System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!‘Bee' Karren
Virginia L. "Bee" Karren, 81, of Portland, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 8, 2005.
Her memorial service was Monday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portland.
She was born on March 27, 1924, at Blackfoot, Idaho, to Emma and Jack Childers. She attended school at Pondosa and Union and was a 1942 graduate of Baker High School. She attended Baker Business College before marrying Lester B. Karren in November of 1943.
The Portland/Beaverton area was her home for more than 25 years. Virginia worked in an administrative capacity in the building industry, retiring in 1999. She was active in the Beaverton Elks Lodge, Beta Sigma Phi and enjoyed the Oregon Symphony.
Survivors include her brother, Bill Childers of Baker City; a nephew, John Childers of Gresham; and nieces, Vicki Fite of Philomath and Tari McDowell of Portland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Casey Eye Institute, the Cancer Society or the charity of one's choice.
‘Kenny' Smith
J. Kenneth "Kenny" Smith, 83, a longtime Halfway resident, died Nov. 13, 2005, at his home.
Interment will be at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway near his son, Paul Smith. A memorial service will be announced later.
Kenny was born on May 18, 1922, at Portland to Martin and Lydia Smith. He was raised at north Portland, graduating from Jefferson High School in June 1940. A week later, he joined the Oregon National Guard 41st Infantry Division and began his military tour of duty.
His division arrived in Australia in 1942 and participated in the New Guinea jungle campaign, where he was wounded in August 1943. Kenny was awarded the Purple Heart.
Shortly after his July 1944 discharge from the service, he began working for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. in Portland. He installed residential phones and enjoyed playing third base on a TelCo softball team.
In 1945, Kenny traveled to install phones in Salem, Medford and Eugene, where he met Pauline Tower, who also worked for the telephone company. Kenny and Pauline were married in Eugene on June 15, 1946, and settled there to raise their family.
After Kenny's retirement from the phone company in 1976, the couple moved to Halfway where they bought property and built a home at the corner of Fish Lake Road and Boulder Flat Lane.
Kenny was devoted to his family and raised his children to appreciate the outdoors through years of camping and fishing trips. He was proud to be a World War II veteran.
Kenny was a lifelong fisherman and butterfly collector. In retirement he made frequent trips around the state to add to his collection of Oregon butterflies, which included more than 200 species. He lacked fewer than 30 Oregon native species at the time of his death.
In addition to butterfly collecting, Kenny was an enthusiastic reader, solver of crossword puzzles, and baseball fan.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline of Halfway; daughters, Ellen Smith of Seattle and Lynne Smith of Halfway; daughter and son-in-law, Karen and David Andruss of Halfway; sons and daughters-in-law, Dain and Kathy Smith of Eugene, and Mark and Kathy Smith of Richland, Wash.; daughter-in-law, Terry Christman of Apache Junction, Ariz.; and his three grandsons, David Smith, Kenneth Smith and Matthew Smith.
He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Paul Smith.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Irene Baxter
B. Irene Baxter, 82, of Baker City, died Nov. 12, 2005, at her home.
There will be a celebration of her life at 2 p.m. Thursday at Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Jon Privett of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Private burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for food and fellowship afterward in the Blue Mountain Room of the Sunridge Inn, 1 Sunridge Lane.
Irene was born at Oakland, Calif., in 1923 to Dave and Ella Abercrombie. She spent many of her younger years traveling the Western United States with her family. She often spoke of the many experiences they had, including attending 13 schools in the first grade. The experience helped her develop a positive attitude and outlook on life. The family finally settled at Toutle Lake, Wash., where she was a cheerleader for a time.
She met her husband, Ray Baxter, at Castlerock, Wash., when she was 17. The couple were married at Spokane, Wash., in 1944 after his service in the Marshall Islands in World War II.
They both enjoyed a spirit for adventure and had many of them during their time together, starting with his Harley Davidson. After his discharge from the military and many years living at Astoria, they moved to Baker City where they raised their three children.
Irene enjoyed many hobbies during her life, including handcrafts, camping with their friends and family around the Northwest, reading, square dancing with the "Crazy 8s" club, going to coffee with her friends, and above all, her devotion to God and her family.
Irene was employed in a wide variety of jobs during her life, including fighter-wing fabrication, fuel tank operator, switchboard operator, waitress, 23 years as a cook for the Baker School District and ending with many years of service at Pioneer Bank.
"Irene will always be deeply treasured and her sense of humor, positive attitude, upbeat personality and love of family and Christ will always leave her as our role model, " her family said. "We will miss her."
Survivors include her son, Gary, and his wife, Bonnie, of Baker City, and their children, Amy and Jimmy Gandy of Willits, Calif., Julie and Mark Matoza of Sparks, Nev., Heather and Nate Sherman of Phoenix, Ariz., and Ryan and Tina Baxter of North Power; her son, Glen Baxter, and his wife, Teresa, of Bend and their children, Angie and Matt Slothower of Redmond, Casey and Carrie Baxter of Houston and Jordan Baxter of Bend; her daughter, Susan Myers, and her husband, Mike, of Baker City, and their children, Samantha Myers and her fiance, Toby Gangler, of Hermiston, and Mandy Myers of Baker City and her fiance, Kevin Lane of Klamath Falls; nine great-grandchildren; her sister and brother-in-law, Rosalie and Loren Cheney of Gooding, Idaho; a brother and sister-in-law, John and Barbie Abercrombie of Roseburg; her sister-in-law, Genie Abercrombie of McKinleyville, Calif.; her brother-in-law, Al McGowan of Gooding, Idaho; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Gracie; her brother, Laurance "Buddy"; and her husband of 46 years, Ray.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heart & Home Hospice of Baker City, the American Cancer Society or a charity of one's choice through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Rachel Tuning
Rachel Sarah Tuning, 93, of Baker City, died Nov. 14, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Roger Scovil of Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Private interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Rachel was born on May 26, 1912, at Richland to Clarence and Lyda Bogart. She was a 1931 Richland High School graduate and went on to nurses training in Baker City. She worked as a nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital and later at Cedar Manor Nursing Home.
In 1935, she married Earl Tuning. They enjoyed dancing, hunting, fishing and lots of hard work. She worked as a cook at Sutton Creek Sawmill and later farmed with Earl outside Baker City. Rachel loved animals and helping others.
She was preceded in death by her parents; his husband, Earl; a sister Connie Showers; and a brother, Kenneth Bogart.
Survivors include two sisters, Katherine Wealty of Beaverton and Christina Jesmer of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a brother, Wallace Bogart of Baker City; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
‘Al' Polvi
Allan "Al" Polvi, 66, died Nov. 9, 2005, at his home at Walla Walla, Wash., after a long battle with cancer.
At his request, there will be no service. Inurnment will be at Hopewell in July 2006. Mountain View-Colonial DeWitt Cremations & Funeral Services, 1551 Dalles Military Road, Walla Walla, Wash., is assisting the family with cremation arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary Regional Cancer Center or Walla Walla Community Hospice, through the funeral home. For condolences or additional information the family may be reached through this email address: nanpolvi@bmi.net.
Mr. Polvi was born on Jan. 31, 1939, at McMinnville to George W. and Esther E. Kangas Polvi. He was a 1957 graduate of Amity High School at Amity, where he was a star player on his football and baseball teams. He attended Oregon State University at Corvallis and earned his bachelor's degree in business in 1961.
He moved to this area in 1970, 35 years ago from Idaho Falls, Idaho. On Nov. 22, 1996 he and Nancy J. Simrell, a former longtime Baker City resident, were married at Lewiston, Idaho.
He was an area administration officer for Bonneville Power Administration, retiring in July of 1994.
Al loved the outdoors. His favorite site to visit was his cabin at Tollgate. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, garage sales and was an avid bowler.
He was life member of the Elks Lodge, a member of the Eagles, and he served on the Walla Walla Civil Service Board for 17 years.
Survivors include his wife at home; one daughter, Heather Croser and her husband, Chris; two sons and their wives, Brian and Melissa Polvi and Bruce and Lisa Polvi; two stepsons and their wives, Tim and Ruth Simrell and Randy and Dana Simrell; one step-daughter, Tami Bivens, and her husband, Rob; four brothers and their wives, George and Margaret, Robert and Viola, Gary and Ronald and Mary Lou Polvi; two grandchildren; nine stepgrandchildren; three stepgreat- grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; mother-in-law, Millie Byron; two brothers-in-law and their wives, Norval and Margaret Byron and Larry and Pat Byron; sister-in-law, Caron Williamson; two special friends, neighbor Lester Filan, and best friend and buddy his dog, Bosco.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one infant daughter, Marlene; and his father-in-law, Carl Byron.
Frieda Tremain
Frieda June Tremain, 86, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 8, 2005, at the Jennings McCall II Assisted Living Center in Forest Grove.
A celebration of Frieda's life will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Jennings McCall Assisted Living Center in Forest Grove.
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in Forest Grove is in charge of the arrangements.
Frieda was born June 12, 1919, at St. Catherine, Mo., to Edward Thomas Thudium and Nellie Rose Baker Thudium. She was raised and educated at Brookfield, Mo., and was a 1936 graduate of Brookfield High School. She then attended Kirksville Missouri State Teachers College. After receiving her teachers certificate she taught in one-room schools.
She married Robert Ell "Bob" Tremain on June 20, 1938, at Moberly, Mo.
The couple later moved to California in 1941, where she worked for Woolworth's department store, later becoming the manager. In 1950 they moved to Baker City, where she organized and taught a kindergarten class for two years and then taught second grade for many years for the Baker School District. Frieda continued her schooling at Eastern Oregon State College in La Grande, where she earned a bachelor's degree.
Frieda was a member of the Oregon Education Association, the Baker City Retired Teachers Association, the Presbyterian Church and the Order of Eastern Star.
She also had worked with the Rainbow Girls. While raising her children, Frieda served as a Boy Scout den mother for several years. Among her special interests, she enjoyed spending time with her family from Missouri, traveling in her RV, spending time at the Oregon Coast and crossword puzzles. Her family considered her a practical joker.
Survivors include her husband, Bob Tremain of Forest Grove; her daughter, Dr. June Tremain of Tualatin; her son, Dr. Robert Tremain Jr., and his wife, Ann Biswell Tremain, of Escondido, Calif.; her sister, Naomi Gordon, of La Plata, Mo.; two grandchildren, Robert Ell Tremain III and his wife, Shelly, and Nicole Tremain, M.D.; and two great-grandchildren, Sean Aidan Tremain and Quinn Ell Tremain.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the Masonic and Eastern Star Home at 2150 Masonic Way, Forest Grove, OR, 97116.
Karson Macy
Karson Barachiah Macy, infant son of Barry and Mandy Macy, born Oct. 24, 2005, at Baker City, died Nov. 3, 2005, at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise.
Survivors include his parents, Barry and Mandy Macy, and brother, Khail Kenworthy, of Baker City; and grandparents Terry and Joan Macy of Baker City and Richard and Joni Kenworthy of Montrose, Colo.
Belva Bogen
Belva Gene Bogen, 78, of Richland, died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family and friends on Nov. 9, 2005.
A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Richland Christian Church. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception following the service at the church.
Belva Gene was born on March 25, 1927 in Drain, to Eugene Harold and Bessie Bell White Lakey. She was raised and educated in Drain, graduating from Drain High School in 1945.
Upon graduation, Belva married her high school sweetheart, John Bogen, on June 17, 1945 in Decatur, Ill. Of this union they had four children.
She accumulated one year of college credit from Boise Bible College while she and John served as house parents at the Christian Children's Home.
During Belva's life she most enjoyed being a homemaker, caring for her husband and children. She enjoyed camping, hunting, outdoor activities, family, teaching women life enrichment and writing. Belva was blessed with the gift of music; she was an accomplished pianist and loved to sing.
John and Belva lived many places during their lives, as they were missionaries. They traveled Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Alaska and Europe. In Europe they carried Bibles to Christians behind the Iron Curtain.
Belva is survived by her husband, John, of Richland; daughter Sherry Curtis of Phoenix, Ariz.; sons, Larry Bogen and his wife, Linda, of Beaverton, Michael Bogen and his wife, Lori, of Sheridan, and Stephen Bogen and his wife, Lureen, of Willamina; brother David Lakey and his wife, Gale, of Brookings; and 12 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
A memorial service will be held at a later date in Drain.
Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in memory of Belva may do so through your own church through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, Oregon 97834.
Alyce Brown
Alyce J. Brown, 92, of Lacey, Wash., who with her husband, Henry, were founders of Boulder Park in the Wallowa Mountains, died Nov. 6, 2005, at the Panorama City retirement center at Lacey.
At her request, there will be no funeral. She will be interred next to her late husband, Henry L. Brown, at Mount Hope Cemetery on Thursday.
Alyce was born on June 14, 1913, at Oakland, Calif. She married Henry L. Brown on May 23, 1934. The couple moved to Baker City in 1952 and together they built Boulder Park, which they operated until 1960.
Henry died on Dec. 31, 1968. Alyce then moved to Morgan Hill, Calif., where she lived until August 2000, when she moved to Washington.
Survivors include her son, Barry R. Brown, and his wife, Loretta, of Olympia, Wash.; grandchildren, Keith and Kristi Brown of Des Moines, Wash.; granddaughter, Barbara Joy Brown and Gene Lawrence, and great-granddaughter, Lydia Jo Brown of San Diego.
Arrangements are under the direction of Mills & Mills Funeral Home, 5725 Littlerock Road S.W., Tumwater, Wash., 98512.
Ann Ingram
Ann Alberta Cole Ingram, 77, of Baker City, a former Halfway resident, died Nov. 5, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
There will be a private memorial service. She will be interred with her husband, Tom, at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway.
Ann Alberta Cole Ingram was born on March 12, 1928, to Jesse James Cole and Bettie Ann Bergman Cole at Wolf, Calif. Growing up, she was raised on a ranch and went to school in a one-room schoolhouse at Wolf.
In her youth, she picked up the nickname "Dude." From her earliest recollection it came from her actually riding her "horse" on her Dad's foot, from there on, "Dude" stuck. The family later moved and she attended Placer Hillman High School at Auburn, Calif.
On June 24, 1945, Tom Ingram and Ann met at a dance at Le Bar Meadows. They didn't see each other again until July 22, 1945.
Tom and Ann were married on Sept. 2, 1945, at Reno, Nev. They had 56 married years together. They had two daughters, Tanna and Connie.
During Ann's life she worked in various occupations. She was a nurse, she worked at a metal company making toothpaste tubes, ranched with her husband in Nevada County, Calif., and worked in a jam factory.
Tom and Ann moved to Halfway on May 6, 1984. Those who live at Halfway will remember Ann working as a waitress at the Pioneer Restaurant.
Survivors include her daughter, Tanna, and her husband, Ted Craddock, of La Grande; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tom, who died in 2001; and daughter, Connie, who died in 1997.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance or the Pine Valley Youth Fund through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
