Neomi Awmiller

La Grande

1918-2004

Neomi F. Awmiller, 85, of La Grande, died at home Jan. 8.A celebration of life ceremony will be held in the springtime and will be announced later by Daniels Chapel of the Valley.

Neomi was born Aug. 17, 1918, to Verner and Katie Wecker Awmiller in Spence, Colo.She moved to La Grande with her family in July 1936.

She had great enthusiasm for life and loved her family and friends. She enjoyed dancing, cooking, painting, playing cards, especially cribbage, and was an accomplished wood carver.

She was a member of South Minster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton and worked on the church bulletin.She was also a member of the Eagles and the American Legion.

Neomi was a hard worker, family members said.She worked for the railroad during World War II and owned and operated several businesses, including a store and motel in Pacific City, The Highway Caf in La Grande and was the original owner of the Eastside Tavern.

She retired from Reser’s Fine Foods in Beaverton.

In 2001 she moved back to La Grande and spent the last year of her life in the home of John and Linda Bunch of La Grande.

Survivors include her step-children, Dan Evans and Janice Weaver of Kettle Falls, Wash., and Barry Evans of Republic, Wash.; two nephews and two nieces; a great-nephew; sisters-in-law Louise Awmiller of Tacoma and Audrey Awmiller

of Union; and many other relatives.

Two brothers, Kenneth and Delbert Awmiller, died earlier.

Adrian Carter

Union

2001-2004

Adrian Thomas Carter, 3, of Union died Jan. 6 at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande.

Adrian was born Jan. 1, 2001, in La Grande to Christian and Connie Steele Carter.

The family said they were "blessed for three short years with the love and laughter of Adrian. Everyone who knew him was touched by his high spirit, his beautiful smile and his wisdom and charm beyond his years.”

He had a deep love for fishing, boating and all outdoor activities. At only 3, he already knew he was going to be a pilot when he grew up because he had a fascination for anything in the sky.

Adrian is survived by his parents; brothers Wayne, 9, and Austin, 8, of Union; his grandparents, Thomas and Anne Steele of La Grande and Steve and Brenda Carter of Newberg; great-grandma, Violet Steele of Alma, Mich.; aunts and uncles, Bill and Lisa Steele of North Powder, Patti and Jeff Grammer of La Grande, Sandra Hoxworth of Portland, Megan Carter of Portland, Allyson Hoxworth of Portland and David Steele of Soldotna, Alaska; and cousins Dillon and Zach of North Powder and Wesley of Soldotna.

Celebration of life services were held today at 2 p.m. at the Union Baptist Church with Pastor Dan Mielke officiating. Burial was at Union Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Adrian Carter fund in care of Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St.,

La Grande 97850.

Florence Smith

Elgin

1912-2004

Florence E. Smith, 91, died Jan. 7 at her home in Elgin.

A celebration of her life and memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Elgin with Elmer Yoder officiating. A private vault interment was held Jan. 10 at the Elgin Cemetery.

Ms. Smith was born in Gridley, Calif., to Henrietta Cruikshank and Ira Smith on Sept. 17, 1912. As a small child, she moved to Elgin, where she attended Gordon Creek Grade School and Elgin High School. Teachers considered her an outstanding student; she received top grades.

She graduated from Eastern Oregon Normal School with a teacher’s certificate. She taught school and later worked at Birnie’s Jewelry in La Grande. She belonged to a number of clubs including Business and Professional Women.

She returned to Elgin to take care of her mother and was very active in the Elgin Methodist Church, where she was an officer for many years. Even in her 90s she helped serve meals at the Elgin Senior Center.

She enjoyed gardening and sharing her vegetables. Her flower garden brought many compliments. She was a good cook and entertained at many family dinners. She loved to read. She was a kind, generous person who will be missed, family members said.

Survivors include her brothers, Tom Smith and his wife, Orlena, of Ontario, and George Smith and his wife, Sharon, of Elgin. A sister, Marie Blanchard, lives in Portland. A brother, Harry Smith, and sister, Beulah Sams, died earlier.

Remembrances may be made to Shriners Hospital, 3101 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland 97827, or Elgin United Methodist Church, Elgin, 97827, directly or sent in care of the Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande 97850.

Janet Fields

Enterprise

1934-2004

Janet Louise Fields, 69, of Enterprise died Jan. 10 at Wallowa Memorial Care Center after a long illness. The funeral will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bollman’s Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise. A reception will begin at 3 p.m. at the Imnaha Christian Fellowship. A private burial will be at the Prairie Creek Cemetery near Joseph.

Mrs. Fields was born June 16, 1934, to Marion and Emilie Siedelman. She graduated from Vernonia High School in 1952 and married Jim Fields on June 21, 1952. She contracted multiple sclerosis over 30 years ago but dealt with it with grace and a cheerful attitude. She was the spokeswoman for the Wallowa County Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society and a wonderful support for others with the disease. The family lived in the Imnaha Canyon, where she was a homemaker and a member of the Professional Bull Riding Association. She enjoyed traveling to bull-riding events.

Survivors include her husband of Imnaha; a son and daughter-in-law, Benny and Teresa Fields of Imnaha and Ardmore, Okla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Dave Temple of Salem; a brother and sister-in-law, Don and Marge Siedelman of Imnaha and other relatives.

Her parents died earlier.

Memorials may be made to any charity in care of Bollman’s Funeral Home.

‘Duke’ Pulley

La Grande

1919-2004

Kenneth E. "Duke" Pulley, 84, of La Grande died Jan. 1 at a retirement residence. Burial was at the Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Flahiff Mortuary of Caldwell is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Pulley was born Feb. 21, 1919, to Firm and Gladys Jarnigan Pulley in Eldorado, Kan. He attended school in Caldwell and began work in 1936 with the Forest Service. He operated heavy equipment in the construction and logging industries and helped with construction of the Boise airport.

Mr. Pulley served in the Army during World War II, training as a mechanic and being sent to Hawaii with the 183rd Field Artillery. During this time, he also enjoyed being the driver for one of the generals.

On July 4, 1947, he married Vesta Nagele. He worked as a truck driver for Garrett Freight Lines for 36 years and the couple lived in Pendleton and Milwaukie.

He enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, barbecuing, making gifts in his shop, cutting firewood, traveling and entertaining guests. He suffered a stroke in 1991 but enjoyed attending local high school basketball games. After his wife’s death in 1995 he moved to Montana and in 1997 to Grande Ronde Retirement Residence. He particularly enjoyed musical presentations, visiting with his many friends and shopping for treats to pass out as he went around in his cart.

Survivors include his sister and brother-in-law, Olive and Vern Hindberg of Augusta, Mont., and other relatives. Two brothers, George and Wayne, died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Veterans of World War II through any funeral home.

Donald Stokke

La Grande

Donald L. "Don” Stokke, 73, of La Grande died Wednesday at a local care center. Funeral services are pending and will be announced later by Loveland Funeral Chapel.

Darrell Carper

Formerly of La Grande

1936-2004

Darrell E. Carper, 67, of Richland and formerly of La Grande died Jan. 8 at

St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise from complications of asthma. The funeral and celebration of life will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at the Richland Christian Church. Burial will be at the Eagle Valley Cemetery.

A reception and dinner will follow at the church.

Mr. Carper was born May 31, 1936, to Willa and Ralph Carper in La Grande. He attended schools in Starkey, Union and La Grande and married Anita S. Doty in 1954. He worked as a logger for many years, until he was injured. He had at one time worked at the Cornucopia pack station, and more recently with his daughter and son-in-law on their cattle ranch in Richland.

He loved nature and the scenery of the Pine and Eagle valleys.

He was an avid sportsman and enjoying shooting, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, feeding deer in the winter and being with friends and family. He had a wonderful sense of humor.

They had five children: Eugene B., Deborah L., Susan R., Denise M. (Shelly) and Melody A.

Survivors include his wife; children and their spouses, Gene and Cindy Carper, Deborah and Dwight Saunders, Shelly and Jerry Smith, Melody and Mark Weir, Susan Coffman and her significant other Tommy Smith; Darrell’s mother; his sisters and their husbands, DeLeva and Wade Booher, Donna and Roundy Plumley, all of La Grande; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and other relatives.

His father and two granddaughters died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Richland Christian Church or the VFW Auxiliary in care of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway 97834.

Robert Boone

Elgin

Robert Boone, 58, of Elgin died Wednesday at Providence Medical Center in Portland from complications related to cancer.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Elgin Christian Church.

A full obituary will be published later.

‘Sam’ Curry

La Grande

1955-2004

Leonard Orval "Sam" Curry, 48, of La Grande died Jan. 8 at his home of natural causes. The funeral will be in Butterfield, Minn. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Curry was born Jan. 25, 1955, to Orval and Edna Kleinow Curry in Buffalo, Minn. He attended Pipestone Vocational School, and married Beverly Snoozy of Del Rapids, Minn., in 1974. He worked as a meat cutter at various grocery stores and ran Len’s Locker in Winnebago. After a divorce he moved to La Grande, where he worked at Grand Auto, C.B. Portable Toilets, and as a reserve corrections deputy for the Union County Sheriff’s office.

Survivors include children, L. Jason Curry of Janesville, Minn., Crystal Dustan and Alex Curry, both of Pipestone; his parents and a sister, Jacki Lynn Curry, all of Taylors Falls, Minn.; a brother, Daniel Curry of Duluth, Minn., and other relatives.

An infant sister died earlier.

Magdalene ‘Maggie’ Buckley

La Grande

1912-2004

Magdalene "Maggie" Buckley, 91, of La Grande, died Jan. 3 at Grande Ronde Hospital.

A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Sarah Morningstar Stanton officiating. Private entombment will be held at the Grandview Cemetery Mausoleum.

Arrangements are with Daniels Chapel of the Valley.

Mrs. Buckley was born on Nov. 22, 1912, the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Weisenberger Vollmer in Atwood, Texas. The family later moved to Idaho, and on Oct. 13, 1935, she married R. Raymond Buckley at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Baker City. They later moved to La Grande, and from 1948 to 1978 she worked for the Union County Tax Collectors office. She was also a deputy sheriff for 25 years.

Mrs. Buckley was a member of St. Peter’s and served as junior warden for many years. She was also a member and past president of the American Legion Auxiliary and was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, the Grande Ronde Hospital Auxiliary and the Knife and Fork Club.

She was a charter member of the Eight & Forty Salon 707 and the La Grande Legal Secretaries Association. She also held memberships in the Grande Ronde Symphony Guild and the Elks Lodge. She was a member of the Union County Senior Center and volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program for many years.

She enjoyed making dried floral arrangements.

Survivors include her husband, Ray Buckley of La Grande; son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Teresa Buckley of San Pedro, Calif.; two grandchildren; sister, Louise Dockter of Paul, Idaho; stepsister, Erma Burgemeister of American Falls, Idaho; numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives

Dying earlier were brothers Edward, William and Herman Vollmer; sisters, Linda Nealeigh, Alvina Hubert, Katie Boedigheimer and Elma Cantlin and stepsisters, Ella Schank and Freida Jacobsen.

Memorials may be made to the Cove Ascension School Scholarship or the charity of choice in care of Daniels Chapel, 1502 Seventh St., La Grande 97850.

Wanda E. Adams

La Grande

Wanda E. Adams, 77, of La Grande, died Thursday at her home. Funeral services are pending. A full obituary will be published later. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

‘Sarah’ Moore

Enterprise

Rosanna "Sarah" Moore, 79, of Enterprise died Friday at her home. A rosary service will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bollman Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Katherine Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Susan Dolge

La Grande

1914-2004

Susan Perlet Dolge, 89, of La Grande, died Jan. 5 at her home. Burial will be in Pulaski, N.Y.

Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Dolge was born Nov. 28, 1914, to Paul and Jane Johnston Perlet in Parish, N.Y. She graduated from Keuka College and taught in high schools in New York and West Virginia, and in a college in Ohio.

On April 10, 1988, she married Leslie Dolge in San Francisco. She lived in the Portland area and in Bullhead, Ariz., before moving to

La Grande. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Order of Eastern Star in Pulaski and the Bird Bay Golf Club in Venice, Fla. She enjoyed golf, baseball and other sports.

Survivors include her husband of La Grande; a brother, Paul F. Perlet Jr. of Rochester, N.Y., and other relatives.

John Evers

La Grande

1939-2004

John J. Evers, 64, of La Grande died Jan. 15 at his home.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Sarah Morningstar Stanton officiating. Burial will follow at the Grandview Cemetery.

Mr. Evers was born in La Grande on Aug. 1, 1939, the son of Joseph and Frances Godfrey Evers. He grew up in the Grande Ronde Valley and was a member of the Oregon National Guard. He worked as landscape supervisor for Eastern Oregon University until his retirement in 2001.

On Sept. 27, 1979, he married Becky Beickel. He was a member of the Urban Forest Committee, an FFA Honorary Member, had a State FFA degree, was a 4-H volunteer and attended a national 4-H Congress in Chicago.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting, bird watching and old tractors. He loved his animals, landscaping and gardening.

Survivors include his wife; children, Joe Evers of Portland, Jack and Shannon Evers of Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Casey and Tom Klundby of Fort Riley, Kansas; three grandchildren; brother, Jim Evers of La Grande; sister, Mary Gray of Sisters; and other relatives.

Memorials may be made to the John Evers Memorial Fund in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Sevent St., La Grande.

Dennis Murdoch

Formerly of N. Powder

1946-2004

Dennis Sutherland Murdoch, 57, of Oreana, Idaho and formerly of North Powder and Baker City, died Jan. 11 in a motor vehicle accident.

A celebration of life service was held today in Oreana.

Mr. Murdoch was born July 18, 1946, to John and Barbara Murdoch in Baker City. In 1982 he moved to Oreana, where he ranched and raised paint horses. He was an active member/officer of Owyhee County Cattlemen’s Association as well as holding office in the Idaho and National Paint Horse Association.

He is survived by his parents, John and Barbara Murdoch of North Powder; two children, Scott Murdoch of Portland and Lorrie Murdoch of Mancos, Colo.; two sisters, Donna Dias of Jamison and Lora Murdoch of Boise; and a niece.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Idaho Youth Paint Horse Club, in care of Dick Ramsey, 5717 East Powerline Road, Nampa ID 83687.