Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon
Pioneer Mother Services Today
Mrs. Mellisa Jane Himelwright, one of the oldest of Wallowa County pioneers and who had been in failing health for the last several months, passed away Tuesday, November 5, 1957 at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Robert Trezona in Enterprise. She fell last March and broke her hip and had since been confined to a wheel chair or her bed.
Memorial services are being held this afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Booth-Bollman Chapel with the Rev. John Sinclair of the Christian Church officiating. Mrs. John Munsey will be organist and Mrs. R.D. Kay and Mrs. H.R. Weatherford will sing “Beyond The Sunset” and “beautiful Isle of Somewhere.”
Casket Bearers will be Robert Trezona, Stanley Sager, Donald Kooch, Tracy Puderbaugh, Alonzo Lockwood, and Frank Shevlin, and internment will be in the Enterprise Cemetery beside the grave of her husband.
Mrs. Himelwright was the daughter of Eldon and Melvina Gillaspie and was born September 20, 1867 in Vernon County, Missouri. Her mother passed away when Mrs. Himelwright was quite young, and in 1880 Mrs. Himelwright crossed the plains with her father, a sister and two brothers. For ten years they lived near La Grande. On December 20, 1890 she was married at La Grande to Schuyler C. Himelwright and the couple immediately went to The Park on the Imnaha to a homestead where they were engaged in farming and livestock raising until 1917. At that time they sold their holdings and moved to Joseph, living there until Mr. Himewright’s death on June 11, 1944. Since then she had lived with her sons, Fred and John and with her granddaughters.
Surviving are one son: Fred Himelwright, Hurricane Creek; six granddaughters, and 13 great-grandchildren. Her elder son, John, passed away in 1955.
Source: Wallowa County Chieftain, November 7, 1957, Front Page.
Contributed by: Sue Wells