Cregor Fagenstrom

Cregor Patrick Fagenstrom, 88, died Nov. 19, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.

There will be a celebration of his life at 11 a.m. Monday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 17th Street and Pocahontas Road.

Cregor Fagenstrom was born at Great Falls, Mont., on March 17, 1914, to Hjalmar and Hilma Hammer Fagenstrom. After graduation from high school, Cregor attended Montana State University at Bozeman, majoring in architecture.

In 1943, while a patient in a hospital, he met his future bride, Ottilie, who was a nursing student at the time. They were married in October of 1943.

Cregor served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1945 at Okinawa. After his stint in the service he worked as a building contractor and they lived at Santa Ana, Calif., for the next 30 years.

While in California they bought their future retirement property, sight unseen, at Stices Gulch. After retirement they moved to Baker City.

Cregor’s creativeness in building and his talent in rockwork was very much a part of his life and definitely showed in the building of their home. Cregor and Ottilie enjoyed traveling. They were able to see Europe and Israel.

Survivors include his wife, Ottilie; children, Rory, Kerry, Joyce, Patrick and Jon; grandson, Steve; granddaughter, Leslie; and his identical twin brother, Berger.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Wilford; and sisters, Singrid and Beth.

Memorial contributions may be made to the International Children’s Care-Adoption Agency or the charity of one’s choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97384.

Becky Neal

Becky Lynn Neal, 40, a longtime Halfway resident died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.

There was a Celebration of Life service at 1 p.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Halfway. Interment was at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. There was a reception afterward at the Lions Hall.

Becky was born at St. Elizabeth Hospital on April 5, 1962, to Robert C. and Ila L. Wingerd Brown. She was raised and educated at Halfway, graduating from Pine Eagle High School in 1980.

She left Halfway after graduation to attend ITT Community College at Boise. Becky received a degree in fashion merchandising and business accounting.

After graduation, Becky put her degree to work for her. Her first job was for Baird Oil Co. at Boise. After 1 years, she moved back to Halfway and helped with the Union Oil business after her father became ill.

Becky held various jobs within the community, including managing the lounge at Wild Bill’s and doing the bookkeeping, Community Schools director, bookkeeping at Farmer’s Insurance, working at Old Pine Market and managing Jacob’s Dream.

The one position that she seemed to love the most was that of having the day care in her home. Becky loved children and they loved her.

In 1986, Becky and Ron Neal were married in Halfway at the home of Bob and Ila Brown. They had two children: Megan was born in 1987 and Billy in 1989. Becky truly loved her children, she enjoyed taking part in their activities, worried about them constantly, was always ready to prepare a meal, give a hug, or kiss an owie.

Becky enjoyed snowmobiling, camping, horseback riding, cooking, the river and boating. She loved to visit with friends either in person or on the phone. Becky always ended her conversation with andquot;I Love Youandquot; and those who loved her as well responded with andquot;I Love you too, Beck.andquot;

Survivors include her children, Megan and Billy; her mother, Ila Brown; sisters, Mary Moody of Halfway and Sheri and Dean Sass of Meridian, Idaho; nieces, Cortni Harris of Halfway and Jill and Ken Dooley of Nampa, Idaho; nephew, Ryan Sass of Meridian; aunts, Della Kimbrough of Wendell, Idaho, and Martha and Clyde Perry of Star, Idaho; an uncle, William and Darlene Brown of Twin Falls, Idaho; numerous cousins; and a special friend, Gene Zachary of Halfway.

Becky was preceded in death by her father, grandparents and brother-in-law, Fred Moody.

Memorial contributions may be made to Granite Peaks Assisted Living or the charity of one’s choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

G. Roger Turner

G. Roger Turner, 68, of Baker City, died Nov. 19, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center.

His memorial service was at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West andamp; Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Lura Kidner-Miesen of the United Methodist Church and the Rev. Rob Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral officiated. There was a reception afterward at the United Methodist Church.

Cremation was by Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory. There will be a private inurnment at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Roger was born on Oct. 14, 1934, at Wingville to George E. and Pearl andquot;Babeandquot; Emery Turner. He was a 1952 Baker High School graduate and a longtime Medical Springs cattle rancher.

He married Arleta J. Wirth on June 13, 1953. He and Arleta raised quality Hereford cattle in Baker and Union counties, grazing on deeded acres, forest service land (in the Wallowas) and Bureau of Land Management lands. His cattle consistently andquot;topped the marketandquot; at the Baker Livestock Auction. Early on, his cattle were sold and shipped at the railhead out of Baker City, destined for Washington and Idaho.

Roger retired from ranching in 1972 and moved to Baker City. He then worked at the Baker Livestock Auction and Ford’s Welding. In 1976, he moved to Nyssa where he worked as a state brand inspector.

While living at Nyssa, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He had lived at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center since 1986.

He was a member of the Baker County and Oregon Cattlemen’s associations, Baker Elks Lodge, No. 338, a director of the Keating Soil and Water Conservation District and a charter member of the state Forestry Board. He was nominated by the chamber of commerce for andquot;Farmer of the Year.andquot;

He also was a longtime 4-H club leader at Keating and a volunteer at the Junior Livestock Show and Kiwanis Auction and a member of the Sumpter Valley Railroad. He was honored as andquot;Patient of the Monthandquot; this year at the health care center. Roger loved to vacation with family and friends in the Minam.

Survivors include his children, Lanna Jo Dawson and her husband, Gary of Elgin, Kellie D. Harrold and her husband, Rock, of Albany and Bret W. Turner and his wife, Shelia of Ontario; seven grandchildren, Zeb Johnson of Portland, Tara and J.V. Dawson of Elgin, Zachary and Kassidy Harrold of Albany and Amelia and Hailee Turner of Ontario; his father and stepmother, George E. and Effie Turner, and his uncle, George McLeish, all of Baker City.

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, St. Elizabeth Health Care Center, the Baker Senior Center or a charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West andamp; Co.

Peter Warhol

Peter Warhol, 99, a former Halfway resident, died Nov. 3, 2002, at a nursing home in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

He had elected to receive only comfort measures for pneumonia, thereby dying as he had lived: on his own terms.

A memorial service will be held November 21, in Waterloo, Iowa.

His 99-year life was remarkable for its extraordinary accomplishments. Born in Minneapolis to immigrant parents in a family of six boys, he lost his mother when he was 11, which required household chores and employment at an early age.

Because of this workload, when asked for details of his boyhood he would usually say that andquot;it wasn’t very interesting.andquot;

Characteristic of his lifelong independence and confidence was his attending his high school graduation from the audience. He and a friend had completed their college requirements and quit school a semester early. The administration had disagreed with their innovative program and refused to issue them diplomas.

Overcoming obstacles of finance and health, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in metallurgical engineering from the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis in 1929 and began an unusually creative and distinguished career.

While working for the Butler Bros. Mining Co. he discovered the Fuller’s Earth District near Thomasville, Ga. On the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota he introduced several important mining and mineral-processing innovations still in use today.

He was president of Butler Brothers when the company was sold in 1948. He spent the next 2 years with the Leo Butler Construction Co. in Washington D.C., then joined the Ogleby Norton Co. to be in charge of the first taconite development in Minnesota.

This project included the construction of a new town of 10,000. Just the pilot (proving) plant for the mineral concentrator dwarfed any similar plant existing at the time.

Rejoining Butler Brothers in 1952, he was involved in natural gas exploration, cattle ranching, the introduction of natural gas to northern Minnesota, and the liquidation of Butler timber and mining properties in Idaho and Oregon, two of which were the Iron Dike and the Red Ledge mines on the Snake River. Attempts to develop these mines had first brought him to Eastern Oregon and created his high regard for the area.

He served for 19 years as a key trustee of the Hazelden Foundation, the first and foremost center for the treatment of alcoholism, which had been founded by Patrick Butler. Several professional activities included the presidency of the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology Alumni Association.

His technical expertise and financial judgement benefited whatever church or civic organization he joined.

After retiring for several years in Minneapolis, he and his wife, Martha, lived for three years at Laguna Hills, Calif. They then moved to Halfway to be with their daughter, Patricia, and son-in-law, Tony Sowers. He enjoyed his new friends and new community.

Survivors include his daughter, Patricia; sons Warren and Richard; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church or to Granite Peaks Assisted Living in Halfway.

Roland Gorte

Roland Gorte, 74, of Baker City, died Nov. 13, 2002, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise.

His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Lenny Spooner of the church will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the First Church of the Nazarene Fellowship Hall.

Roland George Gorte was born on July 26, 1928, at Portland to Christian and Christina Pauley Gorte. He was the fourth child, with a sister born later, to make a family of five siblings.

He grew up in Portland, receiving his education there. He entered the U.S. Army on Oct. 26, 1946, and was honorably discharged on April 8, 1948.

After his discharge, he, his brother and his father purchased Baker City Garbage and moved to Baker City. He continued to be a part of the company until 1969.

After the business sold, he went to work at Ellingson Lumber Co. He remained there until January of 1993 when he retired.

Roland enjoyed people. He always seemed to know everyone; no matter where or what the situation, he enjoyed everyone. He treasured his children and grandchildren and was andquot;Uncandquot; to many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He enjoyed hunting trips with Rick and his friends, shopping and lunches out with Leslie and some of his favorite card games were with Lynne. He was proud of the accomplishments of Carol and her successful career. His friends and their card games at the Elks and his coffee buddies were a very important part of each day for him.

Roland and LaVelle Pritchard were married on Nov. 10, 1961, at Weiser. The celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary in 2001 was a memorable and honored occasion.

Survivors include his wife, LaVelle; a daughter, Carol; a son, Rick, and his wife, Debbie; daughter, Lynne; son-in-law, Mark Estes; sister, Florence, and her husband, Harold Fritzler; brother, Calvin, and his wife, Betty Gorte; granddaughters, April Rogers, and Randi and her husband, Chris Marshall; grandsons, Joshua Gorte, Jamie Gorte and Trevor Johnson; three great-granddaughters and three great-grandsons; many nieces and nephews; and his true buddy, his dog, Butch.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sons, David and Robert; daughter, Leslie Estes; and two sisters, Ruth Honegger and Delores Van Marter.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker County Senior Center or the Guide Dogs Inc. through Gray’s West andamp; Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.