William Gustav Jaeger

William Gustav “Bill” Jaeger was born on June 25, 1927, the second son to Arthur and Catherine “Kitty” Quinn Jaeger. They had lost a baby just the year before in January and Kitty, his mother said she was so glad to hear him cry when he was born but then he cried for a year as he was a very colicky baby. He was raised on the ranch that Art and Kitty purchased in 1926. He attended the Brown School, Condon Grade School and Gilliam County High School. After graduation in 1945, he attended Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon for two years.

He met Annabelle L. Lofton at the Mikkalo Grange and on June 16, 1951 they were married and made their first home in Antone, Oregon. Their first child, Dixie May, was born while they lived in Antone. Art and Kitty sold that property and Bill and Annabelle moved to the mouth of Willow Creek near Arlington where they grew hay for the cattle on the home place. Bill would fly back and forth in order to help on both places. Their second daughter, Judy, was born while living at Willow Creek.

They moved to the home place and shortly thereafter Art and Kitty retired to Woodburn, Oregon and Bill took over running the farm, while at the Condon ranch, another daughter Catherine Jean and a son Robert Henry were born.

From then until he retired in 1992 he ranched on the “Home Place” that is about 4 miles north of Condon, Oregon. Bill was very busy over the years volunteering with the St. John Catholic Church, the Grange, the Elks Lodge (serving as exalted ruler twice), the Oregon Wheat League, the Columbia Basin Electric Board, the Bank of Eastern Oregon as a Board of Director and the Oregon Wheat Commission.

Bill was a reader and a leader of the Way of the Cross at the St. John church for many years. He was a caller of square dance at the Mikkalo Grange and served as master of the Grange. His contribution to the B.P.O.E. in Condon spread over many years. He served as the Exalted Ruler 2 times and would always fill in for the other chairs when someone might be missing. He also was District Deputy for the Oregon Northeast District. He served the Oregon Wheat league for several years which included President, Vice President and Past President. You could find him at the Columbia Basin Electric Meeting each year and he would entertain the crowd with a story or joke. He would remember when the Bank of Eastern Oregon was the Gilliam County Bank and he contributed to its growth by serving on the board of directors for many years when it was the Bank of Eastern Oregon. He was proud of the reputation of the bank. While serving as a Commissioner on the Oregon Wheat Commission, he made a trip around the world to work on relations for the wheat industry. He made an enormous contribution to the church, to his community, and to the wheat industry. Bill passed away on February 6, 2018 in Woodburn, Oregon at Emerald Gardens where he had lived for the past 19 months.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Annabelle Jaeger. Granddaughter Angela Jaeger and her children Matt (Tiffany) and their children William (named after Bill) and Gus (named after Bill). Daughter Judy Thomsen (Ted) and children Jason Jaeger (Tory), their children Maddy and Liam (named after Bill) and Amber Gilbert (Tim), their children James and Addy. Daughter Catherine Zollner (Bernie) and children Nathan Zollner (Lisa) their children Shelby, Melanie, John and presently 2 foster children, and Jacque Kelly (Lewie) their children Rachael and Todd, and Katie Myzak (Mike) their children Kaitlyn and McKayla Smalley. Son Robert Jaeger (Misty) and children Will (named after Bill), Jennifer Day (Levi) and Jessica Barnett (Aaron) their children Camren and Carter, and Derek (Sam) Urbach, children Blake and Jude, and Micha Urbach, their children Jaxon, Rylee and Gracie, and Tyler Urach. He was preceded in death by his daughter Dixie May Olson and his parents Art and Kitty Jaeger.

The Rosary will be said at 7 p.m., Friday February 16, at St. John Catholic Church in Condon and Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 17, 2018. His favorite color was red so please wear something red. Concluding service and burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Condon. A potluck luncheon will follow the service at the cemetery as a time to visit and enjoy one another’s company.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Catholic Church, PO Box 485, Condon, OR 97823 or to Condon Scholarship Foundation, PO Box 385, Condon, OR 97823.

Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in care of arrangements.

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