Wasco County OR

Smith, Dorothy Mrs. – Obituary

Dorothy Smith, 85, of Unity, died July 30, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Helix Cemetery. Jack Pittman of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Dorothy was born on Aug. 23, 1919, at Burns. She was the valedictorian of her high school class at Entiat, Wash. She attended Washington State College and later earned a degree in education from Western Oregon University at Monmouth. She taught elementary school for many years at Nyssa, The Dalles and the Reynolds School District in Portland. She married Arthur W. Smith … Read more

Shull, Vernon E. – Obituary

Haines, Baker County, Oregon Vernon E. Shull, 88, died April 9, 2006, at his home in Haines. His graveside memorial will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Haines Cemetery. Chaplain Assistant Sgt. Daggett from the La Grande Armory will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception after the service at the Haines United Methodist Church. Vernon was born on Dec. 26, 1917, and raised at Glen Elder, Kan., the sixth of eight children of James and Sarah Shull. After eight years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he settled in Oregon with his … Read more

Ringer, Marilyn “Kay” Town Mrs. – Obituary

Marilyn “Kay” Ringer, 58, of The Dalles, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 15, 2002, at Mid-Columbia Medical Center. Her funeral was today at The Dalles Zion Lutheran Church. Private cremation was at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory. Inurnment was at The Dalles Odd Fellows Memorial Mausoleum. Kay was born on Aug. 3, 1943, at Moscow, Idaho, to Sherman Duane “Bud” and Ellen Josephine Olsen Town. She grew up at Moscow and Baker City and was a 1961 Baker High School graduate. She attended the University of Oregon at Eugene for a year before transferring to Eastern Oregon College (now … Read more

Varney, Inez Lavera – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Inez L. Varney, former resident of Enterprise, died March 15, 1980 at the Dalles General Hospital, The Dalles, Oregon. She was born Jan. 12, 1922 in Enterprise, Oregon and married Otis Varney on December 23, 1941. She attended the Enterprise Community church and was a member of the Lay Elks, BPOE #1829. she received her 20 year pin from the Eagle Cap Auxiliary Post #4307,VFW. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 18. Burial was in the Enterprise cemetery. Survivors include her husband, Otis of Troy; a son, Dennis L. Varney of Selhah, Washington; a daughter, Donna Aschenbrenner of … Read more

Sullivan, Sean Richard – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Sean Richard Sullivan, 27, of La Grande and formerly of The Dalles died Aug. 14 in Riggins, Idaho, following an automobile accident. A Mass of Christian Burial was held today at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church with burial at the Island City Cemetery. Mr. Sullivan was born June 15, 1979, to Joseph Patrick and Toni Gaye Walker Sullivan in Portland. He graduated from The Dalles High School in 1998, and from Eastern Oregon University this year with a degree in Rangeland Management. He worked at various jobs, including at D&B Supply and the auction yard. … Read more

Goodnough, Charles – Obituary

Buried in Portland Remains of the Late Charles Goodnough Interred in Riverview Cemetery An Old Oregon Pioneer of 1856 Commenced Business in La Grande in 1864, Built the First Brick [Building] in Union County The funeral services over the remains of Charles Goodnough took place from the family residence, 440 Williams Avenue, Albina, Monday, December 4, 1899, Rev. W. R. Lord, of the Unitarian Church, conducting the services. Relatives and friends of the family were present, including the following well known personal friends and business associates of this county: J. M. Church and J. M. Berry, of this city, Mr. … Read more

Simonis, Valeria Denise Macy Mrs. – Obituary

Valeria Denise Simonis, 70, of Baker City, died Jan. 31, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A memorial service will be scheduled this summer. Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Valeria was born on March 9, 1934, at Baker City to John and Irma Williams Macy. Her family lived at Jacksonville until she was in the fourth grade, when they returned to Baker City. She married Keith Simonis at Elko, Nev., in 1950. They made their home at North Powder until their divorce. At that time, she and her children moved to Hermiston, where she went to work … Read more

Grisham, Ira C. – Obituary

Ira C. Grisham, 51, a former resident of Maupin and a retired rancher of that section died at 8 o’clock Sunday morning following a dinner at his home on Friday evening when poison food was consumed. Mr. Grisham’s wife, Nettie, is seriously ill, as is Mr. and Mrs. Perry Strong, now confined in The Dalles Hospital. All are reported in better condition but unable to leave their beds as a result of the family dinner. According to the facts given by the guests and by Mrs. Grisham after they had taken sick, meat pie, beans, and canned beets had constituted … Read more

Hess, Gertrude Jean – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Gertrude Jean Hess, 59, of 123 Union St., Walla Walla, died June 21, 1981 at Portland’s St. Vincent Hospital. Mrs. Hess was born July 19, 1921, in Criterion, Oregon to Peter and Birtha Herling Kirsch. She attended Criterion and Maupin schools and graduated from Oregon State University in Corvallis. She married W. John Hess June 9, 1946. She was a teacher in Enterprise and a homemaker. She was a member of Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Christian Womens Club and Engineers Wives. Mrs. Hess is survived by her husband, at home; three sons, Dan and Mark … Read more

Biography of Edmond Pearcy

Edmond Pearcy, whose history is one of close connection with the pioneer development of the state as well as its latter-day progress and prosperity was born in Bedford County, Virginia, on the 22d of March 1832, and is of Scotch and Dutch descent. His ancestors were early settlers of Virginia, and for many years the families were represented in Bedford County. His father, Nicholas Pearcy, was born there, and having arrived at years of maturity he married Rebecca Hardy, a native of Maryland. They became the parents of twelve children, eleven sons and one daughter, and of the number but … Read more

Spellman, Gladys A. Wing Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Gladys A. Spellman, 75, of Baker City, died Sept. 29, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Dennis Hickman of First Lutheran Church will officiate. Gladys was born at Wamic on Sept. 3, 1927, to George and Della Wing. She was from a pioneer family from Germany that migrated with covered wagons to Oregon City, then to Wamic. As a young girl, she helped in the family’s lumber mill business. She attended schools at Wamic and graduated in 1945. After graduation, she moved to … Read more

Biography of Robert Grostein

Robert Grostein, one of Idaho’s most successful pioneer merchants, has carried on business in Lewiston since 1862 and through the intervening years has borne an unassailable reputation in trade circles, never making an engagement which he has not kept nor contracting an obligation that he has not met. His sagacity and enterprise and moreover his untiring labor have brought to him a handsome competence, and the most envious could not grudge him his success, so honorably has it been acquired. Mr. Grostein is a native of Poland, born in 1835, and is the eldest in the family of four children … Read more

Anderson, Charles – Obituary

Anderson, Charles Joseph, Oregon Charles Anderson, a former resident of Joseph and Baker City, died April 30, 2006, in Baker, Mont. He was 57. Funeral services will be held May 8 at 2 p.m. at Baker United Methodist Church in Baker City. A full obituary will run in next week’s paper. Wallowa County Chieftain, May 4, 2006 Charles Anderson, a former resident of Joseph and Baker City, died April 30, 2006, in Baker, Mont. He was 57. Mr. Anderson was born Aug. 6, 1948, to Eldon James and Roberta May Griffin Anderson in The Dalles. He grew up and attended … Read more

Biography of Rev. John F. Devore, D. D.

REV. JOHN F. DEVORE, D.D. – Doctor Devore was a native of Kentucky, being born near Lexington, December 7, 1817. He was of French descent, as the name indicates, and owed very much to the pious example of religious parents, who urged him with their last words to be “faithful to his God.” The “Life of Bramwell” fell into his hands at an early date, was read with great relish, and had much to do in molding the shape of his after life. Entering the ministry, he joined the Rock river conference in 1842, Bishop Roberts presiding. He was ordained … Read more

Davis, Wilma D. – Obituary

Wilma D. Davis, 86, of Hood River, a former Northeastern Oregon resident, died Jan. 4, 2005. The family will gather later for burial of her ashes. Wilma was born on April 20, 1918, at Prairie City to Alma Davis and Annie Merle Dalton Davis. She grew up and attended school at Prairie City. She later lived in the Hood River area. Wilma’s dad and his family came from Kansas across the Oregon Trail when he was 5 years old. She is remembered by her family as a very compassionate person who always had a ready smile. Survivors include her brothers, … Read more

Biography of James A. Masterson

JAMES A. MASTERSON. – It now becomes our pleasant privilege to outline the interesting career of the estimable gentleman, whose name is at the ehad of this article, and who stands as one of the prominent and representative men of Union county, being also aheavy property owner, and having manifested since an early day here ability that was master of the situation and has acuumulated his holdings from the raw resources of the county, while also he has maintained an untarnished reputation and has done much for the advancement of the county, being really one of the builders of Union … Read more

Chastain, Joel Orange – Obituary

Joel O. Chastain, 67, a life-long resident of Tygh Valley where he was a dairyman and farmer, died Wednesday [May 17, 1961] in Portland after a long illness. Mr. Chastain was a member of the Tygh Valley Methodist Church and the Old Wasco County Pioneer Association. Surviving are his widow, Laura, of Tygh Valley; a daughter, Mrs. Nina Teschner, and two grandchildren, Tonya and Jola Teschner of Portland; three brothers, Frank of Yakima, John of Newport and Liberty Chastain of Harper, Ore.; and two sisters, Mrs. Effie Knighten and Mrs. Nina New, both of Harper. Funeral services under direction of … Read more

Biography of John M. Crooks

John M. Crooks, now deceased, was numbered among the Idaho pioneers of 1862 and was at one time the owner of the land upon which the town of Grangeville is now located. He was born in Indiana, June 28, 1820, and was of Irish and German lineage. He married Martha Pea, a native of Virginia, and in 1852 they crossed the plains to Oregon, accompanied by their five children. One child was added to the number during the journey. For many long weeks they were upon the way, traveling across the arid sands or through the mountain passes, but at … Read more

Biography of James Birnie

JAMES BIRNIE. – Mr. Birnie was a Scotchman by birth. He was born at Paisley, county Renfrew, Scotland, in the year 1800. In 1816 the ambitious lad left his native health and emigrated to Montreal, Canada. Here, under the tutelage of a Catholic priest, he studied the French language for about two years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Northwest Fur Company as one of its clerks, and was sent across the Rocky Mountains to Fort Spokane, where he arrived towards the close of 1818. The fort at this time was in charge of … Read more

Boydstun, Robert Deris “Bob”, III – Obituary

Robert “Bob” Deris Boydstun III, 67, a resident of The Dalles, Ore., died at a care facility in Portland, Ore., on June 5, 2006. Graveside services were held on Saturday, June 10, 2006, at 2 p.m. at 100F Three Mile Cemetery in The Dalles, Ore., with Bob Guerrant officiating. Bob married Ramona Harden in Baker City, Ore., on June 12, 1960. He is survived by his son, Rob Boydstun and his wife, Corissa of Damascus, Ore.; daughter, Amy Latham and her husband Russ of White Salmon, Wash.; four grand children; sister, Patsy Castle and her husband, Mike of Burns, Ore.; … Read more