Obituaries: Jack Stevens, Margaret Chandler, Eula Blake, Margaret Baird

Margaret Baird

Margaret C. Baird, 94, a longtime Halfway resident, died Sept. 1, 2006, at Baker City.

There was a celebration of her life today at the Pine Baptist Church in Halfway. Pastor Shawn Thatcher officiated. Interment was at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway.

The daughter of Charles S. and Bertha Jane Crabill McCord, Margaret was born at 1503 10th St. in Baker City on Nov. 8, 1911. She attended school at Weiser, Idaho, until her family moved to Halfway in 1923.

She married Everett Baird in 1928. For the next 25 years she assisted Everett in their Halfway funeral home business known as the Baird Funeral Directors.

Margaret clerked at the Old Pine Merc during the early 1940s and did wallpapering all over Pine Valley during the late '40s. She assisted Ennis Masterson in cooking for the school's hot lunch program, which was started by the Parent-Teacher Association.

Margaret and Everett moved to California in 1951. In the years that followed, Margaret worked for John D. Gregg, president of Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.

She prepared countless meals for the Gregg family and business groups. Her apple pies were enjoyed by silent film actor Monte Montana, as well as many others. Also during that time she was a dressmaker and did alterations.

After returning to Pine Valley in 1960, she assisted Everett in his registered quarter horse business at the Dun Rovin' Ranch on the Cornucopia Highway. During the filming of "Paint Your Wagon," Margaret used her tailoring experience in sewing shirts for Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood as well as embroidering Jean Seberg's skirts.

Margaret's upholstery business was operated in the old N.D. Brown building on Main Street in Halfway for many years. Later the "Baird's Upholstery" sign moved to the Dun Rovin' Ranch. Her business continued at 321 N. Main St. until she moved to Baker City in 2001.

Her community service included charter membership in the Pine Valley Grange No. 815. She had been a supporter of the Pine Valley Community Museum, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Women's Auxiliary and she was a member of the Carson Club and the Pine Baptist Church.

Friends will remember Margaret's love of family, playing bridge, fishing, bowling, hunting and picking huckleberries. She took great pride in all of her work.

Survivors include her brother, Tom McCord, and his wife, Nancy, of Halfway; a son, Joe Baird, and his wife, Glady, of Oceanside, Calif.; grandchildren, Joan Webb of Pacific Grove, Calif., Julie Loo of Bakersfield, Calif., Tami Carpenter of Halfway, Craig Moseley of Portland and Lori Moseley of Forest Grove; and four great-grandsons, Jason Parker, Daniel Parker, Bryce Loo and Brandon Loo.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Everett Baird; her daughter, Carol Moseley; and grandsons, Jon Baird and Mark Moseley.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Pine Valley Grange or the Pine Baptist Church through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834.

Eula Blake

Eula Blake, 86, of La Grande, died Sept. 2, 2006, at Wildflower Lodge Assisted Living Facility in La Grande.

Her graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor John Privett of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate.

Eula was born on Aug. 19, 1920, at Santa Monica, Calif., to Roy and Ada Gabert Lostutter. She attended school in California. She married Frank M. Blake on July 20, 1946.

She enjoyed cross-stitching and latch-work rug making.

Survivors include two sons, Frank Blake, and his wife, Helen, of La Grande, and Richard Blake of North Powder; a daughter, Betty Hack, and her husband, Allen, of Haines; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; two brothers, Roy and Dick Lostutter; a granddaughter, Tracy Hack; and a grandson, Franklin Blake.

Memorial contributions may be made to the University Hospital Neonatal Center through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.

Margaret Chandler

Margaret Francis Chandler, 84, of Baker City, died Sept. 1, 2006, at Baker City.

There will be a private family service at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Margaret was born on Dec. 4, 1921, at Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, to Thomas and Josephine Bowers Hendren. She married Russell T. Chandler on Jan. 12, 1940, at Boise. They moved to Baker City in 1948 where they had lived since.

Survivors include her brother, Bill Hendren of Boise; sons, Tom Chandler and his wife, Maxine, of Sumpter and Jay Chandler of Baker City; son-in-law, Paul Scott of Haines; and six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell; a daughter, Betty Scott; three sisters; and one brother.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.

Jack Hausler Stevens, 91, of Haines, died Aug. 27, 2006, at his home.

At his request, there was no funeral. His family honored his request with a private celebration of his life.

Jack was born on March 31, 1915, at Seattle, Wash., to Mathew and Mathilde Hausler Stevens. He lived a full 91 years. During his life he owned three businesses: a neon and plastic sign company at Renton, Wash.; a soft ice cream drive-in at Seattle; and Radium Hot Springs Park at Haines.

In the early 1970s, Jack sold his business properties in Seattle and moved to Haines to operate Radium. He relished his new lifestyle.

He became known for his passion for collecting antique cars, his unfailing humor — which showed itself in tongue-in-cheek signs on his pool property — and published collections of cartoons he created for the Horseless Carriage Club Gazette in Washington.

His talent was displayed in his creative sign-painting work visible on buildings from bars to restaurants, at rodeos and parades, and on vehicles ranging from trucks to sports cars in Baker City and Haines.

His acquisitional skills in finding authentic Coca-Cola memorabilia and everything in car art, from signs and posters to hubcaps and gas pumps, were legendary. He "tripped the light fantastic" on many an area dance floor, often in award-winning costumes, with his companion, Helen Mae Phifer.

Jack was a vital, active presence to the end, still making signs in his 91st year, and spending the last night of his life out dancing.

Survivors include his daughter, Sherry Stevens; son, Randell W. Stevens, and his wife, Carol; sister, Rosanne Nelson; nephew, Steven Nelson, and his wife, Nancy, and their three children; and niece, Sue Nelson, and her two children.

Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel was in charge of arrangements.