Wasco County OR

Williams, Ellen Planer Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ellen Williams, 80, a longtime Baker City resident, died May 27, 2002, at Meadowbrook Place in the presence of her family. There will be a celebration of Ellen’s life beginning at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor John Goodyear of the Baker Valley Church of Christ will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the Elkhorn Athletic Club, 1243 Second St. Ellen was born on March 21, 1922, at Minot, N.D., to Millie Gaslin and Orville Planer. Ellen grew up at The Dalles. She graduated from The Dalles … 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

Biographical Sketch of George A. Herbert

GEORGE A. HERBERT. – The parents of George A. Herbert crossed the plains in 1850, locating in Wasco county, where our subject was born January 22, 1860, on Fifteen-mile creek. The early years of George’s life were spent on the farm of his father until he reached the age of sixteen years. Previous to this time his opportunities for securing an education were very limited; but afterwards he was able to attend The Dalles Public School during the winter, while he still rode the ranges during the summer. In 1879 he commenced a regular course of study at the Oregon … Read more

Anderson, Charles “Chuck” – Obituary

Charles “Chuck” Anderson, 57, of Plevna, Mont., a former Baker City resident, died April 30, 2006, at the Fallon Medical Complex in Baker, Mont. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Baker United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St., Pastor Jack Bynum of the church will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There was a service today at Peace Lutheran Church at Plevna, Mont. Chuck was born on Aug. 6, 1948, at The Dalles to Eldon James and Roberta May Griffin Anderson. He grew up and attended elementary school and high school at Condon, where … 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

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

Varney, Inez L. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, 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 Lady Elks, BPOE #1829. She received her 20 year pin from the Eagle Cap Auxillary Post #4307, VFW. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 18. Burial in the Enterprise cemetery. Survivors include her husband, Otis of Troy; a son, Dennis L. Varney of Selhah, Wash.; a daughter, Donna … Read more

Vass, Olga Mrs. – Obituary

Died-At Union, Ore., Tuesday, February 22, 1927, Olga, wife of John Vass, age 54 years, 11 month and 18 days. Mrs. Olga Vass, wife of John Vass, was born in Norway, Jan. 3, 1873. She came to the United States when a child with her parents, and lived in Nebraska until they moved to Oregon, where she was married to Chas. Anderson, from which union there was one son, C. M. Anderson, now living in Cambridge, Idaho. Later she married at The Dalles, Oregon, John Vass, some 18 years ago. She has lived at Union for the past three years, … Read more

Biography of Hon. R. O. Dunbar

HON. R.O. DUNBAR. – It is not always an enviable distinction to be made eminent for political preferments. The exceptions are in the cities where office is held as the currency of political services, and as the opportunity for public plunder. In the smaller communities, however, where personal acquaintance extends to all citizens, and an honest public spirit precludes fraud, one may well feel pride in that confidence of his friends in his ability and probity which selects him as a public servant. Preferment at the suffrage of the citizens of a place like Goldendale, noted for its correct sentiment … Read more

Biography of James M. De Moss

JAMES M. DE MOSS. – This well-known musician of Eastern Oregon was born at Greensburg, Indiana, May 15, 1837. As a child he removed to Iowa with his parents, and in that state was reared, receiving his higher education at Western College. At eighteen he became a teacher of music, and three years later was married to Miss Elizabeth A., daughter of Reverend Henry Bonebrake. He spent his early manhood as an exhorter in the United Brethren church. In the great patriotic meetings held during the days of the Civil war by Honorable Henry Wilson, and others, he was appointed … Read more

Quint, Merle Frances – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Merle Frances Quint, 93, formerly of Union County, died Nov. 17 in Gresham. A private graveside service and burial is planned to take place at the Island City Cemetery. Merle was born Oct. 24, 1914, to Ella Dell Walker and Kenny Worth Smith in Perry. She had six brothers and went to school in Perry, Pondosa and Baker. She graduated from high school in 1932 and graduated from Eastern Oregon College with a teaching degree. Her first teaching job was at Starkey where she had seven students – two girls and five boys. She spent her second … Read more

Killingbeck, Fern E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Fern E. Killingbeck, 94, died Aug. 21 at Richland Rehabilitation Center in Richland, Wash. A private family graveside service will be held at the Redmond Memorial Cemetery in Redmond. Mrs. Killingbeck was born July 8, 1912, at Madras to Thomas Jefferson and Etta Mora Parsley Fields. She lived in Longview, Wash., and The Dalles before moving to Redmond, where she graduated from high school. On Dec. 22, 1930, she married Clarence Herbert Killingbeck in Bend. She owned and cooked at her restaurant in Redmond for several years. In 1949 she moved to La Grande and operated the … Read more

Biography of Frank McFarland

FRANK McFARLAND. – This representative merchant of Eastern Oregon, one of our best and most enterprising men, was born at The Dalles December 17, 1858, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. McFarland, who crossed the plains in the year 1852 from Ohio with four-horse teams, and in Oregon have reared a family of four daughters and two sons, all of whom occupy honorable positions in the Northwest. He made his native city his home until 1882, and spent his boyhood days in assiduous attendance upon the public school, obtaining thereby a thorough, practical education. He secured … 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

Lee, Joseph Roscoe – Obituary

Joseph Roscoe Lee, resident of Baker county 1904 to 1956, died November 14, at the family home in Forest Grove. He was born March 22, 1880 in Dallas, Oregon, where his father J.D. Lee was born in 1849. J. Roscoe attended Portland schools except enrollment in Independent Academy, The Dalles, 1888-1892, and attended Willamette U. and Capitol Business College, Salem. He was married to Myrtle Guttersen in 1914 at St. Paul, Minn. In Baker county he had a dry good store, farmed in Eagle Valley and in later years ran an insurance agency. His wife was a teacher and co-school … Read more

Wilson, Ernest – Obituary

Ernest Wilson, of Celilo, Oregon, Shot Himself October 17th. The Republican last week noticed briefly the death of Ernest Wilson, age 36, of Celilo. He was a brother of our citizen, B.F. Wilson, and was born in Cove. He leaves a wife and three children. From Judge B.F. Wilson, who returned from Celilo Saturday, we learn that it was probably a case of suicide, though there was no apparent reason for such an act, the business and family affairs of Ernest Wilson being in harmonious and satisfactory condition. The funeral took place Saturday at Celilo. Ernest Wilson has been in … Read more

Langley, Helen Merritt Sheehy Mrs. – Obituary

Helen M. Langley, 89, a longtime Baker County resident, died Dec. 23, 2002, at Dallas Hospital in Dallas, Ore. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Vault interment will be at the Lime Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday. Family and friends are invited to a dinner reception in the church basement after the funeral. The graveside service also is open to family and friends. Visitation will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Recitation of the rosary will be … Read more

Voeller, Curt Stanley – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Curt Stanley Voeller, 43, of The Dalles, died Dec. 15, 2004, at The Dalles. At his request there will not be a public funeral. Private cremation was at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory, with Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Curt was born July 17, 1961, at Baker City, the beloved son of Stanley Carroll and Winifred “Joanne” Voeller. He was the youngest of four children. The family moved to the Willamette Valley, and Curt attended school in Salem. He worked construction in Portland, Salem and The Dalles areas. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and … Read more

Bilyeu, Nettie Edmunsen – Obituary

Mrs. Rupert A. Bilyeu and infant babe died at The Dalles hospital Friday morning [January 13, 1911 for Nettie and January 11 for baby]. She was a native of the city, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Edmunson, in her eighteenth year. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. D. Lewellen, at the Crandall Undertaking parlors at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. [Interment in IOOF Cemetery] The Dalles Optimist, January 19, 1911 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of Hon. William Lair Hill

HON. WILLIAM LAIR HILL. – The distinguished lawyer, author, versatile writer and thorough student whose name introduces this sketch was asked to furnish such data as might contribute in its production; and he diffidently and reluctantly responded. Among other hastily prepared notes, he answered: “Have lived an honest a life as my environments seemed to allow, mainly for the reason that, according to my hereditary creed, one who is not at least indifferently honest, cannot be very happy. In all my laborious life the one single fact in which I have the slightest pride is that, like Jim Bludsoe, I … Read more