Obituaries for June 22, 2009

‘Jim’ French Sr., Wilma Quinonez

‘Jim’ French Sr.

James Edwin “Jim” French Sr. of Baker City died June 17, 2009 at St. Luke Medical Center in Boise.

His memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Father Julian Cassar will officiate. Committal service will be afterward at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at St. Francis Parish Hall after the service.

James Edwin French was born on Oct. 6, 1940, at Baker City to James Joseph and Vera Lydia Schmalenberg French. He was raised in Baker City and was a 1959 St. Francis Academy graduate.

Jim married Julie Anne MacKenzie on Sept. 2, 1961, at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. The couple made Baker City their home where Jim worked as a service mechanic for Cascade Natural Gas for 37 years before retiring in 2002.

From bringing home strays (including a goat) as a child, to feeding the squirrels and birds in his yard, and watching the horses and deer in the Baker foothills, Jim was a true animal lover. He had two labs in his life that he loved dearly: Mike and Megan.

He enjoyed the outdoors where he spent time camping, hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed league bowling and shooting pool with friends and co-workers. Whether buying a new car, jewelry, furniture or at a yard sale with friends he loved to dicker for the price.

Jim loved his family. The greatest pride in his life was his children and grandchildren.

He was a member of the Baker Elks Lodge and St. Francis Parish.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Vera French.

Survivors are his wife of 47 years, Julie, of Baker City; son, James French Jr. and his wife, Amber, of Middleton, Idaho; daughters, Cheryl French Austin and her husband, Craig, of Wilsonville, and Susan French Doescher and her husband, Russell, of Pendleton; grandchildren, James J. French II, Michael D. French, Jacob M. Doescher, Brittney A. Doescher, Ali M. Austin, Cole D. Austin and Kyle Hug; sisters, Donna Rowand of Sacramento, Calif., Ann Hill and her husband, Jack, of Prineville, and Lillian Yarosh and her husband, Ted, of Klamath Falls; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Best Friends of Baker or the St. Francis Food Bank through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.

Wilma Quinonez

Wilma Jean Quinonez, 86, of Baker City, died June 14, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.

No service is planned.

Wilma Jean Stevens was born on Sept. 5, 1922, at Paragould, Ark., to George Washington Stevens and Emma Anice Jeter Stevens. She grew up at Paragould and even though she only finished the sixth grade, she was always a student of life in general, her family said. She passed her knowledge of taking care of yourself in this world and spinning yarn to her children, grandchildren and many friends.  She could spin a yarn with the best of them, according to family members.

She had two children from a previous marriage, Prentice Ray Griffin and Gary Don Griffin. After her divorce, she married Burt Melton. They had a son, Gerald W. Melton Sr. and a baby son who died in infancy.

After her marriage to Burt, Wilma married Cecil Finney. Cecil and Wilma raised her boys at Lompoc, Calif., until they left to start lives on their own. The boys all called Cecil “Pop” as he was the only father they really knew. Cecil and Wilma owned the Service Cab Co. at Lompoc.

In the early 1980s, Wilma married Al Quinonez and together they owned Baker Cycling. After retiring, Wilma and Al planted many vegetable and flower gardens and crafted wooden yard ornaments and birdhouses.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Al Quinonez, who lost his battle with cancer just six months ago on Dec. 8, 2008; Gerald Melton Sr.; her parents; two brothers; a sister; and her infant son.

Survivors include her sons, Prentice Ray Griffin of Baker City and Gary Don Griffin of Meridian, Idaho; seven grandchildren; two stepgrandsons; and numerous great-grandchildren.

The family expressed gratitude to her grandson, Wayne Melton, for his daily care and the generous love he bestowed on his grandmother during the time of Grandfather Al’s illness and Wilma’s last six months, and to Connie Melton for her support and care.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Connection or The Salvation Army through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR  97814.