Obituary

Bushek, Richard Daniel “Dan” – Obituary

Richard Daniel “Dan” Bushek, 62, died April 21, 2009, at his home in Baker City. His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Shirley McLin of the Community of Christ Church will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception after the service at the Sunridge Inn. Dan was born on Nov. 15, 1946, in Portland. He was the oldest of seven children. He served three years in the U.S. Army. He married Sandra Endersby on April 13, 1973, at Vancouver, Wash. The couple celebrated 36 … Read more

Karp, James “Jim” – Obituary

James “Jim” Karp, 66, died April 15, 2009, at Portland after a long battle with cancer. Interment was at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Jim spent most of his working years in office management for various lumber companies. He retired in 2006 while employed by US Bank leasing department at Beaverton. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Chris and Ann Karp; parents, Paul and Wilma Karp; and numerous aunts and uncles, including Mary Karp (Sister Clair Inez), a longtime Baker City resident. Survivors include his wife, Jeani, of Woodburn; Sean and his wife, Melanie, and four children of … Read more

Waldron, Steve – Obituary

Steve Waldron, 53, died April 18, 2009, at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise There will be a traditional funeral and a celebration of Steve’s life at 2 p.m. Thursday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Halfway. The Rev. Bill Shields, Gordon Bond and Father Rob Irwin will officiate. Vault interment will be at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Friends are invited to join the family for a potluck reception after the interment at the Halfway Lions Hall. Steve was born on Feb. 11, 1956, at The Dalles. He was raised and educated in Washington, … Read more

Green, Charlotte Crystal Canfield Mrs. – Obituary

Charlotte Crystal Canfield Green, 91, died April 15, 2009, at her daughter’s home in Baker City Her cremains will be buried next to her husband Philip’s in the Green family plot on Vashon Island. Charlotte was born in Seattle, Wash., on July 15, 1917, to Emma Meyer Canfield and Virgil David Dewitt Canfield. She grew up on the small island of Vashon, Wash., where she met her cherished sweetheart, Philip, when she was 15. They married in June 1936, and attended the University of Washington in Seattle together. She majored in home economics and he majored in social work and … Read more

Barton, Barbara Gover Mrs. – Obituary

Barbara Barton, 84, a former longtime Halfway resident, died April 18, 2009, at her home near Baker City. At her request, there will be no service. There will be a private vault interment at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. She was born to Lovell and Velma Gover on June 21, 1924, at their home place in Pine Valley. Barbara’s family goes back to her great-grandfather, Aquilar Farmer Estes, who came from Missouri to become an early pioneer of Pine Valley and Cornucopia. Her grandmother, Barbara (know as Lorene) married Aquilar’s son, George Estes, who was killed in a snow slide … Read more

Couzens, Daniel R. “Dan” – Obituary

Daniel R. “Dan” Couzens, 50, of Umatilla, a former Baker City resident, died April 11, 2009, at his home. There will be a celebration of life service at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Oregon National Guard Armory in Hermiston with a potluck luncheon afterward. He was born on March 4, 1959, at Baker City to Charles and Clarane Urie Couzens. Dan was raised and educated at Baker City and was a 1978 Baker High School graduate. He joined the Oregon National Guard at the age of 17. He married Linda Mitchell on July 8, 1978, at Baker City and worked … Read more

Hood, Pauline LaFaun Yarberry Mrs. – Obituary

Pauline LaFaun Hood, 84, of Baker City, died April 12, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. There will be a celebration of her life at 2 p.m. April 26 at Missouri Flat Grange. LaFaun was born on Feb. 23, 1925, at Fowler, Kan., to Glenn and Zelda Hotz Yarberry. She was raised in many of the other small towns around Dodge City, Kan. She was a 1943 graduate of Dodge City High School. LaFaun married Paul “Pinky” Hood on Aug. 29, 1944. They had three children: Lynn, Terry and Robin. The coupled lived in Connecticut, Kansas, and California before finally … Read more

Thompson, Patricia Lee Ryall Mrs. – Obituary

Patricia Lee Thompson, 71, a former Halfway resident, died April 3, 2009, after a long illness at Mount Grant Hospital in Hawthorne, Nev. Pat was born on Sept. 8, 1937, near Halfway to Gene and Florence Ryall. She received most of her primary and secondary schooling in or near Halfway. She graduated from high school at Brownsville in 1955. After a period of time as a switchboard operator at the Benson Hotel in Portland, she joined the U.S. Navy where she trained as a radioman. As a member of an All Navy Talent Show, Pat toured numerous cities throughout the … Read more

Schulz, Elmer R. “Fud” – Obituary

Elmer R. “Fud” Schulz, 91, a former Baker City resident, died March 16, 2009, at Portland. There will be a celebration of life graveside service at 3 p.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Elmer was born on April 22, 1918, at Portland (Garden Home) to Harry Schulz and Elva Ellen McCormick Schulz. He served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. His service included New Guinea, the Philippines and the occupation of Japan. He also served in the Oregon National Guard, rising to the rank of master sergeant. After the war, Elmer began his civilian … Read more

Britain, Virgil Ray – Obituary

Virgil Ray Britain, a former Baker City resident, died April 6, 2009, at Aberdeen, Wash. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. April 24 at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton. Inurnment will be at Olney Cemetery near Pendleton. Mr. Britain was one of nine members of the 1951 graduating class at Stanfield High School. He joined the U.S. Army in 1953 and spent most of his service time in Germany before being honorably discharged. He began working for Cascade Natural Gas in November 1956 and continued with the company until his retirement in October 1995. He was a Top 10 salesman … Read more

Miller, Arlene Mrs. – Obituary

Arlene Miller, 80, died April 3, 2009, surrounded by her family. There was a reception at Arlene’s home Saturday for loved ones and friends. Arlene was born and raised at Halfway. She was the daughter of ranchers. She married Forest Miller, also from Halfway, in 1948. Upon Forest’s graduation from Oregon State University at Corvallis, the couple made their home in Hillsboro where they raised three children: Scott, Macie and Marty. Their house was a popular gathering place for their children’s friends and many sought her out for her sage advice and sharp wit. Arlene was an avid reader, gardener … Read more

McKim, Carol Andrea Steele Mrs. – Obituary

Carol Andrea McKim, 70, of Halfway died April 8, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center in Baker City. A family gathering in honor of Carol will be held in July. The date and time will be announced later. Carol was born April 5, 1939, in Halfway to George Theodore (Ted) Steele and Alma Effie (Hulse) Steele. She spent her childhood in the company of five brothers and six sisters. She attended Halfway High School until her junior year, when she married Oklahoma-native Martin McKim on July 25, 1956. Her life was spent as a dedicated and loving mother, grandmother, … Read more

Smith, Phyllis B. Morris Mrs. – Obituary

Phyllis B. Morris Smith, 74, of North Powder, died April 5, 2009, at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Home in La Grande with a graveside service afterward at the North Powder Cemetery. A dinner will be served in the multipurpose room of Powder Valley Elementary School at North Powder. Phyllis was born on Jan. 17, 1935, at Cove to Elmer and Agnes Morris. She was the youngest of the family with six siblings. She attended school at La Grande and Cove, where she eventually graduated. Soon after graduation, … Read more

Baker, Leonard Charles – Obituary

Leonard Charles Baker, 81, died Oct. 25, 2008, at his home in McMinnville. His graveside memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Bishop Ernie Collard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at the LDS meeting house after the service. He was born at Arlington, Calif., to Edward Andrew Baker and Lorraine Lucinda Dennis Baker on Aug. 25, 1927. He was the eighth of nine children. In 1950 he married his first wife, Nancy Watts. They had two children, Diane Painter … Read more

Chandler, John Patrick “Pat” – Obituary

John Patrick “Pat” Chandler, 70, of Bainbridge Island, Wash., died March 30, 2009, at the University of Washington Hospital surrounded by family and friends. Friends are invited to a celebration of Pat’s life at the Kiana Lodge, Sandy Hook Road N.E. in Poulsbo, Wash., on April 19, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Born September 30, 1938, at Baker City to Orville and Bell Armstrong Chandler, Pat was the third of four siblings to grow up on the family cattle ranch in the beautiful foothills of the Elkhorn Mountains. As a youngster, Pat shared in the arduous work of … Read more

Cameron, Mary Wilma Evans Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Wilma Cameron, 97, a former Richland resident, died March 28, 2009, in Spokane Valley, Wash. Her graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Terrace Heights Memorial Park, 3001 Terrace Heights Dr., Yakima, Wash. Mary was born on May 2, 1911, at Richland to George W. and Melissa J. Hartley Evans. She was the youngest of eight children. Mary accepted Jesus at the age of 9 during a revival meeting. She attended high school at Wapato, Wash., and at the age of 17 she married Cecil H. “Swede” Cameron in the Yakima Valley. She and her husband, “Swede,” … Read more

Nale, Jack Jr. – Obituary

Jack Nale Jr., 78, died April 2, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. There was a private family memorial service Saturday at Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home in Halfway. Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church officiated. Jack Nale Jr. was born on Oct. 31, 1930, in a tent near Tulsa Okla., and the lands of the Cherokee Nation to Jack Nale, Sr. and Lily Lovean Nale. His family left Oklahoma and lived in Arkansas on his Grandfather Edmondson’s property where Jack spoke of a lake and cypress trees. During the beginnings of the Great Depression, Jack and his family … Read more

Schreek, Fred – Obituary

Fred Schreek, 88, of Haines, a lifelong Baker County resident, died March 26, 2009. His funeral was Monday. Fred enlisted in the U.S. Army in February of 1941 at the age of 21. He was honorably discharged in October 1945. He proudly served in the 4th Armored Division and received the Bronze Star for meritorious service in action in the 25th Cavalry Reconnaissance. Fred served under Lt. Gen. Creighton Abrams and Gen. George S. Patton. As a young man, Fred was a stunt motorcycle rider with Roland and Omar George. He also wrestled and boxed. He was an avid sportsman, … Read more

Chancy, A. R. “Bob” – Obituary

A.R. “Bob” Chancy, 86, of Baker City died March 31, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. No service is planned at this time. Mr. Chancy was born on June 29, 1922, at Coryell County, Texas, to Franklin and Sarah Chancy. As a young man he served for three years in the U.S. Army Air Force. Afterward, Bob was a painting contractor for 35 years. He loved to rope, trail ride and fish. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Irvin; sisters, Eunice and Alice; and son-in-law, Terry Barr. Survivors include his wife, Lydia; daughter, Sandra Risley; grandson, … Read more

Sampson, Francis Leslie “Sam” – Obituary

Francis Leslie “Sam” Sampson, 88, a longtime Baker City resident, died March 22, 2009, at Kirkland, Wash., with his daughters by his side. There will be a celebration of his life at 10 a.m. April 25 at Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. There will be a reception afterward at the family home. Francis was born on Oct. 10, 1920, at Umatilla to Rose and Frank Sampson. He lived at Haines, Hermiston and Huntington and was a graduate of Huntington High School. Francis served in the U.S. Air Force as a radio operator on the B-24 during World War … Read more