Baker City, Oregon
Thomas Benjamin “Ben” Haynes, 95, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 19, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.
At his request there will be no service or memorial.
Mr. Haynes was born on Aug. 22, 1905, to Thomas Martin Haynes and Laura Etta Adams Haynes at Laurel. He was the second of seven children born on the family homestead at Chehalem Mountain.
He spent a majority of his life working in the construction business. He made his living in his younger years working in logging camps. In later years, he built sawmills in many logging towns throughout the Pacific Northwest, California and Arizona.
In the early ‘70s, he and his wife, Marvel, moved to Baker City from Kingman, Ariz. It was at “the little green house in Baker City” where Mr. Haynes became known for his ability to build and repair instruments, to play music, and to grow a beautiful garden.
There was never a visitor turned away for lack of time to chat or a story that wasn’t important enough not to be discussed. Mr. Haynes was a man full of so much information; as a listener you could only stand in awe of the knowledge he conveyed.
He and his wife were married for 67 years, traveling and exploring life side by side. They had no children together, but found great happiness in the families that grew around them. His happy eyes, hearty laugh and undying companionship he shared with his wife, will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Esther Morgan; three brothers, Chad Haynes, Don Haynes and Pete Haynes; and a son, Thomas Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Marvel Haynes of Baker City; a daughter and her husband, Ilene and John Newton; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Baker City nieces and their husbands, Marilyn and Keith Shollenberger and Cindy and Jack Henner; two brothers, Jake Haynes of Lexington and John Haynes of Inchelium, Wash.; and many more nieces and nephews and their extended families.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue Mountain Old Time Fiddlers Association through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, January 26, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor