The Haines area lost one of its pioneer citizens Sunday, July 14, 1991, when Omer Oliver Maxwell died at a Portland hospital after a brief illness.
Mr. Maxwell was born December 1, 1899 at the Maxwell home in the Muddy Creek area, the son of James O. and Nancy A. Hand Maxwell. He graduated from Muddy Creek High May 1917. He attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon and Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon. He married Pansy Long Oct. 9, 1928, in Baker City, Oregon.
After his father’s death in 1917, he quit college and with the help of his brothers, he helped his mother run the family farm until she died in 1937. He and his brother, Glen, then operated the ranch by themselves. In 1946, they bought the ranch in a partnership from the estate. After he retired in 1966, he continued to work on the ranch with his son, for several more years.
Over the years, Omer was deeply involved with many community projects and associations, including the Boy Scouts, Muddy Creek School board, PTA, Elkhorn Grange, and 4-H. He was a director for the Baker Valley Soil and Water Conservation District for many years.
He loved the ranch and devoted his life to working it. He enjoyed the outdoors, going on many hunting and fishing trips. During his later years, he enjoyed the mountains and the time he could spend at his daughter’s summer cabin at Anthony Lake with his family.
He attended the Haines Methodist Church with his wife.
Besides his wife Pansy, other survivors include his brother Glen and sister Olga Ward of Haines; his sons Gerald of Haines and Dewey of Puyallup, Washington; daughters Peggy Hoye of Buena Park, California and Belva Ticknor of Portland, Oregon; eleven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Wallace, John, Dewey, and William; and sisters Lena, Rose, and Myrtle.
Services for Mr. Maxwell will be held Thursday, July 18th at 2:00 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel.
Those who wish, may contribute to the Haines United Methodist Church or Memorial Fund of their choice and this may be done through the Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel.
Source: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, July 18, 1991 page 4
Contributed by: Belva Ticknor