Obituaries for April 23, 2010

‘Dan’ Smith

Daniel Harold “Dan” Smith, 66, of Baker City, lost his battle with cancer and died April 17, 2010, at home with loved ones in attendance.

At his request, there will be no formal service or interment. An informal get-together will be planned later this year.

Dan was born on March 11, 1944, at Caldwell, Idaho, to L. Harold and Geraldine Talbot Smith. He was the second of four boys born to the family. From age 6, Dan grew up at Huntington where his father worked for Idaho Power Co.

Dan’s experiences while growing up in Huntington were good and rewarding. He fondly recalled summertimes spent working on ranches in the Burnt River area and the family fishing trips. He did well in high school where he served as student body president, class president and was a multiyear letterman in four sports.

He always got a kick out of seeing old basketball programs that listed him as 6-foot-1. He would remark that was only true if they measured him with his shoes on and his hair combed up, his family said.

After graduating in 1962 from Huntington, he attended several colleges, finally graduating from Eastern Oregon College (now Eastern Oregon University), in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree. During part of this period, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad to help pay tuition and housing.

After graduation, he married and continued to work for the railroad at La Grande. With the prompting of a friend who had become an Oregon State Police officer, Dan himself applied for and became an OSP trooper in 1969.

He was assigned to the Salem area and worked various assignments, including patrol, riot control and security at the Governor’s Mansion. With the new interstate being completed through Eastern Oregon, Dan applied for and was transferred to the Baker patrol office.

He had requested the transfer so he could raise his family in the same area he and his wife had grown up in. While working out of Baker, Dan ended up with the nickname of “Radar” due to his ability to sense a speeder coming down the road before they came into view.

Unfortunately, Dan’s career was cut drastically short in 1978. Abdominal pain, which he had first suffered during college, came back acutely. He was then diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and parts of his intestinal tract were removed.

After the surgeries, he continued to have discomfort and suffered from other side effects. Unable to continue his full duties as a trooper, he was medically retired from the department in 1979.

In the years after his retirement, he focused on his family while working on projects in and around the house. Dan provided help to friends, neighbors, and family members throughout these years.

He took great joy in his four grandchildren, district and state basketball tournaments, and all the pets, including the wild deer that had come to the backyard the last few years.

He was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Johnny.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy, of 43 years; brother, David, and his wife, Rhea, and brother, Mike, and his wife, Linda; son, Dan Jr., and his wife, Amy; daughter, Becky, and grandchildren, Kenny, Andy, Marty, and Danica.

Memorial contributions may be made to the La Grande Humane Society through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Diane Elkins

In the month preceding her death, she was surrounded by family and friends and said, “I’ve had a good life; many caring hands have helped me through this.” In the same way her caring hands helped many others, her family said. 

 At her request, her body was cremated. There will be a graveside celebration of her life with inurnment at 1 p.m. May 1 at the Haines Cemetery 

Diane was born on Dec. 27, 1927, on the Camas Prairie near Grangeville, Idaho. She was the first grandchild of certified Idaho pioneers, John H. Chase and Purna D. Rush.

At an early age, she moved with her family to Kooskia, Idaho, and they eventually lived in a home her father built on Highway 12 that still stands today. Part of her responsibilities as a child included milking cows before school, which resulted in a lifelong love of the early morning.

Diane rode her bike to the local store with glass bottles full of milk to sell to help out with the family’s  grocery bill. She also worked at the local theater, running the movie reels and later as a waitress in area restaurants.

Her education was at the Stites Grade School and the Kooskia High School. Diane married Robert H. Weeks and together they had three children: Steven R., Larry L. and Dawna M.

That marriage ended in divorce, but the two remained friends forever along with their new spouses.

In 1965 she moved to Haines where she and her sons were hired to harvest a hay crop for a local rancher, Dan Elkins. She married him in 1966 and they had many happy years together.

After his retirement, they served as foster parents for a total of 42 children. They lived in a large country house with one bathroom where everyone was expected to earn his or her keep.

They kept busy with household chores, bummer lambs, shearing sheep, picking wild mushrooms, fishing, hunting, camping, canning fruit and gathering wood for the winter, always with country music playing.

During this time Diane and Dan also became grandparents and adopted a daughter, Barbara. She joined the blended family along with Dan’s daughter, Donna Marie.

Slowing down a bit, they relocated to Montana, Oregon again and finally to Yakima, Wash., to be close to family. These years were filled with more adventures that included ponds, bear, geese, big and small dogs, sewing Western shirts, fishing, cats, grandchildren, card games, puzzles, books, indoor plants, large flower gardens, birdfeeders, quilting, volunteer mending, making vests for a middle school band, great-grandchildren, word-search puzzles, maintaining her lady-like skill at never once filling her own gas tank and great-great grandchildren.

Family members expressed  their appreciation to Shonda and Nikki for their great care of “Gramma” and to the hospice team for their support and care.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dan; sister, Delta Jo; brother, Richard; son, Steve; grandson, David; and daughter-in-law Rusty.

Survivors include the Hazelbaker family matriarch, Auntie Marijoria Martin; son Larry (Dee) Weeks, daughters, Dawna (Jerry) Glenn, Barbie Elkins and Donna Marie Davis; grandchildren, Peggy, Kathy, Rob, Johnny, Jody, Travis, Shonda, Amanda, Cory and Alan; numerous great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, the foster children and their families, along with nieces, nephews and  cousins.

Valley Hills Funeral Home of Yakima, Wash., is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at:

www.valleyhillsfh.com

Brandon Cribbs

A viewing is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.

His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home. Pastor Lennie Spooner of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Family and friends are invited to a reception after the service at Calvary Baptist Church, 2107 Third St.

Brandon was born on Jan. 17, 1981, at Baker City to Fred and Ruth Cribbs. Growing up in a military family, Brandon attended schools in Guam, California and finally Baker City.

He excelled in football and baseball from childhood through high school. During most of his adult years he could be found outdoors fishing and archery hunting or indoors working on computers. 

Survivors include his father and stepmother, Fred and Christine Cribbs of Hermiston; mother and stepfather, Ruth and Cecil Sangston of Baker City; his brother, Travis Cribbs of Corvallis; two beautiful daughters, Kadence Cribbs of Boise and Khloe Cribbs of Baker City; grandparents, Duane and Beulah Shumway of Bridgeport and Angie Refior of Baker City; numerous aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Fred T. Cribbs; and sister, Ashley Rene Cribbs.

Memorial contributions may be made in support of Kadence and Khloe’s educational trust fund through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Baker City, OR 97814.