System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Karen McCuen
Karen Lee McCuen, 41, of Baker City died Jan. 15, 2005, at her home.
Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church, 1837 Third St. Pastor Gene Saunders will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family after the service for a luncheon at the church.
Karen was born on Aug. 7, 1963, in Baker City to Benjamin Thomas and Ida Marie Beers Hudecek. Karen was raised in Baker City and attended Baker High School. After completing her GED in 1984, Karen moved to Portland and attended college to further her education.
She married Bill McCuen on Jan. 27, 2004, at the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church in Baker City. The couple met at a support meeting and Bill asked Karen to marry him in June of 1993. They had a very good and strong relationship.
Karen loved her work, and took much pride in all of her occupations. She worked at her church as the secretary, at the Baker House as a drug and alcohol counselor, and at home as a housewife. She also ran a diaper service in Baker City.
Karen spent her free time camping and fishing. She loved music and was known for her dancing at A.A., New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving and large gatherings. She enjoyed doing beadwork and selling it at flea markets, arts and crafts, and helping Bill work on cars and the pickup truck.
Karen took pride in her garden and flowers; she always kept a beautiful garden. Karen was very active in A.A. and N.A. She was a member of the Blue Mountain Gospel Church.
Friends knew Karen as friendly, outgoing and the first to offer help. You could always count on her to be direct and to not hold back her opinions.
Survivors include her husband, Bill; her children, Anastasia McDermott of Milton Freewater, Cassandra McDermott of Pendleton, Jackie Mankins of Bend, and Brandon Honner of Haines; her sister, Lori Osborn of Baker City; and her brother, Tommy Hudecek of Baker City.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
‘Bob' Westberg
Robert Gene "Bob" Westberg, 54, of Baker City, died Jan. 16, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
There will be a celebration of Bob's life at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gene and Bonnie Westberg's home.
He was born on March 9, 1950, to Gene and Bonnie Westberg at Newberg. He was a 1969 Baker City High School graduate.
Immediately after high school he joined the U.S. Navy. He served in the Navy until 1983. Bob served in Vietnam during the war.
He served in the National Guard from 1983 to 1993. He married Bee Keeton on May 19, 1979. They later divorced.
After retirement from the service, Bob managed the Cenex service station at North Powder, then worked for D&D; construction. At the time of his death he was working for Humbles Service Station.
Bob was a very active member of FFA and the high school gun club. His passion was restoring antique cars.
He was a member of the North Powder car club. He won many awards with his 1955 Chrysler car and Dodge truck. Bob also devoted many hours helping his parents with their place.
Survivors include his parents, Gene and Bonnie Westberg of Baker City; sisters, Kay Shellito, and her husband, Richard, and Eileen Mayes of Baker City; brother, Ross Westberg of Pilot Rock; stepdaughter, Berenda Carter; three granddaughters, Karen, Krystal, and Kimberly, all of Bixby, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled Veterans through Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
‘Brent' Grogan
Edward "Brent" Grogan, 51, of Durkee, died Jan. 14, 2005.
A Celebration of Life service will be scheduled later.
Brent was born at Baker City on Aug. 30, 1953, to Everett and Leanna Grogan. He married Lessie Turner in 1974.
Brent's greatest joys were his children, Casey and Joshua, along with his love of the outdoors. Living in Durkee most of his life, he enjoyed the small town that had been home for him and his family as well as his parents and grandparents before him.
He was preceded in death by his father, Everett Grogan; his mother, Leanna DuBeau; and his brother, Dean Grogan.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Casey and Matt Uney of Denver; his son, Joshua Grogan of Baker City; sisters, Nancy Bailey of Bellingham, Wash., and Marilyn Gerry of Durkee; stepbrother, Melvin Conaway and stepsister, Gail Steel, both of Baker City, and Caroline Beck of Chelan, Wash.; and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are by Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home.
Doris Dryden
Doris Edwardine Smith Dryden, 91, of Baker City, died Jan. 14, 2005, at Settlers Park Assisted Living.
Services will be scheduled later at Escondido, Calif. Cremation was by Gray's West Pioneer Crematory.
Doris was born Sept. 6, 1913, at Ottumwa, Iowa. She was the only child of Dorrance Edward Smith and Ruth Eleanor Schamp.
She and her parents resided in Ottumwa for several years before moving to Southern California.
When she was only about 4 years old, she and her mother spent several visits with her mother's parents Maj. and Mrs. C.E. Schamp in Brownsville, Texas, where he was stationed as liaison officer between the U.S. Army and Poncho Villa of Mexico. Doris remembered meeting Poncho Villa and especially his carrying her over a foot bridge because she was afraid of the water below.
As a teenager, due to her parents' travels, she elected to attend boarding school in Lancaster, Calif., where she developed a talent in dress design. After graduation she intended to work for well-known designer Don Loper, but chose instead to marry Thomas Dryden on Sept. 12, 1930. They were married more than 72 years at the time of his death in January 2003.
They took up residence in North Hollywood, Calif., where she became a homemaker and in 1933 their first daughter, Betty Jo Ann, was born.
In the late 1930s, Doris and Tom moved to Escondido, Calif., where their second daughter, Marcyne, was born in 1941. During their time in Escondido, Doris was very active as a member and officer in the Escondido Women's Club, Garden Club and Elks Emblem Club. She also belonged to several bridge groups. She loved playing bridge, sewing and flower arranging. She won several awards for her flower arrangements at the San Diego County Fair.
When her daughters were grown, she went to work in clothing sales and was known as a great sales person with the talent to outfit her customers in the best fashion to fit their style.
She and Tom loved to go camping and socialize with their many longtime friends of Escondido. They moved to Baker City in September 1997 to be near their daughter and son-in-law.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Mickie and Skip Bell of Baker City; grandchildren, Dakin Bell and his wife, Erin, of Seattle, Wash., Stacy Bell of Portland, Sue Tessler and her husband, Marc, of Santee, Calif., Tomi Jo Giedeman of San Diego, Bob Giedeman of Escondido, and Laurie Madrid and her husband, Nick, of Ruidoso Downs, N.M.; nine great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, in 2003 and their daughter, Betty Jo Ann Willman, in 1982.
Glenn Ulrey
Glenn Ulrey, 86, a Baker Valley resident, died Jan. 11, 2005, at Serenity Farms foster care home near Haines.
His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home. The Baker City AMVETS, Post No. 1874, will accord military rites. Private interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from noon to 5 p.m. Friday.
Mr. Ulrey was born on April 28, 1918, at Lucas, Kan., a son of John Harrison and Ada Bille Standley Ulrey. He received his education in Kansas.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and remained there until his retirement from the U.S. Air Force in the mid 1960s. He proudly served his country for 23 years.
Mr. Ulrey spent most of his military career in the United States and was a mess sergeant. He was stationed at the Baker Air Force Base when he retired. He purchased a ranch on Spring Creek Road; it was his hobby to work on the ranch.
Mr. Ulrey was a member of the NRA. He was honored as Citizen of the Year by the national gun rights group, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Alan Gottlieb, chair of the committee said "If it weren't for people like Glenn Ulrey, our constitutional rights would have been eroded years ago."
He loved to talk politics, writing to his Congressman whenever a chance presented itself. He also enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Survivors include his children, Ron Ulrey of Baker City, Don and Roxy Ulrey of Baker City, Chuck and Evelyn Ulrey of Boise, David Ulrey, Steven Ulrey, Rebecca Ulrey and Donald Alan Ulrey; eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Mabel Asher
Mabel Roland Asher, 94, of Prairie City, a former Baker City resident, died January 10, 2005, in Prairie City.
Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Private vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Visitations will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Mabel was born on Jan. 18, 1910, in Wheeler County. She was the oldest of five children.
Mabel lived in the Wheeler County area from birth until shortly before her marriage. Like many children of the era, Mabel rode a horse to at least one school she attended, and loved to talk about that.
After her marriage to Fred Asher during the Depression, she started moving where he found jobs. Fred was an engineer and worked for the Bureau of Public Roads constructing roads, dams and bridges, and in later years worked for the Department of Interior.
During their marriage, they lived in Idaho, Utah, Montana, Washington and Oregon. Mabel and Fred were the parents of three children, Verne, Rod and Beverly.
After Fred's retirement in the 1950s, they settled in Baker City, near Mabel's sister. During many of the years while living in Baker, they were snowbirds and spent their winters in Arizona, usually near their daughter.
After Fred's death, Mabel moved to Reno to be near her son, Rod, and his family. Rod died in 1997. She moved to John Day in 1999 and resided at Valley View Assisted Living.
Mabel was always a homemaker, and was an excellent cook and enjoyed sewing. She belonged to the Episcopal Church and was active in church affairs wherever she lived. Red was her favorite color.
Survivors include her children, Verne Asher and his wife, Carolyn, of John Day, Beverly Worthman and her husband, Charles, of Dewey, Ariz., daughter-in-law, Shirley Asher of Reno, Nev.; sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Dick Naud of Klamath Falls; six grandchildren, several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fred; her son, Rod; two brothers and one sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stephens Episcopal Church or to a charity of one's choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Dale Killingsworth
Dale B. Killingsworth, 51, of Madras, died Jan. 5, 2005, as the result of a car accident on Highway 97.
His memorial service will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, 2005, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras.
He was born on Dec. 31, 1953, at Colfax, Wash., to Kenneth and Margorie Beckley Killingsworth. He married his wife, Mickey, on June 26, 1976, at Halfway.
Dale attended grade school at Benge, Wash. He attended junior high at Corvallis and was a graduate of Wheeler High School. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in agriculture engineering and technology from Oregon State University at Corvallis.
He and his wife moved to Madras in 1978 from the Tri-Cities. He was employed by Keith Manufacturing as a sawyer and welder.
He was a member of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau as well as the Jefferson County Livestock Association. He had been a Jefferson County 4-H leader for 27 years.
Survivors include his wife, Mickey of Madras; his mother, Margorie Killingsworth of Washington; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Carol Killingsworth of Spokane, Wash.; sisters and their husbands, Shirley and John McLean of Coulee City, Wash., Carol and Rick Killingsworth of Fall City, Wash., and Jeannie and Dan Gullett of Prineville; brothers-in-law, Andrew Greener of Halfway and Jack Greener of Fort Worth, Texas; mother-in-law, E.J. Greener of Halfway; nieces and their husbands, Tammy and John Hossfield of Seattle, Wash., and Lisa and Trevor Quinlan of Prineville, and Ruth McLean of Spokane, Wash.; nephews, Don Gullett of Missoula, Mont., and Ted McLean of Spokane, Wash., and Lance Rottger; grandnieces, Laccee and Tyce Harris, both of Prineville; grandnephews, Brady Hossfeld of Seattle, Wash., and Ethan Gullett and Bubba Harris, both of Prineville.
He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jefferson County Farm Bureau, the Jefferson County 4-H Youth Programs or the Jefferson County Food Bank.
The Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras is in charge of arrangements.
Marvin Brown
Marvin Brown, 52, of Baker City, died Jan. 9, 2005, at Baker City of liver cancer.
At his request, there will be no service.
Marvin was born on Aug. 26, 1952, at Walla Walla, Wash. He grew up in Baker City where he met Theresa Hughes. They were married on Dec. 5, 1972.
Marvin worked much of his life in ranch-related jobs. He loved being outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was a cowboy without a ranch.
Marvin enjoyed pool and shuffleboard and played on the local teams most of his adult life. There he met many people who became lifelong friends and who will miss his ability to always have a good time, win or lose.
Survivors include his three children, Tina Pogue and Steven Brown of Baker City and Teri Villastrigo of Vale, and their mother, Theresa Copeland of Baker City and Rhonda Denton Brown of Baker City; six grandchildren, Stephanie and Corbin Pogue, Alen and Ryan Brown and Lucas and Mersaides Villastrigo; his mother, Donna Nitzell of Bouse, Ariz.; his sisters, Debbie Brown of Butte, Mont., and Lori Khem of Hillsboro; his brother, Wendall Brown of Baker City; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Shirley Spence
Shirley Spence, 80, a Rock Creek-area resident, died Jan. 10, 2005, at her home.
Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Haines Methodist Church. Shirley's nephew, J.O. Maxwell, will officiate.
Mrs. Spence was born on June 26, 1924, at North Powder. Except for several years during her nurse's training in Portland, and two years in La Grande, she spent the remainder of her life in North Powder and the Rock Creek area near Haines.
She was raised and attended elementary school and high school at North Powder, later graduating as a registered nurse from St. Elizabeth's School of Nursing. She worked at both La Grande and Baker City hospitals, most often assisting in operations.
In 1948, she met and married Fred Virgil Spence Jr. After a short time in La Grande, the family moved to a farm near Haines. After additional farm purchases, Mr. and Mrs. Spence moved together with their children to the Rock Creek area where they continued farming throughout their lives.
For a time they ran a dairy, along with raising cattle, horses and other general farm crops. Mrs. Spence enjoyed a variety of handcrafts and was known as an excellent cook. She especially loved the Lord and her family.
Survivors include her sister, Fern Galligan of North Powder; her brother, Kenneth H. Myers of McMinnville; her children, Kemet D. Spence of Genesee, Idaho, Mary Jo Spence of Clarksville, Tenn., and Susan Sells of Forest Grove; eight grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
