Floribel Eddy McCoy, 80, of Irrigon, a former Baker County resident, died Nov. 22, 2004, at her home.
Her memorial service was Nov. 29 at the Columbia View Community Church in Irrigon. Interment was at the Desert Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Irrigon.
Floribel, one of 11 children, was born on March 29, 1924, to George and Lucy Eddy at Malheur City, which at that time was an active mining town, now a ghost town. She was raised on a homestead on Willow Creek between Malheur City and Ironside.
She attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse at Grouse Creek. She then stayed with a sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Elaine Trimble, at Hereford. She attended school there and graduated from Hereford High School.
She then graduated from Eastern Oregon College (now Eastern Oregon University) at La Grande with a teaching degree. Floribel spent her entire elementary teaching career at Irrigon.
She met her husband, Benny, at Irrigon while he was home on leave from the U.S. Navy during World War II. He had just returned from a tour of duty in the South Pacific and it was love at first sight for the couple. They were married on Jan. 19, 1946, at Pasco, Wash.
Survivors include her husband, Benny of Irrigon; a son, Terry McCoy, and his wife, Linda, of Everett, Wash.; granddaughter, Tana, of Everett; brothers, Clayton Eddy and Nick Eddy, both of Vale, and Edward Eddy of The Dalles; a sister, Elaine Trimble of Hereford; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Lucy Eddy; sisters, Genevieve Kendall, Letha Davidson, Melva Beers, Joan Prindle and Jeanne Eddy; and a brother, Emery Eddy.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston was in charge of arrangements.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, December 17, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor