Obituaries for May 21, 2010

Ruth Townsend, 68, of Baker City, died May 17, 2010, at her home.

A traditional funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. May 24 at the Baker City Christian Church on Highway 7 in Baker City. 

Friends are invited to join the family for a reception immediately following the service, at the church.

Interment will be at 2 p.m. at the Cove Cemetery.

Ruth was born in St. Louis Mo., on Aug. 2, 1941 to John and Lucille Harmon.

The family moved from St. Louis to Tacoma, Wash., Doris, Wash., and then to Hermiston where she graduated from Hermiston High School. She was the oldest of 8 children.            

She married Malcolm Townsend July 28, 1957, and had three children: Malcolm (Sonny), Mike and Mark Townsend. They lived in Hermiston for a short time then moved to Cove where they lived for 30 years. Ruth and Malcolm relocated back Baker City after Ruth accepted a job with Baker B.E.G.I.N. (Baker Enterprise Growth Initiative). They loved the community and planned to spend their retirement years in Baker City.

Ruth attended La Grande College of Business and received an associate’s degree in business. She worked a variety jobs, the most rewarding involved her development of the Sun Rose family brand of fruit and her work with the Baker B.E.G.I.N. program, mentoring businesses.

Ruth developed many close personal friends through her contacts with the Baker B.E.G.I.N. program and Christian Church. She loved her immediate and church families dearly. She sincerely appreciated the prayers and support from all her family and friends. She was overwhelmed by the care  and concern extended to her during her difficult battle with cancer.

Ruth enjoyed tending to her flower garden and kept her business interests alive with her well respected eBay store. She loved the companionship of her two puppies Duchess and Sheena. She was sincerely loved by her families and will be dearly missed.           

Ruth was proceeded in death by her parents, a brother, Rollie Harmon and sister, Barbara Harmon.

She is survived by her husband, Malcolm Townsend; two sisters, Myra Hall and Mary Jane Sletton; three brothers, Rex Harmon, Paul Harmon and Peter Harmon; sons, Malcolm (Sonny) Townsend, Mike Townsend and Mark Townsend; grandchildren, Andy Townsend, Allan Townsend, Adam Townsend, Michael Townsend, Alex Townsend, Megan Townsend and Colton Townsend; and 14 great-grand children. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker City Christian Church throughn through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.