John K. Mollert, 72, of Baker City, Ore., died Dec. 23, 2006, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. Arrangements are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, Baker City. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, December, 2006 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
Suzanne J. Erickson, 76, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 26, 2006, at her home in Tustin, Mich. A memorial service to honor her life will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1, at the First Baptist Church in Tustin with Pastor Sean Nemecek officiating. Burial will be in the Burdell Township Cemetery in Tustin. She was born in Lansing, Mich., to Elvera and Victor Marquardt on March 6, 1930. She graduated from Cadillac High School in 1948 and then went on to receive education and training at the Mercy Central School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, receiving … Read more
Joshua Lee Phillips Free, 19, died Dec. 21, 2006, at his home in Eugene. There will be a memorial in Springfield. Josh was an avid skateboarder and songwriter. You may have seen him jumping the curbs and flipping his board in the air whenever he was visiting his family in Baker. Josh always had a smile and a friendly hello for all he met. He will be greatly missed by all. The family said, “In your words, Josh — ‘Live Free.’” Josh is survived by his parents, Jim and Aimie Free of Springfield and Karen Phillips of Eugene; brothers and … Read more
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 … Read more
Ashley Hilderbrand, 22, a longtime resident of John Day and Baker City, died unexpectedly Dec. 19, 2006, at Salt Lake City Medical Center in Salt Lake City. A funeral service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Baker City Christian Church, 650 Hwy. 7 in Baker City. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception following the services at the church. A funeral service will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Whispering Pines Funeral Home in Prineville. Interment will follow at Juniper Haven Cemetery. Ashley Jean was born June 21, 1984, in John Day to Mariann … Read more
North Powder, Oregon Cassie Dawn Miller, 25, of North Powder, died Dec. 19, 2006, at her home. Visitation was Saturday at Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, followed by cremation. In a private memorial, at a later date, her remains will be scattered at the Keating Bluff. Cassie Dawn was born July 4, 1981, in Baker City to Marjorie Ann (Phillips) and Kenneth Loren Miller. Cassie is survived by her parents, Marjorie Miller of North Powder and Kenneth Miller and his wife, Carolyn, of Midvale, Idaho; siblings: Mike Flynn, Jodi Morris, Shelly Carter, Bryce Miller and Teri Miller; her boyfriend, … Read more
John Scott, 71, Baker City, Ore., died Dec. 4, 2006, at his home. Arrangements under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, Baker City. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, December, 2006 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
Elsie Nadine Kearns, 79, of Baker City, Ore., died Dec. 1, 2006, at St. Mary Medical Center, Walla Walla, Wash. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Thursday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. Pastor Jon Privett of the First church of the Nazarene will Officiate. Cremation was done by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. A reception will be held at the Eagles Lodge in Baker City. Contributions may be made to Community Connections. Arrangements are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Funeral Home, Baker City. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, … Read more
Roenna Bee Foust, 75, of Eugene, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 18, 2006. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Fairfield Church of the Nazarene. Inurnment will be in Baker City. She was born on Oct. 15, 1931, at Pocatello, Idaho, to Loren and Hazel Stiff McBride. She worked as a church secretary at the Myrtle Creek Church of the Nazarene and owned Vic-Tone Cleaners at Myrtle Creek. She also worked in home care as a nurses aid in Baker City. She married John Walton at Baker City in 1950. They were divorced in … Read more
Richland, Oregon Angela May “Angie” Church, 38, of Richland, died Dec. 10, 2006, at her home. There will not be a public service, but a private family gathering will occur at a later date. Angela May Church was born on June 11, 1968 to Jim and Salina Church in Denver, Colo. In her early years, she was raised and attended schools in Star and Meridian, Idaho. In 1987 the family moved and made their home in Richland. Angie loved school and enjoyed learning. She graduated from Pine Eagle High School in 1989. Angie was a true “Angel” to so many. … Read more
James Marvin Strong, 70, of Hoxie, Kan., a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 14, 2006, at his home. His funeral was at 2 p.m. today at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home at Hoxie. Pastor Jim Martin officiated. Burial was at the Hoxie Cemetery. Military rites were conducted by Fort Riley soldiers. Mr. Strong was born on Feb. 24, 1936, at Baker City to Ellis and Helen Baisley Strong. He married Ruby Lorna Procter on Aug. 7, 1977, at Pendleton. He was a farrier and a pen rider for Hoxie Feed Yard. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He lived most … Read more
Robert S. Erskine, 87, of Pendleton, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 23, 2006, at Willowbrook Terrace in Pendleton. His memorial service was Dec. 2 at Bishop Funeral Chapel in Pendleton. Inurnment will be later at Lewiston, Idaho. Robert was born on May 22, 1919, at Lincoln, Ark., to Robert and Grace Ham Bryant. His father, Robert, died in the flu epidemic. Robert moved with his family to Texas and then later to Idaho where he graduated from Lewiston High School. He married Edna Mae Olson on Feb. 9, 1940, at Craigmont, Idaho. He served in the Pacific Theater … Read more
Kenneth L. Fordice, 71, a former resident of North Powder and Cove, died Dec. 16, 2006, at Winston. His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the North Powder Cemetery. Visitations will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., in La Grande. He was born on Aug. 28, 1935, at Enterprise to Willard and Lela Gray Fordice. He grew up on a ranch near Flora on the breaks of the Grande Ronde River and later moved with his family to North Powder where he attended school. He married … Read more
Charles E. “Chuck” Yocum Sr., a former Sumpter resident, died Dec. 12, 2006, at Boise. At his request, his body was cremated. There will be a memorial service at Sumpter in the spring. Chuck had endured a long struggle with diabetes, which contributed to the loss of his eyesight. He was born at Los Angeles, graduated from high school and then served a brief time in the Air National Guard. He started work for a small telecommunications company, Continental Telephone, which eventually became part of General Telephone (GTE). He worked for GTE for 33 years in California and Washington. He … Read more
Donna Lea Gardner, 60, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 16, 2006, at the Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Wash. Recitation of the rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Burns Mortuary Chapel in Hermiston. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Burns Mortuary Chapel. Private burial will be at the Desert Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Irrigon. Donna was born at Baker City on Jan. 6, 1946, to Robert and Violet Howell. For the past few years she had lived at Irrigon. She had lived at Baker City for many years and also spent 15 … Read more
Catherine Hoopii, 87, a longtime Baker City resident, died Nov. 24, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Care Center where she had lived for the past year. Catherine’s ready smile and twinkly eyes will be fondly remembered by the staff and residents of Meadowbrook Place where she was its first resident in 1992. Catherine was a very wise women and just a delight to be around; her friends and the staff at Meadowbrook always felt they could talk to her about anything. A lifetime lover of literature, Catherine’s first project at Meadowbrook was to see to it that she and other residents … Read more
Sarah Elvina Fogle, 93, of Baker City, died Dec. 3, 2006, at Meadowbrook Place. There will be a celebration of her life on June 9, 2007, at Baker City. Sarah was born on June 8, 1913, at Sterling, Neb., to Thomas and Celia Churchill. The family moved from Nebraska to Idaho in 1922, where Sarah met Walter T. Horton. They were married in 1929. Walter died in 1968. Sarah lived and worked in Idaho until the mid-1980s and then moved to Baker City. Sarah enjoyed gardening and being with family and friends. She enjoyed fishing and camping with her friend, … Read more
Carol “Jean” Johnson, 66, of Dallas, Ore., died on Dec. 10, 2006, in a Salem Hospital. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dallas. Private interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. She was born on Dec. 11, 1939, at Prineville, the daughter of Wayne and Florence Rickman Berry. Jean attended Park Rose Elementary in Portland and graduated from Crook County High School at Prineville in 1957. She then attended and graduated from Oregon State University at Corvallis with bachelor’s degrees in education and home economics. Jean came to Dallas in 1967. … Read more
Alta L. Ryan, 92, of Baker City, died Dec. 10, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Care Center. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Haines Methodist Church. Viewing will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. before the service. Interment will be at North Powder Cemetery. Alta was born on June 11, 1914, at North Powder to William E. and Alma E. Lund. She attended school in North Powder and graduated from North Powder High School. She continued her education at Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University at La Grande). She married Albert Harrison and they … Read more
Bruce Wesley Rogers, 95, a longtime Baker County resident, died Dec. 8, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Health Services in Baker City. At his request, there will be no funeral. Bruce was born on Jan. 16, 1911, on Pleasant Valley Road in Baker to William T. Rogers and Mattie Jane Myers Rogers. He was the third of four children. Bruce was raised and educated in Baker County. In 1937, Bruce married Elsie Dalton, the daughter of Grant and Alice Dalton of North Powder. She died just 12 years later. In 1960, he married Florence Rose, who died in a motor vehicle … Read more