Baker City, Baker County, Oregon
Dale Bennett, 89, of Baker City died July 2, 2005 at St. Elizabeth Care Center.
A memorial service for Dale and his wife, June, will be scheduled later. Cremation was by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory.
Dale was born on Oct. 8, 1915, in Eagle Valley to Myrton and Opal Bennett. After graduating from Eagle Valley High School at Richland, he joined the U.S. Army and served in North Africa during World War II.
Returning to Eagle Valley, he met and married June Borcher in 1949. The couple moved to the family ranch at Keating where their three children were born. In 1958, they moved to Baker City. Dale worked as a teamster for many years.
Dale was an avid fisherman and hunter and enjoyed exploring the area around Baker City. He took his children fishing almost every weekend. Up into his 80s he walked five miles every day to “inspect what was going on in Baker City.” During his walks he would often stop to help with different projects, in particular the restoration of the Geiser Grand Hotel.
Dale liked to attend the Baker Bulldogs athletic games, particularly volleyball and basketball to support his granddaughter.
He was a current member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Baker Elks Lodge.
His wife, June, died on Dec. 15, 2004.
Survivors include a son, Vance Bennett and his wife, Celeste, and their three sons Beamus, Duncan, and Cooper, all of Winnemucca, Nev.; a daughter, Leslee Bailey, and her husband, William, and their daughter, Nellie, all of Baker City; and a son, Daniel Bennett, and his partner, Steve Rabitoy, of Portland.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 8, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor