Eva Ruth Cook
Craig Dixon
Thomas ‘Bud’ Matthews
Gail Ann Nelson
Eva Ruth Cook
(Sept. 13, 1925—March 14, 2010)
Eva Ruth Cook, 84, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2010, 7a.m. at the home of her daughter, Diana Woods in Baker City. No funeral is planned.
Eva was born to Lawson and Mae (Rager) Wallace on Sept. 13, 1925 in Mitchell, Scottsbluff County, Neb. Eva moved with her family to Baker Valley when she was 15 years old and lived on the Powder River near Keating. She was the oldest, and the only sister of four boys.
Eva met Morris Cook on the bus ride from Keating to Baker schools. He was born in Keating on March 21, 1924. Soon, she was saving a seat on the bus for him. They married Aug. 7, 1943, in Baker City. They were married 63 years at the time of his death on Nov. 10, 2006. They lived all their married life on the Cook Ranch where Morris was born, and they were the parents of four children—three girls and a boy.
Eva was a great gardener and always had a beautiful garden and canned all the produce. She loved music and singing. She could always be heard singing wherever she was and whatever she was doing. She loved sewing and needlework. She could do almost anything on the ranch. They raised cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and their beloved horses.
They enjoyed many trips to the Eagle Mountains and the lakes. Eva and Morris were always together.
Survivors include two daughters, Caren Stephens and husband, Bob, of Haines and Diana Woods of Baker City; two brothers, Gordon Wallace and wife, Alice, and Timothy Wallace of Olympia, Washington; an uncle, Lyle Rager and wife, Dot, of Baker City; a sister-in-law, Myrtle Colvard, of Baker City. She had many grandchildren and great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Ruth Cook Scipper; a son, Roger Cook; her husband, Morris; her parents and two brothers, Ted and Chuck Lawson. Memorial contributions may be made to Heart-n-Home Hospice through Gray’s West & Company, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Craig Dixon
(Oct. 19, 1958—March 16, 2010)
Craig Allen Dixon, 51, died on March 16, 2010, at home in Richland, Ore. A Celebration of Craig's life will be held on Friday, March 26, 2010, at the Richland Methodist Church at 11 a.m. Friends are invited to a reception to be held immediately following the service at the church.
Craig was born on Oct. 19, 1958, in Vallejo, Calif., to Norma and William Dixon. His many travels brought him to Eastern Oregon where he made his home at Eagle Valley Foster Care. Craig loved going for walks, bowling and watching football. He was a great fan of Elvis Presley. When he could, he made his way to Sunday Service at the Richland Methodist Church.
Craig is survived by his large foster care family at Eagle Valley Foster Care; Maxine Miller "Grandma," Donald Kothe, Sharon Finley, Starr Dennis, Maria Dennis, Margaret Gristy and Cindy Davis.
We will all miss his childlike enthusiasm about Santa Claus and those two little words that I think we heard at least every day, "You're Fired."
For those who wish to make a memorial donation in memory of Craig may do so to help defray funeral expenses to Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, Oregon 97834.
Thomas ‘Bud’ Matthews
(Died March 20, 2010)
Thomas "Bud" Matthews, 71, died at his home in Baker City on Saturday, March 20, 2010. A Celebration of Bud's life and potluck will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010, 1 p.m. at the home of Jake and Carrie Jones, 2850 12th Street Baker City, OR 97814.
Thomas "Bud" Matthews had many interests and hobbies that he developed in his 71 years of life. He loved the outdoors, his faithful dog EZ and was ingenious when it came to crafting knives, flint napping arrowheads and making Indian spears. He grew up in Ft. Pierce, Florida with his sisters Charlotte and Sadie and brother Henry. He and Henry spent most of their young lives fishing the Florida waters and hunting the Floridian wildlife. He always had an interest in cars and learned the body and fender craft as a young man, working in various body and fender shops.
He spent some time working in the fingerprinting department for the FBI where he met Jimmy Stewart who was there in preparation for the movie "The FBI Story." He later enlisted in the air force in 1960 and played a part in the 1961 Blue Scout missile program in Cape Canaveral that carried a lightweight communications into Earths-orbit in preparation for manned orbital missions. He then married and had a son, Michael.
Bud left Florida for Northern Idaho where he continued mastering his trade in the body and fender business. He married his wife of 41 years, Trudy Beamis and raised their daughter Carrie. They enjoyed spending time camping, hunting and fishing together throughout the Silver Valley of Idaho until 1987. He finished the rest of his career in Portland, Ore., where he retired after 39 years in the body and fender business. He and his wife retired in 2003 and moved to Baker City, Ore., to be with their daughter.
Bud was known best for his smile, doing the "Limbo" and dancing to "Louie Louie." He was a walking library of jokes that he loved to share. His most memorable moments was when he and his wife drove their motor home to Alaska where they had the time of their lives catching a bounty of fish. Bud’s other memorable time was when he recently went back to his home in Ft. Pierce, Fla., for his 50th class reunion where he also was reunited with his family and best friend Matt Schneider.
He is survived by his wife Trudy and daughter Carrie, son-in-law Jake Jones of Baker City, Ore.; son Michael of San Francisco, Calif.; brother Henry, sisters Charlotte and Sadie of Ft. Pierce, Fla.; numerous nieces and nephews; and very close friend of over 40 years Dale Curl.
Those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Bud, you may do so to the Eastern Oregon Dialysis Center through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834.
Gail Ann Nelson
(Sept. 13, 1941—March 14, 2010)
Gail Ann Nelson, 68, of Baker City died on March 14, 2010, at Saint Elizabeth Health Care Center. Causes are uncertain, but she had been in and out of the hospital for over a year. No services are planned at this time.
Gail was born in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 13, 1941, to Elwood and Esther (Stekel) Ball. After she graduated from high school she made a career in food service and worked many places in and around Baker City. She adored her cats, her charities and her close friends all of whom she doted on and gave to generously.
Gail married Jack Nelson in Sumpter on Sept. 21, 1990, in the small church across from the home they shared there for the next 17 years. Her husband Jack passed away on Oct. 27, 2007, from a long fight with cancer. Gail sold her home in Sumpter and moved to Baker City in 2008, where she remained until her death.
Gail had neither children nor any close living relatives, but is survived by her close friends, Renee Edwards, Marlene Dickerson, Tenee Cashmere, Sage Morris and Bonnie Dennis as well as many other friends. We shall miss her, she left her mark on our hearts.
Memorial contributions may be made to Best Friends of Baker City through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Baker City, OR. 97814
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