Lee Ellen Coe, 79, of Elgin, died Aug. 2, 1993, at Valley View Care Center in La Grande. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Elgin.
Mrs. Coe was born Nov. 5, 1913, in Elgin, to William and Alma Long Breshears. She graduated from Cove High School when she was 15. She then attended the University of Oregon and graduated when she was 18. She farmed at Pine Grove and Cricket Flats. She cooked for the farm crews. After this she got her teaching certificate and taught at Elgin High School from 1957 to 1964. She taught English, Spanish, drama, and home economics. She also advised the honor society and coached volleyball.
Mrs. Coe moved to Hermiston and taught junior high from 1964 to 1968. She later returned to Elgin High School before retiring on July 1, 1976. She played the piano for the LDS Church, Sunday school, and other organizations. She enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, sewing, tole and oil painting, horseback riding, the mountains, picking huckleberries and mushrooms and learning about wildflowers.
She was a member of the LDS Church in Elgin, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, the Blue Mountain Order of Easter Star N. 52, Pythian Sisters No. 31, Fraternal Order of Eagles Women’s Auxiliary in la Grande, the Women’s Service Club, the Union County Historical Society, the Elgin Stampeders, the Retired Educators Assn. Of Union County, the American Association of University Women, the Union County Art Guild and the La Grande Knife and Fork Club.
Survivors include her sons, Nathan and Kenneth, both of Elgin; six granddaughters; four great-granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews. A brother, a sister and a grandson died earlier. Contributions may be made to the lee Ellen Coe Scholarship Fund for Elgin High School through U.S. Bank.
La Grande Evening Observer
LaGrande, Oregon
August 11, 1993, pg 10
Contributed by: Dixie Ricker