Phillip Blais
Marceline Edison
Gary Palmer
Hazel Reid
Phillip Blais
(Aug. 31, 1914 - Dec. 28, 2008)
Phillip Gregory Blais, 94, long time Union Co., Ore., resident passed away Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008, in Meridian, Idaho. Phillip was born Aug. 31, 1914, in Eugene, Ore., to Benjamin and Dorothea Burbach Blais.
His funeral service was held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2008, at Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., followed by interment in the North Powder Cemetery. Following the service, friends were invited to join the family for refreshments at the Wolf Creek Grange Hall in North Powder. Dad was definitely not a “suit and tie” guy, so please feel free to dress casual.
On Feb. 22, 1921, with temperatures of 21 degrees below zero and 2 feet of snow on the ground, the Blais Family with all their household goods and livestock arrived in North Powder, Ore. by rail car to start their farming on Clover Creek, five miles northwest of North Powder.
On Jan. 17, 1945, Phillip and Helen Barger Wisdom were married in Baker, Ore. They continued to live on the Blais Ranch, until 1974, when Dad and Mom sold the Ranch and moved to a small farm in the Grande Ronde Valley, on Booth Lane between Island City and Cove where they raised grain and hay. Dad often had a record crop of wheat, often times getting 80-100 bushels to the acre, on dry land. Dad was very proud of his land.
Phillip and Helen were joined on the Ranch by a daughter, Lucinda, “Cindy” in 1947 and a son, Robert, “Butch” in 1949 and were a part of dad’s “crew,” helping with harvest and chores until leaving home.
Dad enjoyed fishing, cutting wood, farming, ice cream and homemade jam! He was able to farm up until he was 91 years young and we know that is why we were able to have Dad with us for so many wonderful years.
Phillip is survived by his daughter, Lucinda Blais (Alan Atagi), Adrian, Ore., son, Robert Blais, Union, Ore., step-son Duane (Carol) Wisdom, North Powder, Ore., grandchildren, Letitia (John) Farmer, Minot A.F.B., N.D., Wm. “Rusty” (Lisa) Roe, Meridian, Idaho, Athena (Randy) Pardue, Meridian, Ida., Jeanette Blais and Brian Blais, both of Anchorage, Alaska, Leila (Jose) Ramirez, Adrian, Ore., Elizabeth Kangas, Cove, Ore., step-grandchildren: Mike, Mark, Tammy and Robert Wisdom, great-grandchildren: Krystal, R.J., Jayden and Chanel Roe, Samantha, Zachary and Kati Pardue, Francisco, Roberto and Martina Ramirez, Tristan and Hailey Kangas, Toni Blais, and Tyler and Brett Farmer.
Dad chose a special day to leave us, the day of his sister’s birthday and also that of his son Bob’s birthday along with the arrival of his latest great granddaughter, Chanel Blais Roe, being born Sunday morning. We love and miss you Dad and Mom, and you will always be in our hearts and memories. Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Dorothy Blais, his sister Antoinette “Toni” Sinclair and his wife of 50 years, Helen Blais.
The family would like to thank Sunbridge Nursing Home in Meridian, Idaho for the love and care they have given dad for over 2 years, especially Jeanna and her aids.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wolf Creek Grange, or a charity of your choice in care of Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Marceline Edison
(June 2, 1921 - Jan. 1, 2009)
Marceline Edith Edison, 87, of Baker City died Jan. 1, 2009, at her residence with her family by her side. A visitation took place Monday, Jan. 5, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. A funeral service was held 2 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. Marceline’s niece, Pastor Shirley McLin of the Community of Christ Church in Baker City officiated. Interment followed at Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Marceline was born June 2, 1921, to George Arthur and Beatrice Iola (Gerard) Hughes in Norton, Kan. She married Robert Samuel Edison on Jan. 24, 1948, in Nyssa, Idaho. Marceline worked at Waliser’s Fruit Stand for 37 years. She was known as “Mike” at the sale yards. She also spent many years as a homemaker, raising her family. She managed to raise her large family through the depression. Some of her hobbies included walking, shopping at the second hand stores, and she also enjoyed her flower garden.
Survivors include three sons, Ron Edison and wife Dianna, Jim Edison and Larry Edison and wife Jennifer all of Baker City; three daughters, Sharon Myers and Carolyn Nelson of Baker City and Marilyn Edison of Beaverton, Ore.; her step-sister, Nina Miller and step-brother, Johnny Hale, a half sister, Alice Carlton and a half brother, Danny Hughes. She also leaves fourteen grandchildren; Robert Edison, John Edison, Mark Edison, James Edison, Jason Edison, Joshua Edison, Mindy Edison, John Kirby, Andy Myers, Desiree Myers, Brian Myers, Kathy Cutsforth, Carrie Johnson and LaTrisha Morales, and thirty two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; four brothers, Archie, Kenneth, Billy and Eldon Hughes; two sisters, Gladys Newman and Pearl Huff; one half brother, Ernest Hughes; two step-brothers, Alvin and David Hale and by one step-sister, Francis Hale.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Gary Palmer
(Sept. 23, 1928 - Dec. 12, 2008)
Gary H. Palmer, 80, died Dec. 12, 2008, at Reno, Nev.
He was born in Baker City on Sept. 23, 1928. He graduated from Baker High School in 1946 and left for Oregon State University.
The Korean War broke out and Gary left school to travel to Pensacola, Fla., to join the U.S. Navy as an enlisted man. Upon finishing boot camp, he was selected to be one of the original “Flying Midshipmen.”
At 20, he was flying combat missions over Korea. He spent his 21st birthday in the hospital with a broken back, the result of his plane being shot down. For his service, the Navy sent him first to Officer School and then to Stanford University to complete his undergraduate schooling and obtain his graduate degree.
Gary spent 27 years in the military. He served as a flight instructor at Pensacola and at the Top Gun School in California. He was loaned to the Air Force where he was an experimental test pilot. He then attended Naval War College, spent two tours at the Pentagon, and served more than 10 years flying off carriers with two tours in Vietnam.
He always said, “There was nothing in the world compared to landing a jet on a carrier on a dark night in rough seas to get your adrenaline racing.”
Gary met his wife, Nancy, in Jacksonville, Fla., where she was paymaster for three separate naval bases. At 40, Gary earned the rank of captain and Nancy was proud to pin Eagles on his collar. At the time, Gary was Command Air Group (CAG) of Air Wing 21 stationed on the USS Hancock on his way to Vietnam for his third tour.
They were married in February 1971 in Cubic Bay in the Philippines.
Upon his return to the states, Gary was sent to the Air Force War College in Montgomery, Ala. When that tour was completed, he was sent to the Pentagon for a third time. He later retired.
Their next more was to Grass Valley, Calif., where Gary restored an older home. Within two years, he went to work for Aero Union in Chico, where he flew air tankers for seven years covering six states.
Gary is survived by his wife of 37 years; his son, Jeffrey Palmer of Molokai, Hawaii; his daughters, Lauren Altice of Naples, Idaho, and Karen Unden of Falls River Mills, Calif.; a granddaughter, Kelly Grammer of Kirkland, Wash.; and two great-grandchildren, Morgan and Jacob Grammer.
Hazel Reid
(Oct. 26, 1925 - Jan. 3, 2009)
A funeral service for Hazel Reid was held 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at the Heppner Elks Lodge in Heppner. A graveside service was held 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Baker City, Ore.
Mrs. Reid, 83, of Heppner died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, at her home.
She was born Oct. 26, 1925, in Tellico Plains, Tenn., the daughter of Luther and Ora Ellis Spivey. She was raised in Baker City, Oregon where she graduated from high school in 1945.
She met her first husband, Mark Kandle and they were married in 1948 and had three children. Mark died in 1974. She then married Robert Reid in October of 1977 and the couple settled in Heppner where they have been residents for the last 20 years. Robert has four children. Mrs. Reid enjoyed fishing, hunting, crocheting, and spending time in her garden.
She is survived by her husband Robert of Heppner, eight children; Ricky Lee Kandle, Bruce Kandle, Loraine Wilson, Roberta Conlee, Raymond Reid, Melba Mitchell, Janie Keppler, and Judy Walstrom, brothers; Claude Spivey, Roy Spivey, Clyde Spivey, James Spivey, sisters; Blanch Pearce and LaVella Jellick, 23 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Mark Kandle, and a son Duane Kandle, brothers; Earl Spivey and Glenn Spivey, and a sister Edna Springer.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pioneer Memorial Hospice, P.O. Box 9, Heppner, Ore. 97836.
Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner is in charge of arrangements.
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