Coulter, James – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon James Coulter, several years a citizen of Elgin, but of late years a resident of La Grande, died in that city August 31, 1945, aged 86 years and 21 days. Although his health had been generally failing, due to his advanced years, his final illness was of short duration. Graveside services were conducted at the Elgin cemetery at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, and entombment followed immediately thereafter. Only two direct relatives survive deceased. They are two sons: F. L., of Sisters, Ore., and Jas. J., of Joseph. James Coulter was born at Mulkeytown, Ill., August 12, … Read more

Dishman, W. S. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Another Old Settler Passes To Eternal Home W.S. Dishman, an early settler of this county, well remembered by all the older residents, and father of Mrs. George S. Craig of this city, died at Whittier, Cal., Tuesday night, September 12, of illness due to old age, for he was in his 89th year. The body was brought to Portland for burial, the funeral being held Sunday afternoon from the home of William I. Dishman, a son of the deceased. Mr. Dishman was born in Kentucky, Dec. 6, 1821, and came west in the early eighties, settling … Read more

Ransom, Paul E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Paul E. Ransom, 83, of La Grande and formerly of Milton-Freewater, died Aug. 8 at Rose Cottage, an adult care center, in Kennewick. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Mountain View-Colonial DeWitt, 1551 Dalles Military Road, Walla Walla. Pastor Roger Holden will officiate. A reception will follow at the funeral home. Paul was born Sept. 30, 1924, to Ernest and Lou Hahn Ransom in Walla Walla. He attended elementary school on Government Mountain then the Forks School on the Walla Walla River. He started high school in Prescott, Wash. His family then moved … Read more

Bird, Roberta Johnson – Obituary

Wallowa, Oregon Roberta Johnson Bird died Aug. 5, 2006, at the Odd Fellows Home in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 87. Mrs. Bird was born June 15, 1919, in Wallowa to William E. and Laura B. Johnson. She graduated with honors from Wallowa High School in 1936. She walked the five miles to Wallowa High School and returned daily unless some kind person gave her a ride. This was during the Great Depression before school buses ran in the county. The Weinhard family of Wallowa was generous in this regard, and she valued their friendship all her life. Mrs. Bird … Read more

Loney, Samuel K. – Obituary

Samuel K. Loney, 82 years old and resident of Walla Walla County since 1879, died at noon Saturday [February 1, 1941] at his home, 6 ½ North Second Avenue, following a serious illness of two weeks and a much longer period of ill health. Born near Guelph, Ontario, close to Toronto, December 28, 1858, he was the oldest son in a family of 10 children. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Loney, native of Ireland who had migrated to Canada and eventually came to the United States. Samuel Loney completed his schooling in Canada and worked on his father’s … Read more

Sample, Lois L. – Obituary

Wallowa County, Oregon Lois L. Sample died at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash., July 9, 1987. She was 65. No funeral services were held at her request. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children or the Elks Eye Clinic through Munsell-Rholdes Funeral Home Chapel in Milton-Freewater. Sample was born in Wallowa to Cecil and Thelma (Crow) Childers, on April 29, 1922. She attended schools in Lostine and Joseph, completing high school at Enterprise in 1940. She moved to Weiser, Idaho following high school graduation and attended the National Youth Business College. She … Read more

Cerato, Mildred Elva – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Mildred Elva Cerato, 88, of College Place, Wash., died Dec. 11, 2003, on her birthday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was born on Dec. 11, 1915 in Santa Ana, Calif. to George W. and Mary Ella (Pearce) Todd. In 1937, she married John A. Cerato and the couple lived and raised a family in California. After her husband died, Mrs. Cerato moved to Joseph in 1992 to be near her daughter. She was an active member of the Joseph Baptist Church, doing mission work, serving for a time as president of the women’s … Read more

Ensminger, George – Obituary

George Ensminger Dies, March 5 George Ensminger 69, of Walla Walla, a former longtime Haines resident died Sunday at local hospital in Walla Walla. Graveside services for Mr. Ensminger were conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 8 at the family plot in the Haines Cemetery. The Reverend Gerald C. Nelson of the United Methodist Church in Haines and Baker officiated. Mr. Ensminger was born Feb. 10, 1909 in Haines, the son of Frank and Ethel Payne Ensminger. He received his education in Haines and worked in heavy construction for a number of years. After his retirement he has been a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. W. Stratton

H. W. STRATTON, the subject of this sketch, after a number of years spent in business in Ohio, was ordained to the ministry in 1866 over the same church of which his father had been pastor nearly a quarter of a century. Soon afterwards he began preaching in Kansas, continuing five years, and in 1871 came to Oregon, ministering to the Presbyterian and Congregational churches united at Albany. Leaving that field at the instance of his presbytery, he served a church as synodical missionary for one year, among other things organizing the first Presbyterian churches east of the Cascade Mountains … Read more

Evens, Bertha E. – Obituary

Services Held For Bertha E. Evans Memorial services for Mrs. Bertha E. Evans were Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Bollman Chapel, with Rev. Harold D. Fuller, pastor of Bethel Assembly of God in Walla Walla, formerly of Enterprise, officiating. Mrs. Lyle Shumway was pianist, and Mrs. Harold D. Fuller sang “Life Is Like a Mountain Railroad” and “Sometimes We’ll Understand.” Casket bearers were: Verne Conrad, Herbert Bork, Earl Conrad, Billy L. Bork, Tracy Puderbaugh, and Marvin Bork, and interment was in the Enterprise cemetery. Bertha Emma Bork, daughter of Rudolph and Bertha Bork, pioneers of Wallowa County, was born … Read more

Loney, Alice May Reed – Obituary

Mrs. Alice May Loney, 68, prominent member of the Pioneer Methodist Church, died in a local hospital Sunday [March 26]. The funeral has been set for 2 p.m. Wednesday in a local chapel. She was born in Boothbay, Maine, July 27, 1875 and came to Walla Walla with her parents, Captain and Mrs. John E. Reed in 1884. They settled on the estate of Elisha Sherman one mile west of here. Sherman was an uncle of Mrs. Loney. She lived here until her marriage to John T. Loney who died in 1924. Her home has been at 534 North Sixth. … Read more

Miller, Stephen Anthony – Obituary

Steven Anthony Miller, 60, of Walla Walla and formerly of La Grande, died Sept. 18 after suffering from a cardiac problem while driving on U.S. Highway 12. A funeral service was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Walla Walla last month. Steven was born Sept. 2, 1947, to Reuben and Lois Ruth Taylor Teske in Baker City. He lived for a while in La Grande and graduated from a local church school. He graduated from Upper Columbia Academy in Spangle, Wash., in 1965 and attended Walla Walla College. He served in the U.S. Army and received an honorable discharge … Read more

Emmons, Jeannie – Obituary

First Obituary Jeannie Marie Emmons of Wallowa died March 27, 2007, in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 47. Ms. Emmons was born Feb. 28, 1960. She lived most of her life in Wallowa. She graduated from Wallowa High School in 1978. She moved to Boise where she worked for a short time. She moved back and worked at the Eagle’s Nest, Baird’s Tavern, the Common Good for seven years and at Parks Bronze for eight years. Ms. Emmons enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She maintained a positive attitude even in difficult times and touched others with her … Read more

Biography of Hon. John B. Allen

HON. JOHN B. ALLEN. – “I think Walla Walla is destined to be the central and commercial city of that large area of country in Eastern Washington lying south of the Snake river, and of much of Eastern Oregon. Probably no city of its population in the Northwest equals it in wealth. It is just now emerging from years of transportation extortions, which few other regions could have borne. Competitive systems will infuse new life to every industry, and stimulate the developments of resources heretofore lying dormant.” This is the horoscope of the young city as cast by Mr. Allen; … Read more

Biography of W. H. Mastin

W.H. MASTIN. – As a lien upon the gratitude of his fellow-men, one writes a book, another opens a mine, a third builds a house. Each one may do the work for himself, but nevertheless, in recognition of the wants and needs of others, suiting his operations to their tastes and necessities, and finding his chief satisfaction, not so much in the profit that he reaps from his industry, as from the position which he fills in the world of business and society, making himself, his skill and his work, a necessary part of the great whole. It is in … Read more

Biography of A. H. Reynolds

A.H. REYNOLDS. – This pioneer of Walla Walla, Washington, is a bank director, a large real-estate owner, and has been active in many of the early enterprises, not only of that city, but of Oregon and California. He was born in 1808, in St. Lawrence county, New York; and his memories of early life are deeply tinged with the exciting events of the war of 1812, in which his parents had an active part. Receiving the rigid and economical training of the old times, he added to his education by efforts of his own, and qualified himself for active life … Read more

Holmes, George H. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon George H. Holmes was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1855. In early childhood he crossed the plains with his parents to Bannock City, Montana. Later the family came to Walla Walla and in 1868 they located at Cove, which was his home until early manhood. Mr. Holmes was one of the earliest settlers of Wallowa County, residing here at a time when there were only thirteen families in the County. While still a young man, Mr. Holmes proved up on a homestead on Crow Creek, the same homestead being farmed by himself the summer previous to … Read more

Loney, Hazel Velma Wright – Obituary

Hazel Loney, 93, of 534 Boyer Ave. died Thursday [May 31] at the Odd Fellows Home. She had been a resident there for the past two years. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel, Milton-Freewater. Rev. Edward Morrison will officiate. Mrs. Loney was born March 17, 1891, in Umapine, Ore., to Robert and Frances Dugger Wright. She lived in Umapine for 10 years, then moved to Walla Walla and attended elementary schools here and Walla Walla High School. In 1918 she married Charles Loney in Pendleton. They farmed in Oregon, and also leased … Read more

Loney, Albert Strobel – Obituary

Former area resident Albert S. Loney, 76, died here Monday [October 13, 1986] at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Bruce Lee Memorial Chapel, 2604 W. Lewis St., Pasco. The graveside service will be 1:30 p.m. at Mountain View Cemetery, Walla Walla. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society through Mrs. Hugh DeYarmon, 721 W. Yakima St., Pasco, 99301. Loney was born Dec. 7, 1909, in Walla Walla to Evangeline Strobel and William David Loney. He graduated from Umapine High School in 1928, then attended Washington State College at … Read more

Benson, A. F. – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Walla Walla, Wash, March 13-A. F. Benson died here last night. He was a native of Kentucky. Mr. Benson came here in 18621 as an emigrant escort and drove a six-mule team from Omaha to Walla Walla, then began freighting. He lived in Union county, Oregon, many years and was treasurer in that county. He was married at Union, Ore., May 11, 1873, to Martha E. Stanton, who survives with two sons and two daughters. The family came to Walla Walla in 1888 and Mrs. Benson engaged in farming until 1909. (Frank Benson was well known … Read more