All Obituaries

John William Jepsen 87, passed away on November 6th at his home in Ione, Oregon. He was the son of Walter and Matilda (Burns) Jepsen. He was born in Heppner, Oregon on March 21, 1931. He was the fourth child in a family of nine children. He attended and graduated from Ione High School in 1949. He was mischievous and sometimes led a few students on escapades. He worked for farmers in the area for a short time after he graduated. He was inducted into the US Army on January 7th, 1953. He...

Shirley J. McNary passed away peacefully on November 2, 2018 at her home in Ione, Oregon. A funeral service will be held November 10, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Ione Community Church in Ione, Oregon, with burial to follow at the High View Cemetery in Ione She was born In Walla Walla, Washington on December 29, 1928 to George H. and Blanche L. Parman Ransom. Shirley attended Tum-Alum Grade school and graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in 1948 in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. After...

Linda Ann Dutcher, 75, of Heppner, died Saturday, October 27, 2018, at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington. At her request no service will be held. She was born June 25, 1943 at Hanford, California, the daughter of Norman and Margaret Klslander Kessler. She was raised and attended school in Milton-Freewater, Oregon and graduated from Mc Loughlin High School. Linda then attended San Jose University majoring in Anthropology, but changed her major to education finishing her...

Mary Ellen Starks Reser, 91, died at her home in Condon, Oregon on September 22, 2018. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Condon. A meal will follow at the St. John Catholic Parish Hall. She was born in Pendleton, Oregon on June 22, 1927, the daughter of Lloyd and Ellen Keller Starks. The family lived in Athena, Oregon until she was ten years old, at that time her father bought a farm in Creston British Columbia,...

Vesta Mae Eaton, 96, peacefully embarked on her final great adventure on September 26, 2018, with family by her side, while residing in the caring community at New Horizon Adult Family Home in Everett, Washington. She was born in Condon, Oregon to Elijah and Alice McCarty and was the youngest of four children. After graduating Condon High School in 1939, she attended Oregon State with her good friend, Alerita Burns. She joined the Marine Corps for the duration of the WWll and was honorably...

Phyllis Ann Sumner of Arlington, Oregon passed away peacefully at a care facility in Newberg, Oregon on August 24th, 2018 at the age of 90. Phyllis was born to Arthur and Sadie Wickland on April 7th, 1928. She grew up south of Arlington on the family cattle and wheat ranch with her two siblings, Pearl and Bill Wickland. She graduated from Arlington High School in 1946 and was the beautiful May Day Queen that same year. She worked for a time as a telephone operator and soon after married her...

Laurel Ann (Jug) Cannon was born to parents Albert and Echo Palmateer in Heppner December 12, 1929 in the old Heppner hospital which was located on Quaid Street. She died peacefully in her sleep at Willow Creek Terrace on August 29, 2018. As a young girl Laurel lived at the Palmateer ranch and attended school at Morgan for first and second grades. Following the death of her father, the family moved to Ione where Echo worked as the Ione City recorder and public librarian, and also took in...

In the early hours of August 3rd, 2018 God reached down and wrapped Mary with his loving arms and took her home to join Bob. Mary Helen Jaeger was born on December 31st, 1936 joining her brother “Sonny” to Henry and Helen Jaeger (Flock) in The Dalles Oregon. Mary spent her early years on the Buckhorn Ranch attending school at the one room Buckhorn School for grades one through three with a student body of five. Mary reminisced about carrying water to the school from a...

Long time Condon resident Richard Rickard Brown, 84 passed away on August 15, 2018 after a long battle with cancer. He was born June 28, 1934 to Luther “Ben” and Maude Rickard Brown in The Dalles, Oregon. He joined sisters Roberta and Mildred. His brother Norman “Ed” was born later. He graduated from Condon High School in 1953. As a young man he worked on the barges on the Columbia River as well as on a number of local farms and ranches. He met Marlene Griffith of...

Rudolph W. “Rudy” Bergstrom, 83 of Ione died Saturday, August 4, 2018 at Heppner. A memorial service with military honors will be held Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Valby Lutheran Church with potluck to follow. Private inurnment will take place at the Gooseberry Cemetery. He was born March 12, 1935 at Portland, Oregon the son of Eric W. “Bill” and Anna K. Peterson Bergstrom. He attended school in Portland for four years, the family then moved to Ione...