Baker City, Oregon
Mary Ellen Huckins, 96, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 5, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.
Her funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Interment will follow at Rock Creek Cemetery west of Haines. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Huckins was born April 14, 1904, at Lookout Mountain near Durkee to Ezard G. and Addie (Sinclair) Ramsey Jr. She was the first of eight children. She married David Henry Taylor on Dec. 8, 1923. They were later divorced. They had two boys, Kenneth and Bob.
She later married Maurice Huckins. He is now deceased.
Mrs. Huckins was very talented. She did a lot of crocheting and many different kinds of crafts, including tin can crafts, which she sold. She was also a seamstress, making all her own clothes and also doing alterations for other people for many years. This helped to supplement her meager income. She was also an excellent cook and cooked in many places, including farm labor camps, ranches and college fraternities.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Walla Walla, Wash., a life member of the Rebekahs Lodge No. 8 in Baker City, and played in the original “Buddy Band” in Baker City.
Mrs. Huckins is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Mary Taylor, a son, Kenneth Taylor, and a daughter, Mary Jean Orazine, all of Baker City; a sister, Zella May Ramsey Griffith of St. George, Utah; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters and three brothers, Edna Eliza, Walter Raymond, James, Bernice, Della Evelyn, and a stillborn boy; and by two grandsons, David Taylor and Steve Benson.
Contributions in Mrs. Huckins’ memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 9, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor