Obituaries for Dec. 18, 2009

Walter Ostwald

Walter Alvin Ostwald, 86, of Baker City, died Dec. 11, 2009.

Except for his military service, and a short period working elsewhere, he spent his entire life in Baker City.

His funeral was at 10 a.m. today at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Tim Ostwald, cousin of Walter, will officiate. The Army National Guard will offer military rites. Friends are invited to gather at Gray’s West & Co. for a reception after the service. Interment will be later at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Walter was born at Baker City on Oct. 6, 1923, to Paul William and Anna Bell Grubb Ostwald. Anna was formerly of Halfway.

After his graduation from Baker High School, Walter enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Pacific Theater as machinist’s mate aboard LST No. 476 during the last years of World War II.

Upon discharge from the Navy, Walter worked in a machine shop in Portland for a short time before returning to Baker City to join his father in operating his machine shop. Walter operated the Ostwald Machine Shop, established by his father as a saw-sharpening and cutlery shop nearly 90 years ago.

Walter diversified his shop to include specialty welding, ornamental wrought-iron fabrication and machining related to repair of custom-built mill and mining equipment. He operated the shop until his retirement about 10 years ago.

On June 17, 1956, Walt married Eva Mary Nelson of Rupert, Idaho. She was a well-known and popular teacher in the commercial arts at Baker High School.

They were avid square dancers, purchased a home on Park Street, and enjoyed cruising the backcountry on their matching snowmobiles.

Eva died in 1979. His only sister, Laura Mae Ostwald Tracey, died in 2003.

Survivors include two first cousins, Leonard Fred Ostwald of Concord, Calif., and Lydick Timothy Ostwald of Boulder, Colo.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice or charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Donald Clark

Donald R.Clark, 87, of Baker City died Dec. 14, 2009, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise. 

His memorial service will be Saturday, Dec. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Baker City Armory. Reverend Aletha Bonebrake of St. Stephens Episcopal Church and Pastor Lynda Clark, Donald’s daughter, will officiate. The U.S. Army National Guard will be performing full military rites.

Cremation was at Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory in Baker City and inurnment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in the spring of 2010.

Donald Rinard Clark was born Jan. 4, 1922, in Baker to Walter Alphus and Grace Ellentine (Rinard) Clark. He graduated from Baker High School in 1940 and served in the U.S. Army from 1940 to 1945.  He survived World War II and stayed active in the National Guard until his retirement. He also served on the Siting Committee for the new Baker City Armory.

After his military service, he attended the University of Oregon, graduating in 1949. He married Ann Sandidge in 1951 in Baker.  They had two children, Lynda and Wayne.

Don worked at the family business, Clark Outdoor Advertising.  Later, he became district manager for SAIF until his retirement in 1997. After retirement, he became an independent insurance fraud investigator. 

Donald retired as a Captain from the U.S. Army National Guard in 1981.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting, traveling, stamp collecting, cars and car racing and Baker County history and memorabilia. Don coached Baker Little League, he was active in the Army National Guard, the Bulldog Boosters, the National Society of Scabbard & Blade, YMCA Youth Football, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, the Advertising Association of the West (AAW), and the International Conference of Sports Car Clubs (ICSCC). He won E-Production Class in the Portland Grand Prix in 1964.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Grace Clark; and his brother, Alphus Clark.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Clark of Baker City; his daughter, Lynda Clark of Salem; his son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Laurie Clark of North Bend, Wash.; grandchildren, Jeremy, Ruth and Lucien Golar; and great-grandchildren, Bailey and Riley Golar.

Memorial contributions may be made to Baker Little League through Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.