Obituary

Grove, Thomas, Mackey – Obituary

Thomas Mackey Grove, 78, of Ontario, died Jan. 24, 2007, at his home. A private family viewing will take place Saturday from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ontario Lienkaemper Chapel. Following the viewing, friends may attend a luncheon at the home of Kerri and Doug Deardorff, 310 N. Utah, Fruitland, Idaho. A private family memorial will be held in Powers, Ore., on Aug. 19, 2007. Thomas was born May 17, 1928, in Myrtle Point, the son of Frank and Mary Grove. He was raised in Powers until he moved to Ontario with his parents, five sisters and two … Read more

Blacker, Robert William “Bob” – Obituary

Durkee, Oregon Robert William “Bob” Blacker, 56, of Durkee, died Jan. 22, 2007, at his home from complications of West Nile Virus. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Durkee Community Church. Bob was born in Baker City on Sept. 13, 1950, to Lora Riley Wright and Lee Arthur Blacker. He was the great-grandson of Charles and Minerva Baldock, who were early pioneer settlers in Baker Valley. His father was a construction worker and the family moved frequently. The Blackers lived in many towns in Oregon, Washington and Montana while he was growing up and made … Read more

Ferree, Albert J. – Obituary

Albert J. Ferree, 82, died Jan. 6, 2007, at Arlington, Wash. His private graveside service was Jan. 13 at Seattle, Wash. Albert was born at Union April 5, 1924, to George and Anna Ferree. He was raised in Baker City where he attended schools. Albert was just 17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was sent to San Diego for boot camp for eight weeks and as he finished, Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was assigned to the USS Nautilus submarine and sent directly to Pearl Harbor to help with cleanup. He spent 12 years in the Navy. … Read more

Litke, Jerry Rogers – Obituary

Jerry Rogers Litke, 63, of Haines, died Jan. 19, 2007, at the Boise Veterans Hospital. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Frontier Restaurant and Bar in Haines. Jerry was born Dec. 20, 1943, at Mountain Home, Idaho, to Martin and Charlotte Litke. During his life Jerry worked on ranches in Idaho and Oregon. Jerry lived his dream of being a cowboy. Survivors include his brother, Bruce, and his wife, Becky Litke, of Haines; his sister, Ila, and her husband, Cecil Meyers, of Grand View; his daughter, Tracie Bennett, of Toledo, Ore.; his sons, Jeffery Litke … Read more

Cavallo, Marla Rae – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Marla Rae Cavallo, 45, of Baker City, died Jan. 19, 2007, at her home after a one-year battle with cancer. Visitations will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. A Celebration of Life service will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, 2235 First St. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at 10 a.m. in the parish hall before heading to the cemetery. There will be a graveside services at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at Olney Cemetery, 865 Tutilla … Read more

Nelson, John Paul – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon John Paul Nelson, 77, of Baker City, died Jan. 17, 2007, at his home. His graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Lennie Spooner of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the Baker City Golf Course. John was born on June 23, 1929, at La Crosse, Wis., to Elmer N. Nelson and Molly M. Hodge. John grew up at La Crosse and attended school there. He received his bachelor of science degree in forestry from Iowa State University at Ames, Iowa. John … Read more

Hindman, Janice Lynn “Jannie” McClure Mrs. – Obituary

Janice Lynn “Jannie” Hindman, 62, a former longtime Durkee resident, died of natural causes on Sept. 25, 2007, at her home in Lincoln City. Her funeral was Sunday at Pacific View Memorial Chapel in Lincoln City. Family and friends are invited to attend a remembrance gathering Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the home of Ray and Carol Westenskow at 1502 Fourth St. in La Grande. Jannie was born on Dec. 7, 1945, at Portland to George and Bethel McClure. The family moved to La Grande where she attended Fruitdale Grade School and graduated from La Grande High … Read more

Sass, Orin H. – Obituary

Orin H Sass, 81, a longtime Eagle Valley resident, died March 1, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Care Center in Baker City. His graveside memorial was March 4 at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Orin was born on Dec. 17, 1925, at Richland to Claus P. Sass and Martha Alveda Morrison Sass. He was a 1943 Richland High School graduate. He married Joanna Reavis on Dec. 31, 1950. They lived on the family ranch, where they dairied and ranched and raised their three children. He lived at Richland until failing health in 2004 led him to move to Settler’s Park … Read more

Miller, Phillip Hudson – Obituary

Phillip Hudson Miller, 55, of Pahrump, Nev., died March 19, 2007, at Haines surrounded in love by his sisters, Nina Stephens, Alice Sheldon and LaFawn Smith. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Rock Creek Cemetery near Haines. Phillip was born Sept. 13, 1951. He loved horses, farming, and the simple life. He was a skilled craftsman and he was very talented in woodworking. Survivors include his three sisters and their families; his children, Leanna Bond, Julie Miller, Sarah Miller and Aaron Miller, and their families; many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; and four grandchildren. He was preceded … Read more

Barnes, Wilma Erlene “Billie” Browne – Obituary

Wilma Erlene “Billie” Browne Barnes, 76, died March 16, 2007. There will be a celebration of her life at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 28, at the Calvary Baptist Church, Third and Broadway streets. After the service, those attending will meet outside the church to give her a “fond farewell” together. There will be a brunch afterward. Her graveside service will be at Rupert, Idaho, on July 6 where she will be buried with her father. She was preceded in death by her brother, William Jay Browne; and her sister, Betty Ruth Browne Ferrin. Survivors include her husband of 58 years, … Read more

Taylor, Ida Irene Wilson Mrs. – Obituary

Ida Irene Taylor, 70, of Baker City, died March 20, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Haines United Methodist Church. There will be a reception afterward at the church. Ida Irene was born Jan. 4, 1937, at Baker City to Bill and Hazel Wilson. She married Richard “Dick” Taylor Nov. 29, 1957, at Carlsbad, Calif. Early in their marriage, Dick was in the military. Of that time, Ida said, “I was a mother to a bunch of Marines for three years.” Ida and Dick lived at Henderson, Nev., when … Read more

Moyers, Don Ward – Obituary

Don Ward Moyers, 76, of Hillsboro, a former longtime Baker City resident, died March 16, 2007, at his home. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hillsboro Presbyterian Church. Don was born Aug. 2, 1930, at South Gate, Calif. He was the younger of two children born to Clifford and Margurrite Garneau Moyers. He was raised and educated in the greater Los Angeles area. Don enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946 and was honorably discharged in 1947 as a private first class. Don had worked in the aerospace industry all of his life. He was … Read more

Nitcher, Gerald Dean “Jerry” – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Gerald Dean “Jerry” Nitcher, 58, of Haines, died March 23, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. At Jerry’s request, there will be no services. Cremation was by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. Jerry was born Oct. 2, 1948, in Charles City, Iowa, to Wilber and Harriet (Miller) Nitcher. He grew up in Charles City, moving to Laddonia, Mo., as a teen. In 1970, Jerry married, and later had two daughters. The infant girls died from SIDS in 1972, and Jerry and his wife were divorced in 1974. Jerry was remarried to Margaret Waddington Davis on March 21, 1986, … Read more

Wilcox, Richard W. ‘Dick’ – Obituary

Richard W. ‘Dick’ Wilcox, 75, of Baker City, Ore., died March 4, 2007, in LaGrande from Pancreatic Cancer. There was a graveside service at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2007, at Mt. Hope Cemetery. A memorial service was held at the Baker City Christian Church at noon with a reception following. Pastor Roger Scovil will officiated. Dick was born Oct. 29, 1931, in Corvallis, Ore., to Chester L. and Hazel Wilcox. They moved to Baker City by the time he started school, where he attended Churchill School. He was 17 when he joined the US Army where he learned … Read more

Sawyer, Ramona Louis Noregaard Mrs. – Obituary

Ramona Louis (Noregaard) Sawyer, 78, of Sutherlin and Roseburg, Ore., went to be with the Lord on Feb. 24, 2007. She had resided in the Sutherlin and Roseburg areas for the last 18 years. Ramona was born on Jan. 20, 1929, to Harold and Ruby Noregaard of Enterprise, Ore. They later moved to Baker City, Ore., and Ramona graduate from Baker High in 1947. She married Ray Sawyer Sept. 4, 1955. They lived in Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, and California, where they resided in Livermore, Calif., for 16 years with their sons before returning to the northwest. Those who knew … Read more

Miller, Dr. Charles ‘Chuck’ Dennis- Obituary

Dr. Charles ‘Chuck’ Dennis Miller, 62, resident of The Dalles, Ore., passed away in his wife’s arms, surrounded by family on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 10, 2007, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in The Dalles with Rev. Doug Marquradt officiating. Chuck was born on Dec. 31, 1944, in Detroit, Mich., to Charles Dorrington and Maude (Cary) Miller. He was raised in Baker City, Ore., where he graduated from high school in 1962. Chuck served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1972, with two tours in Vietnam. He graduated from Eastern … Read more

Heffelfinger, Carol S. – Obituary

Carol S. Heffelfinger, 61, Medical Springs, Ore., died March 3, 2007, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center in Baker City, Ore. Arrangements are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, Baker City, OR 97814. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, March, 2007 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Ghrist, Karen Lynn Long Mrs. – Obituary

Karen Lynn (Long) Ghrist, 62, a longtime Baker City, Ore., resident passed away at her home on Feb. 28, 2007. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Karen was born Feb. 3, 1945, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Mary Louise (Vandecar) and Elwin Long. Her father passed away when Karen was a very young child and her mother was remarried to Robert Forsea. The family relocated to Richland, Ore., from the Snake River area in 1957. Karen was schooled at Huntington and Home, Ore., until high school. After graduating from Eagle Valley High, she went onto college at … Read more

Edwards, Neal – Obituary

Neal Edwards, 82, of Halfway, Ore., died on Thursday, March. 1, 2007, at Weiser Hospital in Weiser, Idaho. Graveside services will be held March 5, 2007, at Pine Haven Cemetery. A celebration of Neal’s life will be held at the Halfway VFW Post 7847 following the services. Neal was born on Jan. 12, 1925, in Seattle, Wash., to William E. Edwards and Cora Mae Gilbert. He was raised in Star, Kuna and Nampa, Idaho. Neal joined the Navy June 30, 1944, in Boise, Idaho and went to Boot camp in Farragat, Idaho. He was honorably discharged on April 20, 1946. … Read more

Childers, Norma Lee Mrs. – Obituary

Norma Lee Childers, 75, died peacefully in her home with her children present on March 5, 2007. There was a celebration of Norma’s life at the Baker City Elks Lodge on Friday, March 5, 2007, 12:30 p.m. Norma was born in La Grande, Ore., April 4, 1931. She was raised in Union County and graduated from Union High School in 1949. She then attended Eastern Oregon College in La Grande. After college Norma moved to The Dalles, Ore., where she worked until she married William “Bill” Childers and moved to Baker. Norma worked at the Baker County Credit Bureau, Baker … Read more