Harris, Mildred Virginia France Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Mildred Virginia Harris, 80, a longtime Baker City resident, died July 5, 2002, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Visitations will be from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gray’s West & Co. Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Mildred was born on Sept. 10, 1921, at Wynne, Ark., to Walter and Emma France. She married Leonard H. Harris on May 24, 1941. They moved to the Northwest and … Read more

Tonack, Ron – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ron Tonack, 66, of Baker City, died July 6, 2002, as a result of the progression of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). His graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Allan Franks of the Church of the Nazarene and Lynn Shumway will officiate. Ron always enjoyed casual dress, his family members said. They encourage those attending the funeral to dress comfortably in the warm weather. Ron was born Sept. 24, 1935, at Pendleton to Robert and Becky Tonack. He grew up in the Pendleton area. He received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern … Read more

Hansell, Wallace Arthur – Obituary

Wallace Arthur Hansell, 48, of La Grande, a former Baker City resident, died July 7, 2002, in an automobile accident on Interstate 84 near La Grande. There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Friday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., in La Grande. Pastor Gary Hood will officiate. Burial will be private. Viewing will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Daniels Chapel. Mr. Hansell was born on July 5, 1954, to Delmar and Teen Gardner Hansell in La Grande. He was a 1971 La Grande High School graduate. He had … Read more

Culley, Catherine E. Starr Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Catherine E. Culley, 81, a longtime Baker City resident and former Sumpter resident, died July 6, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at Calvary Baptist Church, 2107 Third St. Visitations will be until 8 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Catherine was born on July 7, 1920, at Astoria to Clarence E. and Lucille Lockwood … Read more

Senter, Willetta Wyatt Vaughn Mrs. – Obituary

Willetta Vaughn Senter, 80, of Pendleton, a former resident of La Grande and Baker City, died July 11, 2002, at Pendleton. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Island City Cemetery. Harold McKay will officiate. Mrs. Senter was born on Jan. 30, 1922, at Boring, Ky., to William Gibson and Louann Foister Wyatt. She was educated in Laurel County, Ky. During World War II she worked as a seamstress and as a tobacco sorter in the tobacco barns. She married Robert L. Vaughn Sr. in October of 1946 in Kentucky. In 1960 they moved to the … Read more

Spicer, Louise Moore Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Louise M. Spicer, 74, of Baker City, died July 11, 2002, at Settlers Park in Baker City. Her funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Robin Harris of Settlers Park will officiate. Visitations will be Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. There will be a reception following at Judy and Bill Brown’s home. Disposition will be by cremation. Louis was born July 15, 1927, at Mt. Vernon, N.Y., to Allen and Louise Moore. She married Conrad Spicer on Nov. 17, … Read more

Ryder, Jack Hughes – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Jack Hughes Ryder, 70, of Sumpter, died July 15, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Bill Cox of the McEwen Bible Fellowship will officiate. Burial will be at the Blue Mountain Memorial Garden at Walla Walla, Wash. Jack was born on July 3, 1932, at Baker City to William Horace Ryder and Helen Rose Hughes Ryder. He graduated from Baker High School and went on to attend Oregon State University at Corvallis for three years. Jack served his country in the … Read more

Ward, Ralph Cole – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Ralph Cole Ward, 80, of North Powder, died July 17, 2002, at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Kathryn Ward, of North Powder. His graveside memorial service was this morning at 11 o’clock at the Cove Cemetery. Disposition was by cremation. Mr. Ward was born April 1, 1922, at Baker City to Glenn H. and Hattie Cole Ward. He spent his early life in the upper Burnt River Valley, graduating from Hereford High School in 1940. He attended Eastern Oregon College in La Grande before entering the U.S. Navy in 1943. While in La … Read more

Carroll, George L. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon George L. Carroll, 77, of Baker City, died July 19, 2002, after a five-month illness. There will be a private family graveside service Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mr. Carroll was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Sept. 29, 1924. He moved to Baker City with his family when he was seven years old. He attended Baker schools and joined the Navy during World War II. He married Mary Williams on Feb. 17, 1946, in the old Christian Church in Baker City. They had four children and raised their family in Esparto, Calif. Mr. Carroll was a … Read more

Baker, Della P. Thomas Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Della P. Baker, 105, a longtime Baker City resident, died Saturday, July 20, 2002, at the Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center in La Grande. Her funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. The Rev. Susan Barnes of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Baker was born April 8, 1897 to Tom and Sarah (Davis) Thomas in Carroll, Neb. She attended a country school near her hometown. When she was 20 years old, and still in Carroll, she married Othal Baker. Othal … Read more

David Phillip Scott – Obituary

David Phillip Scott, 67, of Ontario, and a former Haines resident, died July 23, 2002, at Holy Rosary Medical Center. His memorial service will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Haines. Pastors Sally Wiens and Mike Allen will officiate. David was born March 3, 1935, at Haines to Raymond Earl and Georgia (Jaroman) Scott. He found his house 17 years ago with Louise Pierce and they have been devoted to each ever since. David worked the past 14 years at Bellows Construction in Ontario as a truck driver. He loved collecting collector cars and trucks, … Read more

Graves, Larry A. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Larry A. Graves, 66, a longtime Baker City resident, died July 26, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Bill Cox of McEwen Bible Fellowship will officiate. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Larry was born March 12, 1936, in Baker City to Lawrence and Emma Graves. Though born in Baker City, Larry lived with his family at Sumpter at the time, and he continued to … Read more

Sharp, Leora Arletta Martin Mrs. – Obituary

New Bridge, Oregon Leora Arletta Martin Sharp, 92, of New Bridge, died July 21, 2002, at her home. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, Aug.17 at 10 a.m. at the Nazarene Church in New Bridge. Interment will be at the Eagle Valley Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception to be held at the New Bridge Grange following the service. Leora was born May 2, 1910, in Saugas, Mass., to Edward Everett Martin and Arletta Maud Holsten. She was the eldest of five siblings: Leora, Ted, Everett, Paul and Mary. Both parents encouraged … Read more

Wester, Claire Woods Curtis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Claire Curtis Wester, 77, of Baker City died July 24, 2002 at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral was today at 11 a.m. at Coles Funeral Home. Associate Pastor Bob Whiteman of the Baker City Christian Church officiated. Interment followed at Mount Hope Cemetery. Claire was born July 18, 1925, in Youngstown, Ohio, to Charles D. Woods and Theresa Kelly Woods. She married Robert L. Curtis on June 16, 1946, and they settled down in Canyon City, where they started their family. In addition to being a devoted mother, wife and homemaker, Claire worked with Bob in … Read more

St. John, Glenn Orville – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Glenn Orville St. John, 81, of Baker City, died July 28, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. At his request, Glenn was cremated and will not have a formal funeral service. Glenn was born April 10, 1921, in Chico, Calif., to Orville and Myrtle St. John. The family moved to Southern Oregon soon after. After his schooling, he drove log trucks. He served his country in World War II, spending 2 years in the South Pacific in the 1881st Aviation Engineers. The 1881st built landing strips in New Guinea and the Philippines where he witnessed the … Read more

Cockram, Fred Joseph – Obituary

Wingville, Oregon Fred Joseph Cockram, 64, a longtime Wingville dairyman and rancher, died July 27, 2002, at his home, surrounded by many of his family, after a courageous battle with cancer. His graveside funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor John Cockram of Prince of Peace Lutheran church in Phoenix, Ariz., will officiate. Vault interment will follow the ceremony. Visitations will be Wednesday from 10 a.m. until noon at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Fred was born March 20, 1938, in Baker City to Ernest and Berniece Cockram. He attended schools in Baker and … Read more

Ellingson, Robert Parcher, Jr. – Obituary

Robert Parcher Ellingson Jr., 85, a Klamath Falls resident for 80 years, died July 24, 2002, at Merle West Medical Center. His funeral was Friday at the Klamath Lutheran Church. Private burial was at Eternal Hills. Robert was born April 7, 1917, at Hawkins, Wisc., the oldest of four children of Robert Parcher and Myrtle T.N. Ellingson Sr. In 1923 he moved with his family from Wisconsin to Klamath Falls, where they were involved in lumber remanufacturing, logging and saw milling in the Klamath Basin. Robert attended Roosevelt Elementary School and graduated from Klamath Union High School with the class … Read more

Guy, Dustin Leland – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Dustin Leland Guy, 21, of Baker City and a former Sunnyside, Wash., resident, died July 28, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Smith Funeral Home in Sunnyside. Burial will be in Outlook Cemetery. Visitations will be Friday from 8:30 a.m. until the service, at the funeral home. Dustin was born June 26, 1981, in Sunnyside to Robert (Bob) and Rena (Tucker) Guy. He received his elementary education from Outlook School. He attended sixth, seventh and eighth grades at Sunnyside Christian School. In 1996 Dustin and his family moved to … Read more

Smothers, Leon – Obituary

Leon Smothers, 89, of Dexter, Mo., and a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 1, 2002, at his home in Dexter. His graveside funeral will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be Monday from 9 a.m. to noon at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Mr. Smothers was born March 19, 1913, at Fisk, Mo., to Marian Johns Smothers and Grettia Parker Smothers. He was a former ranch hand and maintenance worker at the … Read more

Alton Arno Schmidt – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Alton Arno Schmidt, 87, of Richland died Jan. 15, 2002 at St. Elizabeth Health Services. At his request there will be no formal service. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be scheduled in the spring when the wildflowers bloom on the Bear (Bare) Walla (Waller) Hills. Alton, known as “Skip,” “Skipper,” “Alt” or “Smitty,” was born June 7, 1914, in Pine Valley. He was the only son of Louis and Maude Schmidt. He attended school at Clear Creek and Pine Valley High School at Halfway. He was proud of his “cradle roll” in the Presbyterian Church … Read more