OBITUARIES: November 2002, The Dalles, Wasco Co., Oregon ********************************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Earline Wasser December 2002 ********************************************************************************* Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon The Dalles Chronicle November 10, 2002. William Daniel Thomas Jr. Surnames: Thomas, Griener, Ashbrook, Shough, Howell, Cox, Ellis, Brittle, Sheehe. William "Bill" Daniel Thomas Jr., 55, a twenty year resident of Dufur (Oregon), died at his home on Thursday, November 7, 2002. He was born October 18, 1947, in The Dalles, Oregon, the oldest of eight children to William Daniel and Margaret Gwendolyn (Griener) Thomas. He grew up in The Dalles and graduated from The Dalles High School in 1966. He served in Vietnam from 1967-1969 and received a Purple Heart, a Vietnam Service medal, a National Defense Service medal and a Vietnam Campaign medal. He graduated from Blue Mountain Community College in 1972 and completed a Bachelor degree in Soil Science Agronomy from Oregon State University in 1974. After graduation, he worked for U & J Sugar Company in Pasco (Washington), and then Western Empire in Boardman (Oregon). In 1980, he started with the U.S. Corps of Engineers and was currently a maintenance supervisor. He was a member of the Dufur Christian Church and the Disabled Veterans, a 4-H leader and served on numerous 4-H committees. He also served on the Dufur Park and Recreation Board and was a volunteer at the Dufur schools. He enjoyed hunting, reading, local history, visiting with the elderly, country music and country western novels. He also collected Model A's. Bill is survived by his wife, Barbara Ann (Ashbrook) Thomas, whom he married September 16, 1972; his son Tom Thomas and wife, Jennifer, Gresham (Oregon); his daughter, Emily Thomas, Commerce, Texas; his father and stepmother, William Thomas Sr. and Joan Thomas, The Dalles; his sisters and their spouses, Janet and Mike Shough, Portland; Joan and Tom Howell, Snohomish, Washington; Mary and Dale Cox, Estacada (Oregon); Sam and Gary Ellis, Portland; Peggy and Lance Brittle, Mt. Olive, New Jersey and Sally and Jim Sheehe, Union (Oregon). He was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret in 1981 and his brother, Frederick Thomas in 1951. Private cremation was held at The Dalles Win-quatt Crematory with interment of remains at The Dalles IOOF Cemetery. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements. Memorial services and a dinner will be held at the Dufur School at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 10, with Bob Peterson, Andy Smith and Asa Jenson officiating. Remembrance may be made to the Dufur School Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 98, Dufur, Oregon 97021. The Dalles Chronicle November 11, 2002. Boleslaw Kamieniecki Surnames: Kamieniecki, Jensen, Big Back, Olson Boleslaw Kamieniecki, 71, a resident of Maupin (Oregon), died at his home, Friday, November 8, 2002. He was born November 10, 1930, in Borani Rog, Poland near Warsaw, the youngest of six children to Josef and Stafaniaj Kamieniecki. The family was displaced from the family home by the events of World War II, and he later found his way to employment as a seaman with the Swedish Merchant Marine. He came to the U.S. in 1957, living briefly in Massachusetts before moving to the west coast. He worked as a metal worker for the Zidell Shipyard in Portland until retiring medically after being injured at work. He married Muriel Jensen in Portland on January 23, 1960; she preceded him in death in June 2000. He was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1965. He moved to Maupin in 1972 after spending several fishing trips in that area. He enjoyed fly fishing along the Deschutes River, and handcrafted his own poles and tied his own flies. He was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed tinkering and repair projects. An animal lover; he regularly fed a small herd of deer near his home and came to know all the members of the herd over several generations, and he greatly enjoyed the company of his cats. He was a member of the Beaverton (Oregon) Elks, and the Boilermaker's Union. Survivors include his daughter, Jeannie Big Back, Maupin; and a stepson, Jeffrey Olson, Gresham (Oregon). He was preceded in death by his wife, an infant daughter, and four brothers and a sister. In accordance with his wishes there will be no public services, and the family will observe private ceremonies of remembrance in conjunction with the placement of his ashes in his favorite fishing hole next spring. Memorial contributions may be made to Home at Last Animal Friends, P.O. Box 390, The Dalles, Oregon 97058. Arrangements were by Columbia Cremation and Burial. LeRoy Omer, Shirley and Robert Keckley The Dalles Chronicle November 12, 2002 by Elroy King of the Chronicle, Front page Three people died at the scene after a head-on collision between two vehicles on Highway 97 at Milepost 7.5 Monday afternoon, near Wasco (Oregon). Oregon State Police identified the victims as LeRoy Omer Jr., 77, Spokane (Washington); Shirley Ann Keckley, 67, 611 Bayand Street, Condon (Oregon), and Robert Keckley, 75, same address in Condon. The accident report said Omer was north bound in his 2002 Nissan sedan and for an unknown reason crossed over the center lane and went into the south bound lane, where he collided with the 1999 Pontiac van operated by Shirley Keckley. Robert Keckley was a passenger in the van. Omer was alone in his vehicle. The Dalles Chronicle November 13, 2002. Jason R. Holt The Multnomah County Sheriff's office is investigating the death of a man from The Dalles, whose body was found along a trail in the Columbia River Gorge on Sunday. The victim was identified as Jason R. Holt, 29. According to The Oregonian (newspaper), two hikers found the body around 1:30 p.m. Sunday 200 feet below the Horsetail Falls trail near the Columbia River Scenic Highway. He was pronounced dead at the scene and had massive head injuries. Search and rescue volunteers and Explorer Scouts used ropes and pulleys to extricate the body from the steep hillside. His vehicle was found nearby. Captain Brett Elliott of the Multnomah County Sheriff's office said Holt was not dressed for hiking. The story said the medical examiners office planned a full examination of the body Wednesday. The Dalles Chronicle November 14, 2002. Surnames: Holt, Pemberton, Copperfield, Buchanan, Adams, Harmon, Boggs Jason Ray Holt, 29, a resident of The Dalles, died near Horsetail Falls in the Columbia Gorge on Sunday, November 10, 2002. He was born July 29, 1973, in Seattle (Washington), the older of two children to Jack Eugene and Adelia Dewayn (Pemberton) Holt. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona when he was age two, then they settled in The Dalles in 1988. He attended The Dalles Junior and Senior High Schools and was active with Boy Scouts, wrestling and baseball. After his schooling, he lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, until returning to The Dalles in September 2002. He worked auto service maintenance and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He enjoyed the outdoors, hiking and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Rowan Marie (Copperfield) Holt of The Dalles, whom he married August 16, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada; his daughter, Zoe, his parents, Jack and Adelia Holt, The Dalles, his grandmother, Ethel Buchanan, The Dalles; his brothers and sisters, Mitchel Adams, Grants Pass (Oregon); Cheryl Harmon, The Dalles; Mark Adams, Phoenix; Jack E. Holt Jr. Marion, North Carolina; Laura Boggs, Springfield (Oregon), and Novalee Horman, Royal City, Washington, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother, Joel L. Holt in April 1995. Funeral services will be held at The Dalles Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 15. Interment will follow at The Dalles Parklawn Cemetery. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements. The Dalles Chronicle November 14, 2002. Peggy Darlene Pinell Surnames: Pinell, Cook, Spencer, Dooley, Scholes, Warren, Kilgore, Brashears, Morgan Peggy Darlene Pinell, 64, a resident of Dallesport (Washington), died Tuesday, June 12, 2002 at the local hospital. She was born July 13, 1938 in Prosser, Washington to Ivan Bartlett and Verbal F. (Cook) Spencer. She grew up in Prosser and her family lived briefly in San Francisco (California) before coming to the Mid-Columbia area when her father began working on The Dalles Dam. She married Joseph M. Pinell in Lyle (Washington) on April 6, 1956 and they lived in various locations as they followed his construction career. They moved to Dallesport from The Dalles in 1963 after he had been working on the dam here. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, pouring and glazing ceramics, reading and doing crossword puzzles. She enjoyed motorcycling with her husband and later traveling in their motor home. She was a homemaker and a member of the Sundowners RV (recreational vehicle) Club. She is survived by her husband, Joseph, Dallesport; her children, Joseph B. Pinell, Dallesport; Debora Ann Dooley, Kennewick, Washington, and Kathleen Marie Scholes, Clackamas (Oregon); her brother, Ivan Lee Spencer, St. Louis, Missouri, and sisters Donna Warren, Roy, Washington, and Priscilla Kilgore, Richland, Washington; sister-in-law and her husband Eileen and Jim Brashears, of Lyle; mother-in-law and her husband Alice and Ariel Morgan, Dallesport; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. There will be no public services in the immediate future; the family will hold graveside services at the Lyle Cemetery in the early spring. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1650 NW Naito Parkway, Suite # 190, Portland, Oregon 97209. Arrangements were by Columbia Cremation & Burial. The Dalles Chronicle November 18, 2002. Correction: Peggy Darlene Pinell, 64, a resident of Dallesport (Washington), died Tuesday, November 12, 2002 at the local hospital. The original obituary gave death date as June 12, 2002. The remainder of the article's contents is the same. Phoebe Anderson ANDERSON, Phoebe, 88, a resident of The Dalles, died at her home on Thursday, November 14, 2002. (Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home). THURSDAY FIRE TAKES LIFE OF WOMAN The Dalles Chronicle November 15, 2002 Cause of Deadly Blaze Under Investigation by Elroy King of the Chronicle Front page The body of an 88-year-old woman was discovered following a residential fire at 909 Snipes Thursday afternoon. The victim was identified as Phoebe Anderson, who lived in the double-wide mobile home with her daughter, Joyce Johnson. The victim was alone at the time of the fire, which was reported at 12:30 p.m. Stu Nagel, fire marshal for Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue, said fire crews found the body in the living room, where the fire started. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but electrical problems have been ruled out, he said. The fire began in front of a large stuffed chair. Nagel said the daughter had left the house at about 10:30 a.m. A motorist and a neighbor both saw the fire and called in the alarm. The front third of the residence was fully involved when fire crews arrived. Nagel said Friday morning he had only brief contact with the victim's daughter and had not had a chance to interview her. He said fire crews, which were on the scene until just after 2 p.m. had not found a smoke alarm in the residence. Smoke alarms are not required in private residence but are highly recommended. The alarms will be provided free to those who cannot afford them, he said. Anderson's death is the first house fire fatality here since September 1997. (A man found dead inside a burning house on West 13th Street a year ago died of other causes.) The Dalles Chronicle November 17, 2002. Surnames: Anderson, Neilsen, Galbraith, Johnson, Forrest Phoebe Isabelle Anderson, 88, a resident of The Dalles, died at home on Thursday, November 14, 2002. She was born February 4, 1914, in Wisner, Nebraska, the youngest of three children to Charles Mann and Emma (Neilsen) Galbraith. She grew up in Cumberland, Wisconsin. She married Lawrence L. Anderson on November 8, 1933, in Barron, Wisconsin. They lived in Fresno, California before moving to Estacada (Oregon) in 1947. They lived and farmed in Wamic (Oregon) from 1953 to 1975, then moved to The Dalles. She was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church and enjoyed homemaking and traveling. She is survived by her son, Leon Anderson and wife, Lylas, Wamic; her daughters, Joyce Johnson, The Dalles and Sandra Anderson and husband, Lee, Wamic; grandchildren and their spouses, Wayne and Noreen Johnson, The Dalles; Kurt and Tarita Johnson, Tygh Valley (Oregon), Karen and Joe Forrest, Dufur (Oregon); Joni Anderson and Leah Anderson, The Dalles; great-grandchildren, Michelle, Dayna, Paul, Jadi, Travis, Codey, Casey, Toni, Chase and Laramie and great-great grandchildren, Jordan and Madison. She was preceded in death by her husband in September 1987, and her two brothers. Funeral services will be held at Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, with Pastor Tim Foster officiating. Interment will follow at The Dalles IOOF Cemetery. Memorials may be made to charity of choice. The Dalles Chronicle November 17, 2002. John Nicholas Fax Surnames: Fax, Muschamp, Sturges, Crait A memorial service was held on November 13 in Milwaukie (Oregon) for John Nicholas Fax, 90, who died November 8. He was born August 2, 1912 in The Dalles. He moved to Portland in 1930 and to Milwaukie in 1935. During World War II he served in the Oregon National Guard. In 1974 he graduated from Portland State University. He was a cost accountant for the Army Corps of Engineers. He married Ruth E. Muschamp in 1935. She died in April (2002). Survivors include his daughters, Priscilla A. Sturges and Elizabeth L. Crait; son, Dr. John Jr.; brothers, Fred R. and George; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Nature Conservancy of Oregon. Arrangements are by Portland Memorial. The Dalles Chronicle November 18, 2002. Richard Marion Griffin Surnames: Griffin, Howard, Brown, Shattuck Richard "Dick" Marion Griffin, 78, a resident of The Dalles, died at a local care center on Friday November 15, 2002. He was born April 17, 1924, in Heppner (Oregon), the second of three sons to Francis Wesley and Ruth Eleanor (Howard) Griffin. His family moved to The Dalles in 1933 and he attended The Dalles High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946, and then returned to work on the Columbia River. He was licensed to be a Columbia River tugboat pilot from Astoria (Oregon) to Lewiston, Idaho and worked until retiring in 1969 for health reasons. He then worked at Columbia Basin Nursing Home maintenance department until 1986. He was a member of the American Legion and former member of The Dalles Elks and Eagles. He enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, fishing, traveling, crossword puzzles, Bible lessons and his CB (Citizen's Band) radio and scanner. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Athelia (Brown) Griffin, whom he married August 15, 1948, in The Dalles; his daughter, Jane Shattuck and husband, Mickel, The Dalles; his son, Richard E. Griffin, Seattle (Washington); grandchildren, Steven, Brandon, Krysten and Valaria and his brother, Howard F. Griffin, Boulder City, Nevada. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Griffin. Funeral services will be held at Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home on Wednesday, November 20, from 2 to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. through services. Interment will be held at The Dalles Parklawn Cemetery. Memorials may be made to charity of choice. The Dalles Chronicle November 15, 2002. Franke R. Leno Surnames: Leno Franke R. Leno, 82, a former resident of The Dalles for 23 years and a resident of Clark County in Washington, died in Vancouver on November 12, 2002. He was born June 4, 1920 in Yuma, Arizona. He was a machinist/control room operator in the hydro-electric industry. He served his machinist trade training with the Navy at Mare Island Naval Yards and was employed by the Navy on the Island of Guam for five years on powerhouse construction and operation. His next employment was by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation at a pumping plant in California and for the next 23 years he was employed by the Corps of Engineers at McNary and The Dalles Hydro plants. He enjoyed gardening and grew a large variety of fruit trees. He was a member of the Orchards Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Stella L. Leno, Brush Prairie, Washington; two sons, Rick Leno and Rey F. Leno, both of Portland; two brothers, John Leno, Granite Bay, California and Ray Leno, Mesa, Arizona; and one grandchild, Chad C. Leno. His wife of 47 years, Rosabel M. Leno, died on June 10, 2002. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 16, at 3 p.m. at Orchards Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Vancouver. Private committal will take place at Memory Memorial Park Cemetery in Vancouver. Memorials may be made to the Orchards Seventh Day Adventist Church Building Fund, 6415 NE 102nd Avenue, Vancouver, Washington 98662.