La Grande, Union County, Oregon
La Grande 1921-2000
Ross E. Hearing, 78, of La Grande, died April 23.
A graveside service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Grandview Cemetery Mausoleum with the Rev. Norm Shrumm of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Following the service, Mrs. Hearing’s friends and family will honor him at a luncheon at noon at Hoke Hall room 309 on the Eastern Oregon University campus. Viewing will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St.
Mr. Hearing was born Sept. 6, 1921, to Merle and Alma McCullough Hearing in Wallowa. He graduated from La Grande High School in 1939 and magna cum laude from Eastern Oregon University in 1947 where he was president of the student body.
He served in Africa and Italy during World War II before attending graduate school at the University of Oregon.
Mr. Hearing married Mary Ingle in 1948 in La Grande. The couple divorced, and he married Vera Wetzel on Sept. 5, 1975, in Newport.
Mr. Hearing taught school in Vancouver, Wash., before graduating from Lewis and Clark School of Law in 1951. He received the degree of Juris Doctor in 1970 and was elected to the Board of Overseers at Lewis and Clark College. He practiced law for 33 years in La Grande, presided as municipal judge from 1952 to 1981 and served a term as president of the Union-Wallowa County Bar Association.
He was president of the Rotary Club, the EOU Foundation, the GRH Foundation, vice-commander of the American Legion and vice-president of the Union Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce. He was especially proud of serving as president of the Indian Festival of Arts. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks Club. He was a member and past president of the La Grande Country club. He was an avid pheasant hunter, loved to play golf and was an Atlanta Braves fan.
Survivors include his wife; his daughters, Elizabeth Oliver or Joseph and Sylvia Hearing of Portland; a stepson, Michael Babic of La Grande; on granddaughter; and three nephews. A brother and a sister died earlier.
Memorials may be made to the EOU Foundation or GRH Home Care Services in care of Daniels Chapel.
The Observer
La Grande, Oregon
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
Contributed by: Tom Childers