Obituary

Valentine, Darel E. – Obituary

There will be a celebration of life memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Baker City Christian Church, 675 Highway 7. Darel was born on Aug. 27, 1925, at Baker City to Leonard and Lola Morin Valentine. He was the second of eight children. He attended many schools as his family moved often during the Depression years. He completed the eighth grade, then his father was injured and he stayed home to help his folks on the farm. Darel entered the U.S. Army in March 1944 and served in the European Theater. On the eve of the Battle of … Read more

Evens, Robert Russell – Obituary

Two celebrations of Bob’s life – “Bob-Fests” – are planned. The first is Aug. 29 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mad Matilda’s, 1917 Main St. The second will be Sept. 12 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mike and Janie Morrissey’s place in Keating (turn left off Highway 86 onto Banta Road, then right on Ritter Loop). Music will start about 5 p.m., and this is a picnic potluck. In his 55 years, Bob managed to live about five times as many lives compared to most people’s one. Although he never smoked, he was first diagnosed with … Read more

Giles, Ralph Luke – Obituary

Ralph Luke Giles, 80, died Aug. 6, 2009, at his home, surrounded by family members. Visitation will be from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop Ernie Collard will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Ralph was born on April 25, 1929, to Douglas and Jennie Luke Giles in Heber City, Utah. After high school graduation, he attended Brigham Young University where he met the love of his life, Norma Simmons. Ralph … Read more

Lewis Howard Wirth – Obituary

Lewis Howard Wirth, 81, a former Baker City resident, died July 29, 2009, at Orem, Utah. His funeral was Monday at the Walker Sanderson Funeral Home in North Orem, Utah. Interment was at the Orem City Cemetery. Lewis was born on July 10, 1928, to Joseph and Inez Wirth at Burns Lake, British Columbia, where he lived until the age of 8. His family then moved to Medical Springs where they farmed and ranched. He graduated from Baker High School, where he met and married Arlene Johnson. They were married on April 9, 1950, at Baker City. Together they raised … Read more

Burgraff, Marvin Bert – Obituary

Marvin Bert Burgraff, 70, of Halfway, died July 30, 2009, at Boise. His funeral was at 10 a.m. today at Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Interment was at Pine Haven Cemetery. Pastor Bill Shields officiated. Friends are invited to join the family afterward at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall for a reception. Marvin was born on Nov. 22, 1938, at Bellingham, Wash., to Marion and Elsie Lavern Tobiaseen Burgraff. He attended Meridian High School, graduating in 1957. Marvin worked for Idaho Power Co., retiring in 1997. He married Rea Lynn Ashby at Winnemucca, Nev., on June 6, … Read more

Chandler, Elva Lorene Williams Mrs. – Obituary

Elva Lorene Chandler, 77, a longtime resident of Richland, died July 31, 2009, with her family by her side at her home in Richland. A memorial service was held Aug. 3 at the Eagle Valley Grange. Lorene was born May 26, 1932, in Richland to Robert Henry Williams and Elva (Waelty) Williams. She married John E. Chandler on June 12, 1946, in Boise, Idaho. They divorced, then 37 years later she remarried the love of her life, John E. Chandler, in Eugene on June 12, 1984. When Lorene left Richland, she moved to Springfield where she lived until moving back … Read more

Barnett, Izzabelle Lee – Obituary

Izzabelle Lee Barnett, 2 months and 21 days, of Baker City passed away July 23, 2009 at St. Elizabeth Health Services. A celebration of life and potluck will be held on Sat., Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. at 3910 Baker St., all friends and family are welcome. Izzabelle Lee was born May 2, 2009 in Baker City to Jeffrey Lee Barnett and Jessica Lee Eastland. “You are daddy’s girl and mommy’s whole world. Our precious little angel. Every morning you would greet us with a huge smile, a few good stretches, and then you were ready for your day. You … Read more

Weeks, Steven Robert – Obituary

Steven Robert Weeks, 63, died July 9, 2009, at the Pinewood Care Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, from complications of pneumonia. Graveside inturnment was at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 18, 2009, at Pine Grove Cemetery in Kooskia, Idaho. There was a no-host lunch afterward. He was born March 15, 1946, at Kamiah, Idaho, to Robert Weeks, and Diane Hazelbaker-Weeks. Steve loved the Clearwater Valley and lived there most of his life. He attended schools at Kamiah, Kooskia, and Orofino, Idaho. He sometimes caught a fish or two during school hours, but he hated it when he got caught skipping as … Read more

Van Driesche, Cyril E. – Obituary

Cyril E. Van Driesche 98, a life long resident of Baker City, Ore., died Friday July 10, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Mass of Christian Burial was held Thursday, July 16, 2009, 10 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, 2235 1st St. Reverend Julian Cassar celebrant the Mass. Interment followed at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Military honors were accorded by the Oregon National Guard Honor Guard. Visitation was held Wednesday, at the Coles Funeral Home from noon until 5 p.m. Mr. Van Driesche was born April 5, 1911 in Baker City, Ore., a son of Julius and Alida … Read more

Simonski, Philip – Obituary

Philip Simonski, 72, a former Baker City Resident, died July 13, 2009, in Hillsboro from melanoma. He was born in Philadelphia, Penn., on July 20, 1936, and graduated from Penn State university in 1959 from the school of forestry. Phil came to Oregon to work for the Forest Service in 1961-Ochoco National Forest, Freemont National Forest and lastly on the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. He retired in 1986, and operated a bed-and-breakfast in the family home in Baker City, where he had a tackle shop that supported his guide service on Brownlee Reservoir and other fishing hot-spots in northeast Oregon. … Read more

Cassell, Clyde Melvin – Obituary

Clyde Melvin Cassell, 66, passed away at his home on Mason Lake on April 21. He was born in Baker City, Ore., on Dec. 28, 1943, to Clayton A. and Mildred M. Cassell. He graduated with the Baker High School class of 1962 where he served as senior class president and was active in band, orchestra, ad Hi-Y. He earned his B.S. in Forest Engineering from Oregon State University and was nearing completion of his M.S. at Utah State University when he volunteered for the Army, completed his basic training, and was deployed to Vietnam for the remainder of his … Read more

Cassell, April Easter, Mrs. – Obituary

April, 55, passed away peacefully on the morning of May 19 due to complication associated with ovarian cancer. She was born in Aberdeen, Wash. and was the third of five close-knit children. She graduated from Montesano High School in 1972 as class valedictorian and from Washington State University, cum laude, in 1976 with a B.A. in Business Administration and specialty in Accounting. While at WSU she participated in a variety of collegiate activities including membership in Alpha Delta Pi sorority, rowing crew, and working as a teaching assistant. Upon graduation, April became a respected accountant and worked as a CPA … Read more

Stevahn, Lester Robert – Obituary

Lester Robert Stevahn, 70, of Baker City went to be with God on July 9, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Hospital. A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held on July 18, 2009, at Wade Williams Park on River Drive in Baker City, Ore. at noon. It will be a potluck lunch. Please bring your own table service, tables and chairs. Lester was born to Jake and Olga (Martel) Stevahn in Elgin, North Dakota on Dec. 21, 1938. He is survived by his wife, Rebeca, of 26 years; his children: Lori, Brett, Tom and Jason; his niece: Michelle; nephews: Rich and … Read more

Myers, Iva Loraine Harvey Mrs. – Obituary

Iva Loraine Harvey Myers was born Nov. 28, 191,7 to Lawrence James Harvey and Iva Viola Thomas Harvey in Portland, Ore. She died July 10, 2009, at her home in Sumpter, Ore. after a long bout with cancer, which began in 2003 at which time it was suppressed then returned a few months ago to claim her life. She was the oldest of four children, but outlived all of her siblings. Loraine’s funeral will be held July 17, 2009, at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Church at 2 pm. Public graveside services for her burial will follow immediately at the Sumpter … Read more

Anderson, Alan Endre – Obituary

Alan Endre Anderson of Eugene died March 29, 2009 of age related causes. He was 83. A private family celebration will be later. He was born Nov. 21, 1925, in Alpine, Wash., to Endre and Beulah Thompson Anderson. He married Judith Mann on June 21, 1957, in Olympia. Anderson graduated from Enumclaw High School in Washington in 1944. He served in the Army from 1944 to 1946, including service in World War II in the Phillipines and Japan. He attained the rank of sergeant and received the Bronze Star. He worked as an insurance secretary for Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance … Read more

Stephens, Nadine Andrews Tate Mrs. – Obituary

Nadine E. Stephens, 68, was born on Feb. 23, 1941, in The Dalles, Ore., to William and Frances (Walter)Andrews. She graduated from Baker High School in 1959, she was married to Howard Tate from ’64-’68 when he deceased, went on to marry Gale Stephens, he predeceased her in 2002. She lived in Scappoose from 1979 until present, where she was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and a member of the Moose Lodge. She loved flowers, reading wester books, fairs, festivals, shows, rodeos, arts & crafts shows, cows, horses and her cat. Survivors include: daughter, Jodi Tate (Corey Mehrer) … Read more

Bishop, Myrtle W. Mrs. – Obituary

Myrtle W. Bishop, 92, was born on Feb. 16, 1917 in St. Augustine, Fla., and passed away peacefully at her home in Laguna Niguel, Calif. on June 6, 2009 after a very short illness. She and her husband, Ernest W. “Red” Bishop, who predeceased her in 1992 after 57 years of marriage, moved to Inglewood, Calif., in 1941. During World War II she was employed as a riveter at North American Aviation. She subsequently worked as a seamstress at Virtue Brothers Mfg. in Inglewood, Calif. In 1964, she and her husband moved to Laguna Niguel as one of its first … Read more

Jeffords, Melba Mitchell Mrs. – Obituary

Melba Jeffords, 98, a long time Baker City resident, died July 29, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. today at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Her funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop Ernie Collard will officiate. Interment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family afterward for a reception and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the services. Melba was born on June 16, 1911, at Cove … Read more

Reed, Ervin Ezra “John” – Obituary

Ervin Ezra “John” Reed, 77, of Union, died July 23, 2009, at his home. No funeral is planned. John was born on Oct. 26, 1931, at Okoboji, Iowa. He entered the U.S. Army in 1953 and served two years. In 1956, he married Lucille A. Blom at Sioux Falls, S.D. The first several years of marriage they traveled from Sioux Falls to the Pacific Northwest where John was working in construction. In 1960, they settled at Union where they raised three daughters, Gail Hinshaw, (husband, Joel) of Summerville,Wanda Lee, (husband, Steven) of Umatilla and Lori Pecinovsky (husband, Frank) of Mabel, … Read more

Brown, James – Obituary

James “Jimmy” Brown, 49, of La Grande, died July 17, 2009, in a motorcycle accident. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Loveland Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., in La Grande. A private celebration will be scheduled later. Jimmy was born on May 17, 1960, at La Grande to J.J. “Jiggs” and Charlotte Brown. He was the eldest of four sons. He became a father later in life. His two children, Brianna, 4, and Cody, 2, were the love and light of his life, his family said. Jimmy was a businessman who opened up employment opportunities for many aspiring … Read more