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ELLEANORE FINLEY
Longtime Wallowa County resident, Elleanore Finley passed away on May 10, 2001, at Providence Hospital in Portland.
She was born Nov. 17, 1925, in Waltham, Mass., to Earl and Beatrice (Doucet) Starkey. She married
James W. Finley on Nov. 15, 1942. She belonged to the VFW Auxiliary.
Elleanore was a CNA, housekeeper, and worked on radar in WWII. She also worked on watches and was a factory worker.
She is survived by her sister, Ann Romard of Waltham, Mass.; sons Jimmy Wright and Leara of Portland, Thomas Finley and Chris of Umatilla, and John Finley of Vancouver, WA; daughters Beatrice Beal of Wallowa, Phyllis Trump and Lowell of Three Rivers, and Ana Surber and Dick of Umatilla; 13 grandchildren; and 31 great grandchildren
Elleanore was preceded in death by parents Earl Starkey and Beatrice Starkey, husband James W. Finley, brother Warren Starkey and grandsons Vincent and James Surber.
Services will be held at the Enterprise cemetery on Saturday, May 19, at 1 p.m.
The family requests donations be made to the family to help offset medical and funeral expenses in care of Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise, OR 97828.
MARY SHEEHY
Mary Margaret Black Sheehy, 83, of Wallowa, passed away May 13, 2002 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital.
The eldest daughter of George Alfred and Hanorah Margaret Doherty (Nora) Black, she was born June 9, 1917, at The Dalles. In 1935 she graduated from high school in Paisley. Following graduation in 1938 from Eastern Oregon Normal School in La Grande, she began her teaching career in one-room schools in the Halfway and Durkee areas, and taught at other elementary schools in Baker and Malheur counties for many years.
While teaching at Weatherby near Durkee, she met Tom Sheehy and they were married
August 14, 1941. The five children of Mary Margaret and Tom are Thomas, Mary Jane, Dennis, Hugh, and Margaret Ann. The family ranched for many years in the Durkee, Ontario and Wallowa areas.
In 1965 Mary Margaret obtained her bachelors degree in education from Eastern Oregon University. She served on the Baker and Wallowa library boards and her efforts were instrumental in establishing library service for the Durkee area. She was a 4-H leader and a member of both the Durkee and Wallowa Grange. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority and the Wallowa County Retired Educators. With a deep love of music, she was always willing to lift her voice in song at either a community event or her church.
A member of St. Pius Parish in Wallowa, she worked tirelessly in support of her parish and was very active in religious education at both the parish and diocesan level.
She is survived by her husband and children, as well as her numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Grace Elizabeth and an infant brother, George.
Rosary will be held Sunday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at the Bollman Funeral Home with Mass Monday morning at 10 a.m. at St. Katherine's Catholic Church, with interment to follow at the Wallowa cemetery. Contributions may be made to the Wallowa Library or Wallowa Memorial Hospital in care of Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise OR 97828.
HELEN JENNINGS
Helen Elizabeth Jennings passed away on May 13, 2001, at Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise, at the age of 96.
Helen was born on March 6, 1905, to Alfred Henry and Matilda Jansia Wedhoff in Portland. Her pre-school years were spent in Portland and Wendell, Idaho, except for a brief time in Joseph where her parents managed the first restaurant in the Jennings Hotel, now called Cactus Jack's.
Her mother's brother George Holtz had designed and built the hotel for Edith Jennings, the young widow of Oregon State Legislator Charles Edward Jennings.
Helen was five years old when her father sold his property in Wendell, Idaho, and moved the family to Chicago, Ill., where Helen received her education. She completed her informal education at a young age, and went on to earn a diploma in secretarial science. She then pursued her desire to become a registered nurse by joining the Montrose Hospital Nurses Training Program. While caring for others during the world wide influenza epidemic she also became infected with the deadly virus.
After her recovery, she returned to the business world and worked as the private secretary to the Vice President of McLaughlin's Coffee Company in Chicago.
Helen traveled to Joseph for a visit with her Uncle George's widow, Edith Jennings Holtz and her family. Helen fell in love with the lovely people, the beauty of Wallowa County and a young man named Anah R. Jennings, whom she married
in 1924. Anah owned a small farm on the Imnaha Highway, then purchased a larger farm in the same area. In 1939 the family moved to Portland, and back to Imnaha in 1946 where they purchased Anah's Uncle Orville Hall's farm.
Helen was intensely dedicated to her family and became the mother of seven children. She was quick to offer a listening ear, a word of encouragement, and a bit of wisdom when appropriate. In her youth she knitted sweaters for soldiers during WWI, and sold Liberty Bonds door to door. During her elder years she found much enjoyment in reading and writing. Her autobiography titled, "Helen" was published at age 93 in 1998.
Helen was a member of the Enterprise Christian Church and the "Thursday Morning Bible Study Group." She was a member and Past Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star #50, Joseph Chapter, The American Legion Auxiliary, and past member of the Wallowa County Garden Club, Joseph Garden Club, and the Silver Lake Rebecca Lodge #121.
Helen is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Anah A. (Jerry) and Shirley Jennings of Joseph; daughters and sons-in-law Rita Louise and Charles Bittle of Clarkston, WA, Joyce and Ed Tautfest of Joseph, Ann and Thomas (Bud) Rayburn of Joseph, and Sharon and Mick Courtney of Enterprise; 25 grandchildren; 52 great-grandchildren, 19 great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Bernadette Wedhoff of North Hollywood, CA; and nephew Larry Wedhoff of Redmond, Washington.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband in 1964, daughters Ada Lou Jennings and Betty May Ward, grandson Gerald Bittle, her parents Alfred and Matilda Wedhoff, and brother Wallace Wedhoff.
A celebration of her life will be held at the Enterprise Christian Church on Saturday, May 19, 2001, at 10 a.m., with interment at Prairie Creek cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to a children's charity of your choice in care of Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise, OR 97828.
ROBERT DENNEY
Robert Cread Denney of Gresham died May 9, 2001, at the age of 74. He was born in Halfway in 1926, and reared and educated in Enterprise, graduating from high school in 1943. He and his brothers ran Denney Brothers Oil Distributing.
Services will be held May 19, 2001, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Chapel in Gresham.
STEVEN FLETCHER
Steven Lee Fletcher passed away at his family's home in Baker City on Jan. 31, 2001, after a long battle with cancer.
Born on Oct. 5, 1942, to Wendell E. and Jean D. Fletcher in Tonasket, WA, and grew up on the family ranch in the Okanogan-Highlands between the old mining communities of Molson and Chesaw, Washington.
After graduating from Molson High School in 1961 he attended Central Washington University, Washington State University, and graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management in the fall of 1967. Steven was inducted into the United States Army and served state-side the next two years.
His life's work as a Forester for the U.S. Forest Service began in the Blewett Pass area of Ellensburg, WA, while attending C.W.U. After leaving the military service, he started working for the USFS again in May of 1970 at Prairie City, as a Forest Service Representative. For 30 years he also served as Timber Sale Project Coordinator on the Baker District, Silviculturist on the Hells Canyon National Recreation and Eagle Cap Wilderness Areas, Forest Health Coordinator and Watershed Analyst, and recently until his illness, in the Planning Department with the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Baker City. He retired Dec. 18, 2000, after 34 years of government service.
His primary interests were family, work and church. Other interests included fishing, hunting, wood cutting, motorbike riding, and hiking.
Steven survivors include his wife Jo Anne, son Neil of Baker City, daughter Kriti of Eugene, mother Jean of Oroville, WA, brothers and sisters-in-law Ron and Anita of Wenatchee, WA, Gary and Tedi and Danny and Donna of Oroville, WA, Scott and Terri of Chelan, WA, and many other relatives and friends.
His father Wendell preceded him in death in June of 1988.
Memorials in honor of Steven L. Fletcher's life are asked to be given to the Pathway Hospice of Baker City, c/o Gray's West & Co., PO Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
PETER KELSAY
Peter Kelsay, age 71, passed away Jan. 29, 2001, in Eugene from complications of diabetes.
Survivors include his wife Doris, two sons, Christopher and David, two grandchildren of Eugene, and his mother of Vacaville, Calif.
LUCILE WISE JONES
Lucile Wise Jones died Feb. 2, 2001, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
She was born May 2, 1917 to Tom and Leola Wise in Hay, Washington. Lucile grew up in Hay, attended Eastern Washington College of Education and taught school in Seattle before her marriage to Charles O. (Chuck) Jones, an Air Force fighter pilot in WWII. After the war, Chuck was appointed as an Air Attache' to Russia. Lucile accompanied him to Moscow and later to Germany, Turkey and the Philippines.
Prior to retirement they were in Stewart Air Force Base in New York. Upon retirement they moved to Enterprise where they farmed for several years, then on to Sutherland and another farm. Another retirement took them to Vancouver, Washington.
Besides her husband, Chuck, Lucile is survived by her three sons, Charles R. Jones (Judy), Scottsdale, Ariz., Richard Jones (Tara), Houston, Tex., and James of Vancouver; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren; one brother, Roy Wise of Kirkland, WA; numerous nieces and nephews; and a very special aunt, Lily Edwards of Bonham, Tex.
Funeral services will be held at Bateman-Carroll funeral Chapel, 520 W. Powell Blvd., Gresham, OR, at 11 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2001, with luncheon following at St. Henry Church Hall. Committal service will be held at Willamette National cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland.
MARY THOMPSON
Mary Ida Thompson, 79, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001, at her home in Pendleton.
Mrs. Thompson was born April 22, 1921, in Trenton, N.D., to Hiram Mote and Minnie Pearl Shaver Smith. She was raised in Dodson, Mont., and on Dec. 3, 1947, she married
Lloyd M. Thompson. The couple moved to Oregon in 1961 when they bought the Enterprise Livestock Auction. They retired in Joseph in 1972.
Survivors include a daughter, Dana Lee Tranby of Hawardan, Iowa; stepdaughters, Kay Ward and Donna Jennings, both of Helena, Mont.; son, David B. Thompson of Pendleton; stepson, Jim Thompson of Pendleton; 15 grandchildren; and 23 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, three sisters, and her husband, Lloyd M. Thompson.
At her request there will be no funeral service. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice.
VESTA MYERS
Vesta Elizabeth Myers, 87, died of pneumonia on Feb. 18, 2001, in Missoula, Mont. Vesta was born June 29, 1913 in Hubbard to Amelia (Smidt) and Glen Carothers. Vesta was raised on a farm near Hubbard and was married
to Ersel Case from 1933 to 1940; one child, Lyle was born to that union. She was then married
to James Myers from 1943 until his death in 1976. Vesta and Jim farmed near Donald for 19 years and near Joseph for 14 years. After Jim's death Vesta lived in Joseph for 21 years. She then lived with her son and daughter-in-law in Montana for the last three years of her life.
Vesta was a member of the Grange and of the Joseph United Methodist Church. She had a strong and abiding Christian faith. Her great grandson, Michael Schultz, was the light of her life during her last year. She will be greatly missed.
Vesta is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Lyle and Patricia Myers of Missoula; stepson David Myers of Oregon City; sisters Hazel Smith of Woodburn, and Selma Wright of Wilsonville; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The cremains will be interred at a later date in the Joseph cemetery. No services are planned.
Thomas Strickland
Thomas Strickland passed away Feb. 7, 2001, at his home in Keizer.
Tom was born in Enterprise on Dec. 11, 1955, to Larry and Vivian Strickland.
He worked for many years at Rockwest Training Center and Mountain Man Fruit and Nut Co. and several markets in the Salem area.
He was preceded in death by his father Larry.
He is survived by his mother Vivian and brother Bill, Grandmother Sylvia Bales all of Joseph; Sister and brother-in-law Kathy and Bob Athanas of The Dalles and several nieces and nephews.
Richard O. Kangas
Richard Oliver Kangas ("Papa") passed away Feb. 24, 2001, in Joseph.
Richard was born at Parlier, Calif. to Finnish immigrants on Aug. 27, 1914. He attended schools in California, including Reedley College and Fresno State, graduating with a teaching degree. Aug. 23, 1941, he married
Dorothy June Cole in Reedley, Calif. He joined the army Oct. 1942, served during WWII, and was honorably discharged in 1946 as a First Lieutenant.
Richard taught school in California and Oregon for over 30 years. The family moved from Kingsburg, Calif., to Joseph in 1962. Besides his teaching career, Richard was also a farmer/rancher, raising grapes in California and hay and cattle in Wallowa County.
He is preceded in death by his wife June in 1994; parents, Elias and Evalina Kangas; and six brothers and sisters.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Tim Doss of Enterprise; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Susan Kangas of Joseph; grandchildren, Karl Doss and Lacey Papineau of Enterprise, Kristy Kangas of Lacey, WA, and Levi Kangas of Joseph; two great-granddaughters; a brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Edna Kangas of Reedley, CA; sister-in-law, Alice Cole of Joseph; nieces and nephews; and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his wife, June in 1994; parents Elias and Evalina Kangas; and six brothers and sisters.
Graveside services were held Feb. 27, at the Prairie Creek cemetery, with Tim Schmeck officiating. Donations may be made to the charity of choice through Bollman Funeral Home.
Raymond Skillings
Raymond Benjamin Skillings, 75, of Wallowa passed away Feb. 24, 2001.
He was born July 11, 1925, in Wallowa to Amos B. and Cora Ellen (Boyd) Skillings. Raymond married
Marcella (DeClue) May 21, 1995, in La Grande. He worked for Boise Cascade for 35 years as a sawmill worker.
He is survived by his wife Marcella of Wallowa; son Joseph of Wallowa; daughter Annett Hernandez of Pendleton; brothers Johnny, Vern, Neal, Kenneth and Darrell; sisters, Mina Shuman, Myrna Sabey, Carolyn Pfeaster, Winifred English and Gaylen Skillings; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m. at the Bramlet cemetery in Wallowa, with Weldon Skillings officiating.
Thomas Maben
Thomas "Tom" T. Maben, 38, of Gresham died as a result of a car/bicycle accident on February 20, 2001, in Troutdale.
He was born May 22, 1962 and raised and educated in Portland, as well as in the Gresham area. He graduated from Sam Barlow High School and worked for various businesses in the area, most recently for the Village Manor in Troutdale as a maintenance person. He enjoyed older music, hiking, camping and the outdoors, and was a movie trivia buff. He attended Easthill Foursquare Church in Gresham.
Survivors include his parents Gary and Cathy Maben of Joseph; mother, Cecelia of Portland; grandparents, Egbert and Ellen Maben of Molalla and Virginia Hekala of Molalla; a brother Doug of Snohomish, WA; sister Stacy Maben of Portland; and three nieces and two nephews.
A Celebration of Life was held Feb. 24 with committal services at Adams cemetery near Molalla. Memorial contributions can be made to the Enterprise Christian Church.
