Betsy Boettcher
J. Merle Cummings
Emma Jean Greener
Zeb Dee Johnson
Simone Moore
Betsy Boettcher
Elizabeth Ann ‘Betsy’ Boettcher, 67, of Baker City passed away peacefully on Aug. 27, 2008.
Ceremonies will be private in support of her wishes.
Born in Summit, N. J., Betsy lived in New Providence, N.J., most of her life before moving to Oregon in 1982.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William, Sr. and Ruth (Dunne) Snyder of New Providence.
Betsy is survived by her loving brother William A. Snyder, Jr. and his wife Merryl of New Providence, N.J.; her loving sister Catherine Bradley and her husband Lloyd of Lebanon Township, N.J.; and nephews Brian, Shawn and Christopher Snyder and Brian Bradley.
Arrangements are in the care of Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel.
J. Merle Cummings
(Jan. 10, 1918 - Aug. 24, 2008)
J. Merle Cummings, 90, of Unity, Ore., passed away Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, in Baker City.
Services were held at the Vale Christian Church on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m. (PT) with Pastor Roger Scovil, Baker City Christian Church, officiating. Viewing preceded the service at 9 a.m. (PT) and interment followed at Valley View Cemetery. Friends were invited to join the family for dinner at Vale Christian Church after the service.
Merle was born on Jan. 10, 1918 in Burns, Ore., to Austin and Bessie Cummings. His parents later divorced. He lived in The Dalles during a part of his early elementary years and graduated in 1937 from Crane High School in Harney County. Even though Merle was a small man, he was very athletic and played high school football and enjoyed the sport of boxing.
Because of his poor eyesight, Merle was ineligible to join the Army during World War II, so he worked for a company doing construction in Hawaii.
When he returned he met Donna Lou Billington and they married on Jan. 6, 1945. Together they ranched in Harney County, Westfall, Ore., and Vale, Ore. They raised six children. They were married nearly 50 years when she passed away in 1994.
Throughout his life, Merle has been very active as a rancher and community leader, serving on school boards and various other committees. He was president of the Malheur County Cattleman’s Association from 1965-1967 and belonged to the Malheur County Sheriff’s Posse for more than 20 years. For a few years he and Donna owned a dairy, then he studied and got his realtor’s license. Shortly afterwards, they sold the farm and selling real estate became his new vocation. He really enjoyed those years and was awarded Realtor of the Year in 1976 by the Malheur Board of Realtors. As retirement age was approaching they decided to buy property in Unity where Merle has lived for the past 26 years. With this move, he and Donna decided to take up a new sport, snowmobiling. He was active in the Burnt River Snowmobile Club, taking his last snowmobile ride in January 2008 for his 90th birthday.
When he was 85 he married Ruth Goodrum Cummings of Prairie City. They enjoyed traveling between his home in Unity and hers in Prairie City. They never missed a family reunion and had recently attended this year’s reunion at his son, Richard’s, home in Dixie, Wash.
Merle was an active man who enjoyed sports, discussing politics, hiking, and traveling and he especially loved his large family.
Survivors include his wife Ruth of Prairie City; a sister, Arline Miller, Turlock, Calif.; three sons, Richard and Kay Cummings, Dixie, Wash.; Jim and Irma Cummings, Bickleton, Wash., Mike Cummings, Unity; three daughters, Francise and Boyd Perry, Baker City, Larraine Cummings, Culver, Ore., Barbara and Don Briggs, Hood River, Ore.; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Donna; his parents Austin Cummings and Bessie Gillis; and his sister Gwen Howard.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Burnt River Snowmobile Club, in care of Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
Emma Jean Greener
(April 4, 1924- Aug. 24, 2008
Emma Jean Greener, 84, of Halfway died Aug. 24, 2008, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
A Graveside Service was held on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway, Ore. Father Julian Cassar officiated the service.
Emma Jean was born on April 4, 1924, at the family ranch on Snake River to Albert and Jessie Cummings and later attended schools in Eagle Valley. She married Jack L. Greener of Halfway in 1941 where they lived, farmed and raised a family until his death in 1980. She continued to live on their farm with her son Andrew until her death.
Survivors include sons, Jack (Mike) Greener, Fort Worth, Texas and Andrew Greener, Halfway, Ore.; daughters, Jean Gullett, Bend, Ore., Mickey Killingsworth, Madras, Ore., and sister, Lillian Densley of Baker City; grandchildren Don Gullett and Lisa Quinlan; great grandchildren Ethan Gullett, Laccee Russell, Tyce Harris, Bub Harris; great great grand daughter Kaegan Harris.
She was preceded in death by her parents Albert and Jessie Cummings, husband Jack, son Eldon Greener, brothers Wayne, Eylar, and C.B. (Tuffy) Cummings, sister, Madonna Ashby, son-in-laws, Dan Gullett and Dale Killingsworth.
Memorial contributions in memory of Emma Jean to the charity of your choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Zeb Dee Johnson
(Dec. 14, 1978 - Aug. 23, 2008)
Zeb Dee Johnson, fun loving adventure seeker, passed away in Tillamook County Aug. 23, 2008.
He was born Dec. 14, 1978, in Ontario, Ore. to Lanna Dawson and Dick Johnson.
He graduated from Elgin High School in 1998. His high school accomplishments included: President of the Elgin FFA Chapter, High School Mascot as well as Class President.
After high school he followed the foreign exchange students back to Europe and spent the summer exploring the Alps. Upon his return to the states he attended Western Culinary Institute and graduated in 2000. He stayed in Portland and worked at the University Club in downtown.
His passion for cooking and his love of people provided him many adventures during his short life.
For three summers he worked at the Minam Lodge in the Wallowa Mountains. His role as the wrangler, tour guide, animal tender, maintenance manager and campfire chef provided many great memories for his clients, friends and family.
For several winters Zeb ventured to the Florida Keys working for the Boy Scouts of America. While in the Keys he learned to scuba dive, sail boats and received his 6 pack license to pilot boats. He survived some well known hurricanes in the Florida Keys.
His talent as a chef brought him other opportunities including implementing updated food programs for colleges throughout Oregon while working for Aramark Corp at Eastern Oregon University. He also worked as the Executive Chef at Mallard Creek Golf Course in Lebanon. He was currently working at Tillamook Cheese Visitor Center as the Food Service Manager.
Zeb enjoyed the outdoors, riding horses, fishing, camping, boating, fast cars, traveling and cooking for all his family and friends. He really was the life of the party, always had a smile on his face, a hug in his arms, and a roaring laughter that came from his soul. He will be deeply missed by all.
Survivors include his father Dick Johnson of Hermiston, aunts, Mary Ella Johnson of Heppner, Bev McCloud, and Elaine Urban of Pendleton, Ore., cousins, Randy Tachella of Pendleton, Casey and Cindy Anderson of Council, Idaho and Malissia and Erv Markaham of Eagle, Idaho. He is also survived by his grandparents Lanna and Gary Dawson of Clatskanie, Ore., sister, Tara Dawson of Eugene, Ore., and brother, Jonathan Dawson of La Grande, Ore., grandmother, Arleta Turner of Lebanon, Ore., aunt, Kellie and uncle, Rock Harrold cousins, Zack and Kassidy Harrold of Albany, Ore., uncle Bret and aunt Sheila Turner, cousins, Amelia and Hailee of Ontario, Ore., great grandmother Effie Turner of Baker City.
A celebration of his life will be held Sept. 5, 3-7 p.m., at the Community Center, Elgin, Ore. A second service will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m., at the Tillamook Cheese Visitor Center, Tillamook, Ore. Contributions can be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Oregon in lieu of flowers. Cash donations can also be made to Community Bank in North East Oregon, to help offset funeral costs.
Simone Moore
(Aug. 24, 1922-Aug. 4, 2008)
Simone Celene Moore, 85, formerly of La Grande, died Aug. 4, 2008, at a Baker City care center.
The rosary was recited Thursday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center in La Grande. There was a Celebration of Life service at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Committal and interment was afterward at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City.
Mrs. Moore was born on Aug. 24, 1922, at Baker City to Camiel and Germaine Corteville DeBel, Belgium immigrants. At the age of 7, she learned to play the violin. She was educated in Baker and from fifth grade until graduation she played in the Cecilian Quartet at St. Francis Academy.
On April 5, 1942, she married James Kelly Moore at Baker City. They moved to La Grande and in 1947 she began playing the viola with the Grande Ronde Symphony. She played with the symphony for 51 years until health forced her to stop.
She was an active member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church and the Elks Emblem Club while living in La Grande. She obtained a teaching certificate from Eastern Oregon University and was a substitute teacher in the La Grande area for several years.
She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed crafts, china painting, painting with watercolors, mushrooming and picking huckleberries. She was an avid reader and especially loved historical novels about early America.
Survivors include her daughter, Monique Hendrix of Halfway; grandchildren, Jennifer Hendrix of Aiken, S.C., and Michael Hendrix of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years; her parents; and her son-in-law, Jim Hendrix.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra or Pathway Hospice.
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