Obituaries for the day of April 21, 2009

Daniel R. Couzens

Formerly of La Grande

1959-2009

Daniel R. Couzens, 50, of Umatilla and formerly of La Grande, died April 11 at his home.

A celebration of life service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Oregon National Guard Armory in Hermiston with a potluck luncheon to follow. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements.

Daniel was born March 4, 1959, to Charles and Clarane Urie Couzens in Baker. He was raised and attended school in Baker, graduating from Baker High School in 1978. He joined the Oregon National Guard at the age of 17.

Dan was united in marriage to Linda Mitchell July 8, 1978, in Baker. He worked for Baker Builder Supply for 13 years before going to work full-time for the Oregon National Guard in 1990. He had worked in Baker and La Grande before transferring to Hermiston in 1997. Dan was transferred back to La Grande in 2002 where he served as a sergeant 1st class in charge of personnel, although he and his family continued to live in Umatilla. Dan served a tour in Iraq from June 2004 through November 2005 and held the rank of master sergeant.

He enjoyed motorcycles, woodworking, building projects, fishing and music.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Couzens of Umatilla; daughters, Kiya Kalb and her husband, Marty, of Hermiston and Keysha Couzens of Hermiston; father, Charles Couzens of Baker; mother, Clarane Sundin and her husband, Peter, of Baker; sisters, Davon Thompson of Crouch, Idaho, and Rebecca Mitchell of Baker.

Donald G. Smith

Alder Slope

1930-2009

Donald G. Smith, 78, of Alder Slope, died April 8 at his home. At his request there will be no funeral service. Bollman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Donald was born Sept. 29, 1930, in Multnomah County. He was the youngest child of Clarence A. Smith and Elsie (Fretwell) Smith Phillips. Most of his life was spent in Wallowa County. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking in the mountains and spending time at his home on Alder Slope.

He was very involved in the lives of his nephews when they were growing up in Enterprise. He spent many hours with them on the farm and hiking in the mountains.

He served in the U.S. Navy in the Mobile Construction Battalion from November 1951 to June 1955 and was stationed in various places as an operating engineer. After his discharge he returned to Enterprise where he worked on the family farm and for the local television cable company.

He is survived by four nephews, Scott and his wife, Kim Thompson, Kelly and his wife, Jody Thompson, Dan and his wife, Barbara Thompson, and John Thompson; and one great-nephew, John Christopher Thompson. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Norma Smith Thompson Bobbitt; and one nephew, Kyle Thompson.

Edwin S. Lindsay

Formerly of La Grande

1933-2009

Edwin Serge Lindsay, 76, formerly of La Grande and Pendleton, died April 16 in Medford.

Funeral services will begin at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at the LDS Church in Pendleton with Bishop Dennis Wilson officiating. Concluding services and dedication of the grave will follow at the La Grande Cemetery with military honors. Friends may call at the LDS Church in Pendleton from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday. Conger-Morris Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Edwin was born Feb. 17, 1933, to Lionel and Bertha (Larcher) Lindsay in La Grande. On June 11, 1978, he married the former Loretta Williams in Pendleton.

He retired from the Union Pacific Railroad in February 1995.

Edwin was a member of the Central Point 1st Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a veteran of the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife, Loretta B. Lindsay; sister, Mary and her husband, Louis N. Diana, of Seattle; brothers, David O. Lindsay and Vern M. Lindsay, of Boise; daughter, Sandra K. (Lindsay) Joseph of Lehi, Utah; sons, Richard E. Lindsay of Provo, Utah, and Michael D. Lindsay of St. George, Utah; stepchildren, Ace D. Williams of Medford, and Tamela and her husband, Phil DeRosso, of Seattle; and many grandchildren and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by brothers Derrell, Ronald and George Lindsay.

Ernest F. Neal

Enterprise

1916-2009

Ernest Forrest Neal, 92, of Enterprise, died March 26 at Wallowa Valley Care Center. A celebration of life was held April 3 at First Baptist Church in Enterprise. Burial followed at the Enterprise Cemetery. Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise was in charge of arrangements.

Ernest was born Sept. 7, 1916, to Marion and Viva (Shumway) Neal, the third of eight children in Lebanon.

As a youth, Ernest was a member of the CCC. He moved to Milton where he helped build the grainery that can be seen on the right at the entrance to town.

He met Myrtle Hudson in Milton. They married Oct. 9, 1940, and had three children. They later divorced in 1958. Early in the ’40s, he moved to Enterprise where he worked in the Wallowa County Creamery.

When it closed, he went to work for Jack’s Tire Service recapping tires in the winter.

In summer, he worked for Union Pacific Railroad on track until 1950 when he started work full time. In 1965, he was track foreman. He returned to Enterprise in the fall of 1969 as the section foreman until his retirement.

He drove for Community Connection in Enterprise until he was 80.

Survivors include daughters, E. Maurine Haynes of Lincoln City and Winnifred Andrews of La Grande; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brother, Noel Neal and his wife, Sally, of Hood River; sister, Sheila Fredrickson and her husband, Fred Springfield; and many other family members.

Forrest was preceded in death by his son, Ronald F. Neal in 1969 at Vietnam; his parents; four sisters; and one brother.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wallowa Valley Care Center.