Neeley, Clifford Joe – Obituary

Clifford Joe Neeley, 59, of Baker City, died Jan. 3, 2005, at his home. His private memorial service was Tuesday at Coles Funeral Home. Joe was born on Dec. 30, 1945, at Nashville, Tenn., to Clifford Wallace and Frances A. Regg Neeley. He attended school at Nashville and later moved to Washington where he completed his education. He trained to be a mechanic and worked at various jobs throughout the Northwest. In 2001, he moved to Baker City to be near his daughter. He thoroughly enjoyed living in the community. He was a genius at fixing anything and often the … Read more

Britton, Charles Howard “Chuck” – Obituary

Charles Howard “Chuck” Britton, 84, of Baker City, died Feb. 26, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at the United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home. Chuck was born on Sept. 3, 1920, to Howard C. and Helena Britton. He was raised on the family homestead near Lusk, Wyo., and graduated from Torrington High School in 1937. He married Vivian Vondra, his … Read more

Jacobson, Vernon Z. “Vern” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vernon Z. “Vern” Jacobson, 85, a retired Baker City manager, died Nov. 18, 2004, at Baker City. His memorial service was Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Susan Barnes of the First Presbyterian Church officiated. A graveside inurnment will be in the spring at the Prairie City Cemetery. Vern was born on June 16, 1919, at Alder, Wash., to Arnt and Elizabeth Jacobson. He spent his young life in Washington before serving in the U.S. Army as a captain in the 2nd Armored Division during World War II. Vern graduated from … Read more

Ashby, Wanden Lloyd – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Wanden Lloyd Ashby, 77, of Richland, died Nov. 10, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise of complications from heart surgery. His graveside service will be at noon Saturday at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Ralph Holcomb of the Baker Christian Church will officiate. Military rites will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7847, Halfway. Wanden was his own man. He served his country during World War II, after joining the U.S. Navy at age 16 with his dad’s OK. He received two Purple Hearts, one in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and … Read more

Dillman-Van Vleck, Luana Marie Baze Mrs.

Luana Marie Dillman-Van Vleck, 77, died Aug. 24, 2004, at Holy Rosary Hospital in Ontario, where she had been hospitalized the past few days for flu-like symptoms. Luana will be remembered in the Baker City and Halfway areas as Luana Dillman, and the mother of Walt Dillman Jr., Sammy (Nancy Dillman) Mercer, Lonnie Dillman and Dock Dillman. Luana’s graveside memorial service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Pastor Bill Shields of the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church will officiate. Interment will follow the services. Luana, the daughter of Dock and Armilda Baze, was born Sept. … Read more

Lloyd, Madge M. Colton Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Madge M. Colton Lloyd, 84, a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 24, 2004, in Yakima, Wash., after a prolonged illness. A celebration of her life will be announced at a later date. Services are tentatively scheduled for Sept. 15 in Baker City. Madge, the daughter of John and Nora (Gilkison) Colton, married Robert H. Murray in 1939 and together they had 10 children. At the time of her husband’s death they lived in Richland, Ore. With eight children to raise she decided to move to Baker City, where she returned to college to acquire skills for … Read more

Remsen, Ruth Abbott Mrs. – Obituary

Ruth Abbott Remsen, 83, of Richland, Wash., a former Richland, Ore., resident, died April 8, 2005, in the company of her daughter. Her graveside memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the Island City Cemetery. She was born Aug. 13, 1921, in Malheur County, near Weiser, Idaho, to Isaiah and Nannie May Wade Abbott. Ruth was one of 11 children. Ruth and her husband, Mearl F. “Mick” Remsen, were married on July 7, 1942. After the war, the family moved to Lakeview, where they lived for 12 years. They later moved to La Grande, where … Read more

Hill, Fred W. – Obituary

Fred W. Hill, 92, of Walla Walla, Wash., a former Baker County Extension agent and longtime supporter of the Pendleton Round-Up, died April 22, 2005, at St. Mary Medical Center at Walla Walla. His funeral will be May 6 at the Pendleton Episcopal Church. There will be a Celebration of Life party afterward at the Let ‘Er Buck Room on the Round-Up Grounds in Pendleton. Fred was born on Feb. 15, 1913, at Helix to James and Beulah Rankin Hill. The family moved to Pendleton when he was 5. He was a member of the 1931 Pendleton High School State … Read more

Hayes, Connie Rae DuPree Mrs. – Obituary

Connie Rae Hayes, 46, of Durkee, May 26, 2005, at her home. Her graveside service will be at 9 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. MDT) Wednesday at the Cambridge Cemetery in Cambridge, Idaho. There will be a celebration of life service at 2 p.m. PDT at the Durkee Grange Hall in Durkee. Connie was born on Aug. 5, 1958, at Council, Idaho, to Don Howard and Lois Lawson DuPree. She was educated at Council, New Meadows and Kooskie, Idaho. When she was 9, the family moved to Seattle, Wash., and then to Vancouver, Wash., where Connie remained for several years. Connie … Read more

Hale, Eugene Vaughan “Gene” – Obituary

Whitney, Baker County, Oregon Eugene Vaughan “Gene” Hale, 92, a longtime Baker County resident, died May 31, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Care Center. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Christian Church will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Gene was born on May 20, 1913, at Baker City to John “Sam” Hale and Mallie Mary Vaughan Hale. Gene’s father bought the Whitney ranch in 1903 and went from working … Read more

Green, Philip Gordon “Phil” – Obituary

Philip Gordon “Phil” Green, 89, died June 1, 2005, in Baker City at the home of his daughter, Aletha Green Bonebrake. A celebration of life will be held at the Island Funeral Home in Vashon, Wash., on Saturday, June 11, at 11:30 a.m., followed immediately by the committal in the family plot at the Vashon Cemetery. Phil was born in Olalla, Wash., on Jan. 8, 1916, but spent most of his childhood on Vashon Island with his parents, Philip and Kate Sandwith Green and his beloved brother and sister, Joseph Sandwith Green and Janet Isabella Green Okeson, all of whom … Read more

Hall, Virginia Arlene Van Cleave Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Virginia Arlene (Van Cleave) Hall, 68, of Nyssa, died June 1, 2005. Virginia was born March 9, 1937, in Baker City where she lived until she married Burl Elton Dalgliesh. They moved to Kelso, Wash., and had two children, Felena Marie and Helena Bonita (Bonnie). Virginia has been a longtime resident of Nyssa and retired from Heinz Frozen Foods in 2003. Virginia was a loving and caring person who enjoyed camping, fishing, bingo and playing with her three small dogs. She will be missed by many family and friends but never forgotten. She is survived … Read more

Klunder, Marie Judy Mrs. – Obituary

Marie Klunder, 93, a longtime Baker City resident, died Dec. 24, 2004. Her graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Jack Bynum of the United Methodist Church will officiate. There will be a reception for family and friends after the service at the United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St. Everyone is invited. Marie L. Judy Klunder was born on Nov. 18, 1911, to Lloyd M. Judy and Molly Dickison Judy at Sumpter. After graduation from Baker High School in 1930, she used her secretarial skills in the high school office, and later for Philo … Read more

Colson, Naomi June Crisp Mrs.

Keating, Baker County, Oregon Naomi June Crisp Colson, 78, of Weiser, Idaho, a former Baker County resident, died June 15, 2005. Her memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Payette, Idaho, S. Ninth and Third avenues. Pastor Skip Johnson will officiate. Inurnment will be later at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weiser. June was born on Feb. 4, 1927, at Parma, Idaho, to Sidney and Alice Snyder Crisp. She attended Keating School and Gem State Adventist Academy at Caldwell, Idaho. She was married to Benjamin E. Colson at Baker City on March 30, 1947. She … Read more

Wright, Emma Louella Edd Mrs. – Obituary

Emma Louella Wright, 91, of La Grande, a former Baker City resident, died June 15, 2005, at a La Grande care center. A graveside service and celebration of her life will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at Abbey View Memorial Park in Brier, Wash. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel in La Grande. Emma Louella Wright was born on Nov. 21, 1913, at Glasgo, Mont. She was the oldest of eight children born to Pete and Minnie Hill Edd. The family moved to Williston, N.D., where she was raised and educated. Emma married Leland Stroud at Williston, … Read more

Gordon, Robert D. – Obituary

Robert D. Gordon, 72, a former Baker City resident, died June 20, 2005, at his home in Sheridan. His memorial service will be Thursday at Sheridan. His ashes will be scattered at Sparta. Bob was born on June 11, 1933, at Sunnyside, Wash., to Harry and Elizabeth Stuber Gordon. When he was 2, the family moved to Richland. When Bob was 6 they moved to Sparta. At the age of 8, Bob helped in the haying. He drove a team of horses, mowed hay and used a buck rake to move hay to the stock yard. He and his sister, … Read more

Van Ocker, Virginia Mary Wilson Mrs. – Obituary

Virginia Mary Wilson Van Ocker, 90, of Baker City, died Jan. 29, 2005, at Boise after a long illness. Her memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the funeral home. Virginia was born at Seattle, Wash., on June 3, 1914, to Otis and Hulda Wilson. She was the second of five children. At the age of 2, she moved with her family to Milton-Freewater. She attended all 12 years of school at Milton-Freewater, graduating from Mac-Hi in 1932. She married … Read more

Peterson, Duane Irwin “Pete” – Obituary

Duane Irwin “Pete” Peterson, 72, a former Halfway resident, died on Feb. 5, 2005, at Spokane Valley. At his request there will be no viewing. There will be a Celebration of Life service at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home in the Spokane Valley. There will be a family reception/potluck afterward. Pete was born in Halfway, Oregon on January 19, 1933 to Dick D. Peterson and Bessie I. Peterson Irwin. The gold rush days relocated Pete and his parents to Cornucopia, a small mining community close to Halfway, where his parents ran a store. They … Read more

Monpas, Leona R. Lunderville Mrs. – Obituary

Leona R. Monpas, 83, of Baker City, died Feb. 10, 2005, at her home. Her graveside funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate. Visitations will be held today until 7 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Leona Rica Monpas was born June 18, 1921, at Mondovi, Wis., to Alvin and Lucillia (Craker) Lunderville. She received her schooling in Chippewa Falls and had special training in secretarial work. On April 8, 1938, she married Leon John Monpas in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1941, the couple moved to Port Angeles, Wash., where … Read more

Singer, Madge Frances Brown Mrs.

Madge Frances Singer, 84, a former Baker County resident, died Feb. 15, 2005, at a College Place, Wash., nursing home. Her funeral was today at Herring Groseclose Funeral Home at Walla Walla. Pastor Robin Peterson of the Presbyterian Church officiated. Burial was at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla. Mrs. Singer was born on March 5, 1920, at Unity to James and Isabel Brown. She was a Baker High School graduate. She married Carl H. Singer on Sept. 1, 1940, at Baker City. They traveled to Wallowa Lake for their honeymoon in a Model A Ford. Madge was employed by … Read more