System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Henry Koontz
Henry W. Koontz, 72, a Hereford native, died Oct. 24, 2001.
His funeral was Sunday at the Burnt River Community Church at Unity.
Mr. Koontz was born on June 2, 1929, at Hereford to William and Rebecca Koontz.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army after high school and served his country in the Korean War. After being honorably discharged, he returned to the Hereford/Baker area and married Roberta Stultz. His passion in life became music.
He traveled between Portland and Wallowa singing and playing his guitar while making lasting friends along the way. He enjoyed conversations about religion and politics. In his eyes, a stranger was just a friend he hadn’t met yet. He will always be loved and greatly missed by those he leaves behind.
Survivors include daughters, Ellen Koontz and Carmen Bultena; daughters and sons-in-law, Candyce and Neil Crumb, Glenna and Daniel O’Neill and Linda and Art DesCamp; son and daughter-in-law, Henry “Cubby” and Viola Koontz; special friends of many years, Jean Williams; 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Chet and Mernie Koontz; sisters, Edith Derrick and Maxine Brouillette; sister and brother-in-law, Wilma and Mert Locks; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Rebecca; his father, William; and sisters, Donna Bradford and Nan Hix.
Lawrence Lampro
Lawrence Edward Lampro, 80, a longtime Sumpter resident, died Oct. 16, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Church. Pastor Bill Cox of the church will officiate. There will be a reception at the church after the service. Vault interment was at Southview Cemetery at North Adams, Mass.
Mr. Lampro was born on Dec. 22, 1920, at Becket, Mass., to Albert and Anne Lampro. He was a graduate of Chester High School at Chester, Mass. He married Elaine McCormick in June 1942 at North Adams, Mass.
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he graduated from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the University of Massachusetts, majoring in forestry. He was employed as a lake supervisor at the New Haven Water Co. at New Haven, Conn., until his retirement in 1975. He was a member of the American Legion, Post 0079, at Madison, Conn.
In 1976, he moved to Sumpter where he enjoyed fishing, hunting and prospecting.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elaine; six sisters and six brothers.
Survivors include his sisters, Jeanette Walton of New Hampshire and Anita Allen of Florida; numerous nieces and nephews and godsons, Scott Swanson of Baker City, Steven Swanson of Connecticut and Glen Swanson of California.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Mabel Lee
Mabel Mork Lee, 95, a former Baker City resident, died Sept. 27, 2001.
Mrs. Lee was born on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1906. She was born two houses down from the chapel, growing up at Edgewood. She went to Puyallup High School, graduating in 1924. She went to nursing school with much urging from her father. She was a 1927 graduate of Tacoma General Hospital in one of the first graduating classes for women at the time.
She worked as a nurse throughout many hospitals in the Northwest, including Seattle. As the years went by she really found that nursing was her calling. During World War II she joined the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, serving her duty at the Marine hospital.
She married Orin E. Lee in Portland in 1946 and they later moved to Baker City, her husband’s hometown. She worked at the hospital in Baker City, sharing her compassion and caring for many of her patients and friends. She retired in 1968.
After her husband’s death, she moved back to Puyallup to be near her brother, Nels Mork. Then she moved into an apartment that was built as part of the home of her niece, Naedene. She stayed there for three years.
Later on she lived at Merrill Gardens and then enjoyed her last years at “Our House Too” with the loving care of Jolynn and Denney Satterlee.
She was a member of the Norwegian Luther Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ladies Elks Auxiliary and Local Nursing District 12.
Survivors include her niece, Naedene Seymour of Columbia Falls, Mont.; great-nephews, Phillip Seymour and family, of Kalispell, Mont.; great-nieces, Shelley Brazil and family of San Mateo, Calif.; great-nephew, David Seymour and family of Santa Rosa, Calif.
Floyd Taylor
Floyd Phillip Taylor, 90, a Halfway native, died Oct. 21, 2001, at Halfway.
His graveside funeral was Wednesday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. The Rev. Bill Shields of the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church officiated.
Mr. Taylor was born on Oct. 1, 1911, at Halfway to John Lee and Florence Bell White Taylor. He attended schools in Pine Valley and was a Pine Valley Union High School graduate.
A girl named Marcella Mitchell, who lived a mile down the road, caught his eye and they were married on Sept. 20, 1933. They enjoyed 68 years together. They had four children: William Floyd, Elton Dale, Keith Marvin and Michael Blair.
In the 90 years of his life, Mr. Taylor only left Halfway twice. He and his wife moved to Baker City in 1936 after purchasing the Elm Street Grocery. They returned to Baker City in 1941 to help the new owner, Henry Spivey, at the store.
Mr. Taylor enjoyed people immensely, easily meeting strangers as well as those he knew. He enjoyed spending time with relatives and had a great sense of humor. He also enjoyed singing and life in general.
When he was 16, he was helping his dad and Uncle Pres move a hay derrick into a hayfield just east of the house. His Aunt Alvada, who was one of those riding in the hay wagon said, “I thought there was a pile of paper burning in the barrow pit, but the smoke was coming from Floyd!” He had received a serious electrical shock, but was revived by a neighbor, Billy Baird, who was a Boy Scout.
Mr. Taylor’s life was one of hard work. He did the daily chores of farm life, including milking cows, raising pigs and raising hay and grain on the land.
He was a charter member of the Pine Valley Grange. He also was a longtime member of the Halfway Masons and a member of the Halfway Lions Club. He served on the boards of the Eagle Valley Soil Conservation District for 50 years, Pine-Eagle Dairymen’s Cooperative, Pine Lakes Irrigation District and the Baker County Planning Commission from its beginning for 14 years.
Survivors include his wife, Marcella; sons, Bill and Karen Taylor of Pendleton, Dale and Judy Taylor of Halfway, Keith Taylor of Vancouver, Wash., and Mike and Shirley Taylor of John Day; 13 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Alvada Gover of Imbler; sister-in-law, Catherine Taylor of Athena; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers and sisters, a daughter-in-law and a great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pine Valley Grange through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Billy Wester
Billy I. Wester, 81, of Baker City died Oct. 23, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Associate Pastor Bob Whiteman of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Military rites will be provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3048.
Mr. Wester was born on May 4, 1920, at Edna, Kan. He was the son of J. I. and Nettie Storm Wester. He received his education at Edna and graduated from high school in May 1937. He began his employment working on board a U.S. Engineer Department boat in West Memphis, Ark. In January 1938, after attending Kansas State Teachers College, he went to work maintaining and installing telephone lines and equipment for Mutual Telephone Co., in Edna, Kan.
In May 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and began his flying career. After receiving his training in airplane and engine mechanics, he was assigned to the 5th Liaison Squadron, Alamo Field in San Antonio, Texas.
He was one of the first in the Air Corp. to receive the rating of liaison pilot. In February 1944, the squadron transferred to China, Burma and India Theater.
While in the Far East, he helped support an outfit known as Merrill’s Marauders, a famous American unit during World War II. Flying an L-1 and L-5 plane for air reconnaissance for the Merrill’s Marauders was sometimes an ordeal and oftentimes dangerous.
After the war, he continued his service as a pilot in the Air Corps, serving in Barksdale Field, La.; Memphis, Tenn.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Panama Canal Zone; Costa Rica; and Nicaragua.
In October 1948, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned as assistant aviation advisor for the Kansas National Guard. In December 1951, he was assigned to the 6th Transportation Helicopter Co. He helped set up a training program for pilots. In this unit, he also provided direct support for front-line troops in Korea.
In November 1953, he was transferred to the 4th Transportation Helicopter Co. in Bridgeport, Conn. He was in charge of monitoring the development of the XH-39 helicopter in which he established the world speed and altitude records. After the assignment was over, he returned to the 4th Transportation Helicopter Co. at Fort Benning, Ga.
From April 1955 until December, 1956, Mr. Wester was assigned to the 345th Transportation Battalion (helicopter) at Fort Sill, Okla. He later was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In January 1958 through early 1960, he was assigned to the Executive Flight Detachment, which was in charge of flying President Eisenhower. His group was know as the “Presidential Flight Detachment” and were on standby to be dispatched at a moment’s notice. Mr. Wester continued to fly for the U.S. government until he retired from military service on April 30, 1965 as chief warrant officer 3.
During his distinguished military career, he received many commendations, which included the Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters (awarded three times) and the Air Medal with four clusters.
On June 25, 1977, he and Claire Curtis were married at the Baker City Golf Course. During the winter months, they would travel to Casa Grande, Ariz.
Mr. Wester loved to golf, fish, and hunt. He was a history buff and enjoyed reading. He was a Shriner and member of the Masonic Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He is survived by wife, Claire Wester of Baker City; sister, Mary Lee Triebel; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Connie Wester of Carthage, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Louie Dias, of Manteca, Calif; and son, Jeffrey Wester, Manteca, Calif.; step-daughters, Theresa Curtis of Medford, Kathleen and her husband, Jerry Yencopal, of Baker City, Cindy and her husband, Jim Jesseph, of Riverton, Wyo., and Carleen Curtis of Portland; grandchildren, Amanda and Brian Hill, Jason and Sara Dias, Joel Dias, and Bobby Wester; five great-grandchildren, six stepgrandchildren, and three stepgreat-grandchildren. He is also survived by a very close, dear friend, Elmer Swartz of Dallas, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Robert Don Wester, Leon Wester and T.E. Wester; sisters, Rosalind Parker, and Katherine Roberts; half brother, Dorsey Wester; and grandson, Bill John Wester.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children or the Eastern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross through Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
‘Dottie’ Trindle
Dorothy “Dottie” Trindle, 83, of Haines, died Oct. 21, 2001, at her home.
A celebration of her life will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the Haines Methodist Church. Pastor Sally Wiens will officiate. There will be a gathering of family and friends after the service at the Haines Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.
Mrs. Trindle was born in Kansas. The family of seven children soon moved to Oregon. Her father was a telegrapher for the railroad in the little coastal town of Moehler. She attended high school at Nehalem, where she had good memories of drama and swimming activities.
After graduation, she went to work as a legal secretary. She was employed by Sen. Charles McNary as his personal secretary and was called to Washington, D.C., to assist the senator during the time of Pearl Harbor.
It was in Washington, D.C., that she married her husband, Bill Trindle. They had met earlier in Salem.
After their marriage, they lived at North Powder from 1955 to 1960. They later moved to Haines where they have lived since.
Mrs. Trindle’s life was based on providing a loving home and constant sincerity. She had a love of the outdoors and was active in skiing, swimming, hiking, fishing and gardening. She was a member of the Haines Mutual Improvement Club and the Baker County Garden Club.
Survivors include her husband, Bill; and their six children, Bill, Mike, Ed, Tom, Alice and Pat; 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and loving daughters-in-law and partners. She leaves a legacy of home, caring and unconditional love.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Haines Methodist Church through the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Raymond Town Jr.
Raymond Allen Town Jr., 68, of Portland, owner of the Sunridge Inn, Marilyn’s and Sonny’s Bar and Grill in Baker City, died Oct. 19, 2001, at Lake Powell, Ariz.
His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis & Clark College in Portland. There will be a reception afterward at the Columbia Aviation Association at Aurora Airport.
Mr. Town was born on Nov. 13, 1932, at Portland. He was the only son of Bertha Fern and Raymond Allen Town Sr. He was a lifelong Oregonian.
His family, childhood friends and peers knew him as “Sonny.” He was educated at Beach Grammar School, Jefferson High School and West Linn High School. He lettered in baseball, basketball and football. After graduating from high school in 1950, he went on to attend Vanport College. He then served in the U.S. Air Force.
Mr. Town felt work was very honorable and began working at the young age of 8 selling butter. This began his business career.
He started Town Concrete Pipe in 1962 and since then has been president or partner in numerous businesses in the Portland area: Western International Investors and Developers, The Mountain Shop, C.C. Meisel Inc., Kizer Excavating, Campbell Crane and Rigging, VIPCO, Baker Readi-Mix, Bluerock Concrete Products, Town Concrete Pipe of Washington, By-Town Pipe, D.P. Nicoli Inc., Town Investments, The Cipple Group, The Town Group, Best Western Sunridge Inn, Marilyn’s and Sonny’s Bar and Grill.
Mr. Town served on the boards of the American Concrete Pipe Association and the Oregon Concrete Pipe Association. Additionally, he was a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club, Mountain Park Racquet Club, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Seaplane Pilots Association and the Masonic Lodge of Mount Hood, No. 157.
Flying and family were foremost in Mr. Town’s life. An accomplished pilot for more than 40 years, he was licensed for single-engine airplanes, land and sea, multi-engine land, and instrument. He completed pilot training at Flight Safety for the Aero Commander, Cessna 421 and Learjet.
His love of flying led him to Columbia Aviation Association where he was an active board member and Member of the Year in 1994. He also was instrumental in founding and building a new facility at the Aurora State Airport.
While business was Mr. Town’s passion, his family and friends were most important in his life. His memory and legacy will forever be treasured by his loving wife of 30 years, Marilyn; daughters and sons-in-law, Kimberly and Andrew Schroeder, Kristin and Greg Parsons and Patricia and Peter Carlson; sons and daughters-in-law, Lloyd Allen and Linda Town, Michael Raymond Allen and Kristen Town and Carl Allen and Sheila Town; and 12 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Angel Flight West, 3237 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica, Calif. 90405; 310/390-2958.
Lawrence Lampro
Lawrence Edward Lampro, 80, a longtime Sumpter resident, died Oct. 16, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the McEwen Bible Fellowship Church. Pastor Bill Cox of the church will officiate. There will be a reception at the church after the service. Vault interment was at Southview Cemetery at North Adams, Mass.
Mr. Lampro was born on Dec. 22, 1920, at Becket, Mass., to Albert and Anne Lampro. He was a graduate of Chester High School at Chester, Mass. He married Elaine McCormick in June 1942 at North Adams, Mass.
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he graduated from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the University of Massachusetts, majoring in forestry. He was employed as a lake supervisor at the New Haven Water Co. at New Haven, Conn., until his retirement in 1975. He was a member of the American Legion, Post 0079, at Madison, Conn.
In 1976, he moved to Sumpter where he enjoyed fishing, hunting and prospecting.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elaine; six sisters and six brothers.
Survivors include his sisters, Jeanette Walton of New Hamshire and Anita Allen of Florida; numerous nieces and nephews and godsons, Scott Swanson of Baker City, Steven Swanson of Connecticut and Glen Swanson of California.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Truman Carter
Truman C. Carter, 87, a retired longtime Baker City teacher, died Oct. 19, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Hospital.
His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St.
Mr. Carter was born on April 24, 1914, at Mountain Top, Ark., to Serenus Warren and Barbara Brunner Carter. He was the youngest of 19 children. When he was small, he traveled with his parents by covered wagon train to Oklahoma. He grew up there and attended Oklahoma State University and East Central Teachers College.
After living for short periods in Texas and California, he moved to Oregon in 1937. In Eugene, he worked at several jobs. He met and married Kay Woolsey in 1939. Mr. Carter graduated from the University of Oregon in 1940, and went to work as a coach at Philomath High School.
The next year, he traded jobs with a junior high teacher from Baker City where he became a physical education and social studies teacher as well as a coach. His first wife died in 1942.
During World War II, Mr. Carter was employed as gang boss at the Sierra Ordnance Depot at Herlong, Calif., where he guarded Italian prisoners of war. Among his other jobs were: gandy dancer on the Alaskan Railroad; teacher of adagio and ballroom dance; movie extra in “The Yodeling Kid from Pine Ride, ” and “Paint Your Wagon;” lumberjack for Hudspeth Lumber Co. near Dayville; and lifeguard at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
While working a summer job as a lifeguard at Yellowstone in 1947, Mr. Carter met Betty Scott, who had a summer job working at the Hamilton Store. One month later at the end of the summer, they married at Elko, Nev., and returned to Baker City where they raised six children.
In Baker City, Mr. Carter introduced a weightlifting program at the junior high school, as he had done earlier at the University of Oregon. He also opened an archery shop and began teaching archery lessons. When he retired, after 34 years of teaching, he helped his wife, Betty, run the Carter’s Natural Foods and Elkhorn Archery Co.
An avid bowhunter, Mr. Carter was president of the Oregon Bowhunters Association for two years in a row, and Oregon Bowhunter of the Year one year. He won the fifth National Field Archers Association honorary lifetime membership in the Oregon Bowhunters Association.
He also was a member of the Oregon State Forestry Advisory Board for Eastern Oregon and wrote articles for bowhunting magazines. One of his students at Baker Junior High, Bobb McKittrick, went on to become the offensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers.
He was preceded in death by his father, Serenus, a Civil War veteran; his mother, Barbara; 17 brothers and sisters; a granddaughter, Alexa Marie Carter; and a daughter-in-law, Susan Petersen-Carter.
Survivors include his sister, Goldie Perkins of Tumalo; his wife of 54 years, Betty; three sons, Barry, Kip and Corry Carter, all of Baker City; three daughters and their husbands, Tamara and Phil Mattson of Troutdale, Holly and Bob Gill of Madras and Libby and Dave Rudolph of Baker City; and nine grandchildren, Deva Williams of La Grande, Adam and Lisa Mattson of Troutdale, Chase, Carter, Kelsey and Turner Gill of Madras; and Koby and Jordan Rudolph of Baker City.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Boise through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
