Obituaries for March 5, 2010

Willie Lue “Billie” Craig Shoemaker, 101, of Billings, Mont., died Sept. 6, 2009.

Her memorial service and burial of Billie’s ashes will take place this summer at Las Vegas, N.M.

She was born at Quitaque, Texas, on Jan. 1, 1908. In 1916 the Craig family left their farm in West Texas, packed Billie and her three brothers and their belongings onto their horse and wagon and Model T and drove their livestock ahead of them by horseback to homestead in Eastern New Mexico.

From a sod hut to a wooden farmhouse they prospered. Billie graduated from high school in 1925 and attended New Mexico Normal University at Las Vegas, N.M., where she studied to be a teacher.

There she met her future husband, J.W. Shoemaker, a local rancher eight years her senior, and decided that the life of a rancher was more appealing than that of a school marm.

Billie’s life with J.W. was exciting and prosperous as they weathered the Depression by running sheep and cattle in partnership with a businessman back East. In the process, they began buying good horses, which after a few years of selective breeding became some of the founding horses of the American Quarter Horse Association.

After six years of helping J.W. run cattle, sheep and horses, the first of their two daughters, Jimmie Lue Shoemaker Eddleman was born in 1932. Their second daughter, Joanie Shoemaker Driggers, was born in 1934.

Billie and her family moved to Watrous, N.M., (20 miles Northeast of Las Vegas, N.M.) in the summer of 1941.They purchased “The Croley Place,” the former home of pioneer Samuel B. Watrous who built the place as a trading post and fort on the Santa Fe Trail in 1848.

For almost 50 years Billie and J.W. raised prize Hereford cattle and championship quarter horses. In 1972, they sold their ranch at Watrous, N.M., and retired to the old Wilsenstein place “between the bridges,” another historic property built for one of Watrous’ daughters and her husband.

Billie and J.W. moved to Haines in 1981 to be near their daughter, Joanie Driggers, and her husband, Howard, and their family. After J.W. died in 1983, Billie spent the next 25 years living and working on the Driggers Ranch at Haines and the Eddleman ranches in Oregon, Montana, New Mexico and Texas.

She enjoyed ranching her entire life and will be remembered for her good cooking and love of family and friends. Until just a few years ago she was still cooking, ironing and going along to check cattle and horses.

Survivors include her daughter, Joanie Driggers of Baker City, and grandchildren and their families, Warren Driggers, and his wife, Nancy, of Temecula, Calif., Arlen Driggers of Baker City, and his daughter, Keri, of Boise, Dixie Driggers and her husband, Bill Quigley, and daughter, Elizabeth, of Baker City, Kyle Driggers, his wife, Robin, and their son, Danny, of Baker City; daughter, Jimmie Lue Eddleman of Worden, Mont., and grandchildren and their families, Dan Eddleman, his wife, Sandy, and daughter, Mattie, of Worden, Mont., Bob Eddleman and children, James and Emma, of Billings, Mont., Jim Eddleman, wife, Kathy, and children, Krista, Justin, Kaylee and Kylee, of Wright, Wyo., and Jobey Eddleman of Billings, Mont.

Janice Hunt

There will be no service.

Janice was born Dec. 12, 1949, in Baker City, to Heber and Doris (Rohner) Hunt. She graduated from Baker High School.

Janice enjoyed spending time in her garden and spending time with her friends. She will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Janice is survived by her brother, Raymond Hunt of Dublin, Calif., and her sister, Judy Hunt of Longview, Wash.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Heber and Doris; her sister, Marcia Hunt; and her brother, Tim Hunt.

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