Obituaries for Dec. 2, 2009

Goldie Lloyd

Goldie Lee Lloyd, 77, died Nov. 27, 2009, at Settler’s Park.

No memorial service is planned at this time. Inurnment will be scheduled later at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Goldie was born on March 27, 1932, at Pondosa. She was the only daughter of Archie R. Lewis and Virginia Violet.

She lived the vast majority of her life in Baker County, graduating late in life from high school and then attending Eastern Oregon College at La Grande.

She married Slick Johnston in 1946 and ultimately settled in Baker City where they raised their two sons, Frank and Donald Johnston. She was proud to serve most of the county’s population at one time or another at the Royal Café in Baker City or distributing lunches through “Meals on Wheels” or at a Veterans of Foreign Wars picnic.

There was never a need of others, be it family, friends or strangers, that knowing about the need, she would not quietly and anonymously move mountains to fulfill, her family members said.

“And now God has brought her home to his everlasting arms; where never again will she experience tears or sorrow or pain,” they said.

The family asks that her friends and family remember her million-dollar smile and remember her as the infinitely decent, honest, sincere and lovingly beautiful person that she always strove to be.

Survivors include her sons, Frank Johnston of Donald, Ore., and Donald Johnston of Hamilton, Mont.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Virginia.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Headquarters through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Gladys Steiger

Her graveside funeral was Nov. 6 at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Juanita Bergacker of the Baker United Methodist Church officiated.

Gladys was born to Alma Jane Gilkison and Oran Fountain Hutton on a cold Jan. 14, 1915, at the family home in the hills above Keating Valley. She grew up in those hills playing circus and doing chores with her brothers and sisters.

All of the siblings attended Mountain View School where Gladys developed her passion for reading. In fact, a brother once had to ride back from the mountains to the homestead to get her, as she was so enthralled in a book that she was accidentally left behind when the family took off for their annual two-week camping trip in the Wallowa Mountains.

In 1933, she graduated from Baker High School and then went on to graduate from Eastern Oregon Normal School at La Grande with a lifetime elementary teaching certificate.

Her first teaching position was at the Mother Lode Mine, a one-room schoolhouse where she had 20 pupils from all grades. She received extra pay for doing the janitorial work at the school.

She married John Paul Steiger on Dec. 27, 1941, at Payette, Idaho. She took a hiatus from teaching to raise their three children: Jack, Jerry (wife, Patricia) and Lynne (husband, John R. Allen).

She returned to elementary education once the youngest, Lynne, started elementary school. Her love for teaching led her to teach Baker elementary students for almost 30 years.

After many years of taking Extension courses and attending summer school (and overcoming her fear of public speaking for a required speech class), in June of 1967 she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Oregon College. Gladys was very proud as all three children graduated from college as well.

Gladys and Paul enjoyed road trips throughout their marriage and had further plans to travel, but unfortunately Paul died shortly after Gladys’ retirement from teaching.

After she retired, Gladys volunteered hundreds of hours cataloguing donations for the Baker Heritage Museum. She was also a principal worker in the development of the publication “The History of Baker County Oregon.”

Gladys adored spending time in the mountains where she loved to watch birds and pick huckleberries. In town at home, she gardened and cared for her beautiful rose garden, which brought joy to those who passed her house on Church Street.

She enjoyed cooking and loved to bring the family together for laughter and memories with delicious meals and desserts. She was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, family members said.

Gladys lived on Church Street until she was no longer able to take care of the home and moved to a foster care home in Lake Oswego. Her new home was close to her sons and two sisters so she was visited often by family.

“Education and learning were an integral part of Gladys’ life and she embodied the qualities of honesty and integrity,” her family said. “Believing strongly in the equality of all human kind, she treated everyone with kindness and respect.”

She was active in the Methodist Church until she moved to Lake Oswego where she lived for the last six years.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father; sister, Bernice Hutton; and brothers, Wilbur “Bus” Hutton and Wallace Hutton.

Survivors include her three children; three grandchildren, Christina Steiger, Travis Allen and Heidi Allen; sisters, Viola Brue and Mildred Smith; brother, Duane Hutton, and his wife, Marilyn; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

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

Sherrill Dayhoff

Sherrill Loren Dayhoff, 72, of Haines, died Nov. 28, 2009, as a result of a woodcutting accident.

His funeral was at 10 a.m. today at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop Allen Bingham officiated. Interment was at Haines Cemetery with a reception afterward at the church.

He was born Sept. 8, 1937, at Terre Haute, Ind., to Charles Walter Dayhoff and Lorene Esther Sidwell Dayhoff. He graduated from Honey Creek High School in 1956 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

He served aboard the USS Boston in the Mediterranean and then the USS Ranger in the Pacific. He was trained as a fitter and welder and worked in damage control.

He married his teenage sweetheart, Rosemary St. John, on Sept. 28, 1958, and they lived in Alameda, Calif., until his discharge in 1960.

They returned to Indiana and moved to Oregon in 1962.

He worked as a fitter and welder in Portland, building logging equipment and heavy equipment. The family moved to Baker County in 1978 and he then worked as a ranch hand where he built miles of fence and lots of farm equipment and repaired it all.

It was said that if the job was simple he couldn’t do it, but if it was impossible — no problem. In the last few years he mainly cut and sold firewood.

He changed occupations over the years but never retired, and died working. He never took too much time off but did enjoy hunting and camping. Most of his time was spent in the outdoors.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions over the years. He and Rosemary were sealed in the LDS Salt Lake Temple in 1975.

“He was honest, frugal, forthright, firm in his convictions and faithful to his duties,” his family said. “You always knew where you stood with him.”

He passed on his work ethic to his children and grandchildren. He loved his family.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Rosemary; son, Dan of Caldwell, Idaho; daughter, Robin Newton and her husband, Wes, of Jamestown, N.D.; son, Drew, and his wife, Colleen, of Hooper, Utah; and son, Dale, of Portland; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandson; two nieces; and one nephew.

Memorial contributions may be made to the LDS Family History Center or LDS Humanitarian Aid through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Leroy Wallis

Leroy Eugene Wallis, 91, of Baker City died Nov. 25, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Inurnment will be later at Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Leroy Eugene Wallis was born on June 20, 1918, at Little Sioux, Iowa, to Daniel Fifield Wallis and Eva Grace Gee Wallis. Gene spent most of his life in Harrison or Monona County, Iowa.

The Wallis and Gee families came to Iowa from Canada and settled in the Mondamin-Little Sioux area in 1898. He went to many of the country schools and completed the 10th grade.

He was married to Loretta Ann Davis in Sioux City in 1939 where he was engaged in farming in the Little Sioux area. His only child, Judy, was born in 1941 and in 1944 he was drafted into the U.S. Army.

He served in the Philippines and Korea. He was discharged in 1946 as a sergeant.

Gene spent several years in Greenland and Alaska working construction. He had his own plumbing business in Mondamin and later farmed in that area.

In 1953 he married Thelma Herman Evans. She died in 1979.

For many years he lived in Onawa with Clara Hansen. She died in 1994. He then divided his time between Vancouver, Wash., and Mondamin, visiting with his sister, Cleo, in the winter.

In 2005 he moved to the Crowell Memorial Assisted Living Center at Blair. In 2007 when Judy and Ben moved to Oregon he joined them, living at the Memory Care Unit of Settlers Park in Baker City.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel F. and Eva Grace Gee Wallis; his sister, Irene Rolph; and a niece, Alvina Phillips.

Survivors include his daughter, Judy, and her husband, Ben White of Baker City; grandson, Michael White and great-granddaughter, Keily, of Las Vegas, Nev.; grandson, Kenneth White, and great-granddaughters, Alexus and Ashley of Spokane, Wash.; grandson, Brian White of Baker City; a brother, Charles Wallis of Little Sioux; a sister, Cleo Flood of Vancouver, Wash.; nieces and nephews, Lois Miller of Soldier, Iowa; Lorna McNeil, Norman and Marsha Rolph of Onawa, Iowa; Katharine Oaks of Whiting, Iowa; Gordon and Bonnie Rolph of Kelly, Iowa; Wallis and Lorna Rolph of California; Terry and Jane Thorson of Vancouver, Wash.; Linda and Danny Snodgrass of Omaha, Neb.; and George and Pat Wallis of San Antonio, Texas.

Cards may be sent to: The Family of Leroy Wallis, 3345 Estes St., Baker City, OR 97814 or family and friends may visit his Web site at http://www.itsjudy.com/dad.htm . Coles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

‘Tootie’ Johnston

Beverly “Tootie” Johnston, 73, of Baker City, died Nov. 27, 2009, at her home with her family by her side.

At her request, there will be no service and her ashes will be spread at her beloved cabin in the summer of 2010.

Tootie was born to Gray and Nell Hester of Baker City on Nov. 24, 1936. She spent her childhood at a ranch in Sumpter Valley.

She married Thomas Johnston on July 3, 1955, at Baker City where they spent many years. They returned to the community in 1967 after spending time in Washington, Alaska and at Bates.

Tootie’s best time was spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at her house or at the cabin. She spent many years in the health-care field and later in life worked for Baker House. She was active in AA and NA.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gray and Nell Hester; and her husband, Tom Johnston; a grandson, Kody Cosby; and a great-grandson, Karson Macy.

Survivors include her brother, Gary Hester; sister, Rhonda Lindley; her children, Mike and Julie Johnston of Pendleton, Charlie and Ladonna Johnston of Montana, Joni and Richard Kenworthy, Jennifer and Bruce Zoon and Dana Conlee, all of Colorado, and Deni and Randy Speelman of Baker City; grandchildren, Mandy Macy, Aimee Ashbaugh, Kellie Kenworthy, Jack, Isaiah and Peter Johnston, Allison Reynolds and Stephan Conlee, Beth, Emily and Joe Speelman, Chloe, Caleb and Harper Johnston, Katy Davilla and Sam and Hannah Zoon.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to New Directions Northwest, 2100 Main St., Baker City, OR 97814.