Baker City, Oregon
W. Vern Samuel Baisley, 79, died April 27, 2007, at his home in Baker City.
Visitations will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave.
His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. After the service, friends are invited to join the family for a reception at 1408 Broadway St. Private family vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Vern was born Jan. 3, 1928, at Baker City to Marvin Samuel and Gussie Gladys Young Baisley. He was raised in Baker City and was a Baker High School graduate.
Just out of school, Vern took jobs working on Baker ranches before joining the U.S. Army. During his two-year service, he was stationed in Germany. In his younger days, Vern loved Harleys and was in a motorcycle club.
In December of 1954, Vern married his high school sweetheart, Ida “Sue” Taylor in Pendleton. Shortly after getting married, the couple moved to Unity, then North Powder, before settling back in Baker City. Vern and Sue raised five children.
Vern worked at Ellingson Lumber Co., and for a short time selling cars at the Ford Garage, while working at night on the ranch. Ranching was his true love and he truly enjoyed working with horses.
Vern was a wonderful family man. Both adults and children loved listening to his stories, and he had lots of stories to tell. At times, he would get to laughing so much telling the stories, he could hardly finish the tale, his family said. Vern had a great sense of humor; he woke up every morning whistling or singing and happy to greet the day.
He was preceded in death by twin daughters; parents, Marvin and Gussie Baisley; a brother, Verl Baisley; sisters, Helen Hill and LaVelle Shea; a grandson, Bill Lethlean; and son-in-law Christopher Ellis.
Survivors include his wife, Sue Baisley of Baker City; daughters, Diana York, and her husband, Paul, of La Grande, Marlinda Baisley of Baker City, Gladys Lethlean and her husband, Kim, of Baker City and Sami Walton and her husband, Dennis, of Riverview, Fla.; son, Mike Baisley of Bend; sister, Lola Smith, and her husband, Bert, of Roseburg; sister-in-law, Maudie Dawley of Portland; grandchildren, Denise Crawford of Portland, Jason York and his wife, Sara, of Spanaway, Wash., Jeramiah Baisley and his wife, Melissa, of Springcreek, Nev., Dustin Lethlean of Baker City, and Taylor Ellis-Watson of Riverview, Fla.; three stepgrandsons; three great-granddaughters; and numerous other loved relatives.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heart ‘n Home Hospice or the American Cancer Society through Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, May 2, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor