Mildred Emily Gale, 92, went peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on July 17, 2009. For the past six years she had been with her daughter Pam Murphy and family in Boulder City, Nev. Several of the family had returned with her only the evening before to her big yellow house on the corner of College and B. Mildred’s services were at Gray’s West and Company July 24, 2009, followed by her burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery and a graciously hosted reception at the Methodist Church.
The fifth of seven children, she was born Mildred Emily Griffith November 09, 1916, at Dixie, Oregon, to Glen and Gladys Griffith. After a glorious childhood in a loving family she graduated from Huntington High School in 1935 and Eastern Oregon Normal School in La Grande in 1937. While teaching at the Plano one-room school house she was wooed by Henry Gale, president of the local grange. She spent her second year as principal at Pleasant Valley and married Henry June 10, 1939. Henry’s grange sent them on their honeymoon to the San Francisco World Fair. For nearly 40 of their 50 years of marriage they owned and operated Gale’s Grocery (Market) on Broadway across from the Junior High School.
Mildred, who both worked and played hard, enjoyed many pastimes—gardening, croquet, snow skiing, backpacking, and more. For several winters she and Henry flooded their own vacant lot, turning it into an ice skating rink for all to partake.
After their daughter Pam graduated from high school the Gales began filling their home with foster children—more than 50 in all. The Gale house bustled with these children and the soon to follow grandchildren.
Mildred always cherished her Methodist Church and dear friends within it. In the early 70’s she embraced the Born Again Movement that swept through Baker. Her already full life now overflowed with an even wider array of friends, Bible studies and Christian outreaches.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry her beloved husband of 50 years, son Byron, five brothers, and one sister. Survivors include her daughter Pam and son-in-law Jim Murphy of Boulder City, Nev., daughter-in-law Sheri Caldwell of Pendleton, Ore., 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces–all whom she loved dearly.
Memorial donations may be made to the Baker Methodist Church or the Baker Salvation Army.
Survivors include a son, Michael, of Telluride, Colo.; son and daughter-in-law, James H. and Svetlana Oard of Baton Rouge, La.; and a daughter, Jane Lee Case of Redmond; brother and sister-in-law, Gaylen and Mary Lou Cawlfield of Seattle, Wash.; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon September 17, 2009
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor