1926, in Wallowa, Oregon. He last lived at 1913 Leichner Road. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II and the Korean War and attended the Methodist church. He is survived by his mother, Clara Finstad of Port Lavaca, Texas; two sons, Jordan of Maupin, Oregon, … Read more

Biography of James H. Raley

JAMES H. RALEY. – Prominent among the pioneers of Eastern Oregon may be mentioned this gentleman whose name and portrait appear here with, and who now sits as joint senator in the Oregon legislature from Umatilla and Morrow counties. He was born in Nebraska City in 1855, and as a boy, in 1862, crossed the plains with his parents, arriving at Portland at a time so early in the history of that metropolis as to find an excellent spot for camping near the present site of the St. Charles Hotel. A year later the family found a location at Vancouver, … Read more

Miller, Odetta F. Jacobs Patterson Mrs. – Obituary

Odetta F. Miller, 78, a lifetime Baker City resident, died May 14, 2005, at her home of natural causes. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Mr. Larry Albert will conduct the service. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be fro 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Odetta was born on June 12, 1926, at Baker City to Howard and Goldie Jacobs. Her best childhood memories included living on the homestead out at Five Mile (Lookout Mountain). She spent most of her time with her … Read more

Lanegan, Lisa Lynn Simpson Collis Mrs. – Obituary

Lisa Lynn Simpson Collis Lanegan, 40, a former Baker City resident, died unexpectedly on Aug. 18, 2006, in Vancouver, Wash. A family gathering will be held at a later date to celebrate her life. Lisa loved the outdoors, especially the ocean and fishing and just communing with nature and God and the wonders He created. She was a dedicated caregiver for the elderly. She is survived by her fiancee, Ken Garrison; his parents, Walt and Joanne Garrison; her son, Sean Paul Lanegan; daughters, Kaura and Mylisha Lanegan; mother, Shirley Skemp Collis; stepfather, Mel Collis; sisters, Shirlette Kenworthy of La Grande, … Read more

Fisher, James K. – Obituary

James K. Fisher, 71, a former Haines resident, died Friday, August 19, 1983, in a Portland Hospital. His graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Haines Cemetery. The Rev. Don Carpenter of the Haines Baptist Church will officiate. Mr. Fisher was born November 14, 1911, in Haines to Calvin and Lena Maxwell Fisher. He grew up on the family farm near Haines. He attended school in Haines and Muddy Creek High School. He left Haines in 1936 and had been living in Vancouver, Washington for the past 14 years. Survivors include his wife, Louise of Vancouver, Washington; … Read more

Tumwater, Vancouver, Port Townsend, Washington

Tumwater, the initial point in the ‘history of the settlement of Puget Sound, was incorporated in Nov. 1869. In time it numbered more manufactories than any other town on the Sound. Vancouver and Early Settlers Vancouver was the fourth town in size in western Washington, having in 1880 about 3,000 inhabitants. It was made the county seat of Clarke County by the first legislative assembly of Washington, in March 1854, its pioneers, both English and American, long retaining their residences. Among the early settlers were James Turnbull, born in England, came to Washington in 1852, and with him William Turnbull, … Read more

Denney, William L. – Obituary

William L. “Bill” Denney, 63, of Champaign, Ill., and formerly of Wallowa County, died Aug. 13 after a long battle with pancreal cancer. Bramley Funeral Home in Champaign is in charge of arrangements. A funeral was held Aug. 18 in Divernon, Ill., with burial in Pawnee, Ill., at Calvary Cemetery. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Sept. 5 at Northside Baptist Church in Vancouver, Wash. A reception and visitation will follow. Bill was born Dec. 14, 1944, to Clifford R. and Mary (Betz) Denney in Spokane. He moved to Oregon in 1948 to the lower Imnaha area. He … Read more

Deiter, Eugene “Gene” – Obituary

Eugene “Gene” Deiter, 66, died June 18, 2004, at his daughter’s home in Vancouver, Wash. He had been ill for the last few years. There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 349 South Egan in Vancouver, Wash. Gene was born on Oct. 17, 1937, at Rifle, Colo., to Edwin and Pearl Nichols Deiter. He attended grammar school in Colorado until 1949, when the family moved to Burns, where he continued his education. When he was 17, he joined the military and served during the Korean War. During his military … Read more

Biography of George E. Wells

GEORGE E. WELLS. – The subject of this sketch is a man of great energy and power of adaptability, as is manifested in the occupations that have been engaged in by him during the years in which he has been in this western country, and it is pleasant to remark that during all of these varied undertakings, some of which have been exceedingly arduous and fraught with hardship and danger, he has manifested a stanch and unflinching courage, marked industry and enterprise, with excellent personal qualities of integrity and upright principles, while a good success has attended his efforts, both … Read more