Obituaries for Feb. 24, 2010

Ernest Morrison

His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward for family and friends at First Lutheran Church, 1734 Third St.

Ernie was born on March 27, 1921, at Long Beach, Calif., and later moved to Henrietta, Okla. He entered the U.S. Army in 1943 and served as a staff sergeant in the South Pacific Islands during World War II.

He married Rose L. Williams on May 26, 1946, and was discharged from the service in 1954. He moved his family to Baker City in 1959 and operated a Shell gas station on Third and Broadway.

He purchased the Prochnow Stables with 9 acres of land on Ninth Street and Hughes Lane and built the present Mountain View Mobile Home and RV Park.

During the early years while developing the RV park, he was a highway construction worker helping to build much of Interstate 84 around Baker City. He also worked on the construction of Mason Dam.

He and Rose semi-retired from the park in 1983, pursuing their hobbies of travel, playing with the grandkids and sitting on the porch watching traffic drive by. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and the outdoors.

Survivors include his wife, Rose, of 64 years; his daughter, Betty, and husband, George Petitjean of Goetzville, Mich., daughter, Rhonda, and her husband, Joe Spellman, of Baker City and son, Larry, and his wife, Pam Morrison of La Grande; his greatest joys in life were his 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and wife, Rose, known as “Fuzz”.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital or the Baker Middle School Sports Program through Grays West & Co.

‘Frankie’ Patton

Frances Louise “Frankie” Patton, 88, of Portland, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 11, 2010.

Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. March 6 at the Rose Rilla Fellowship Hall, 13505 S.E. River Road, in Portland.

Frankie was born on Aug. 23, 1922, at Corvallis to Lyman and Mary Patton. She was the eldest of three daughters. While her professional life was based in California, she returned to Oregon in 1988 and lived at Rose Villa in Portland. However, she was still proud to claim Baker City as her “real hometown” where she was raised and graduated from Baker High School.

She attended Oregon State College (now Oregon State University at Corvallis) and then graduated from the Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Nursing. She because a nurse for the U.S. Army, serving in 1945-46.

Frankie received her physical therapy certificate at the University of Southern California. She became the director of Physical Therapy at the Los Angeles County Hospital, which she claimed was the largest hospital in the United States.

She worked with polio patients in iron lungs as well as veterans of World War II. She was president of the California Physical Therapy Association and the Los Angeles County association. She received many awards and honors for her therapy work.

After she retired, she became a docent for the Los Angeles County Zoo. Again, she was honored for her work there by the City of Los Angles.

During retirement, she also traveled extensively to China, Africa, Northern Canada and various other unique places in the world. She loved to talk about her adventures.

She was preceded in death by her longtime companion, Mary Edith Bennett.

Survivors include her two sisters, Mary Basche of Baker City and Mildred Grilley and her husband, Wesley, of Pendleton; seven nieces and 14 grand nieces and grand nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Rose Villa Foundation, 13505 S.E. River Road, Portland, OR 97222.

Allie Buck

Allie L. Buck, 95, of Baker City, died Feb. 21, 2010.

There will be a gathering in her honor at Boise later in the spring.

Allie was born Sept. 30, 1914 ,in Decatur, Ill. She the sixth of 12 children born to John and Anna (Clark) Vermillion.

Allie was a Sunday school teacher, Brownie and Girl Scout leader, and a den mother with the Boy Scouts. She could yodel, sing, and play the guitar.

Allie married Niels C. Buck in April of 1940. Together they had two children, Janice (Musgrave), and Donald Buck. Allie and Niels were also avid rock “hounds,” belonging to three clubs in California.

Family members expressed their appreciation to the staff at St. Elizabeth Care Center and to Heart ‘n’ Home Hospice.

“You helped more than you will ever know,” they said. “She was the best mom in the world. She was loved by everyone who knew her and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Survivors include her sister, Mary McCarty of Lancaster, Calif.; her daughter, Janice of Baker City; her son, Donald, and his wife, Karry, of Apple Valley, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, Randy and Nancy Jewell, Tony and Chris Jewell, Shawn Buck, April Buck, Ryan and Angela Buck, Elana Buck, and Cheyena Buck; four great-grandchildren, Shawn, Brandon, Jessica, and Kaleb; and a great-great-granddaughter, Alexis; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Niels; her parents; and 10 of her brothers and sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to Relay For Life through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Avenue, Baker City, OR. 97814.