Henry Bates
Donald Cody
Bob Forte
John William Keener
Tom Schroeder
Cody A. Reagan
John “Jack” Thomson
Henry Bates
(May 25, 1925—Sept. 17, 2009)
Henry Bates was born on the easily remembered date of 5-25-25 to John and Hazel Bates in Baker, Ore. A memorial services is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. in the Mount Hope Cemetery at Baker City, Ore. He was the oldest brother of Glen, Carol (Young,) Nancy (Fee) and Susan (Derreck).
He grew up in Baker, later moving to Huntington Ore., and graduated with the Huntington Class of 1943. The Baker graduating class of 1943 still welcomed him as one of their own and he helped organize and attended many enjoyable reunions with this group. After graduation, he began working for the Union Pacific Railroad. He worked for the railroad in various jobs for 43 years.
During WWII, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the South Pacific. He saw it all, from Alaska to Tahiti. While on a stop in Long Beach, Calif., he met Roberta Brixey. They were married on November 14, 1944.
Henry and Roberta started their married life in Huntington. They moved to La Grande, Ore. in 1954 where they raised their children John, Alicia (Smith), Wayne, Joy (Morris) and Nancy. Henry and Roberta opened their home to foster children, serving as foster parents for 12 years, further extending their family. Henry also was very proud of his grandchildren: Tricia, Mike, Brian, Marion, Kris, and Aubrey as well as his honorary grandchildren.
Henry was very active in the community of La Grande serving on the City Council from 1973 to 1982, serving as a member of the Youth Services Board, serving on the League of Oregon Cities and as a member of the PTA. He had belonged to the La Grande Methodist Church and the La Grande Christian Church.
After the death of his wife, Roberta in 1997, he moved back to Baker City to be close to his family and friends. In April of 2000, he married Ivolene Dunn. They enjoyed fishing together, watching football and going to yard sales. Ivolene preceded him in death.
Henry belonged to the Baker City Methodist Church and was a member of the American Legion where he had served as a Chaplain. He was active with the Methodist Church Boy Scout program.
Henry was a man of quiet strength and love. He always had a positive attitude about life and helped others whenever he could. He spent his time finding yard sale treasures, building WWII model airplanes, reading, playing golf, and fishing as much as possible. Henry was also known for his great waffles. Henry taught his family and honorary family to be loving, kind, and to keep a caring attitude. We are better for having had him in our lives and are very sorry to have lost him. He died on Sept. 17, 2009.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that you donate to a charity of your choice through Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Donald Cody
(Feb. 26, 1927—Sept. 16, 2009)
Donald L. Cody, 82, died Sept. 16, 2009, at his home in Baker City. A graveside memorial service was held 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City. Pastor John Goodyear of Baker Valley Church of Christ officiated. Following the graveside service, friends were invited to join the family for a Celebration of Life luncheon at the Elks Lodge #338, 1896 2nd Street, Baker City, Ore.
Donald Leslie Cody was born Feb. 26, 1927 in Los Angeles, Calif., to Ida (Goff) and Robert Cody. His birthday was the same day as Buffalo Bill Cody with whom he had quite a resemblance. He was a third cousin to Buffalo Bill.
Donald worked on a ranch driving a team of horses and working in the bean fields beginning at the age of 12 through his early teens. He worked on the power lines for the Hungry Horse Dam in Montana and spent 11 years in the Coast Guard. He retired from A.B.F. Trucking after 30 years driving with 3 million safe driving miles with no accidents.
He married Pat Fogerty and they had five children together: Marlene, Jody, Donald, Sheila & Cristi. He was a very devoted father and enjoyed his family. Pat died in May, 1985. They had 35 good years together.
Don joined the Lakewood Masonic Lodge #728 in 1972 and was a very active member. Then he joined the Eastern Star and was quite active in that also. He also joined the Scottish Rite, York Rite and The Shrine. He enjoyed riding motorcycles. He always rode a Harley because he liked the sound of the Harley.
After retiring, he bought a 37 ft. motor home and started traveling. He kept running into a good friend, Bea Reise. They would end up in the same RV park, without knowing the other would be there. In 1991, they started traveling together and they saw a lot of beautiful country and gained a lot of friends. Donald and Bea were married May 7, 1994.
Don enjoyed life. He was very well liked and always had a story for anyone who would listen. He loved telling jokes; some he made up himself. Some were funny, some were corny, but they were always amusing. He was one great man.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Pat; daughter, Marlene; step son, Kenneth Reise, and his brother Robert Cody.
He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Bea, his children: Jody Jefferies, Donald Cody, Sheila Minor and Cristi Vega; his step children: Bruce Reise and Ronald Reise; grandchildren: Jon Paul, Holly Ingalls, Ray Day, Bradley Minor, Will Redmond, David Redmond, Trey Vega, David Reise, Stacy Kirk, Cassie Pollack and Jeremy Reise; 10 great grandchildren; a brother, Gordon Cody and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital or Heart-n-Home Hospice c/o Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Bob Forte
Born Dec. 21, 1945
One might mistake Bob Forte’s photo albums for a history of the United States, 1945 to present. There are photos of a clean shaven army man next to images of a long haired hippie with a bushy beard traveling cross-country in a blue van. The albums include a basketball star, a young boy surrounded by Italian relatives, and a man with a handle bar mustache seated on his easy-rider motorcycle. You can find a young businessman golfing with his professors at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, a recycle boy with a grub hoe, a family man cheering at the ball games, a gardener, and a tax man playing cribbage and selling coffee and Kromer caps. All of these various characters are Bob. If it has been hard for our country to bridge all these diverse times, you have to wonder how he did it within himself. Yet he seemed to do it with grace and joy and perhaps that was the key--he always saw the common thread between us all.
Bob was born to Mary and Tony Forte in Akron, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1945. He started working with his dad at the machine shop at an early age and continued working for him after school and during the summer all the way through college. He played basketball throughout high school, college and the army (not to mention the great teams he played with in Pine Valley). After he graduated with a master’s degree from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, he was drafted in the army and was lucky enough to play basketball and volleyball for Fort Campbell. After his service in the army, he traveled cross-country and discovered the West. He learned about organic gardening, worked as a professor at Linn-Benton Community College, and helped run the cooperative demolition-recycle business known as The Other Lumber Company.
The first time Bob saw Pine Valley was in 1978, from the top of Cornucopia. He had backpacked in from the Minam River, and in his exploring made his way to the back side of Cornucopia. As soon as he reached the top of the ridge, he fell in love with the valley and has been in love with it ever since. As he would explain to anyone who would listen, the place and the community in which he lived were more important to him than what he did as a profession. He was able to draw on his background in business in order to become a tax man, and find a way to make a living in his beloved valley. Though it might be hard for his graduate school professors to recognize their teachings, Bob’s business acumen was part of what he could offer to his tax clients.
Bob shared his life with his wife, Coco, and three daughters, Cara, Myra, and Lila (and their three foreign exchange students, Jei, Anja and Pia). Whether preparing for Halloween parties, having snowball fights, driving hours to see a ball game, hiking in the Wallowas, swimming in the Snake, camping in Utah, or just hanging out and playing cribbage, he was in the middle of the action. He loved to watch his children, and everybody else’s children, play sports, which turned him into a rabid Pine Eagle Spartans fan. He was also a lifelong fan of the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians, a testament to his great tenacity and outrageous hope.
No portrait of Bob would be complete without describing an extra tall man with an even bigger heart and spirit. He will be missed.
He is survived by his wife, Coco Forte, and his children, Cara Rose, Myra Rasmussen, and Lila; his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ann and Louie Sharpless; nieces, Mary Lynn and Diana, and nephew, Don. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Tony Forte.
Those who wish to make a memorial donation in memory of Bob may do so to either the Pine Eagle Clinic or Mountain States Tumor Institute through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Ore. 97834.
John William Keener
(April 15, 1923—Sept. 19, 2009)
John (Bill) William Keener, 86, of John Day, passed away Sept. 19, 2009 at his home. A Memorial Service—Celebration of Bill's life will be held on Saturday, Sept.26, 2009, 1 p.m. at the Bible Way Church in John Day, Ore. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception following the service at the Senior Center in John Day.
Bill was born April 15, 1923 at Franklin, North Carolina to James Ulric and Fannie Clementine (Williams) Keener. He was the fifth child of six. He left home when he was about 12 and went to Springfield, Mass., where he worked on poultry farms. Bill also spent time in Georgia picking peaches.
Bill came to Spray, Ore. in the fall of 1946 with Alex Adams. He worked for M & R (Tommy Ross) logging, that was the first time he drove a logging truck. Bill was married to Pearl and they had the café in Spray for a year. They were divorced in 1967.
Bill went to work for San Juan Lumber Company in 1949, which the name was later changed to Hudspeth. He drove truck for quite a few years then ran the machine to unload logs, feed the mill pond and deck logs. He worked for Hudspeth twenty eight years. In 1978 he bought his own log truck, it was a self loader and he worked for all the mills around.
On April 22, 1972, Bill married Barbara L. (Wheeler) Gienger in Winnemucca, Nev. They made their home in John Day, Ore. Bill retired in 1988, and since he didn’t have any hobbies to speak of, he started cutting fire wood, but got a little carried away, before you knew it, there must have been 15 cord stacked up and it lasted quite a few years. Bill also helped Barb manage the Riverside Home Park for forty years.
Bill attended the Bible Way Community Church and was baptized Sept. 6, 2003. Bill was a hard worker and liked helping others. He enjoyed seeing the grandkids, watching tv, taking a nice drive and really enjoyed his recliner.
Bill is survived by his wife Barb and three daughters, Brenda Lynn Smith and husband Tim of Bend, Joanie Eileen Tussing of John Day, Denise Jackson and husband Kip of Vancouver; six grandchildren; five great grandchildren; One sister Mary Nation of North Carolina. Many nieces and nephews. He was a wonderful husband and dad. He will be missed more than words can say. He also had many friends that will miss him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and three sisters.
Memorial contribution can be made to Blue Mountain Hospice or the Bible Way Church through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Ore. 97834.
Cody A. Reagan
(July 15, 1912 - Sept. 15, 2009)
Cody A. Reagan, 97, passed away Sept. 15, 2009, at his residence. A graveside service was held 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City. Pastor Mel Harris of the First Lutheran Church officiated. Friends were invited to join the family for a reception at the family’s home following the services.
Cody was born July 15, 1912 in Spokane, Wash., to Louis and Selma (Stenberg) Reagan. His family moved to Baker City when he was a young child. He worked in the shipyards during the Second World War. He then worked in the lumber mills in Baker City and Burns and retired in Baker City after 40 years.
He was an avid gardener and he loved animals and birds. He had a great sense of humor and could laugh at himself. He was a kind and gentle person and was gracious to all.
Cody was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Orville and a sister, Ardes Flowers.
He is survived by his wife, Ann Reagan, with whom he recently celebrated 75 years of marriage. His children: Roberta Banta and her husband Allan, Selma Jhanda and her husband Yusuf, Janice Langford and her husband Frank, Michael Reagan and his wife Lynn, Eileen McGuire, Kathy Cannaday and her husband Jerry and Judy Moore and her husband Tom, a sister Mrs. Ferriel DeLap, a sister-in-law Mrs. Mary Peterman and brother-in-laws Leo Haw and Tonna and Michael Fuzi and Corrine. He also has numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice or the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Tom Schroeder
(Feb. 4, 1946—Sept. 14, 2009)
Richard Tom Schroeder,63, died on Sept. 14, 2009, as a result of a motorcycle accident near Boise, Idaho.
Richard Tom Schroeder was born on Feb. 4, 1946 in Portland, Ore. to Richard and Susan (Dickerson) Schroeder. Tom was raised in Portland and attended David Douglas High School, class of 1964. After high school, Tom enlisted and served in the United States Marines.
On Feb. 4, 1968, Tom married his high school sweetheart, Orene "Toni" Ritter. They had two boys, Nathan Matthew and Tom Benjamin. They made their home in the Portland area and Tom retired after 30 years from Safeway where he had worked as a truck driver. Following retirement, in 2001, Tom and Toni moved to Halfway, Ore.
Tom enjoyed fishing, motorcycling and shooting. Tom absolutely loved Halfway, and it's beautiful valley. He enjoyed and appreciated the kindness of the people of Halfway and all who made him feel so welcome.
He was preceded in death by his father Richard Schroeder; sister Melody Dolan and baby Schroeder.
Tom is survived by his wife Toni, sons Nathan and wife Kelly, Tom and his wife Debbie all of Oregon City, Ore.; Grandchildren Samantha and Lucas; Mother Susan Schroeder of Halfway, Sister Sherry Sue and husband Steve Sheridan of Halfway; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Tom may do so to the American Cancer Society through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Ore. 97834.
John “Jack” Thomson
(April 1, 1933—Sept. 11, 2009)
John “Jack” Roberton Thomson, 76, of Baker City passed away on Sept. 11, 2009, at Idlewood Manor. His memorial service will be held at a later date.
Jack was born April 1, 1933 in Oakland, Calif. to John and Constance (McMannis) Thomson, Sr. Jack attended Oakland High School, graduating in 1951. He served in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954 in the Army Signal Corp as a Corporal. Jack worked for Qwest as a lineman until his retirement in 1989.
Jack married JoAnne Anderson in Carson City, Nev. on Sept. 14, 1996.
Jack was an avid gun collector and loved riding Harley Davidsons. Up until his illness he loved going fishing every Tuesday with his buddies Don and Kurt and loved playing guitar. He loved watching golf and football. He took in many car and motorcycle shows. He went to Las Vegas every year for the PBR finals. He was always up for a road trip, especially to Portland to see his daughter Jacqueline and to California to see family and grand kids. He spent his last 2 1/2 years at Idlewood Manor where he was well cared for and loved.
He was an active member in the AFLCIO and Telco Pioneer Club.
He is survived by his wife Joanne Thomson of Baker City, Ore., his daughter Jacqueline and her husband Eric Stewart, of Portland, his brother William Thomson and his wife Marlene of Thomaston, Geo., step-son Mitch Anderson, Renee Day and grandchildren Amy Anderson and Maxwell Anderson.
A special thanks to Heart -n- Home Hospice for their gentle guidance and Jack’s care during this journey.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army or ASPCA through Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
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