All Obituaries

Joyce I. Grasser, 98, former longtime Heppner resident, died Sunday, August 9, 2020 at her nieces’ home in Junction City, Oregon. A graveside memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery. She was born April 6, 1922, at Priest River, Idaho, the daughter of Joseph and Lurena Stedman Peterson. Joyce spent parts of two years in Newburg, so she could go to church school. A few years later, Grand Ronde had grown, and both Joyce and her...

Lee H. Bouchard, Lt. Col. (Ret), 77, of Fossil died Saturday, August 8, 2020 at his home. A funeral service will be held on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. in the parking area of the Fossil First Baptist Church, 701 1st Street, Fossil, Oregon. Masks should be worn and safe distancing should be practiced. Following the service, a private family internment will be at the IOOF Cemetery in Fossil. He was born October 16, 1942 at Seattle, Washington, the son of Cecil and Martha Bowman...

Cecelia Drake came into this world on August 8th, 1946, a bundle of joy to her parents, Bob and Agnes Lovett. She had the pleasure of living in six different states before she was 18 months old as her father (Bob Lovett) pursued a career in sales. They eventually ended up in The New Orleans Garden District where Cecelia attended school until third grade. Along the journey, siblings Nancy, Rob, and twins John and Joe were added to the family. While working (and partying) in New Orleans, her...

Val Marton Bailey, 66, of Lexington, Oregon passed away at his home on July 12, 2020 from a yearlong battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life will be held at his home on July 31, 2020 at 1 p.m. Val was born on July 16,1953 at San Francisco, California to Giles and Joan Bailey He moved to Weston, Oregon in 1966.  Val served in the United States Navy from 1971 to 1974. In April of 1975, he married Brenda Cheuvront, the couple had a daughter in 1976. They separated in 1977. In December...

WilmaLee Bothwell Marlatt took her last breath and was called home to him Monday, July 20, 2020 at the age of 78. When we are born into this life God gives us only so many breathes, when we take that last breath, we go home to him. WilmaLee was brought into this life on December 20, 1941 to parents Bruce and Vera Cowins Bothwell in Heppner Or. She was a wife to Wesley for 61 years and 13 days, mother of 7, grandmother of 10 and great grandmother of 6. Wes and Wilma were married July 7, 1959...

Michael g. Smith, 70, of Bend, passed away in Sisters, Oregon on July 8,2020 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident earlier in the day. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 1 p.m. at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery. Mike was born on April 20, 1950 at Baker City, Oregon to Lennadell and Glenn Smith. The family lived in Pondosa, Oregon where Glenn worked for the Collins Lumber co. While living in Pondosa, each summer the family would pack with horses into the...

Robert Lewis “Bob” Hire, 73, of Heppner died, Thursday, July 16 at Heppner. At his request, no service will be held. Bob was born in Caldwell, Idaho on November 16, 1946, the son of Elaine “Kitty” and Maurice C. Combs Hire. His family resided in Baker City, Oregon until the age of five years old and he was raised mostly in Camp 5 and Kinzua, Oregon with his mother and stepfather Harvey Spivey and siblings. He graduated from Wheeler High School in Fossil, Oregon in...

Billy Joe Rietmann (91), of Ione, OR, passed away peacefully at home on July 1, 2020. Bill was surrounded by loving family in the days leading up to his passing. Bill was born October 8, 1928 at the family farm. He attended school in Ione and following graduation in 1947 he worked on his father’s farm until May 1953, when he entered the military. After 21 months in the Army he returned to the farm in 1955. On September 18, 1955 Bill married Marilyn Ann Hurst. Bill was known as Papa...

On Thursday, June 25th, Gwen M. Healy, 91, passed away at home with many family members by her side. Gwen was born November 28, 1928 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, to Ida and Melvin Gaarsland. The family moved West in 1935 and eventually settled in Ione, Oregon. Gwen graduated from Ione High school in 1946. In that same year she was on the Morrow County Rodeo court. In 1948.  Gwen married Jack Healy,  The couple five raised raised five children in Heppner: Jean Marie, Jerry,...

Janet E. “Jan” Coe, 74, of Heppner, Oregon, passed away Monday, June 15, 2020 in Heppner, surrounded by her family. She was born January 24, 1946 in Pendleton Oregon. Jan was raised in Ukiah, Oregon by her father Colonel Thompson until 1949 when he married Chartlotte Badget. The three eventually settled in Milton Freewater, Oregon where Jan graduated from Mac Hi High School in 1965. Jan worked in the health industry in the Walla Walla area. She married Tim Coe in 1972 and became...