Local funerals

and visitations

Sept. 24 – Jim Goucher, celebration of life, 11 a.m., United Methodist Church, Union

Sept. 24 – Edna Flanery, graveside service, 2 p.m., Summerville Cemetery

Sept. 25 – Albert R. Tucker, funeral service with military honors, 2 p.m., Summerville Baptist Church; interment at Summerville Cemetery follows

Sept. 26 – Mitchell L. Banaka, funeral service, 2 p.m., Loveland Funeral Chapel

Sept. 26 – Ted W. Willoughby, viewing, 4 to 6 p.m., Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center

Sept. 27 – Ted W. Willoughby, memorial service, 11 a.m., La Grande Presbyterian Church

Oct. 6 – Scott B. Crane, celebration of life and potluck, 2 p.m., Lostine Presbyterian Church

Joseph W. Lucius

La Grande

Joseph Walter Lucius, 51, of La Grande, died Sept. 24 at his home. A complete obituary will be published at a later time. Arrangements are under the care of Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory.

Ted W. Willoughby

La Grande

Ted Wilson Willoughby, 80, of La Grande, died Sept. 22 at a local care facility. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 at the La Grande Presbyterian Church. Viewing for family and friends will be available from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center. A private burial will be held at the Island City Cemetery.

A complete obituary will be published at a later time. Those who wish may make contributions in his memory to a charity choice. To sign the on-line guest book or leave a condolence for the family, visit www.danielsknopp.com.

Mitchell L. Banaka

Formerly of La Grande

1965-2012

Mitchell Lee Banaka, 47, of Bend and formerly of La Grande, died Sept. 18. A funeral service is planned for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Loveland Funeral Chapel. Pastor Mark Opperman, of Elgin Christian Life Center, will officiate. Baird Memorial Chapel of La Pine is honored to serve the family.

Known as Mitch, he was born July 22, 1965, in Aberdeen, Wash., to Larry and Kathryn Banaka. He attended La Grande High School. On July 25, 1999, Mitch married Carolyn Chastain in North Powder. He worked as a machinist for Muzzy’s, and later for Keith Manufacturing.

Mitch enjoyed snowmobiling and riding motorcycles. He especially loved small engine repair and rebuilding, and being with his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Larry Banaka, and a brother, Kenny Banaka.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn of Bend; mother and stepfather, Kathryn and Doug Ward of Elgin; children, Kenny Glenn of La Grande and Lisa Glenn of Redmond; sisters, Kim Campo of Elgin and Pam Mackie of Boise, Idaho; and four grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Mail Code BTE355, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland 97239.

Scott B. Crane

Lostine

1955-2012

Scott Brandon Crane, 56, of Lostine, died Sept. 20 at home after a long illness. A celebration of life and potluck is planned for 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Lostine Presbyterian Church.

Scott was born Oct. 7, 1955, to Virgil V. and Edythe Duke Crane. He had two sisters, Paula and Shelley. He was born and raised in Enterprise, where he hunted, fished and got into much mischief as a boy. In 1974 Scott graduated from Enterprise High School, where he enjoyed choir and band.

Scott married Shannon Weaver from Wallowa on July 16, 1977, and they had two children, Kayla Cien Crane and Brandon Tyler Crane. They were married for 13 years and remained friends after they divorced. Scott found great joy and pride in his children. On June 7, 1991, he married his life partner and wife of 21 years, Vickie J. Daggett, and shared in the raising of her children.

Scott worked as a glazier with his father, and later took over V. Crane and Son. He also worked for Oregon State Parks and Recreation, and then drove the mail truck for BTC throughout Oregon and Washington. The last eight years of his life Scott was retired due to his health, but he continued to help others whenever he could.

Scott was a trumpet player and a member of the Wallowa County Band for more than 20 years. He was an honorary member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion for his service playing “Taps” at veterans’ funerals. He started playing “Taps” at a young age and estimated that he had played for more than 500 ceremonies.

Scott was a member of South Fork Grange #605 and was given an award for community service in 2010. In the 1980s he taught hunter safety classes to youth. Scott was a very active member of the Lostine Presbyterian Church, where he played guitar and sang in the choir. He enjoyed singing very much and attended choir camp each summer.

Scott loved the Wallowa Valley and being outdoors, hunting, fishing or gathering mushrooms, huckleberries and firewood.

He was there for the births of seven of his nine grandchildren. He found great joy in fishing and camping with them.

Survivors include his wife, Vickie Crane of Lostine; children, Kayla Crane of Walla Walla , Wash., and Brandon Tyler Crane of Bend; sisters, Paula Kinnaman of Green Valley, Ariz., and Shelley Crane of Cannon Beach; stepchildren, Venessa Beaudette of Bellingham,Wash., Stacy Clark of Prescott, Wash., and John Clark and Justin Welch of Pendleton; and nine grandchildren.

Sharon F. Norrie

Formerly of Enterprise and La Grande

1941-2012

Sharon F. Norrie, 71, of Fayetteville, Penn., and formerly of Enterprise and La Grande, died Sept. 20. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Chambersburg, Penn. A graveside service in Enterprise will take place at a later date.

Sharon was born in 1941 in Enterprise to Faye and Jesse Schaures. She graduated from La Grande High School in 1959 and attended Kinman Business University in Spokane, Wash. She worked as the bookkeeper and office manager for Manito Country Club in Spokane. She was also a Dale Carnegie graduate and later taught Dale Carnegie classes. She moved to Torrance, Calif., in the early 1960s and was employed with Tylan Corporation, a semi-conductor manufacturer, as their director of sales.

In 1975, she married Jack J. Norrie, and they lived in North Carolina, New Jersey and Pennsylvania during the next 37 years. In New Jersey Sharon started her own business, WES, Inc., a successful semi-conductor sales company. She and Jack raised thoroughbred horses on their farm in New Jersey. Upon retirement in 2000, they moved to Penn National, Penn.

Sharon’s numerous accomplishments included being an active member of the LHS Class of 1959, chairman of the Pink Ribbon Golf Tournaments and publisher of the Penn National Community Email. Sharon was included in Who’s Who of American Businesswomen.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Faye and Jesse Schaures of La Grande; sister, Carol Schaures Skillings of La Grande; and a nephew, Darrel Lynn Skillings, originally of Wallowa.

Survivors include her husband, Jack Norrie of Penn National; siblings and their spouses, Lynn and Mel Schaures of Castle Rock, Wash., Lee and Cindy Schaures of La Grande and Wanda and Dale Case of Cove; stepdaughters, JoEllyn Norrie of Florida and Jennifer Krammes of Maryland; numerous nieces and nephews; and Josie, her Border collie.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mont Alto Fire Department #1 and Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 310, Mont Alto, Penn., 17237 or a charity of choice. Condolences and memories may be shared on Sharon’s Book of Memories page at www.geiselfuneralhome.com.

Albert R. Tucker

Imbler

1948-2012

Albert Ray Tucker, 64, of Imbler, died Sept. 20 at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. A funeral service with military honors will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 at the Summerville Baptist Church. Interment will be in the Summerville Cemetery.

Known as Al, he was born Feb. 1, 1948, to Andrew Jackson and Myrtle Tobrocke Tucker in La Grande. Al married Minnie Thornton on July 6, 1973, in Wichita Falls, Texas.

He was employed with Davis Shows Northwest, and drove bus for the Elgin School District and the Mid Columbia Bus Company. He was a hunter education instructor with ODFW for 20 years.

Al enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating and camping. He served his country in the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge in 1986 when he retired after 20 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his father, Andrew Jackson Tucker, and a grandson, Jeffrey Paul Brainerd.

Survivors include his wife, Minnie of Imbler; children and their spouses, Jean Anne and Kirk Pierson of La Grande and William Andrew Tucker of Tygh Valley; mother, Myrtle (Tobrocke) Tucker Miller of Elgin; brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Helen Tucker of La Grande; six grandchildren and three nephews and nieces and their families.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Al Tucker Memorial Sport Shooting Fund in care of Summerville Baptist Church, P.O. Box 164, Summerville 97876. Online condolences to the family may be made at www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.