Baker City, Oregon
John Jacob “Jake” Marcum, 20, of Baker City, died Feb. 6, 2001.
His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Interment will be at the Haines Cemetery.
Mr. Marcum was born Sept. 29, 1980, at Oregon City to John and Laurie Marcum. He attended Park Place Elementary and Grace Christian schools at Gladstone as a little boy and was active in Oregon Junior Baseball where he pitched for the state championship team as a 10-year-old.
He and his family moved to Baker City when he was 11. He was an active member in 4-H, raising pigs for many years. He attended Baker Valley Christian School and Pine Creek School, a one-room schoolhouse under the direction of certified teachers. He had wonderful tutors. He remained active in basketball and baseball, playing on many all-star teams.
During his high school years, he attended A-Beka Video School and the Lighthouse Christian School. He played basketball and baseball for Baker High School.
He was active in the community as a volunteer and member of the Baker County Commission on Children and Families. He was a true outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and skiing with friends and family.
His passion in life was flying. He learned to fly at 15 under the instruction of his beloved friend, Cliff Bond. The two spent many hours together as kindred spirits; they both loved flying.
He received his private pilot’s license at the age of 17 though Baker Aircraft. In 1999, he graduated from Lighthouse Christian School.
He continued to pursue his dream in aviation at Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he had achieved junior status by his second year of college.
Always an honor student, he was president of Alpha Eta Rho Aviation Fraternity as well as president of The Young Republicans on campus. He held commercial and instrument ratings and a flight instructor rating. He was employed by the university as an FAA flight instructor.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lowell and Edna Chally and Sam Marcum, all of La Grande.
Survivors include his parents, John and Laurie Marcum, his sister, Lindsey, and brothers, Cale and Grant Marcum, all of Baker City; his grandmother, Gerry Marcum, uncle and aunt, Chris and Sherry Marcum, all of La Grande; an aunt, Susan Skinner of North Pole, Alaska; and his cousins and many friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jake Marcum Memorial Scholarship Fund at Southeastern
Oklahoma State University, P.O. Box 4187, Durant, Okla. 74701-0609, or through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 16, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor