Obituaries: Ruth Rasmussen, Lawrence Kennedy and Elizabeth Patterson

Elizabeth Patterson

Elizabeth Bokop Patterson, 97, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Oct. 5, 2006, at the Wallowa Valley Care Center.

Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 2130 Second St. Private interment of her cremains will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Mrs. Patterson was born on June 30, 1909, at New York City to Federick and Augusta Bokop of Defiance, Ohio, where she grew up. She attended Western College at Oxford, Ohio, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1931 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education.

She was invited to visit friends in Baker City where she met and married Franklin W. "Bill" Patterson in 1938. He was a lifelong Baker City resident. He died on March 3, 1983.

Mrs. Patterson worked for T.B. Health Association, later called the American Lung Association, and was a substitute teacher while raising her children. She became a full-time teacher in Latin and English at Baker High School, where she worked until her retirement in 1971.

Mrs. Patterson was recognized in 1991 as the "Legacy Woman of the Year" by the Baker County Chamber of Commerce for her half century of work in Baker County. Among her many activities, she was involved with the American Field Service Program, which sponsored foreign exchange students in Baker City. One student, Rankine from Whitley Bay, North Umberland, England, lived with the Patterson family in 1961.

She also supported Community Concert Association, where she aggressively sold substantial annual memberships each year. Other activities included the American Association of University Women, at the local and state level; Oregon Trail Regional Museum; the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center; St. Stephen's Episcopal Church where she was an active member for more than 60 years; and the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon.

She moved to Joseph in 1998 where she could be closer to her daughters and family and to enjoy the cabin at Wallowa Lake.

Survivors include her three children, William Robert "Bob" Patterson and his wife, Marvel, of Chandler, Ariz., John Frederick Patterson of Walla Walla, Wash., and Charlotte Williams of Joseph; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church or St. Patrick's Episcopal Church through the Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise, OR 97828.

Lawrence Kennedy

Lawrence H. Kennedy, 45, of Baker City, died Oct. 4, 2006.

His funeral was Friday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

He was born on Jan. 25, 1961. He grew up in California and after high school he joined the U.S. Air Force. In 1987, he moved to Baker City and married Lisa Johnson.

Larry worked for Wooters Tire Service for several years and then for Commercial Tire.

In 1990, he owned and operated Kennedy's Electronics and over the next several years, he moved into computers. His favorite thing was to help people set up their computer systems and then teach them how to use them.

In 2001, he started working for the Baker School District's technology department. He loved the variety of doing something different every day and working with all the different people.

Larry also loved to go camping, the ocean and spending time with his boys.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Kennedy; and his brother, James Kennedy.

Survivors include his wife, Lisa Johnson Kennedy of Baker City; two sons, Scott and Spencer of Baker City; his mother, Jennifer Kennedy of Boise; a brother, Dave of Nampa, Idaho; and a sister, Sheilah of Eagle, Idaho.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker Valley Seventh-day Adventist School or Gem State Academy through Gray's West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Ruth Rasmussen

Ruth Vivian Rasmussen, 83, of Baker City, died Oct. 4, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.

Her funeral was held Monday at Gray's West and Company Pioneer Chapel. The Rev. Susan Barnes of First Presbyterian Church officiated.

Ruth was born Feb. 1, 1923, to Raymond and Violet Denton of Sandpoint, Idaho. She moved to Baker City as a child and graduated from Baker High School in 1941.

She had two sons, Michael Macy and Phillip "Pat" Rasmussen.

Ruth was a dedicated employee of U.S. Bank and retired in 1982 after many years of faithful service. She was an outdoor enthusiast and enjoyed bowling and gambling.

Ruth will be greatly missed and remembered most for the loyalty, dedication and joy she brought to her friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Eleanor, her husband Ronald Coalwell, her son Michael Macy, daughter-in-law Lynetta "Lenny" Rasmussen and her long-time companion Ronald Hogan.

She is survived by her son, Phillip Rasmussen; daughter-in-law, Mary Wagner; grandchildren, Michael Macy Jr. and his wife, Stephanie, Jessica Hill and her husband, Brady, and Heather Mack and her husband, Arnold Skeels; great-grandchildren, Bailey and Hunter Hill, Augustus and Olivia Mack-Skeels and Ethan Macy; and her daughter, Barbara Gill, and her best friend, Ila Colson.