Jo Ann Clark
Arlene Thomas
Agnes Uttenreuther
Michael D. Upmeyer, Sr.
Jo Ann Clark
(Jan. 27, 1941 - Oct. 27, 2010)
Jo Ann Gard Clark, 69, a lifelong resident of Baker County, died Oct. 27, 2010, at a Boise hospital after an illness. A memorial and reception was held Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Eagle’s Lodge, 2935 H Street, Baker City.
Jo Ann was born Jan. 27, 1941, in Baker City to William and Vera (Beddes)Gard. She married William J. (Bill) Clark in 1971.
Jo Ann lived a full and happy life. She taught school for 2 years in Walla Walla, Wash., before moving to Baker City where she taught for the next 30 years. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, American Legion, volunteered at the Haines Museum and was a life long member of NEA and OEA.
She was a loving and caring daughter, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, great aunt and a friend to many people. Jo Ann enjoyed crafts, painting and writing. She enjoyed traveling with her husband Bill. She enjoyed the recent trip that she took with Bill to Alaska.
Jo Ann was preceded in death by her parents William and Vera Gard, her sister Ronda and a great niece, Shari.
Survivors include her husband Bill; daughter Marilyn Johnson and her sons, Cody and Noah; sister Carol Proebstel and husband Steve and their children, Jason, Joshua, Heidi and Jacob and their families; her brother John Gard and wife Marie and their son Jeremiah and his family; her nieces:Lorrie Backlund and husband Rob and their family, Carla Putman and husband Daniel and their family; nephew Doug Williams and wife Lynda; many great nieces, nephews and life long friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital through Coles Tribute Center, 1950 Place St. Baker City, OR. 97814.
Arlene Thomas
(Oct. 13, 1915 - Oct. 25, 2010)
Arlene Thomas, 95, passed away on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 after battling pneumonia for the past month and compromised swallowing for the past 10 years. At her request no funeral services will be held but she and Vernon’s ashes will be scattered at their beloved Hooker Flat Ranch in the spring.
Arlene was born Oct. 13, 1915, to Dick and Lorena Koopman in the old white house that is still standing on the family ranch. She lived in Pine Valley all of her life and attended Pine Town Grade School (a few months at Homestead) and Pine Valley Union High.
On March 6, 1937, she and Vernon Thomas were married at Weiser, Idaho and had 2 daughters Lynda and Cheryl.
Like most of the farm wives of her era she was a very hard worker - milked cows by hand, cooked three exceptional meals a day for hired hands, raised a large garden, canned countless quarts of fruits and vegetables in a boiler on the old Great Majestic wood cook stove and still managed to help her daughters with homework every night, attended all their school functions and other activities.
No matter how difficult the problem she could find a solution and get the job done. If a cow was having difficulty calving, she was the one who examined the cow and got the calf delivered. In early years she drove a team of horses to help with farming operations. When her husband, Vernon was laid up for months from a back operation and later a farm accident, she did all the farming and he cooked the meals. She irrigated, raked hay, bucked hay and even loaded bales on the hay elevator.
When adversity struck and people would ask, “Arlene how do you keep going?” She would reply “I am a tough old German!” And to others, she quickly offered the words, “How can I help?”
In the 1970’s she sold her beloved milk cows and cried all the way home from the Weiser sale yard. Soon after that she and Vernon spent their summers riding in the national forest for the Cattlemen’s Association and at times for other ranchers. They lived at the Fish Lake Cabin and in their travel trailer at Doe Creek. She rode each day and always kept her eye out for huckleberry patches. Even today her freezer is stocked with huckleberries.
After that job ended, life became easier. She and Vernon traveled with family and friends to visit places such as the White House, Grand old Opry, and the Alamo.
The Baker County Fair held over Labor Day weekend was the highlight of her year and she supported it to the fullest. She planned early in the year what flowers to plant and what recipes to use for her baking. Her bedroom wall is covered with 34 big rosette ribbons for having won Sweepstakes in the many divisions she entered. In 2002 she was honored, along with her good friend - Beth Rowen, to be Grand Marshal of the Labor Day parade.
During her retirement, Arlene continued her interest in ranching activities. She kept track of all the baby calves that were born at her daughter, Lynda’s place. Also she enjoyed traveling with the Birds to their many Hereford cattle events and especially the National Nugget Hereford Show and Sale at Reno.
Many springs she traveled to Hood River to help her other daughter, Cheryl, with lambing. She adored the baby lambs and “their heart shaped faces.” Arlene often comforted the bummer lambs by rocking them to sleep.
She was especially fond of Rover, her cow dog and Rudy, the schnauzer. Cats - she had many of all shapes, sizes and colors. Bobbi Jo, the wheelbarrow cat - who is in many of her pictures, was a favorite. Puddy Tat, who was found as a frozen ball of fur on the road on a cold winter night, survives her. It could be said she loved all creatures great and small.
Arlene was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon of 71 years, her parents, half-brother Charlie Estes, half-sisters, Leona Rudd and Velma Gover.
She is survived by daughter, Lynda Bird and son-in-law David Bird of Halfway, Cheryl Thomas of Hood River, and several nephews and cousins.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Best Friends through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P. O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Agnes Uttenreuther
(Jan. 21, 1915 - Oct. 25, 2010)
Agnes Anna Uttenreuther, 95, of Baker City died peacefully at her home Oct. 25, 2010. The family will hold a Celebration of Life service at a later date.
Agnes was born Jan. 21, 1915 in Evanston, Illinois to Phillip Knepper and Maria (Minnie) Seagren Knepper. She took a two year business course at Mallinckrodt High School in Wilmette, Illinois. Upon completion, she took college business courses while working for National Tea Company from which she retired after 41 years as a bookkeeper. During WWII she managed one of their stores and was one of the first members of the Retail Clerks Union.
Agnes married Willard Uttenreuther Aug. 26, 1933 in Evanston, Illinois where they continued to live until 1954 when they moved to Wheeling, IL. They retired to Baker City in 1971 to be near their children. Willard died November 23, 1972. They had been married 39 years.
Agnes worked for the phone company in Baker City until they moved the office to Pendleton, then she went to work for Baker City Library.
In 1981, she and son, Tom, moved to Brooksville, Fla., where they lived until 1987 when they returned to Baker City.
Some of her most memorable times were vacations to Canada, Florida, Niagara Falls and Disneyland. Agnes loved to dance, bowl and go for rides in the country with her husband. Besides bingo, reading, working crossword puzzles and playing cards, her trips to Winnemucca were special. She would advertise, take reservations and secure rooms. Her knack with figures was amazing. She could add so fast whether on paper or in her head, that she didn’t need an adding machine. People were drawn to her by her wonderful sense of humor and love of life.
Agnes could tell you the birthday of each member of her family and never missed sending a card! She would buy the cards by the month and have them sit in order so they would get mailed on time.
She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, American Legion and the VFW. She was also a member of The Society of Little Flowers of Jesus at St. Theresa's in Illinois.
Agnes was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Willard, sisters: Edith Sproat and Virginia Einsweiler and a brother, Phillip Knepper.
She is survived by her daughter, Carol Curtis & husband David; sons: Bill Uttenreuther & wife LaDonna, and Tom Uttenreuther; nine grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Patricia Knepper.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heart ‘n’ Home Hospice through Coles Tribute Center, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, OR 97814.
Michael D. Upmeyer, Sr.
(April 21, 1946-Oct. 29, 2010)
Michael Upmeyer Sr., 64, of Baker City passed away at Boise Veteran’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho, Oct. 29, 2010. A memorial service will be held at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 5, 2010.
Mike was born in Seattle, Wash., to John and Alice (Rogers) Upmeyer on April 21, 1946. He was the 8th of 10 children. As a child, he traveled with his parents and siblings all around the Pacific Northwest, finally settling down in the John Day area.
While living in Fall City, Oregon, he and his 2 youngest brothers invented a sport they called tree riding. They would take a small tree, bend it over and climb on it while one of the other two would release the rope and launch them over a clearing toward their house. They tried to hit the bedroom window on the second floor, but hit the side of the house instead.
About the time they lived in Brookings, Ore., he had the chickenpox and mumps at the same time. While he was sick with both he would go outside in just his undershorts and slide down a mud slide on the hill. His mother would go out and get him, clean him up and put him back in bed and then he would do it all over again.
Then his parents moved to John Day where he went to school until the 11th grade. He met his wife of 42 years for the first time when he was in the second grade. At recess one day he and one of his friends were tossing a football back and forth when the ball went a little farther and hit her square in the eyes!
After he left school, he started driving truck until he was drafted into the Army. The second time he met Norma Guilliams was after he returned home from Vietnam. After a short courtship, the two were married on Aug. 17, 1968 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pendleton, Ore.. They had three children. During the 42 years they were together, they traveled the Pacific Northwest finally settling in New Plymouth, Idaho, where they raised their children. After their two oldest children graduated from high school they moved back to Baker City where they have resided for the last 20 years.
In that 42 years, Mike did many things and worked many jobs. He was a truck driver, mechanic, welder, fabricator, heavy equipment operator and scrap dealer. He also furthered his education by getting his certification as a heavy equipment operator and his ASE certification for refrigerant recovery and recycling.
Out of their 42 years together, Mike and Norma only spent 3 years where it was only the two of them. He seemed a bit rough around the edges, but in reality he was a kind man. Regardless of their own personal financial status, they would always help people out who were in need of it. He had accomplished many things in his life, but his greatest accomplishments were teaching 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren the same values and morals. He also helped raise his four youngest grandchildren for the last six years.
Mike had many hobbies including building model trucks from scratch. He also built many flowerbeds and trailers from scrap metal. Mike was baptized and joined the Catholic Church just three days before his death.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, three brothers, his mother-in-law and father-in-law, a brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, and his longtime trucking partners, Tubby and Batman (his little dogs that went everywhere with him).
Mike is survived by his wife, Norma of Baker City, Ore.; three children: Mary A. Kenworthy of Payette, Idaho, Michael D. Upmeyer, Jr. of Baker City, and Maxell Justin Upmeyer of Colorado; six grandchildren: Dennis L. Kenworthy of Payette, Idaho, Amanda R. Kenworthy and husband, Ryan of Payette, Idaho, Jace M. Upmeyer of Three Forks, Montana, Areona R. Upmeyer , John M. Upmeyer and Acey R. Upmeyer all of Baker City, Ore.; four great grandchildren, three brothers: Jack, Phillip and Robin; sister-in-law, Verona (Tucker) Upmeyer and her husband Jack Goodall; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mike would prefer charitable contributions be made to the VA Hospice, DAV, or a charity of choice through Coles Tribute Center, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
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