Baker City, Oregon
Roland W. George, 89, a lifelong Baker City resident, died Feb. 12, 2007, at his home. He had many family members and friends with him over the last several days.
His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Jesse Whitford of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at the Baker City Christian Church, 675 Highway 7.
Visitations will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
A longtime Wingville-area resident and a descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers, Roland was born July 10, 1917, to Charles and Elizabeth George, who lived in the Rock Creek area at the base of the Elkhorn Mountains. He was the youngest of four siblings.
A graduate of Baker High School, Roland met and later married his high school sweetheart, Millicent Brown on Dec. 28, 1936. They were partners for more than 70 years in love, life and work.
Roland is remembered as a gentle and loving husband, father and grandfather and also as a valued neighbor throughout their years in the dairy and beef industries, his family said.
Roland and his brother, Omer, were known throughout the Pacific Northwest for their motorcycle stunts and racing prowess. In later years, he and his brother were pioneers in early day snowmobiling in Baker County.
Roland was a charter member of the Baker Rural Fire District, the Baker County Cattlemen’s Association and the Wingville Grange. He was a lifelong member of the Baker Elks Lodge, No. 338, a supporter of the Oregon Trail Regional Museum and an early worker and developer of Little Alps and Anthony Lakes ski areas.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Richard and Omer George; a sister, Odessa Mobley; beloved grandson, Bryan Craner; great-grandson, Carson Kaemming Jr.; and great-great-grandson, Samuel Bryan Kaemming.
Survivors include his wife, Millicent; daughters and their husbands, Annette Craner and Greg Swaim of Newberg and Linda and Ray Jones of Hermiston; a granddaughter, Sherri Kaemming, and friend, Dennis McBride, of Four Lakes, Wash.; great-grandsons, Chris and Sean Kaemming, and Jamieson Livingood; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker Rural Fire District, the Heart and Home Hospice Foundation of Baker County or the Baker County 4-H dairy clubs through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 14, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor