Irene Molitor

La Grande

1935-2003

A memorial service for Irene Molitor, 68, of La Grande, who died Jan. 3 in Yuma, Ariz., will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Valley Fellowship, 507 Palmer Ave., near Pioneer Park.

Mrs. Molitor was born March 26, 1935, in Chester, Idaho. She married Hank Molitor on Oct. 13, 1951, in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was a people-person and was loved by many.

Survivors include her husband of La Grande, and children, Vicki Kibbey, Cheryl Hansell, Mary Allen and Larry Molitor; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

‘Bill’ Clegg

Baker City and formerly

of La Grande

1917-2003

William N. "Bill" Clegg, 85, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande died June 6 at his home. A graveside service will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery with Pastor Lura Kidner-Miesen of the United Methodist Church officiating. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at Coles Funeral Home in Baker City.

Mr. Clegg was born Aug. 25, 1917, to Elmo and Aurelia Nibley Clegg in La Grande. He attended school in La Grande but graduated from Baker High School. In 1937, he married Katherine Reynolds. The couple lived in Baker City until 1940 when they moved to Long Beach, Calif. He served in the Army during World War II and was stationed in Japan. After the service, he went to work for the Alpha Beta supermarket chain.

On his retirement in 1969, the couple moved to Reno. After his wife’s death, he moved back to Baker City.

On Oct. 21, 1972, he married Arlene Engum in Reno. The couple lived in Baker City. He was a member of the United Methodist Church. He loved music and was a member of The Kitchen Band. He was a great whistler and played the organ and piano. He enjoyed watching sports.

Survivors include his wife of Baker City; children, Jerry Clegg of Union; stepchildren, Tony Moura of Ontario and Larry Moura of Baker City; two grandchildren; one step-grandchild; several great-grandchildren and a brother, Robert Clegg of Enterprise.

Memorials may be made to any charity in care of Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City 97814.

Daniel Kendall

Ukiah

1958-2003

Daniel K. Kendall, 44, of Ukiah, died June 7 in an auto accident.

A graveside service will start at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Ukiah Cemetery with his brother, Joseph Kendall, officiating. Burial will follow.

Mr. Kendall was born on Nov. 28, 1958, the son of Calvin and Donna Morris Kendall in Nyssa. The family later moved to Ukiah, where he graduated from high school with the Class of 1977. He was a self-employed welder and had worked in Pilot Rock and Portland before returning to Ukiah in 1992. He was married to Cathy Nielson and they had two children. She died on Nov. 19, 1989.

Mr. Kendall enjoyed hunting, fishing, dancing, being in the mountains and playing his guitar.

Survivors include his daughter, Amanda Kendall of Fort Lewis, Wash.; son, Jerry Kendall of Portland; stepdaughter, Stephanie Bouck of Portland; stepson, Craig Robinson of Fort Carson, Colo.; two grandchildren; mother, Donna Kendall of Ukiah; brothers, Joseph Kendall of Packwood, Wash., and Donald Kendall of Ukiah; sisters, Mary Jones of John Day, Rachael Kendall of Ukiah and Rebecca Billings of Ukiah; and other relatives. His father, Calvin, died earlier.

Contributions may be made to the Daniel Kendall Memorial Fund in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande 97850.

Ralph D. Silver

1914-2003

A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Bramlet Cemetery near Wallowa for Ralph D. Silver, 89, who died June 8 at the Wallowa Valley Care Center in Enterprise.

He was born Jan. 3, 1914, on Grosse Flat in Wallowa County to Weldon Nathan Silver and Lelia Josephine Smith Silver. He married Juanita Mae Werst on Sept. 12, 1936. She died Sept. 17, 2001.

He was a rancher. He was a member of the Wallowa Christian Church.

Mr. Silver enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and his family.

He is survived by his daughter, Donna Mae Johnston of Wallowa; son, Don Silver of Spokane; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. A brother and three sisters died earlier.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of choice in care of Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise 97828.

Ava Williams

Formerly of La Grande

1912-2003

Ava L. Williams, 91, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, died June 4.

Miss Williams was born March 4, 1912, in Pendleton. She grew up in La Grande and sang from the earliest time she could remember. She played piano by ear and left home at the age of 19 to pursue a career in show business. She was a singer and dancer in Reno, Stockton, Calif., and

Los Angeles. Her first pianist was Teddy Wilson. She worked with the Three Stooges, the Mills Brothers, Mildred Bailey and Red Norvo. In 1939 she left for New York and was booked into The Philadelphia motel, where she shared the bill with the Ink Spots and Jackie Gleason. She worked with Hazel Scott, Billy Daniels, Mabel Mercer, Bobby Short, Hildegarde, Judy Garland and Martha Rae.

In 1941 she married Jorge Amirigo Carlozzi in the Panama Canal Zone. He died earlier. By the time she moved to Portland in the late 1970s she was already of retirement age but quickly found the spotlight and became a fixture at piano bars, playing and singing at Wilf’s, Lila’s, the Jasmine Tree and the Gold Coin. She was known for her one-liners. One favorite was "I used to want to look like Elizabeth Taylor but now she’s starting to look like me."

She always drove a leased Cadillac, usually silver, and wore rings on all her fingers. She was devoted to Central Christian Church.

She is survived by an uncle, John Williams.

Send remembrances to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Ruth Collier

La Grande

1926-2003

Ruth Marie Collier, 77, of La Grande died June 5. Burial was at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Collier was born Feb. 6, 1926, to A.N. and Gladys Rosella Sturgell Fisher in Halfway. She attended school there and in Corvallis, but graduated from La Grande High School.

She married Rulen Collier, and the couple owned and ran the Stockman’s Bar and Restaurant. They were later divorced. She enjoyed oil painting, crochet, making afghans, car rides and being with her grandchildren.

Survivors include children, Jeff Collier and Bethel Moore, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, a sister, Clarissa Sherwood, sisters-in-law, Ann and Kathleen Fisher, and other relatives.

Her husband, four brothers, Jack, Loy, Bob and Don Fisher, and a granddaughter, Glori Jo Collier, all died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Casey Foundation or The Shriners in care of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway 97834.

William E. ‘Bill’ Elam

La Grande

1928-2003

William Edward "Bill" Elam, 74, died June 7 at his home in La Grande.

A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley with Pastor Gary Hood of the Pioneer Park Church of God officiating. Committal and burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery.

Mr. Elam was born on Aug. 12, 1928, to Clarence Thomas and Dorothy L. Lynch Elam in Warsaw, Mo., on the family farm. When he was in the second grade, the family moved to La Grande where he graduated from La Grande High School in 1948. During the Korean War he served with the Army.

He married Barbara Harlow on July 11, 1953, in La Grande. He worked for McDonald Electric for several years and later owned and operated Bill’s Auto Electric until his retirement. Mr. Elam was a member of the Pioneer Park Church of God. He will be remembered as a happy, outgoing man who loved people, family members said. He was an avid fisherman and built his home and several tractors. He enjoyed his home and garden.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara of La Grande; sisters and brothers-in-law, Frances and Ken Lillard of La Grande, Lois Jacobson of Bellevue, Wash., Leta and Rodger Dalgleish of Portland, Naomi and Don Grieger of Yakima, Wash., and Nadine and Bob Marsland of Meridian, Idaho.

Memorial contributions in may be made to the Pioneer Park Church of God in care of Daniels Chapel, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande 97850.

Connie Strom

Formerly of La Grande

1933-2003

Connie Lee Strom, 70, of Hillsboro and formerly of La Grande died June 10 in Tualatin. A memorial service will be held in La Grande at a later date. Pegg, Paxson and Springer Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Strom was born April 25, 1933, to Chess and Avie Myrtle Denney Gollihar in Cortez, Colo. She grew up in Cortez and in Amarillo, Texas. She moved to La Grande in 1963 and married Archie Strom there on Nov. 17, 1970

She was a homemaker. She lived in La Grande for 39 years and moved to Portland in 2002 to be near family. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

Survivors include her husband of Hillsboro, children, Dwayne Depuy of Tigard, Joel Depuy of Portland, Melvin Depuy of Medford and C. Renae Depuy of Hillsboro; five step-children and 13 grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the La Grande Church of Christ, 2107 Gekeler Lane 97850.

Vera Bork

Wallowa

Vera Merle Bork, 80, of Wallowa died June 11. A service will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Enterprise. Bollman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to any charity.

LeVerne Horrell

Elgin

LeVerne Horrell, 72, of Elgin died Thursday at her home. Arrangements will be announced later by Daniels Chapel of the Valley.

Evelyn Rice

Union

1925-2003

Evelyn Mary Rice, 78, of Union, died June 10 at Grande Ronde Hospital. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Rice was born April 15, 1925, to Wayne and Erma Rhudger Eckley in Enterprise. She graduated from Enterprise High School, and in 1968 she married William Rice. She enjoyed crocheting, plastic canvas work, traveling and working in the woods with her husband.

Survivors include her husband of Union; children, Carolyn Roberts of Salt Lake City, Ervina Hoffman, Shirley Taylor and Dallas Wilson, all of Baker City, LaNette Theroux of Las Cruces, N. M., Sharon Abels of Alaska and Cathy Kelly of New York; a stepson, Tim Rice of Arkansas; 17 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; sisters, Ann Fritz of Buell, Idaho, and Nancy Shoppman of Wallowa and other relatives. A brother, Wayne Eckley, died earlier.

Memorials may be made to any charity in care of Daniels Chapel, 1502 Seventh St. 97850.

Sharon Chase

La Grande and Elgin

Sharon Chelo Chase, 60, of La Grande and formerly of Elgin died June 6 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise after a brief illness.

The memorial service and celebration of life will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the Christian Life Center, 14th and Alder streets in Elgin. Cloverdale Gibson Funeral Home in Boise is in charge of arrangements.