Baker City, Oregon
Gary Wayne Shankle, 58, a longtime Baker City resident, died April 25, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services after a long illness.
His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Jehovah’s Witnesses will officiate. Visitations will be from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Gray’s West & Co.
Mr. Shankle was born on Sept. 24, 1942, at Elizabethton, Tenn., to Frank Chad Shankle and Martha Magdaline Peters. He enjoyed his younger years there with uncles and cousins, swimming, exploring caves and playing in the woods behind his grandfather’s house.
He spoke often of Stoney Creek and his times there in Tennessee, especially in the last days of his illness. He often wished he had returned for more visits.
He and his family moved to Baker City in 1954. He later left and moved to California. However, because he wanted to raise his children in Baker City, he returned shortly thereafter.
He was the owner of Carter’s Natural Foods for many years and also a dedicated member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation. He also moved briefly to Fairbanks, Alaska, working there for Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. He again returned to Baker City and spent his remaining years here close to family and friends.
At a young age he taught himself to play the guitar, a passion that stayed with him throughout his life. He often was found practicing and his guitar was readily found by his side until his death.
One of this favorite times of the year was when the family would get together for a reunion and he’d be able to play with his brother, Phil, and sing with his family.
He also was an avid book reader with an amazing range of interests; this made him a wonderful person to converse with. Many family, friends and former customers have commented on the fact that they truly enjoyed their conversations with him and it will be one of his many attributes that will be truly missed.
In his lifetime, Mr. Shankle found happiness by spending time with his family and loved ones. He was a man of honesty and compassion who took to heart the significance of a close family. He was loved by many and he will be missed immensely. Those he leaves are left with countless memories of love, laughter and wisdom that will never be forgotten.
He was preceded in death by his father, Frank Chad Shankle; grandparents, Elbert and Ethel Rains Shankle, Robert and Maggie Lipps Peters; a niece, Katrina Kay Blair; and a nephew, Rodney Lynn Shankle.
Survivors include his wife, Niki, of Baker City; his mother, Martha Whitt, and stepfather, Ivan “Jim” Whitt, of Benton, City, Wash.; a son, Wesley Shankle of Frankfort, Ky.; three daughters, Desi Bloom, Tonya Stiefvater and her husband, Paul, and Michelle Shankle of Baker City; two stepsons, Peter Papadopoulos of California and George Papadopoulos of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; three brothers, Jerry Shankle, and his wife, Ila, of Fruitland, Idaho, Phillip Shankle, and his wife, Marilyn, of Lacey, Wash., and Norman Shankle, and his wife, Mary, of Weiser, Idaho; four sisters, Brenda Rohner and Theresa Shankle of Prosser, Wash., Doris “Faye” Shankle of Hermiston and Kathy Baker of West Richland, Wash.; grandchildren, Sasha Bloom, Andrea Tucker, Dakota Birch and Ethan Miller of Baker City and Jordan Shankle of Frankfort, Ky; former wives and mothers of his children, Carolyn Logsdon and Charlotte Thomason of Baker City; and many aunts and uncles in Tennessee and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nephews and great-nieces.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Kingdom Hall through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, April 30, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor