Kolesta ‘Kay’ Marlene Alexander
(Nov. 27, 1934 - Sept. 24, 2008)

Our beloved mother and grandmother, passed peacefully away on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, at her daughter's home in Eagle, Idaho, surrounded by family.  
Friends and family are invited to gather for a graveside service on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, at 1 p.m. at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway, Ore.  Kolesta’s wish was to rest beside her husband and soul mate, Donald, just as they decided years ago. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home in Meridian, Idaho.
Kolesta was born on Nov. 27, 1934 in Halfway, Ore., to Norman and Maymie Mills.  She spent her childhood and teen years in the valley playing and working on the farm. Kolesta (Keek to her friends) was an only child, but never had to feel alone because she was surrounded by her loving Grandmama Josie and many aunts, uncles, and cousins that always ended up at Grandmama’s house about supper time.  Working hard on the farm, riding horses, barn dances, and making wonderful memories was how she remembered her childhood.
Kolesta met her life long love, Donald Alexander, while they were children and playing with his sister, Karen. Donald was two years older, but he recognized the jewel in our Mom’s eye and they spent the rest of their lives together.  Donald joined the United States Navy and Kolesta waited at home, graduating from Pine Valley High School in 1952. They were married that summer on Sept. 14, 1952, and celebrated 51 years of memories before Donald passed away in 2003.
From this union came three children; Deborah Kay, Cheri Dawn, and Norman Babe.  As we all know, Kolesta lived for her children and her knight-in-shining armor, Donald. Her family includes six grandchildren; Donald Stansberry, Steve Kelly, Jr., Danielle Flores, Charlie, Becky, and Emily Alexander.  
Kolesta worked hard all of her life, finding a job every place she lived. Throughout her life, she carried the gift of laughter and her favorite job was where she could make a new friend. She lived in Oregon, California, and Idaho, but traveled to most of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, Canada, Mexico and on seven different cruises.
Kolesta and Donald lived for 28 years in Medford, Ore., until Donald passed away and Kolesta moved to Idaho to be with her children. While in Oregon, she enjoyed square dancing, fishing, trips to the Oregon Coast, and camping with her friends.
Mom to her children, grandma to six grandchildren, and great-grandma to three great grandchildren, Kolesta was the gentle, kind, sweet lady we all loved.  She will be missed.  Although gone from this earth, she will still remind all of us that only good words should be spoken.  Family and friends are your life.  Hug your friends and love your family were her teachings.  It is with tears in our eyes and love in our hearts that we say good-bye for now.
Kolesta was preceded in death by her husband, Donald T. Alexander, her parents, Norman and Maymie Mills, step-father Burl Jones and her grandparents, Charles and Josephine Hulse.  
She is survived by daughters, Deborah K Flores of Boise, Idaho; daughter, Cheri D. Kelly (Steve) of Eagle, Idaho; and son, Norman B Alexander (Rose) of Emmett, Idaho; six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, her beloved Aunt Virgene Payton Fugit (Stan) of Halfway, Ore., and Uncle Herb Hulse of Coos Bay, Ore., her sister-in-law Karen Taylor (Bill) of Pendleton, Ore., and many adoring nieces, nephews and cousins.
Kolesta was an only child, but leaves a special friend of more than forty years, who in her heart was more like a sister, Ann Hampton of Portland Ore.


Freeman Hallett
(June 18, 1925 - Sept. 25, 2008)

Freeman died on Sept. 25, 2008, at the home of his son, in Baker City.
Duane Hallett was born June 18, 1925, to Raymond and Lucy Hallett in Davenport, Wash.  He was raised in Colville, Wash. Freeman worked in masonry and agriculture in Washington.  He met Juanita Gasperecz in Tacoma, Wash., and they were married Sept. 29, 1966.
Freeman and Juanita moved to Baker City in 1974 and started their family.  Freeman enjoyed the outdoors, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.  He was also a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.  Freeman was well known and liked by everyone who knew him.
Freeman is survived by his wife Juanita of Baker City, sons Freeman Cody and his wife Jo of Baker City, Jody and his wife Justine of West Lynn, daughters Autumn Daisy and her husband Baudelio Barajas of John Day, Lucia and her husband Javier Rivas of La Grande, sister Jesse and her husband Richard Caranza of Casa Grande, Ariz., brothers Gale and Frank Hallett of Tuscan,  Ariz., sons from a previous marriage, Dennis and Dan Bachman of Sandpoint, Idaho, and numerous grandchildren.
Freeman was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Lucy Hallett, and brothers Bob and Charles.
Arrangements under the direction of Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home.


Alton Leasy
(Sept. 29, 1916 - Sept. 21, 2008)

Alton Leasy passed away on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008, after a brief illness.
Mr. Leasy was born on Sept.  29, 1916, in Baker City, Ore., to Helen and Charles Leasy.  He attended the University of Oregon before leaving to work for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers on the Bonneville Dam.  He spent most of his life working for the Baker City U.S. Post Office and raising his family.
He and his wife lived in the house they built in Baker for the past 49 years until February of 2008 when they relocated to Portland to be near family.  They moved into a lovely apartment in an independent retirement home at the base of Mt. Tabor Park and he spent the last six months exploring areas in Portland with his wife and two daughters.
He is survived by his wife, Doris; their son, Nolan Leasy of Arlington, Va.; their daughter Janna Leasy of Portland; their daughter Barbara Hall of Portland; and two grandchildren – Taylor and Andrea Hall.
Remembrances can be made to the Book Fund at the Baker County Library, 2400 Resort Street, Baker City, OR 97814.


Patrick McGinn
(Jan. 14, 1946 - Sept. 23, 2008)

Patrick James McGinn, 62, died Sept. 23, 2008, at home in  Banning Calif., after a short battle with lung cancer with his  family by his side.
He will be honored at a Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE)
Memorial Service Nov. 8 at Riverside Calif.  
Pat was born on Jan. 14, 1946, at Broken Bow, Neb., to James and Mildred McGinn. He attended Hyannis High School, where he met and married the love of his life, Karen Hoyt. Together they spent the next 45 years raising children and living.
His family described him as a cowboy, a logger, an Alaskan oil pipeline worker, side boom, backhoe and road grader (CAT) operator, a comic, a cook, a "karaoke king," a husband, father, brother, uncle, grandpa, and friend.
For the past 20 years, Pat had been an active member of the Eagles, serving six times as the worthy president of FOE 3768 at Banning, Calif. He worked through all chairs of the FOE District 23 and was the current treasurer of the State of California Aerie Fraternal Order of Eagles.
He believed in the Eagles mission, "People Helping People," with all his heart. As a testimony to his belief, he donated his body to Loma Linda University, Cancer Research.
"He will be dearly missed by his family and Eagle brothers and sisters, and all who had the opportunity to know him," family members said.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Karen; three daughters; Boni (Bradley) of Clinton Utah, Toni (Brian) and Hanna (Scott) all of Banning, Calif.; two sons, Ward (Christy) of Stockton,                                  Utah, and Casey (Lee) of Wildomar, Calif.; 11 grandchildren, Patrick, Kaccee, Brandi, Jessi, Shannon, Cory, Austin, Rain, Liem, Siera, and Richard; two brothers, Bill and Don of                                   Haines; and two sisters, Phyllis Whited of Haines and Marie Dillman of Baker City.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Mildred; and his brother, Ed.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Redlands Community Hospital, Attention: Hospice Care, P.O. Box 3391, Redlands, CA 92373.


Sharon Richards
(March. 24, 1944 - Sept. 9, 2008)

Sharon Richards, 64, a former Baker City resident, died Sept. 9, 2008, at Las Vegas, Nev., with her family by her side.
Her memorial service will be Friday at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial
Cemetery at Boulder City, Nev.
Sharon was born on March 24, 1944, at Waterville, Maine. She was married on May 7, 1963, at Ellsworth, Maine, to Dale Richards and joined him in the ranks of military life.
For the next 16 years, they lived in places such as Kodiak, Alaska; Honolulu; Washington, D.C.; Yokosuka, Japan; Adak, Alaska; and finally Fort Mead, Md., where Dale served with the National Security Agency. While in Maryland, Sharon fulfilled her lifelong dream of going to the Laurel School of Hair Design and becoming a cosmetologist.
After her husband retired from the military, the couple moved to Baker City.
Over the next 15 years, she worked at several salons as well as owning her own salon.
In 1995, she and her husband began traveling with their recreational vehicle full time. They settled at Las Vegas, Nev., where they had lived for the past 11 years.
There Sharon taught cosmetology for five years as lead floor instructor at Rollers Beauty College. After a year of retirement, she was hired by the State of Nevada to test recent Cosmetology School graduates.
She was preceded in death by her father, Gerald Kelly; and her mother, Else Paulette.
Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Dale Richards; a son, Michael Dale Richards of McCook, Neb.; a daughter, Elisa Marie Hiatt of Las Vegas; and two grandchildren and one great-grandchild of Boise.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.


Dean Thomas
(July 16, 1930 - Sept. 25, 2008)

Dean Thomas died on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008.  A Military Memorial Service was held on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at the VFW Hall in Halfway. Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church officiated.  Military auspices by the Veterans of Foreign War Post #7847.
Robert Dean was born on July 16, 1930, in Olympia, Wash., to Robert and Elvira (Berglund) Thomas.  He was raised and educated in the Portland area, graduating from Gresham High School in 1949.  Following high school, Dean went to work for U.S. Bank until he was drafted into the Korean War.  He served for four years in the U.S. Army. When he was discharged, he went back to work for the U.S. Bank.  He traveled extensively for U.S. Bank, leaving after 20 years.  He then did contract painting and sandblasting for a while in Coos Bay, Ore.
In 1978, Dean married Beth in Reno, Nev.  They owned and operated a retail business in Ventura, Calif., for five years.  Dean always told
Beth, if and when he had two nickels he could rub together, he wanted to live in Halfway.  In the summer of 1986, that dream came true, they retired and built their dream home in Halfway.
Dean was very active in the Halfway VFW Post #7847 serving as quartermaster for 10 years.  He and Beth were also very active in the grange.
During his life he played the ukulele, sang in a barbershop quartet and acted in theatre.  He was an avid hunter, was soft-spoken and very knowledgeable.
Survivors include his wife Beth of Halfway, children Tyler Thomas and his wife Kim of Portland, Ore., Danny Thomas and wife Margo of Washougal, Wash., Matt Thomas of Portland, Ore., Tracy Thomas of Gresham, Ore., Joe Davidson and wife Kim of Mill City, Ore.; grandchildren Ryan, Aleesha, Zack, Harley, Brody, Danny, Hillary and Dillon: sister Kathleen Matthes of Fresno, Calif.; sister-in-laws Donna Miller and Leslie DeLore; several nieces and nephews.
For those who would like to make a memorial contribution in memory of Dean may do so to the VFW Post #7847 through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834.