Baker City, Oregon
Luellen A. Kirkwood, 94, a longtime Baker City resident died Dec. 15, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.
Her graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Mount Hope Cemetery. Maj. Dennis Trimmer of The Salvation Army will officiate. There will be a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. at The Salvation Army, 1820 Estes St.
Mrs. Kirkwood was born Luellen A. Withers on July 26, 1907, at Ault, Colo., to Herman and Caty Withers. She was the oldest of four sisters and one brother.
She attended school at Baker and Auburn. In February of 1928, she married Robert C. Kirkwood. They raised seven children.
After Mr. Kirkwood’s death in 1954, Mrs. Kirkwood worked for the Baker Hotel, and later at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home. She worked there until she was 72 when she retired because of an illness. She was an active member in The Salvation Army and volunteered most of her free time. She served as corps sergeant major, League of Mercy secretary and also ran the thrift store and rang the bells at Christmas for needy families in Baker County.
Survivors include her seven children: sons, Cecil of El Paso, Texas, Don of Salem, Keith of Hermiston, and Robert of Baker City, daughters, Shirley of Nampa, Idaho, and Myrna of Portland, and son, Darrell of Detroit, Mich.; 20 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman Withers and Caty White; her sisters, Naomi, Gladys, and Thelma; and her husband, Robert.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army through the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, December 21, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor