Free, Perkins, Patterson

Elfrida Free

North Powder

Elfrida Free, 82, of North Powder died Wednesday. A viewing will be held from

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday at Loveland Funeral Chapel. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at North Powder Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at the La Grande Nazarene Church at 2:30 p.m. People unable to attend the celebration of life can view the service live online at funeralrecording.com. Enter the Memorial ID No. 4166.

Diane J. Lupinacci Perkins

Formerly of Imbler

1949-2013

Diane J. Lupinacci Perkins, 63, of Ocean Park, Wash., and formerly of Imbler, died Dec. 1, 2013, in Ocean Park after a battle with brain cancer.

Diane was born Dec. 20, 1949, in Hearne, Texas, the daughter of Walter and Edna Perkins.

Survivors include her companion/partner Ray Morton, twin sister Ann Jourdan, sister Lillie Simmons and brother Bobby Perkins.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Jim and Ray, and sister, Dot.

Dennis Larry Patterson

North Powder

1941-2014

Dennis Larry Patterson, 72, died Jan. 29 at his home from pancreatic cancer with his wife and children at his side. A visitation will be held at Gray’s West and Co. Pioneer Chapel in Baker City from

2 p.m. to 7 p.m. today.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at North Powder Cemetery with Bishop Brad Allen of the Baker Valley Ward of the Church of Latter-day Saints in Baker City. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception following the graveside service at the multi-purpose room at the North Powder School.

Dennis was born in Malheur County on May 16, 1941. He was the 14th and youngest child of Andrew and Erma Simpson Patterson. The family moved to North Powder when Dennis was 9 months old. Between the age of 3 and 4, he contacted polio and spent many months over the next two years in the Shriners Hospital in Portland. Polio left his right arm and hand crippled, but this handicap never stopped him from accomplishing anything he set his mind too.

He had great memories of his childhood. He adored his older brothers and sisters.

He attended school at North Powder, where he played football, baseball and basketball. He graduated from Powder Valley High School in 1961.

Dennis married his high school sweetheart, April Kay Griffith, on Oct. 22, 1962. They are the parents of a daughter and a son.

He farmed and ranched most of his life. He loved cattle and working with the soil. He retired from ranching after an injury in 1991.

Dennis loved hunting and fishing with his family. He looked forward each year to hunting with his brothers, son, grandsons and nephews.

Most summer afternoons you could find him and Kay at Pilcher Creek Reservoir trolling for trout in their little aluminum boat.

He was an extreme gardener and loved nothing better than sharing his knowledge on the subject as well as giving away what he produced. He was very

proud of the school garden project.

He served a term as a council member for the city of North Powder and even though he was not well at the time, he was thrilled to serve as grand marshal for the Huckleberry Festival. For several years, he served as a chaperone for the middle school service project.

He dearly loved his children and grandchildren and was extremely proud of their accomplishments. He had pet names for each of his grandchildren, and no matter how old they got the name stuck.

He is survived by his wife, Kay; his daughter, Autum Lewis and husband, Marc of Boise, Idaho; his son, Shane Patterson and wife, Sandra, of Union; his grandchildren, Hanna and Kaylee Lewis of Boise, and Ethan, Wyatt and Ella Patterson of Union.

He is also survived by a brother, Ralph Patterson and wife, Donna, of Union; sisters, Marilyn Pfeil and Bernice McCalister, both of Baker City, Velma Last of Pilot Rock, Mar Dean Child of Boise, Sharon Horne and husband, Jack, Verlene Shipler and Barbara Green, all of Salt lake City, Utah, Shanna Patterson of Marshal, Mo., and many nieces and nephews. Dennis had a special place in his heart for Carrie Crook and Alisa Trindle.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Ronald, LaMar and Lyle, and a sister, Maxine.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the LDS Humanitarian Services or the Shriners Hospital through Gray’s West and Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

The family offers special thanks to all the friends and family members who offered love and support during the last 18 months.