System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Leon Bendixen
Leon E. Bendixen, 90, a former Halfway resident, died Jan. 2, 2001, at Heritage Bennion Care Center at Salt Lake City.
His graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. First Counselor Pete Bigelow will preside. Visitations will be from 11 a.m. to noon at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Halfway.
Mr. Bendixen was born Sept. 8, 1910, at West Jordan, Utah, to Ephriam Vigo and Caroline Delila Webster Bendixen. He married Ruby Olea Fowles on April 1, 1936, at Payette, Idaho.
Mr. Bendixen was a farmer most of his life. He also worked construction prior to farming. He greatly enjoyed hunting and chasing wild horses on the desert in southern Utah when he was a young man. As he became older, he enjoyed reliving his younger days by telling stories about his adventures.
Survivors include his daughter, Janice Olmsted of La Grande; son and daughter-in-law, Arden and Billie Bendixen of West Valley City, Utah; a brother and sister-in-law, Roy and Wanda Bendixen of Delta, Utah; sisters, Marie Rice of Halfway and Ethel Montague of Washington; seven grandchildren, Jurita and Dennis Cronin, Russell and April Olmsted, Richard and Barbara Olmsted, all of Oregon, and Lonnie Fair, Lori Bendixen, Josh Bendixen and Jeremy Bendixen, all of Salt Lake City; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ruby; two sisters; and a brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Maxine Carnell
Minni Maxine Carnell, 71, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 3, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.
Her graveside funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate.
Mrs. Carnell was born on Dec. 3, 1929, at Halfway to Henry and Georgia Koopman of Halfway. She was married to Kenneth “Bud” Carnell on May 8, 1948.
She often spoke of the reception that was held later that summer. The family held a huge dance party at the Halfway Dance Hall in celebration of the marriage.
Mrs. Carnell was a housewife and mother to three stepchildren. She worked in the foster parent care program from 1964 to 1979.
She also greatly enjoyed doing work as a volunteer. She helped in retirement centers and helped with local community events. She became a very active volunteer at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in 1992. She greatly enjoyed knitting and crocheting various keepsakes for her adopted son and his children.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Carnell, who died on Feb. 13, 1964, while working at Ellingson Lumber Co. in Halfway; her parents, Henry and Georgia Koopman; and a sister, Donna Higgins.
Survivors include her domestic partner, Wendell Muncey of Baker City; her son, Mike Thornton, and his family, a daughter, Ashley René Thornton, and a son, Kenneth Lawerance Thornton; her oldest sister, Juanita Durette of Baker City; her nieces, LaRay Violette and Malva Knutson; and many other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family to help pay for her health care bills.
Wayne Christensen
Wayne Albert Christensen, 61, of Baker City, died peacefully at his home on Jan. 4, 2001.
His memorial service will be next weekend in the Portland area. Please contact his daughter, Camille Campbell, at 503/537-0885 for specific information.
Mr. Christensen was born Jan. 2, 1940, at Trinidad, Colo., to Frederick and Rilla Posornow Christensen. Upon graduation from high school he entered the U.S. Army, where he served his country during the Korean War.
After his service, he went into business for himself, opening Mesa Muffler in Costa Mesa, Calif. He returned to school in Southern California after the sale of his business and his marriage to Melanie Mack. He completed his education by earning a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Chapman College. He also did graduate work at UCLA.
In 1971 Mr. Christensen moved to Bend with his wife and children. There he was owner/operator of Good Guys Muffler Service. He arrived in Baker City in 1989 to pursue mining interests.
He was known for his generosity and his witty sense of humor. He took special enjoyment in the little things in life, like a child’s smile or a sunny day. He was very spiritual and approached life with a young-at-heart attitude. His interests included world travel, fishing, mining, music, being with his friends and family, and science and natural history.
Mr. Christensen is survived by his mother, Rilla Christensen; his son and daughter-in-law, Zachary and Jessica Christensen of Portland; a daughter, Camille Campbell of Newberg; a brother and sister-in-law, Keith and Virginia Christensen of Lake Havasu City, Ariz; sisters, Patricia Larsen of Kent, Wash., and Donna Keulen and her husband, Al, of Paso Robles, Calif.; a grandson, Jordan Campbell of Newberg; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father and one brother, Bill Christensen.
Olga Molyneaux
Olga Molyneaux, 92, of Baker City, died Jan. 8, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Dennis Hickman of the First Lutheran Church will officiate. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Molyneaux was born Jan. 23, 1908, at Evergreen Township, Minn., to Reinhard Janke and Hulda Schwarzrock Janke.
She married Morris Johnson on Nov. 1, 1927, at Fargo, N.D. In 1929 they moved west, and Mrs. Molyneaux had lived in Baker County since 1933. Mr. Johnson died in 1955.
In July 1964 she married Walter Molyneaux. He died in May 1993.
Mrs. Molyneaux was an active, lifelong member of the First Lutheran Church.
She is survived by three daughters and their spouses: Arlene and Lewis Wirth of Orem, Utah, Evelyn and Frank Keith of Baker City, and Margie and Jim Stewart of Anacortes, Wash; stepchildren, Gary Molyneaux and Carolyn Mehlhorn, both of Baker City; grandchildren, Julie Sorensen, Scott Wirth, Blaine Wirth and Jeff Wirth, all of Utah, Cinda Widman of Idaho, Shirley Mack of La Grande, and Margie Young, Chris Stewart, Gwen Potter and Russell Stewart, all of Washington; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a large family in North Dakota.
Mrs. Molyneaux was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; a son, Earl Johnson; and by two brothers and two sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Lutheran Church or Pathway Hospice through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
John Gashwiler
John H. Gashwiler, 92, a longtime Halfway resident, died Jan. 6, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.
His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Halfway Presbyterian Church. Pastor Bill Shields of the United Methodist Church will officiate.
Mr. Gashwiler was born on Nov. 18, 1908, at Novinger, Mo., to Dr. J.S. and Maude Ellen Gashwiler. He attended Novinger Grade School and High School and is the next to last survivor of his 1926 graduating class of 12 students.
He attended Kirksville State Teachers College, which is now Harry S. Truman State University, where he met and later married his wife, Renelda Tollenaar. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1931 and took a teaching job at the Rye Creek School in the middle of the school year.
After the Rye Creek School closed, he taught sixth- and seventh-grades at Brasher, Mo. He was laid off in 1940 after budget cuts resulted in consolidation. He then taught industrial arts at Morava, Iowa, until the war required his efforts as a producer on the family farm in early 1943.
After the war, he took a teaching job as agriculture and industrial arts instructor at Brooklin, Iowa, from January 1948 to June of 1950. In 1950, he started working for the U.S. government, providing on-the-farm instruction to the 4-F veterans around Cresco, Iowa.
When that program ended, he became the agriculture and industrial arts teacher at Guttenberg, Iowa. In 1957, the family moved to Westhope, N.D., where he taught industrial arts.
The winters were too cold, so in 1960, he moved to Halfway to teach sixth- and seventh-grades. In 1965, he worked for Idaho Power Co. on the Hells Canyon Dam until the project was completed.
After living in rented houses for most of their lives, Mr. and Mrs. Gashwiler bought a house in Halfway, and spent the next 40 years living in Pine Valley.
Mr. Gashwiler’s large workshop was open to friends and neighbors. Over the years, many boys and girls dropped in to chat a little or to work on a project, using Mr. Gashwiler’s lathes, drills and other tools.
He was always interested in education and spent many summers taking courses at various colleges and universities. For three summers, he worked as a customs inspector in Alaska.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Survivors include his wife of more than 65 years, Renelda; daughter and son-in-law, Keturah and Phil Pennington, of Portland; sons and daughters-in-law, John H. Jr. and Kathy Gashwiler of Missoula, Mont., and Sam and Laree Gashwiler of Portland; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all of Missoula, Mont.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and one brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Halfway Ambulance Fund through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Chester Hill
Chester Hill, 83, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 4, 2001, at his home.
There will be a family graveside service at 2 p.m Monday at Rosedale Memorial Park at Payette, Idaho.
Visitations will be for family members only.
Mr. Hill was born on March 10, 1917, at Elgin to Walter and Christine Hill. He married his wife, Maggie, at Weiser, Idaho, 63 years ago. Mr. Hill worked for Union Pacific Railroad for 38 years. The couple had lived in Baker City for the last 30 years.
Mr. Hill enjoyed hunting, fishing and, most of all, his family.
Survivors include his wife, Maggie Hill of Baker City; a son, Jim Hill of Baker City; a daughter, Sharon Mackay, and her husband, Steve, of Ontario; granddaughters, Monica Mackay of Ontario and Gabby Gartin and her husband, Wade, of Meridian, Idaho; great-grandsons, Chance Gartin and J.W. Gartin, both of Meridian, Idaho; and a sister, Isabell King of Baker City.
She was preceded in death by her five-day-old son, Gary Hill, who died in 1948.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Fern Erwin
Fern Mae Erwin, 82, of Union, died Jan. 5, 2001, at the Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande.
There will be a Celebration of Life service at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Union United Methodist Church. The Rev. Ernest Smith will officiate. There will be a concluding service at the Union Cemetery.
Mrs. Erwin was born on May 3, 1918, on the homestead at Telocaset. She was the daughter of William and Susie Briggs Baxter. She graduated from Union High School. She married Hugh Gerald Erwin on Sept. 26, 1936, at La Grande.
She was the second oldest member in church history of the Union United Methodist Church and a member of the United Methodist Church Women Caring Helpers. She also was a senior meals volunteer.
She greatly enjoyed her family, camping, traveling, gardening and bingo. She was known as having a servant’s heart to her family and to her fellow man. She was continually giving of herself and went out of her way to help others. She was always putting the needs of others before herself.
Survivors include her husband, Hugh Gerald Erwin of Union; sons and daughters-in-law, Gary and Barbara Erwin of Otis and Richard and Jan Erwin of Baker City; daughters, Leah Lewis of Baker City and Donna LaVerdure and her husband, Joseph, of Pendleton; 12 grandchildren, Lori Robinson, Gail Powers, Darcy Bruijn, Kimberly Hulser, Melanie Zemmer, Mickey Lewis, Randy Lewis, Jeff Erwin, Doug Erwin, Brian Erwin, Kevin LaVerdure and Amanda LaVerdure; 13 great-grandchildren; a brother, Roy Baxter of Everett, Wash.; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Earl and Lawrence Baxter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union United Methodist Memorial Fund through Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande, Ore. 97850.
Arthur Moothart
Arthur Liddman Moothart, 76, a longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 15, 2001, after many years of battling emphysema.
There will be a private family service at 1 p.m. Monday at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Private interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Monte Loyd of the Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate.
Mr. Moothart was born May 26, 1924, at Cartersville, Mo., to Edwin and Edith Barnett Moothart. He was raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
After fighting three years in World War II, he moved to Oregon where he met the love of his life, Jerlene Simpson. They were married on Jan. 24, 1958, and together they had four children.
He raised his children with lots of love and was a strong father figure they looked up to. He denied himself things so his children could have more.
Mr. Moothart was a loyal and honest man whose word was trusted. His children said they were very proud to call him Dad. He raised them with honest, God-fearing values and he always said, “If your word isn’t any good, then you aren’t any good.”
Mr. Moothart loved to hunt, fish and trap. When he was no longer able to do those activities, he loved to hear hunting and fishing stories from his sons and sons-in-law. He will be forever missed by his family.
Mr. Moothart trusted in his Lord and Savior and is dancing on streets of gold with his wife, Jerlene, who died in 1998. He often told his children of the time his squad leader asked him to go out on scout duty during the war.
The duty was strictly volunteer, and every scout who had gone before him had been killed. He prayed about it and opened his Bible, which fell open to Psalms 91, which says in part “No disaster will come near your tent for he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.”
Mr. Moothart volunteered and he came back safely.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jerlene; his parents; three brothers, Levi, Pat and Herschel Moothart; and a sister, Inez Oliver.
Survivors include his children, Kathy and Doug Parker, Sheryl and John Smith, Jim and Barb Moothart and Tim and Lisa Moothart; grandchildren, Doug and Lynn Parker, Travis Parker, Bri Parker, Kayci and Coleton Smith, Tyler, Tarrah and Taran Moothart and Brandi, Chad and Camren Moothart; great-grandchildren, Cassidy, James and Adrienne; a brother, Mike, and his wife, Vie; a sister, Dotty, and her husband, Donald Oliver; a brother and sister-in-law, Gillis and Ophia Simpson; and his many friends at Settler’s Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker Valley Christian Assembly through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Ida Hudecek
Ida Marie Hudecek, 66, a lifetime Baker City resident, died Jan. 13, 2001, at St. Luke’s Hospital at Boise.
There will be a wake for her Tuesday and Wednesday at her home at 1007 Walnut St. All family and friends are invited.
Her body will be cremated in Boise and her ashes taken to the home of her brother, Bill Beers, at Biggs Junction.
Mrs. Hudecek was born on March 31, 1934, to Ed and Edna Beers of Baker City. She was a 1952 Baker High School graduate and worked as a bookkeeper at Commercial Welding in 1956. She was a billing clerk at Baker Wholesale in 1957. She always loved working with her father at his ice cream parlor, “Roy’s 24 Flavors.”
She was married to her husband, Ben, in 1962. The couple had three children: two girls and a boy.
Mrs. Hudecek enjoyed the outdoors, wildlife and all the beauties of nature.
Survivors include her husband, Ben of Baker City; her daughters, Karen Ramey of Baker City and Laurie Osborne of Bend; her son, Tommy Hudecek of Baker City; five grandchildren; her brother, Bill Beers of Biggs Junction; a sister, Nellie Edson of Reedsport; and several nieces and nephews.
