Baker City, Oregon
Jessie Elmeda Moses Chambers, 89, a lifelong Baker City resident and retired longtime teacher, died Feb. 17, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Vigil services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the cathedral. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin and the Rev. John R. Jasper will concelebrate the Mass. Visitations will be until 5 p.m. today at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Mrs. Chambers was born on April 8, 1911, at Baker City to D.B. “Bud” and Carrie “Janney” Moses. She attended Baker City schools and was a Baker High School graduate. She attended Oregon College of Education at Monmouth and was a graduate of Eastern College of Education at La Grande. She did her post-graduate work at Washington State University at Pullman.
She married Howard Chambers on June 7, 1930, at Stevenson, Wash. He died on May 22, 1939. They had two children, Bonnie and Bea.
After completing her education, Mrs. Chambers began her 40-year teaching career. She taught for 10 years in rural schools and the remaining 30 years at Brooklyn School for the 5J district. All of the schools except the first one were in Baker County.
Mrs. Chambers also worked part-time at J.C. Penney for about 20 years. After her retirement, she enjoyed traveling and working at the Baker County Public Library as a volunteer.
Her other volunteer work included helping at the museum and at St. Elizabeth Hospital. She was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Cathedral, the Altar Society, the hospital auxiliary and the Retired Teachers Association.
Survivors include her daughters, Bonnie Baggerly and her husband, Richard, of Echo and Bea Bottger of Portland; 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard; her brother, George Moses; sisters, Thelma Morris and Margaret Morris; and son-in-law, Jim Bottger.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 23, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor