System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Donna Wilson
Donna Rae Wilson, 59, of Joseph, a former Baker County resident, died Aug. 12, 2005.
Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church, 1420 W. North St., in Enterprise. Burial will be at 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the Grangeville, Idaho, Cemetery.
Donna was born on Feb. 23, 1946. She attended schools in Idaho at Clearwater Valley and Grangeville. She married Ray Wilson in 1961 and began her adventurous life on a sheep ranch in Hells Canyon. The couple had two sons and a daughter.
After the Forest Service forced them off of their land in 1973, Donna and Ray became cattle ranchers at Halfway.
In 1980, Donna moved with her family to a new ranch at Baker City. In addition to ranching, Donna also worked at Bohn's Clothing Store. In 1988, Donna gave up ranching for a short period and moved with her husband to Sisters.
After two years there, she was back ranching with Ray in the Lewiston/Asotin area. In 1993, she moved to a different cattle ranch at Imnaha where she was a county librarian and special education teaching assistant. Her final move with her husband was to Joseph in 2003 to open a saddlery business.
Donna loved landscaping and planting flowers in her yard. She also enjoyed quilting and especially spending time with her grandchildren.
Her strong faith in the Lord enabled her to fight a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Survivors include her husband, Ray; her sons, Chris, a seaman based out of Seattle, Wash., and Greg of Mesa, Ariz.; her daughter, Sherri of Philomath; her mother, Edna Hewson of Grangeville, Idaho; sisters, Darlene, of Grangeville and MaryEllen of Lewiston, Idaho; and five grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Don Fine; and her sister, Sandra.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society through the Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise, OR 97828.
Phoebe Cosens
Phoebe Ellen Cosens, 89, of Halfway, died Aug. 13, 2005, at Settlers Park Assisted Living center.
Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. The Bollman Funeral Home of Dallas is handling the arrangements.
Phoebe was born on Nov. 6, 1916, at Wilder, Idaho, to Bertrum and Mable Waldron Day. She moved to Halfway as a child and lived there for most of the rest of her life.
She married Royal Robert Cosens on May 29, 1935, at Halfway. They herded sheep and then raised cattle in Pine Valley.
Phoebe and Roy moved to Philomath in 1979 and lived in the Sutherlin/Cottage Grove area before returning to Halfway in 1981.
Roy died on Feb. 16, 1981. Phoebe was active in church in the later years of her life. She enjoyed crocheting afghans.
Survivors include her sister, Lula Day of Redland, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Henry "Hank"; and a sister, Mila Morris.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pine Valley Ambulance Service.
‘Katie' Hayes
Katherine Etta "Katie" Hayes, 81, died Aug. 9, 2005, at St Elizabeth Health Services after a knee replacement operation.
Her graveside memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Katie was born at Salina, Kan., on Aug. 21, 1923, to Nathaniel Creager Harris, a not-so-tall Texan, and Mary Margaret Shank. The Shank family had lived in Kansas for many years as homestead-era farmers.
Salina was her home through 1941. After graduating from Salina High School, she set off like many of her generation to work in support of the war effort as a Western Union operator in Pueblo, Colo.
It was in Pueblo that Katie met her future husband, Walter Hartwell Hayes. Walt, a longtime Baker City resident, was posted at Pueblo with the U.S. Army in the Signal Corps.
Walt and Katie were engaged in late 1942 and, after Walt's transfer from Pueblo, were married at Walla Walla, Wash., on Aug. 7, 1943.
Walt and Katie were subsequently transferred to Lincoln, Neb., where their first child, Walter Creager "Creag" Hayes, was born on Katie's 21st birthday, Aug. 21, 1944.
In mid-1945, Katie and her little baby took the train to Baker City to be with her husband's parents while awaiting Walt's discharge in November 1945.
Except for a brief one-year period when they lived at Portland, Katie and Walt spent the rest of their lives in Baker City. Walt, although not in good health, is now in St Elizabeth Health Care Center.
Katie and Walt had two more children, Jeanne Anne, born April 1, 1948, and Julie Alice, born April 17, 1952.
Katie was what we now call a homemaker most of her life. Raising three children was generally recognized as a full-time job. She enjoyed sewing and made most all of her daughter's school dresses. During the late 1960s, she worked for Mack's Jewelers a few years.
She had many interests, including square dancing during the 1950s when she and Walt helped establish the Crazy 8s. They were longtime members of the First Lutheran Church.
She also enjoyed painting and reading, especially history, and genealogy. In recent years she was absolutely passionate in researching the genealogy of the Harris and Hayes family lines.
She will, of course, be terribly missed and fondly remembered by her family and many friends.
Survivors include her husband Walt; her two oldest children, Creag Hayes and Jeanne Mellott; three grandsons, Scott and Tim Shively of Baker City and Alex Hayes of Prague in the Czech Republic; three great-grandchildren, Courtney, Ashley and Zachary; she also has a number of in-laws, nieces and nephews living elsewhere in Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and California.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Julie Alice; and her younger sister and brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Lutheran Church or Crossroads Arts Center. Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
‘Becky' Marvin
Rebecca Louise "Becky" Ladwig Marvin, 56, of Apple Valley, Calif., a former Baker City resident, died of cancer on Aug. 6, 2005, at her daughter's home in Victorville, Calif.
Her funeral will be at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Dudley Apple Valley Mortuary in Apple Valley, Calif. Pastor Steve Arsenault will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Apple Valley.
She was born at Spokane, Wash., lived at Baker City for a time and had spent the past 26 years at Apple Valley where she worked as a medical records statistics clerk at the Victor Valley Community Hospital.
Survivors include her daughters, Athena Calvin and her husband, Tom, of Victorville, and Aletha McGuire and her husband, Michael, of Apple Valley; her grandchildren, James and Katelyn Peck of Victorville and Jacob McGuire of Apple Valley; her sisters, Diane Tobiason and her husband, Larry, of Sun City, Ariz., and Terry Oliver of Baker City; and her aunt, Leila Thompson of Baker City.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Victor Valley, 16147 Kamana Road, Apple Valley, Calif.
‘Jim' Hermsen
Alan James "Jim" Hermsen, 75, of Baker City, died Aug. 3, 2005, at his home in the presence of his loving wife, Lucille.
His funeral was Monday at the Agape Christian Center. Pastor Garth Johnson officiated.
Jim was born on Nov. 10, 1929, at Baker City to Alban and Mae Hermsen. He attended Brooklyn Elementary School at Baker City and then moved to Union. He was a 1947 graduate of Union High School. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 and was stationed at San Diego.
Jim married Lucille Davis Hogge on June 5, 1966. They enjoyed 39 years of married life.
Jim ran G and H Cement Products in Baker City until 1983. He then developed and operated Ja-Lu Rentals until 1987. Jim and Lucille moved to Lodi, Calif., in 1988 where they lived for two years before returning to Baker City.
In their retirement, Jim and Lucille took the opportunity to visit the University of the Nations in Hawaii in 1993 and 1994. They traveled on an outreach mission to Romania in 1994. They returned to Baker City where they lived until Jim's death.
Jim loved music and travel, especially traveling all over the country to attend Full Gospel Businessmen's meetings. He was secretary of the Baker City group.
The Hermsens had been very active in the Agape Christian Center church where Jim served as an elder for many years.
Survivors include his loving wife, Lucille; his stepchildren, Judy Kennedy of Boise, Lynn and Kathy Hogge of Baker City, Barry and Connie Hogge of Coos Bay and Mark and Gail Hogge of Pendleton; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; his uncle, Wayne "Bud" Hardwick; and several cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alban and Mae.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Agape Christian Center or a charity of one's choice through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Muriel Taylor
Muriel Lora Jeffords Taylor, 75, of Hazelton, Idaho, died July 26, 2005, at Magic Valley Regional Medical Center at Twin Falls, Idaho, of natural causes.
Her graveside service was Saturday at the Hazelton Cemetery. Family and friends celebrated her life afterward at the Eden Senior Citizen Center.
Muriel was born at home to Wendell Richard and Myrtle Ester Wickam Jeffords in Baker City on Dec. 31, 1929. She married John Laree "Jack" Taylor on June 7, 1947, at the Catholic Church in Baker City. They had five children.
Muriel and Jack lived in Jerome County, Idaho, for 56 years, 46 of those were spent at Hazelton, Idaho. Jack and Muriel celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends in 1997.
She received her licensed practical nursing license through a program at Rupert, Idaho. She worked part time as a nurse at the Rupert Hospital and as a home health nurse at Jerome County.
She drove school bus for 25 years for the Hazelton School. She loved to bowl and enjoyed socializing with all her bowling companions.
She took great pleasure and pride in crocheting blankets and various other items for all her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family and friends.
Muriel's deepest love was for her family. She always remembered birthdays and anniversaries for all her family and knew where everyone was.
Survivors include her loving husband, Jack Taylor of Hazelton; her five children and their spouses, Marie and Harold Michaelson of Texas, Carl Taylor of Twin Falls, Idaho, Sandra and Wayne Hoffman of Horse Branch, Ky., Earl and Beverly Taylor of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Ramona Taylor of Prineville; a sister and her husband, Earl and Bob Lewis, and a brother and his wife, Ray and Janet Jeffords, all of Wallowa; 13 grandchildren; nine stepgrandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; nine stepgreat-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Vearl Roy Jeffords.
Helen Fisher
Helen Lucille Gilkison Fisher, 96, a longtime Haines resident, died Aug. 3, 2005, at her home.
Her funeral was Saturday at Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. Pastor Sally Wiens of the Haines Methodist Church officiated. Vault interment was at the Haines Cemetery.
She was born on May 18, 1909, at Baker City to Wilber and Maggie Holt Gilkison. She spent her early years near Unity, moving to Lone Pine just west of Baker City in 1924. (Transportation to school in those days was by horseback.) She was a graduate of Muddy Creek High School.
She attended normal school at Monmouth for one year, then transferred to the normal school at La Grande, graduating with its first class in 1930.
She taught school at Muddy Creek until her marriage to Orville Fisher on Nov. 29, 1933. She finished that school year and then left to begin her life as a rancher's wife. they moved to the Fisher family farm in 1941 where she lived until her death.
She was active in PTA and 4-H while her children were in school. She was an active member of the Haines United Methodist Church and active in the Rock Creek-Muddy Creek Mutual Improvement Club. In 1993, she was honored as the queen mother of the Fourth of July celebration at Haines.
She loved spending hours in her garden, sharing its bounty with family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her sister, Edna Blair; her son-in-law, Gerry DelFatti; her daughter-in-law, Sylvia Fisher; and two half-brothers, Wilford and Everett Tibbs.
Survivors include her son, Cecil Fisher of Boise; daughters, Marilyn DelFatti of Baker City and Gail and Jack McAllister of Burns and Fallon, Nev.; grandchildren, Natalie Miller of Baker City, Nanette Collier of Ontario, Nancy and Ed Harrington of Boise, Tim and Roxanne Fisher of Haines, Brian and Kelly DelFatti of Gladstone, Markay and Monty Hindman of New Hope, Minn., and John and Melaine McAllister and Lane and Myndi McAllister, all of Fallon, Nev.; great-grandchildren, Andrea and Ed Jaca, Amanda and Shawn Grandeen, Ashleigh Miller, Preston Strey, Suzan Collier, Jonathan and Jacob Harrington, Sheldon and Austin Fisher, Kyle and Kirby DelFatti, Allie Hindman, Sean and Aidan McAllister, Bryttani Estep and Lexis McAllister; great-great-granddaughters, Chloe Grandeen and Brooklyn Jaca; sisters-in-law, Marie Tucker of Portland and Evelyn Tibbs of Cornelius; brother-in-law, Bill Fisher, and his wife, Connie, of Echo; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Haines United Methodist Church or a charity of one's choice through Gray's West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Charlene Adams
Charlene N. Adams, 73, Baker City, died Aug. 6, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Her graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Jack Bynum of Baker City United Methodist Church will officiate.
Charlene was born on Jan. 23, 1932, at East Sanford, N.C., to Hugh and Virginia Tally Page. She was raised and educated at Sanford.
She married Charles M. Adams on Sept. 26, 1947. After their marriage, they made their home at Baker City, where Charlene was a homemaker.
She enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Garden Club. She also enjoyed camping, reading and needlepoint. She volunteered for the Oregon Trail Regional Museum and the Baker Food Co-op and was a member of the United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Doreen Adams of Hillsboro; grandchildren, Michael and Colleen Brown and Benjamin Adams; and great-grandchildren, Michaela Brown and Jeffrey Brown.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Adams; her mother, Virginia Phillips; her brother, Hugh E. Page; and a sister, Sandra Burns.
Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church, 1919 Second St., Baker City, OR 97814. Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Lois Bennett
Lois E. M. Shorts Bennett, 78, of Baker City, died Aug. 2, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services on Aug. 2, 2005.
Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Loyd Phillips will officiate. Visitations will until 7 o'clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Lois was born on June 28, 1927, at Gillette, Wyo., to Sylvan and Mary Hain Potts. The family moved to Oregon and made their home at Cascade Locks. She graduated from high school there and married Ed Shorts in 1944.
They eventually settled at Baker City. Mr. Shorts died in 1991. She then married longtime family friend, Marvin Bennett, and they continued to make their home at Baker City.
Lois enjoyed being outdoors and loved spending time with family and friends. She collected spoons, cups, Indian dolls and other Native American memorabilia. She was very proud of her Native American heritage.
Survivors include her husband, Marvin Bennett of Baker City; her children, Ed Shorts of Baker City, Elaine Rehbein and Patsy Ekstrom, both of La Grande, Ben Shorts of Baker City, Roy Shorts of Waldron, Ark., Wanda Gaarsland of Baker City, Debbie Webb of Gadsdan, Ala., and Junior Bennett; a sister, Frances Beers; 26 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her first husband, Ed Shorts.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association of Oregon, 7420 S.W. Bridgeport Road, Suite 200, Tualatin, OR 97224-7790.
