Obituaries for May 27, 2009

Fred Fuge, Rick Francis, C. Herman Everidge

Fred Fuge

His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Chaplain Eugene Sutton of the American Legion Post 41 will officiate. After the service, friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 2005 Valley Ave.

Fred was born on Sept. 12, 1924, at Seattle. He was the middle child of Fredrick and Ethel Albertine North Fuge.

His father worked for Simmons Bed Co., so the family traveled to Glendale, Calif., where he went to grade school and junior high.

His father transferred to Portland, where Fred attended Grant High School. He left school in June 1942 at the age of 17 to join the U.S. Navy. Prior to leaving for San Diego along with 300 other young men, they were all sworn in at Multnomah Stadium, and then marched to the Union Pacific train depot and put aboard a train for San Diego. They were called the “Oregon Avengers.”

After completing basic training, Fred was assigned to the USS Chester (CA-27). On Oct. 19, 1942, the ship departed Espirito Santo along with the USS San Francisco, USS Helena, and USS Chester bringing up the rear. A torpedo hit the starboard side of Chester, about mid-ship.

At the time, Fred was taking a shower. After the hit, Fred ran out of the shower, unclothed, and went through the port hanger area to his weapon where someone threw him some protective clothing. They lost 11 brave men that day.

The Chester was severely damaged, so it was sent to Sydney, Australia, for repairs. During December 1942, Fred was transferred off the Chester and assigned to temporary duty aboard the USS Dobins.

While on the Dobins, a chief petty officer asked if anyone knew how to type and drive a car. Fred volunteered, which is a bad thing to do in the military. He was assigned to the Operations office of Commander Service force-Southwest Pacific force. He served 17 months in Sydney.

After 2fi years overseas, he asked to go back home. He was able to visit with his parents and sisters in Portland before being returned to duty.

He was sent to shore duty in San Diego, where he attended NROTC and the V-12 program at the University of New Mexico. There he worked in ship’s office as a yeoman. In November 1945, he received enough points to be discharged.

He returned to Portland where he met Colleen Clough, whom he had gone to high school with before joining the Navy. They married in 1946 and moved to Eastern Oregon.

He applied to the Oregon State Police and was accepted in April 1948. His first assignment was at Pendleton where his main responsibility was patrolling highways and fish and game enforcement.

In January of 1948, they were blessed with the birth of their first child, a daughter they named Regenia.

Early in 1951, while still in the Naval Reserves, Fred was called back to active duty for the Korean War, and took a leave of absence from the State Police. He reported to the USS Grady, (DE-445,) a destroyer escort, homeported at Treasure Island. He spent 15fi months aboard the Grady patrolling the Pacific Coast of the United States against enemy vessels.

While Fred was on the Grady, their second child, a son, Brian, was born at Oakland, Calif., on June 24, 1952. In August of the same year, Fred was separated from the service, and returned to Salem. He contacted the superintendent of the State Police and was assigned to a post in Baker.

Their third child, Lee, was born on Oct. 30, 1954, at Baker.

During Fred’s career in the State Police, he had one very close call. One night in 1954, he was pursuing a suspect’s vehicle. He radioed Baker and told of the high-speed chase and flashes from the car coming out the back window. He was fired upon at least five times, with one bullet hitting the front hood of his patrol car.

Colleen and Fred divorced in 1968.

Fred retired from the State Police in January 1980, after 31 years of service.

In September of 1987 at the VFW hall, Fred met Dolly Kenney, and they started dating. On July 30, 1988, they were married at the VFW Club.

Camping and fishing were activities that Fred enjoyed. Fred and Dolly traveled to Canada and California. In March of 1999, they went to Sydney, Australia, which was a highlight in their life together.

Ill health in later years restricted him to his home, where he died peacefully in the company of his wife and daughter.

Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Dolly, of Haines; daughter, Regenia Valentine, and her husband, Steven, of Richland; son, Lee Fuge, and his wife, Rene, of Canby; stepdaughter, Sherri Kenney Eitel, and her husband, Mark, of Corpus Christi, Texas; sisters, Dorothy Atkinson of Glendale, Calif., and Dolores Dunn and her husband, Phil, of Lakeview, Wash.; grandchildren, Donna Carpenter and her husband, Carl, of Baker City, Nick Fuge and his wife, Evelyn, of Tigard and Brian Fuge of Canby; a great-grandchild, Chris Rowe of Baker City; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a son, Brian Douglas Fuge, who died in 1974.

Memorial contributions may be made to Heart ‘n’ Home Hospice, Avenue of Flags, or the charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Rick Francis

Rick Laine Francis, 55, of Baker City, died May 16, 2009, at his home.

His memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St.

Rick was born on June 4, 1953, at Baker City to Willard and Florence DeShaw Francis. He was a 1971 Baker High School graduate and attended the University of Oregon at Eugene. Rick worked as an equipment operator with the city of Baker City. He retired in 1999.

He married Judith Lazott Stacey on Feb. 14, 2003, at La Grande.

He loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, especially fly-fishing, camping and hiking into high lakes. He had a strong affinity for the Eastern Oregon countryside and the native history of the region.

He enjoyed drives in the mountains, cutting firewood, and looking at wildflowers. Rick also spent time woodworking. He was a proponent of the environment and wildlife conservation. He was an avid bird watcher, building habitat for many through the years. He also rescued and adopted many animals.

Rick was skilled at carpentry and furniture restoration and would often perform renovations and contribute to his family’s antique business. He was a collector of tobacco tins and enjoyed hunting for and collecting arrowheads.

Rick was a Scoutmaster for many years, dedicated to helping the Boy Scouts when his son was a Scout. He would often coordinate events and volunteer with local troops.

He had a strong appreciation for rock music such as Crosby, Stills and Nash, and especially enjoyed the work of musician Neil Young.

He was a history buff, majoring in history at college. He enjoyed reading and having discussions, especially about World War II and President Theodore Roosevelt.

Rick had a large and kind heart, and loved to help anyone in need, family members said. He often put other people’s needs before his own, but had a difficult time accepting help from others. He will be greatly missed by many, they said.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Florence Francis; sister, Sherry Schaer; and an aunt, Jo Jensen.

Survivors include his wife, Judith of Baker City; son, Caleb of Taiwan; daughter, Sarah of Union; granddaughter, Jaydia, and grandson, Elijah, of Union.

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

C. Herman Everidge

C. Herman Everidge, 88, of Baker City, died May 21, 2009, at the Boise Veterans Hospital.

His memorial service will be at 5 p.m. Friday at the Elkhorn Baptist Church, 3520 Birch St. Pastor Mark Looney will officiate.

Herman was born on Feb. 10, 1921, at Columbus, Ga., to Arthur Frank and Nannie Elizabeth Teal Everidge. He left school in the ninth grade and in 1942 joined the U.S. Army. Herman was stationed overseas in the Southern Philippines and was awarded two Bronze Service Stars along with other medals. He was honorably discharged in 1946

While still in the service, Herman married Imogene Spencer at Wapato, Wash., on July 4, 1943. The couple raised three children: Roberta, Vernon and Frank. Imogene and Herman enjoyed almost 66 years of marriage.

After his service in the Army, Herman lived mostly in Eastern Oregon, working in the logging industry. He settled at La Grande in 1972, where he finally retired as an accomplished mechanic for logging companies. In 2004, Herman and Imogene moved to Baker City to be near their daughter.

He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Union County Search and Rescue and the American Legion.

Herman liked to fish and hunt. He also was a musician and played the mandolin and fiddle.

Survivors include his wife, Imogene Everidge of Baker City; daughter, Roberta Smith, and her husband, John, of Baker City; son, Vernon Everidge, and his wife, Terry, of La Grande; son, Frank Everidge, of La Grande; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, A.F. Everidge; mother, Nannie Elizabeth Everidge; two brothers, Cecil and Elmer; sister, Nannie Lee Etheridge; and granddaughter, Teresa Everidge.

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