Pleas Brown
Pat Garrigus
Marlene Van Court
Pleas Brown
(Sept. 24, 1916-May 9, 2010)
Pleas Arthur Brown, 92, of Baker City died Sunday, May 9, 2010, at his home.
A wake will be held at the Baker City Golf Club, Saturday May 29 at 4pm.
Pleas was born to Roscoe and Frances Oliver Brown Sept. 24, 1916, in Keating, Ore. He graduated from Baker High School in 1934 and enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942. Pleas traveled the world as a flight engineer during World War II. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Pleas swore he would never fly again, and he didn’t. Returning to Baker, Pleas and his cousin Franklin Lew partnered on buying Lew Bros. Tire. In 1970, Pleas and Les Schwab shook hands on a member dealer agreement, and Lew Bros. Tire Service became a Les Schwab affiliate. Pleas owned Lew Bros. Tire until 1984, when his sons bought the business. He continued to go into the office every day, for a total of 64 years at Lew Brothers Tire Service. Pleas married Mary Jo Allison in 1953. Together with good friends, they enjoyed 57 years of marriage.
Pleas is survived by his loving wife, Mary Jo, his daughter Molly, his sons Jim and Rocky, and his grandchildren: Brian Cassidy, Laci Cassidy, Tawni Lester, Chelsea Brown Blatchford, Jesse Brown, Chris Brown, Jake Brown, Allison Brown, two great grandsons: Braiden Carpenter and Sawyer Blatchford and his dear friend John Bohn.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Baker Quarter Back Club, PO Box 593 Baker City, OR 97814.
Pat Garrigus
(May 1, 1931-April 22,2010)
Patsy Ruth “Pat” Garrigus, 78, passed away at her Pine Creek home April 22, 2010, due to age-related causes. Pat was born at Douglas Ariz., May 1, 1931, one of three daughters born to Millard Quint “Bob” Wasson and Ella Elizabeth (Scott) Wasson. Three years later the family moved to the Eugene, Ore., area, where she attended local elementary and secondary schools, with beloved sisters Mary Ernestine “Dink” (Wasson) Conley and Clara May “Snooks” (Wasson) Delozier (deceased), graduating from Eugene High School, while making many lifelong friends. Of her early education she often bemoaned the lack of competitive softball after mid-school as one of her greater disappointments.
Pat attended the University of Oregon, where she met future husband and lifelong partner Forest O. “Gus” Garrigus. Pat and Gus married in 1951 after his graduation from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. Staying in McMinnville, the couple began the lifelong project of raising two sons, Forest O. Garrigus III and John Patrick Garrigus.
The family moved to Bend, Oregon in 1961, where Pat began a long and successful career as a general office worker, which led to a number of prestigious positions in the then-still-burgeoning wood products industry, culminating in the position as the executive vice-president of a multi-national corporation, from which she eventually “retired” to the cabin on the creek near Oxbow, Ore.
Following her deep and never flagging love of books and literature, she then began a career as the editor of the Hells Canyon Journal, where her attention to detail, sometimes acerbic wit and sense of the newsworthy made her many lasting friends and trusting sources within the community. Pat finally relinquished the editorial position but remained an integral part of the weekly paper, still working two or three days a week until her passing.
Gardening, canning and gathering the natural bounties in the local area occupied many of Pat’s free hours, with the always freely-shared results of her labors greatly appreciated by nearby and not-so-nearby good neighbors, co-workers and family. Wild mushrooms, huckleberries and seafood always were favored choices, but any food, well-prepared was always a reason for celebration and thanks. Family and friends, upon arrival, could expect at least one of their personal culinary favorites to be prepared and waiting, with plans for more in the offing. She also loved neighborhood card games and gatherings with her friends and neighbors at Pine Creek.
Perhaps her greatest pleasure and gift was the love of reading, whether rereading classics or discovering a new, and hopefully prolific, author of mystery novels, although any well written, thoughtful or simply entertaining book was sure to be treasured. This passion is shared by her children and grandchildren and is a lasting tribute to her life.
Pat is survived by her sister, Dink; sons, Forest and John; grandchildren, Amie, Erin, Rachel, Forest and America Rose, along with a growing number of great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Snooks; and husband, Gus.
A memorial celebration of her life and potluck will be held at the Halfway VFW Hall on Saturday, May 22 at 11 a.m., with a gathering later in the summer to scatter her remains on a favorite stretch of beach on her beloved Oregon coast. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the Pine Eagle Clinic or the Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance Service through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834.
Marlene Van Court
(Dec. 17, 1937-May 14, 2010)
Marlene Evelyn Van Court, 72, died on May 14, 2010 in Richland, Ore. A Celebration of Marlene's Life and Memorial Service will be held on Saturday May 22, 2010, 10 a.m. at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception to be held immediately following the service in the Presbyterian Fellowship Hall.
Marlene was born on Dec. 17, 1937 to Albert J. and Beulah L. (Buchanan) Crow. She was raised and educated in Halfway attending school in Pine Town through the 8th grade, and graduating from Pine Valley Union High School. During her school years she was a track star and made runner up (2nd place) in Track and Field at the State Tournament. Marlene was also a horseback rider and made princess of the Baker County Fair one year.
Her only marriage was to Scott J. Van Court in 1960 in Weiser, Idaho. They lived in several pacific coast states as well and a year in West Virginia. They had four children along the way.
Marlene was a worker. She always had a job as a waitress, cook or bartender where ever she was but finally settled in Stanfield, Oregon and was hired on with Union Pacific Railroad. First as a cook, then as a brakeman at Hinkle Yard in Hermiston, Oregon. One of the first two women to work that rail yard - a job she was very proud of.
She loved life and could always find the funny in any situation. she loved to steam fish and took any opportunity to do so. She would sing, play guitar or banjo at the drop of a hat and Marlene had a beautiful voice.
Marlene loved to cook and would do different dishes for the odd folk who would ask and will be remembered for her oyster stuffing, a yummy recipe handed down from her Momma.
She had so many stories to tell and kept memories alive with them. Her laugh was infectious, you couldn't be around her and not have a wonderful time. She will be sorely missed by any who knew her and loved her, even those who didn't. (you know who you are!)
Marlene is survived by her children Vicki L. Van Court of Buffalo, N.Y., Sandra I. Van Court of Halfway, Ore., Scott J. Van Court of Tigard, Ore., and Kelly O. Van Court of Reno, Nev. Her siblings Marion A. Crow, I. Richard (Dick) Crow, E. Louise Tyler, Melba J. Harrington, C. Lorraine Gunter, John D. Crow all of Halfway, Elizabeth (Betty) J. Wells of Portland, Ore., David R. Crow of Stanfield, Ore., and C. Elaine Woolf of Vancouver, Wash. Grandchildren Sean S. Ellefson of Burien, Wash., Mary L. Mortensen of Irrigon, Ore., Breona Van Court and Haze M. Van Court of Beaverton, Ore., Jacob M. Van Court, Kristine G. Perez, Angelo R. Perez and Kristopher G. Perez of Reno, Nev., and 4 great grandkids to boot.
Marlene was preceded in death by her parents, ex-husband Scott J. Van Court, sister Rosalyn M. (Crow) Lindstrom, brother Jerold L. Crow, nephews Travis L. Crow-Woolf, Terry W. Sitkoff and James A. Tyler.
A very special and grateful thank you to Debbie Page who stuck with Mom and the family through thick and thin and has been a god send.
Those who would like to make a memorial contribution in memory of Marlene may do so to help defray funeral expenses through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834.
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