Baker City, Oregon
Donna Kowing Backlund, 61, of Baker City, died Sept. 27, 2002, at John Day.
Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Shiela Kowing, who live up Laycock Creek in the John Day area.
Mrs. Backlund was born May 4, 1941, at Tillamook to Lawrence and Frieda Ammeter Ratliff.
She grew up on a homestead near Washougal, Wash., where she was schooled. She later attended Blue Mountain Community College and was a certified dental assistant employed at Baker City for several years.
On Dec. 28, 1957, she married Robert Kowing at Washougal. They later divorced.
She married Richard Backlund in January 1991 and the couple lived at Baker City. Her hobbies included gardening and sewing.
Mrs. Backlund is survived by her daughter, Cindy Davis of Ashland; three sons and daughters-in-law, Ken and Linda Kowing, Joe and Shiela Kowing, and Steve and Tami Kowing, all of John Day; 10 grandchildren; her mother, Frieda Ratliff of Baker City; brother and sister-in-law, Owen and Shirley Ratliff of Woodland, Wash.; two stepsons and a daughter-in-law, Rob and Lorie Backlund of Baker City and Rick Backlund of Virginia; and five stepgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father; a grandson, Samuel Wayne Kowing; and her husband, Richard, who died in June.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Redmond, Sisters and Grant County, P.O. Box 1092, Redmond, OR 97756, or call 541/820-3790.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, October 4, 2002
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor