Haines, Oregon
Roger Duane Coles, 86, of Vancouver, Wash., and a former Baker and Haines resident, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003.
A celebration of life ceremony was held to honor him on Saturday, Jan. 25. The service was held at 3 p.m. at Felida Baptist Church located in Vancouver, Wash.
Born in Haines, on June 2, 1916, he graduated from Haines High School and later attended Brooks Institute of Photography. He received an Honorary Master of Science in Photography from Brooks in 2001 for representing “our craft with diligence, fortitude, honesty, service, and many long hours of untiring workÉ”
He served in the South Pacific in World War II. He married Glennie Opal Putman on Jan. 3, 1945, who survives him. In addition to his wife of 58 years, his three children – Larry Coles of Kootenai, Idaho, Carol Brown of Vancouver, Wash., and Merry Schwartz of Carol Stream Ill., survive Duane. He also has ten grandchildren and seven great-grand children. He attended Felida Baptist Church in Vancouver.
He found his lifelong profession as a professional photographer to be very rewarding because he made people smile. He made photographic memories for over a million people, during his lifetime. His photography led him to travel or live in Oregon, Montana, Utah, through the Midwest to Iowa, Idaho and Washington State. He ran his own studios in Baker and Ontario, and worked for Holman Studio in Baker, and was moved to Salt Lake City by Film Service Corp. in 1967. In Utah he also worked for Don Blair Photography. He and Glennie moved to Ontario in 1979 and opened their own studio there. He moved to Kootenai, Idaho, in 1999, and moved to Vancouver, Wash., in 2001 to live with his daughter, Carol, and family, due to health concerns. He continued to enjoy digital photography as a hobby.
He was devoted to his family, and enjoyed music and photography. He will best be remembered for his deep faith and daily walk with God. He was a man of prayer.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Victory Baptist Church, PO Box 664, Sagle, ID 83860.
Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, February, 2003
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor