Averett, Tom Joseph – Obituary

Tom Joseph Averett, 72, of Austin, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 13, 2002, at his home. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., in John Day. The Rev. Darryl Johnson will officiate. Mr. Averett was born on Jan. 13, 1930, at Weiser, Idaho, to Ray Henry and Oma White Averett. He lived at Weiser and New Meadows, Idaho, before moving by train to Bates at the age of 6. He lived at Camp Creek near Galena with his family. They lived in a tent in Peter O’Rorke’s … Read more

Kelley, Marjorie R. Chambers Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Marjorie R. Kelley 81, a long time resident of Baker City died Sunday December 22, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. At her request cremation was held; a celebration of life service will be held at a later date. Mrs. Kelley was born March 20, 1921, at Baker City to Edgar W. and Iva May Best Chambers. She was raised and educated at Baker City. She married Roy D. Kelley at Weiser, Idaho, on May 21, 1938. She lived and worked at the Fremont Power Plant until going to work in the shipyards while her husband was … Read more

Langley, Helen Merritt Sheehy Mrs. – Obituary

Helen M. Langley, 89, a longtime Baker County resident, died Dec. 23, 2002, at Dallas Hospital in Dallas, Ore. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Vault interment will be at the Lime Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday. Family and friends are invited to a dinner reception in the church basement after the funeral. The graveside service also is open to family and friends. Visitation will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Recitation of the rosary will be … Read more

Bergman, Rachel D. – Obituary

Rachel D. Bergman, 8, of Glendale, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 15, 2000, from injuries sustained in a car accident near Canyonville. Her funeral was Wednesday at the Mountain View Memorial Chapel at Myrtle Creek. Pastor Dan Jocoy officiated. Burial was at the Canyonville Masonic Cemetery. Rachel was born on Dec. 28, 1991, at Roseburg to Tammy Bergman. She was a third-grader at Glendale Elementary School. She was a happy, pleasant-natured little girl. She loved playing dress up with her Barbie dolls and also loved to fashion clothes for them from paper. She was very creative and enjoyed … Read more

Pfeil, Charles Fred “Chuck” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles Fred “Chuck” Pfeil, 73, of Baker City, died Aug. 18, 2002, with his family by his side on his ranch at Sutton Creek after a courageous 10-month battle with cancer. His funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane in Baker City. Mr. Darold Parry, 3rd Ward, will conduct the service. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. A dinner at the church will follow the graveside service. Visitations will be today until 7:00 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Mr. Pfeil … Read more

Lethlean, Vera Mae Thorne Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vera Mae Thorne Lethlean, 76, of Baker City, died Sept. 25, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Care Center after an extended illness. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. A concluding service and dedication of the grave will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Vera and her twin brother were born prematurely on April 22, 1926, at Holdman to Walter J. and Evelyn “Eva” Olive Corporon Thorne. Weighing only 2 pounds, … Read more

Backlund, Donna Ratliff Kowing Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Donna Kowing Backlund, 61, of Baker City, died Sept. 27, 2002, at John Day. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Shiela Kowing, who live up Laycock Creek in the John Day area. Mrs. Backlund was born May 4, 1941, at Tillamook to Lawrence and Frieda Ammeter Ratliff. She grew up on a homestead near Washougal, Wash., where she was schooled. She later attended Blue Mountain Community College and was a certified dental assistant employed at Baker City for several years. On Dec. … Read more

Laursen, Maybelle Sheret Mrs. – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Maybelle Laursen, 78, a resident of Deer Creek Road near Sumpter, died Oct. 18, 2002, at her home. At her request there will be no service. Disposition was by cremation. Mrs. Laursen was born at Seattle, Wash., on Aug. 8, 1924, a daughter of Albert Alexander and Sarah Durie Sheret. She was raised and educated at Milwaukie. She started her career as a telephone operator in British Columbia and returned to the United States working for Pacific Northwest Bell as a long-distance operator. She met and married Otto Laursen in 1953 at Portland. They were married 46 years … Read more

Dethloff, William Joseph “Joe”, Jr. – Obituary

William Joseph “Joe” Dethloff Jr., 57, died Oct. 18, 2002, after a year-long illness with cancer. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the cathedral. The Most Rev. Thomas J. Connolly and the Revs. Robert C. Irwin and James P. Logan will concelebrate the Mass. The Rev. Mr. James R. Watt will assist. Honor guard … Read more

Cordell, Elizabeth Bonnie “Betty” Harnish Mrs. – Obituary

Elizabeth Bonnie “Betty” Cordell, 83, a former Baker City resident, died June 6, 2002, at the Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital at Elko, Nev., after a long illness. Her memorial graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. She was born on Dec. 12, 1921, at Isley, Wyo. She was the third child of Charles and Bonnie Harnish. She was raised at Horse Creek, Wyo., and spent most of her adult life in Baker City. She had lived at Elko, Nev., just a short time before … Read more

Graham, James E. “Jim” – Obituary

Rock Creek, Oregon James E. “Jim” Graham, 82, a resident of Rock Creek near Haines, died June 20, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and again on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon. Mr. Graham was born at Little Rock, Ark., on Aug. 28, 1919. He married Faustina Stevens at Paragould, Ark., on Nov. 11, 1939. Mr. Graham was drafted and entered the U.S. Navy … Read more

Hardman, Wallace Emery “Wally” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Wallace Emery “Wally” Hardman, 81, a lifetime Baker City resident, died Feb. 15, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. The Rev. Lura Kidner-Miesen of the United Methodist Church and the Rev. Raymond Bates of SonRise Free Methodist Church at La Grande will officiate. Vault interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded by the Baker City Veterans of Foreign Wars. There will be a reception afterward at the United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St. Visitations will be … Read more

McCulley, Suzanne L. Jenkins Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Suzanne L. Jenkins McCulley, 93, of Baker City died Feb. 14, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. At her request, there will be no service. Her family will scatter her ashes in her beloved Eagle Mountains later. Suzanne was born on Nov. 8, 1908, the 15th child of George W. and Lillian Shea Jenkins. She grew up on a farm in Baker County and attended Baker schools. She married F. Ward McCulley in 1928. They lived in many towns in Oregon throughout their married life. Suzanne graduated from Eastern Oregon Normal School (now Eastern Oregon University) … Read more

Hornbeck, Samuel E. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Samuel E. Hornbeck, 96, of Baker City died April 12, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Sam’s son, Gary Hornbeck of Hood River, will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Sam was born on May 25, 1905, at Portland to Michael and Mallie Hall Hornbeck. He was raised in the Baker Valley, attending school at Haines … Read more

Fullerton, Ava Marie Hopkins Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ava Marie Fullerton, 70, of Baker City died April 11, 2002, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise of lung cancer. At her request, her body was cremated. There will be a memorial service April 27 to celebrate her life. The time and place will be announced later. The family asks that no flowers be given. Ava was born on Dec. 29, 1931, at her home in Lamar, Colo., to Chester and Olive Hopkins. The family moved to Idaho when Ava was young. She attended grade school at Houston, Idaho, and Notus, Idaho, and attended high school at … Read more

Elliott, Arnold – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Arnold Elliott, 61, of Baker City, died April 22, 2002, at his home. At his request, there will be no service. Arnold was born on June 2, 1940, at Long Creek to Earl and Beulah Elliott. He lived at Pondosa in his early years and then moved to Union. He was a 1958 Union High School graduate. He served in the U.S. Army at Baumholder, Germany, from March 1959 through April 1962. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Larry and Monte. Survivors include two brothers, Doyle Elliott of Salem and Dean Elliott … Read more

Mathews, Paul F. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Paul F. Mathews, 78, of Baker City, died Nov. 27, 2001, at his home. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Monte Loyd of Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. There will be a graveside service at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Pilot Rock Cemetery. There will be a private family visitation. Mr. Mathews was born on April 2, 1923, at Pilot Rock to William and Florence Howe Mathews. He was raised and educated in Pilot Rock. Mr. Mathews enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the … Read more

Stiltz, Larry A. – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Larry A. Stiltz, 60, of Baker City, a former Haines resident, died Jan. 14, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service was at 2 p.m. Friday in the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Monte Loyd of the Baker Valley Christian Assembly officiated. Private family interment will be later at the Haines Cemetery. Mr. Stiltz was born on Dec. 28, 1941, at Baker City to Coleman and Irene Robbins Stiltz. He grew up in the Rock Creek area and as a child he liked school and playing by Rock Creek. He enjoyed taking care of … Read more

Hulick, Diana M. Francis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Diana M. Hulick, 37, of Baker City died Dec. 19, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Crematory. Diana was born on Dec. 4, 1964, in Baker City to Judy Ingram and Dell Francis. She lived in Baker City all her life. She was a 1983 Baker High School graduate. She was a member of the notorious girls … Read more

Hutton, Billy Joe “Bud” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Billy Joe “Bud” Hutton, 69, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 14, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. There will be a family gathering later. Disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory. Mr. Hutton was born Jan. 16, 1932, at Lebanon, Mo., to Claude and Gertie Caffey Hutton. He graduated from Phoenix High School in Phoenix, Ore. He was a member of the Honor Society and served as student body president. He received the Elks scholarship for “Most Valuable Student.” He attended Southern Oregon University at Ashland, where he played freshman and varsity football. … Read more