Obituaries for May 20, 2009

Mildred Johnson

Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Interment will be at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall after the burial.

Mildred was born on June 30, 1911, in Sayre, Okla. She married Floyd Johnson at Sayre, Okla., when she was 18. They lived many places during their married life, including Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Harney County and Halfway in Oregon, then to Idaho and back to Oregon where they had a farm on Oregon Slope.

Mildred was a hard worker doing all kinds of jobs during the Great Depression, then being a farmer and rancher’s wife. She loved to crochet and made afghans for all of her family and most of her friends.

Mildred always raised a big garden and loved to pull weeds. She may be remembered in Halfway driving through the deep snow delivering Avon in her little black Volkswagen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd; and son, Floyd Glenn “Bud” Johnson; four brothers; and four sisters.

Survivors include her daughters, Joella Wall of Lake Oswego and Wilma Sadlowsky of Richland; grandsons, Randy Johnson, Jerry McLean, Steve McLean, Dan McLean and Stanton Wall; granddaughters, Sherri Shute and Maria Esperanza; 13 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Ruby Simmons; and special friend, Betty Johnson.

The family expressed appreciation to Meadowbrook and Heart ’n’ Home Hospice for the wonderful care that was extended and given to Mildred.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eagle Valley Fire Protection District through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Mary Jane Spence

Mary Jane was born in Baker City on April 3, 1924, to E.J. and Hazel Warner. She was a 1942 Baker High School graduate and married her high school sweetheart, Meredith Spence, in 1954.

The couple moved with Commercial Welding Co. (Powder River Livestock Handling Equipment) to Provo, Utah, in 1964, but their hearts remained in Baker County throughout their lives. She was especially proud of the Warner family heritage.

She enjoyed baking, gardening and she was an accomplished flower arranger. She was a longtime member of the Provo Community Church at Provo, Utah.

She will be greatly missed by her large loving family and friends, family members said.

Survivors include her eight children; one brother, Fred Warner Sr. of Baker City; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Meredith; both parents; one brother, Carl Warner of Baker City; and her grandson, Christopher.

Alice Smith

Visitations will be until 6 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Her graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor John Goodyear will officiate.

Alice Aldeen Poe was born on March 10, 1918, at Delta, Colo., to Walter Cemet and Nellie Bell Gutcher Poe. She graduated from Baker High School in 1936 and went on to work as a bookkeeper for the family’s Poe Motor Co. Alice worked 60 years for the company before retiring in 1990.

On Aug. 24, 1961, Alice married Robert L. Smith at Reno, Nev., and took on raising four young children, who loved her very much.

She was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church and the Christian Women’s Club. Alice taught Sunday School at Calvary Baptist for 35 years and did the decorating there for years.

Alice enjoyed boating, traveling, fishing, flower arranging and interior decorating.

Survivors include her husband, Robert L. Smith of Baker City; children, Karen Sammis and her husband, Jim, of Ottawa, Kan., Russ Smith of Elgin, Terri Hutton and her husband, Mike, of Baker City and David Smith and his wife, Sue, of North Powder; 12-grandchildren; 22-great-grandchildren; and dear friends, Nellie Edwards and Bill and Verla Boles; and their daughter, Lynette.

She was preceded in death by her father, Cemet Poe; mother, Nellie Poe; husband, Carl Weeks; and in-laws, Glenn and Veda Smith.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Elizabeth Health Services through Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Ann Stout

Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Dale Bingham will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Eagles Lodge, 2935 H St., after the service.

Ann was born Oct. 27, 1944, at Whittier, Calif., to Tom and Danette Willey. She married Del Stout on September 12, 1964, in Covina, Calif. They had three children: Doug, Rick and Debbie; and in 1973 the couple decided they wanted to raise their children in a smaller, close-knit community. With little money in their pockets, they came to Baker City and bought a small farm just outside of town.

Ann was a dedicated homemaker and took pride in raising her three children. She did whatever she could to make them happy and enjoyed seeing them smile. Once her daughter, Debbie, was finished with elementary school in 1982 Ann decided it was time to join the workforce and began an 11-year career as a secretary for Pioneer Bank in Baker City. She enjoyed working with the public and made some lifelong friends there. Ann was a very friendly person and one who always supported her husband and children on all their endeavors.

After leaving the bank in 1993, Ann and Del owned and operated Stout Distributing Candy Business, Wilson’s Warehouse Market and most recently, Elkhorn Lanes and Little Susie’s Meat Market.

She enjoyed being around others and meeting new people. As a member of the Eagles Lodge since 1984 she had many opportunities to do just that. While at home, Ann loved working in her yard and gardening. She also longed for those hot sunny Baker City days to sit on her back deck and bask in the sun while reading a book. When she wasn’t at home reading, gardening, or working with Del, she adored spending quality time with all her grandchildren, and she supported them in whatever they were doing.

Survivors include her husband of nearly 45 years, Del; her parents, Tom and Danette Willey of Henderson, Nev.; her brothers, Harry Willey of Las Vegas, Nev., Steven and his wife Kathy Willey of Galt, Calif., Dan and his wife Terri Willey, and Alan Willey, all of Las Vegas; sons, Doug and his wife, Sue, of Phoenix, Ariz., Rick and his wife, Julie, of Baker City and daughter Debbie Profitt of Nampa, Idaho; grandchildren, Luke Sells, Christopher Sells and Katie Stout, all of Baker City, Michael, Tanner and McKensi Profitt of Nampa, Idaho; her three “grand dogs” Maggie, Hazel and Goliath of Phoenix, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her brother John James Willey.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Elkhorn Aerie 3456 Scholarship Fund in care of Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR  97814.