John Leo Williamson, 37, of La Grande, died Dec. 26, 2006, at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande after a long battle with bone cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of The Valley Catholic Church in La Grande. Burial will follow at La Grande Grandview Cemetery.
John was born in Baker City on Jan. 21, 1969 to John H. Williamson of Baker City and Alice (Stroud) Williamson of La Grande. He attended school in both La Grande and Baker City.
He married Martha Eoff of Elgin. They have two sons: Donald, 13, and Lucas, 10. The couple later divorced.
John had worked most recently for the Oregon Department of Transportation with the surveying crew. John also worked as a wildland firefighter, saw mill worker, and often mechanic for those who needed him.
He enjoyed fatherhood and often spoke of it as the most rewarding job of his life. He stayed strong for a very long time for his boys.
John was an avid fisherman and hunter. Most of all he enjoyed sharing his love of the outdoors with others. He was always happy to teach his sons, niece, and nephews the amazing wonders of fishing and hunting. John was also the best handyman anyone could find. He could fix anything mechanical, electrical, or otherwise, even after he lost his right arm to cancer. John also had a terrific sense of humor, and he loved to laugh.
He was a member of the sons of the American Legion of Baker City.
John is survived by two sons, Donald of La Grande and Lucas of Otis; his parents, John H. Williamson of Baker City, and Alice (Stroud) Williamson of La Grande; three sisters Sue Carner of Lincoln City, Christine Carlson of La Grande and Beth Schmidt and her husband, John, of Monmouth; a brother, James H. Devine of Sandpoint, Idaho; a niece, Rachel Carlson; three nephews, Steven Carlson, Nathan and Parker Schmidt; four aunts, Bobbie Jo Adlard of Quartzsite, Ariz., Margaret and Shirley Sagendorf, both of Spokane, Wash., and Annie Wickert of Baker City; five uncles, Donald Stroud of Ketchikan, Alaska, Francis Williamson, Tony Williamson and his wife, Patricia, and Donald Williamson, all of Baker City, and Leo Williamson of Pendleton.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents and Aunt Mary DeVose
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, December 27, 2006
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor