System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Doris Snell
Doris Mabel Snell of Boise, a former Baker County resident, died July 7, 2003, two days before her 89th birthday, at her home where she had lived for more than 50 years.
A celebration of Doris's life was at 1 p.m. Friday at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel in Boise. Pastor Eric Brown of the Cloverdale Seventh-day Adventist Church officiated. Interment was at Cloverdale Cemetery, where she was laid to rest next to her husband, Loyal.
Doris was born to Joseph and Ida Bowman on July 9, 1914, at their homestead at Wolf Creek. Although born healthy, digestive difficulty made it impossible for her to gain weight. At six months of age, Doris weighed just six pounds. Her father cried when he finally found a formula that would agree with her.
After a rough start, Doris grew into a freckle-faced bundle of energy who loved tormenting her older sister by jumping off the roof of the house just to hear her scream. Doris attended school at North Powder, Baker City and Weiser, Idaho. Her school years were the beginning of many lifetime friendships.
In 1940, Doris married a brown-eyed, handsome man named Loyal Snell. They had two children, Sharon and Jerry. Loyal and Doris were married for 63 years until Loyal died on Nov. 15, 1996.
In 1960, Doris completed her licensed practical nurses training and worked for St. Alphonsus Hospital at Boise until she retired in 1979. Doris never missed a single day of work and as a reward, the Sisters of the Holy Cross surprised Doris and her husband with a free trip to Disneyland. After her retirement, Doris remained an active member of the L.P.N. Association of Idaho.
In 2001, after suffering a stroke, Doris was brought home with hospice care but surprised everyone, especially the hospice workers, with her determination to recover. She improved to the extent of getting around with the help of a walker.
Doris loved to cook, preparing weeks in advance for guests and holidays. She enjoyed gardening and reading. Doris adored her grandchildren and great-granddaughter. There were many camping and fishing trips in the camper she named "Roada." Life at Grandma's house was full of adventure. Her sense of humor and lust for life as well as her youthful complexion were with her always. Doris never grew old.
"We will miss our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, relative and friend very much, but there is comfort in knowing that she is with those she loves and doesn't need her walker anymore, " her family said.
Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Loyal Snell; sisters, Iris Gebo and Claire Moore; and her grandson, Matthew Snell.
Survivors include her two children, Sharon Jarrett of Boise and Jerry Snell of Clarkston, Wash.; four grandchildren, Amber Jarrett of Salt Lake City, Crystal Jarrett of Las Vegas, Nev., Brandon Snell of Dayton, Ohio, and Aaron Snell of Spokane, Wash.; one great-granddaughter, Morgan Smith-Snell of Dayton, Ohio; and many friends.
Ann Whiteley
Ann Marie Whiteley, 70, died July 5, 2003, at her home after a long illness.
Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Sister Kay Marie Duncan will conduct the service. Private interment is at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Ann was born March 31, 1933, at Portland to Edward and Shirley Combs Endicott. Her childhood years were spent at Austin until her family moved to Baker City, where she completed her schooling. Ann was in one of the last classes to graduate from the old Baker High School.
On February 16, 1954, Ann married "the love of her life, " Arlyn Carl "Pat" Whiteley. They had a rich and full life. The family grew with the births of daughters, Judy, Patricia, Kelley and Michelle.
Ann was active with the Sportsmen's Club, the Garden Club and the Ladies Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Post 3048. She loved camping, hunting, and being with family. She also sold Avon for more than 30 years and became a member of the Presidents Club.
Ann was the monarch of the family, organizing family gatherings and learning all she could about genealogy. She was considered well-versed on the history of Bates and Austin. She attended the Bates reunions and enjoyed sharing the stories and history of the area. Her family loved her dearly and she will be greatly missed.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Shirley Endicott; her brother, Leland; two daughters, Patricia and Michelle; and her husband, Pat.
Survivors include her daughter, Judy Pointer of Salem; her daughter and son-in-law, Kelley and Anthony Bui of Pendleton; grandchildren, Candace Pointer and Brie and Megan Bui; brothers and sisters-in-law, Darrell and Betty Endicott, Marvin and Dana Endicott and Vic and Judy Endicott, all of Baker City; one very special niece, JoDee Endicott; several other nieces and nephews; and many wonderful friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary No. 3048 Cancer Fund through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Eloris Knee
Eloris Ann Knee, 71, of Nampa, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died July 1, 2003, at her home with her husband, Clarence, and her daughter, Judy, at her side.
Her memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, 5400 Fairview Ave., in Boise.
Eloris was born on March 17, 1932, at Eustis, Neb., to Tom and Inez Howell Adams. She graduated from high school at Weiser, Idaho, in 1950.
She married Clarence Knee on June 8, 1950, at the Assembly of God Church in Weiser. Together they made their home at Weiser; Caldwell, Idaho; Baker City; and most recently at Nampa.
After her banking career, Eloris was self-employed in the family paint, glass, and sign business and last as a family restaurateur. Eloris loved to travel and was a greeting card author. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and especially quiet times with Clarence.
Survivors include her husband of 53 years, Clarence Knee; daughter, Judy Knee of Nampa, Idaho; son, Mike Knee of Baker City; brothers, Keith Adams of Nyssa, Gary and his wife, Teresa Adams of Payette, Idaho, and Dennis and his wife, Colette Adams of Boise; grandchildren, Carmen and Jeff Underwood of Boise and Duane and Stephanie Huffman of Nampa; great-grandchildren, Kylie Huffman and Brooke Huffman of Nampa, and Thomas Jeffery "TJ" Underwood of Boise; her friend and caregiver Roger Schwab; her nephew, Marlin and Chris Adams and niece, Linda and Kim Seskea of Ontario.
Her mother and father preceded her in death.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cancer Treatment Center at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Life's Door Hospice or the Leukemia Foundation. Memorials may be left at Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel.
Gordon VanCleave Sr.
Gordon E.VanCleave Sr., 78, of Mount Vernon, a former longtime Baker County resident, died July 2, 2003, at Mount Vernon.
He was born on Oct. 16, 1924, at Hereford to Benjamin Franklin and Sarah Maude Williams VanCleave. They moved to the Sumpter junction when he was small and he had lived in Baker County most of his life.
He loved to hunt and fish and he loved the mountains and camping. He was a logger, rancher and truck driver. He especially loved coaching high school rodeo. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1945.
He married his wife, Kathleen, on May 31, 1997.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen VanCleave of Mount Vernon; a son, Gordon E. "Sonny" VanCleave and his wife, Bonnie, of Payette Idaho; daughters, Sandy Howland of Pendleton, and Georgia L. Wallis and her husband, Steven, of Sandpoint, Idaho; stepsons, Alfred Dunn and his wife, LaRay, of Portland and Steve Dunn and his wife, Helena, of Ketchikan, Alaska; stepdaughter, Candy Duncan and her husband, Ken, of Baker City; sisters, Velma Hall of Springfield and Virginia Hall of Nyssa; a brother, Duane VanCleave of Burns; 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Grant County Hospice.
Melvin Copley
Melvin Copley, 89, a longtime Baker City resident, died July 7, 2003, at his home.
It was Melvin's wish to be cremated and not have any service. The family will have a celebration of his life at the ranch on July 19.
He was born on May 19, 1914, in Staples, Minn., to Hugh and Arva Copley. The family moved to California when Melvin was 7.
He received his education and spent his early years around the Los Angeles area, where he learned boxing, baseball and race car driving. Over the years, he worked as a roofer, a dryland grain farmer, a water well drilling contractor and a rancher. In retirement, he raised and raced thoroughbred horses, which gave him great pleasure.
Survivors include his wife Bobby; two stepsons, Charles Bush and Donn Copley, and their wives Michelle Bush and Rachel Copley; four grandchildren, Sherry and Ben Rush and Eric and Jordon Copley; his sister, Delores Olsen, and her two sons, Bobbie and Roland; and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and one sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice or a charity of one's choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
‘Jerry' Van Hoomissen
Condon J. "Jerry" Van Hoomissen, 76, a longtime Baker City resident, died July 4, 2003, at his home.
His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will conduct the service. After the committal, family and friends are invited to the Van Hoomissen home at 320 Foothill Drive to swap stories and visit. Food and drink will be provided, but if you wish to bring a dish to share, please do so, it will be appreciated.
Jerry was born on Jan. 24, 1927, at Des Moines, Iowa. He was the only child of Jerome August "Van" and Winifred Degreta "Peggy" (Moffat) Van Hoomissen.
He went to work for the Willamette Iron Works in July 1943 as a machine rigger. He graduated from Columbia Preparatory School in May 1944. After graduation, he went to work for Pacific Bell Telephone Co.
He joined the U.S. Army in March 1946 and was stationed at Camp Crowder, Mo., in the Signal Training Regiment. He transferred to Fort Monmouth, N.J., and was in Signal Corps School there.
He was honorably discharged in April 1947. He returned to work at Pacific Bell in Portland as an installer. He attended TV & Radio School and got his license to install communication radios.
He worked in Portland, Medford and Bend. Then in 1974, he moved to Baker City as an installation supervisor for the telephone company. He thoroughly enjoyed his job and especially his crew and other employees. For his retirement, the crew gave him a German Shorthair pup, which he named Vans Radbach Eva Belle. Eva and Jerry were a real team, and she went everywhere with him.
In January 1975, he met Debbie. They dated and at Christmas 1976, they became engaged. They were married on Sept. 24, 1977. The Van Hoomissens enjoyed remodeling their home, going to the Snake River to fish and swim, and going into the mountains for woodcutting, mushrooming, and picnicking. Jerry retired from the telephone company in November of 1982.
In 1987, the Van Hoomissens and the Bouchards became partners in the Old Park Taylor Ranch, where they raised cows, put in fence posts and planted trees.
Jerry had many fine accomplishments he was proud of. He had a wonderful 38 years with the phone company, he was instrumental in getting the Baker City Hall clock repaired and running and he worked very hard getting the Cavin Rock Collection moved from Pismo Beach, Calif., to the Oregon Trail Regional Museum.
He also served many volunteer labor hours renovating the natatorium to the Oregon Trail Museum. He served as president of the Baker County Historical Society for several years. He was a member of the Eagles Lodge and managed it for several years. He was very active in the Baker City community.
Jerry enjoyed being with his wife of 25 years and had many wonderful times with family, friends, and pets. Jerry's shorthair dog now is Sara, and she is missing him terribly. They would often enjoy happy hour in his shop where he would have a glass of wine and give Sara her cookies. He was a good friend and a wonderful husband.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Debbie Van Hoomissen of Baker City; daughters, Shannon Brown of Boise, Sherry G. Spencer of Meridian, Idaho, Shelley R. Sorensen of Boise, and Erin Hornish of Jacksonville, Fla.; a son, Scott Van Hoomissen of Vancouver, Wash.; stepchildren, Benjamin A. Tate of Portland and Pamela A. Daniels of Haines; former son-in-law, Mathew Daniels, who remains a son, of Baker City; grandchildren, Matthew S. Dunn, Shanna J. Chase, Hayden J. Fisher and Hestin G. Fisher, all of Boise, Jennifer R. Spencer, Jaime T. Spencer, Jesse M. Spencer and Joshua T. Spencer, all of Meridian, Idaho, Sara E. Hone, Orion C. Sorensen, Spencer D. Sorensen, Patrick O. Sorensen, Ciera E. Sorenson, all of Boise, Chloe Hornish and Carson Hornish, of Jacksonville, Fla., Allen Van Hoomissen of Vancouver, Wash., stepgrandchildren, Eli Tate and Breezy Tate of Portland, and Stephanie Daniels and Dustin Daniels of Baker City.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Leslie Van Hoomissen; and a grandson, Matthew T. McKee.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue Mountain Humane Society in La Grande through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Roy Hohimer
Roy Dean Hohimer, 79, of Baker City died July 5, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
At his request, there will be no funeral. Disposition was by cremation. Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hohimer was born on Dec. 24, 1923, at Reed, Ky. He was a son of Bud and Alma Hohimer. He was raised and educated at Reed, Ky.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and served in the European Theater, Italy and North Africa. He received two purple hearts and was decorated with the Silver Star with clusters and the Bronze Star with clusters. After the war, he was discharged and later was recalled to service during the Korean conflict.
In 1959, he went to work in Alaska as an ironworker and continued in that profession until his retirement in 1984. In 1950, he married Pat Goodridge. She died in 1977.
In 1986, he married Delita Spencer. They moved to Baker City in 1987 where they have resided since.
He loved to work, carpentry and help anyone who needed help.
Survivors include his wife Delita of Baker City; his children, Donald and Leisa Hohimer of Evansville, Ind., Kathleen and Joel Harmon of Anchorage, Alaska, and Ron Schneider of Baker City; brothers, Robert Hohimer of Reed, Ky., and Joe Hohimer of Henderson, Ky.; sister, Louise Sutherland of Reed Ky.; sister and brother-in-law, Marjorie and Larry Taylor of Valrico, Fla.; grandchildren, Michael Harmon, Tara Hohimer, Rebecca Hohimer, Joshua Hohimer and Eric Hohimer; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Pat; sons, Harry and Michael; brothers, James and Clyde; and a sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to the La Grande Humane Society through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Thomas Steele
Thomas Steele, 86, of Baker City, died July 4, 2003, at his home.
His funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Sister Kay Marie Duncan of Pathway Hospice will officiate.
There will be a reception afterward at 990 Park St.
Visitations are today until 8 p.m. at Gray's West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. Disposition is by cremation at Gray's West Pioneer Crematory.
Thomas' move from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the Baker Valley was inspired by his brother-in-law and he drew straws with his wife, Evelyn, to determine if they would stay or go.
She drew the short straw, so they packed up and headed West in 1941.
His many years of hard work included being a mechanic at the Ford Garage, driving oil tanker during World War II for Silver Eagle, owning and operating logging trucks, running heavy equipment at the lime plant and mining for Tony Brandenthaler at Virtue Flat.
His spare time was spent fishing and gardening with friends and family or mining a claim near Hereford he inherited from a friend.
Thomas spent countless hours helping raise his family. His unconditional love, his endless patience in teaching a grandchild or neighbor child to fish, mechanic, pan for gold or garden were his greatest gifts and his greatest pleasures.
There was not an engine he could not make run better or a child he could not make smile brighter. May his memory be eternal.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Evelyn Steele of Baker City; brothers, William Steele and Charles Steele, both of South Dakota, and Wesley Steele of Wyoming; daughter and son-in-law, Shirley and Ken McPheron of Baker City; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews in Oregon and South Dakota.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Minnie Steele; brother, Leo Steele; sister, Dolly Caldwell; daughter, Marilyn Carr; and grandson Robert Carr.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Wendy Long
Wendy Marie Long, 41, of Baker City, died July 1, 2003, at her home.
An informal memorial service will take place Saturday, July 12, at 10 a.m. at her home for anyone who wishes to attend.
Disposition was by cremation at Gray's West Pioneer Crematory.
Wendy was born Chicago, and lived in the Detroit, Mich., area until moving to Middleton, Idaho. She attended Middleton High School and was a champion gymnast and member of the American Honor Society.
She received an LPN license from Boise State University.
Wendy married and moved to McMinnville, where she received an RN degree from Chemeketa Community College, again graduating with honors, magna cum laude.
She worked as a registered nurse at Salem Hospital. She was a critical care and trauma team specialist there for almost six years. She later moved to Baker City, where she worked as a registered nurse at the emergency department of St. Elizabeth Health Care Services.
Wendy loved living in Baker. She rode and trained horses, and she loved animals. She loved caring for people, and was blessed with a giving heart.
She is survived by her husband, Michael; and by two younger sisters, Amy Smith and Stacee Gravel, who both live in the Portland area.
Wendy will be greatly missed by her many friends and family.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Boys Town, in care of Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
