Marco Kiilsgaard

Marco Kiilsgaard, 84, died April 12, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Care Center after a long illness.

Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop David Richards will preside and Dick Hindman will conduct the service.

Marco was born on Oct. 13, 1920, at Rockland, Idaho, to Chris and Martha Hunsaker Kiilsgaard. She was their second child.

She attended elementary school at Inkom, Idaho, but the family moved north to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, when Marco was in junior high school. After high school, she attended Lewiston Normal School at Lewiston, Idaho. She began teaching at Bonners Ferry, Idaho. She later received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho at Moscow.

She taught at Marysville, Wash., and Kodiak and Fairbanks, Alaska, before going to work for the Department of Defense teaching dependents of U.S. Air Force personnel. She taught in Germany, Morocco, the Philippines, Japan and Korea and spent most of her time on Okinawa.

For a time she worked for the American Red Cross in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. At that time she returned to college and received a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Soon after that she returned to teaching on Okinawa.

She retired from teaching and moved to Las Vegas, Nev., in 1985. After an illness, she moved to Baker City in December 1993. Her true love was to travel and fortunately, she was able to see most of the world. She said she had the perfect life for a single person.

Survivors include her brothers and sisters, Thor Kiilsgaard and his wife, Martha, of Spokane, Wash., Carl Kiilsgaard and his wife, June, of Viola, Idaho, Tedde Healey of Mesa, Ariz., Joyce Hindman and her husband, Dick, of Baker City, Elene Rock and her husband, Jim, of Las Vegas, Nev., and Dane Kiilsgaard and his wife, Sharon, of Little Rock, Ariz.; and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.

David Giroux

David L. Giroux, 47, died as a result of an ATV accident at Unity on March 29, 2005.

At the family’s request, David was cremated. There will be a gathering of friends at Unity at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Water Hole in Unity.

David was born at Skowhegan, Maine, on Dec. 14, 1957. He lived in many places during his life, but when he moved to Unity nearly 12 years ago, he decided he had found his andquot;home.andquot; He was an avid hunter and trapper all of his life. Those who knew him, will miss him greatly.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Lorene Cates; stepfather, David Woods; and an uncle, Bill andquot;Poopieandquot; Bottoms.

Survivors include his mother, Shirley Woods of Cornville, Maine; his father, John Giroux Sr. of Moscow, Maine; brother, John Giroux Jr. of Solon, Maine; and his second family, his aunt, Glennys Bottoms of Baker City; cousins, Sue Ann Bottoms and Gary Court of Corvallis, Bill Bottoms III of Baker City, Jodi Bottoms Nickerson of Baker City and her children, Lane Duncan, Greg Guardini, and Kaylin Nickerson of Troutdale, Josh and Tammy Summers of Donnelly, Idaho, Devon and Stacia Nickerson of Baker City, Mari Bottoms and Tony Martin of Baker City and their children, Kate Wisdom of Cove and Brad Bottoms of Baker City.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Oregon Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.

Gretta Vance

Gretta M. Vance, 97, a former Baker City resident, died April 6, 2005, at her home in Meridian, Idaho.

Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Relyea Funeral Chapel, 318 N. Latah St., Boise, Idaho. There will be a graveside service in Kansas at 1 p.m. CDT April 19 at the Medicine Lodge Cemetery.

She was born on June 19, 1907, at Medicine Lodge, Barber County, Kan., to Harvey Harris and Jennie Stone McCoy. She attended school at Medicine Lodge and graduated from high school there. She attended business college at Wichita, Kan.

She married Howard V. Vance on July 17, 1928, at Pratt, Kan. They had one son, Howard McCoy Vance.

Gretta was an excellent seamstress and made many of her clothes as well as those for grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She taught sewing in 4-H for many years. She was also proficient at crocheting. She made afghans for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She and her husband spent most of their married life at Garden City, Kan. In 1953 they moved to Ulysses, Kan. During that time she worked for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

After retirement they made their home at Canon City, Colo. She moved to Baker City in 1987 to be near family. While in Baker City she attended the Methodist Church.

She moved with her son and his wife to Meridian, Idaho, in 1996, where she made her home until her death. She was lovingly cared for by her daughter-in-law, Jean, and great-granddaughters, Angie and Kayla Clark. Gretta was a very gracious lady and very appreciative of all that was done for her.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1980; her parents; two brothers, Clay and Bill; a sister, Louise; and one granddaughter, Vickie Mae.

Survivors include a sister-in-law, Faye McCoy of Wichita; her son and his wife; six grandchildren, Clay and Cynthia Vance of Eugene, Doug and Carolyn Vance, Ed Vance, and Shanna and Kent Clark of Meridian, Kristine and Craig Atkinson of Boise and Rob and Tracy Vance of Twin Falls, Idaho; 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great- granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.

Mary Carder

Mary Nell Carder, 84, of Baker City died April 10, 2005, at Meadowbrook Place.

There will be a private family inurnment at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery.

Mary was born on June 11, 1920, to Rueben and Lenna Reusaw Isitt at Elgin. Her family moved by wagon from Milton-Freewater to Elgin. She was married to Elmer Midkiff in 1941. Together they raised two children, Bernadine J. Stillwill and David E. Midkiff.

After Elmer’s service in the U.S. Navy, the family traveled to Oregon following his work in construction. They spent most of their time in Klamath Falls and Umatilla. The couple later divorced.

She later married George Smick, and moved to Pendleton. They owned a bakery and Mary worked mainly as a waitress.

In 1970, Mary was married to her third husband, Glen Carder, at Lewiston, Idaho. She moved to Baker City in 1981 and worked in home care for several families.

Mary lived at Eldon Street and met and enjoyed many people in the neighborhood. She loved going for drives and picnics. At home, she enjoyed embroidery and gardening; she loved her flowers. Mary was active at Community Connection and a member of the Adventist church.

She was preceded in death by her ex-husbands, Elmer Midkiff, George Smick and Glen Carder; parents, Rueben and Lenna Isitt; daughter, Bernadine Stillwill; brothers, Alton, Noah, George, Ralph and Jess; sisters, Agnes, Pat, Lorraine andquot;Rusty,andquot; Amy and Margaret.

Survivors include her son David Midkiff and his wife, Janet, of Baker City; grandchildren, Sgt. Daniel T. Midkiff, serving in Iraq, and his wife, Michelle, of Hermiston, Cameron Midkiff and his wife, Rosa, of Los Angeles, Matt Stillwill and his wife, Denise of Seattle, Wash., Susan Stillwill of Tri-Cities, Wash., and Patrick Stillwill of Boulder, Colo.; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Tom Isitt; and a sister, Bea Clemensen.

Memorial contributions may be made to MayDay or to the Adventist Church through Gray’s West andamp; Co., PO Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.

Duane Bennehoff

Duane Elbert Bennehoff, 81, a long-time Baker City resident, died April 11, 2005, at the Boise Veterans Hospital.

At his request, he was cremated. A private service will be scheduled later.

Duane was born on Sept. 26, 1923, at Richland. He was the first child of Eagle and Christia Bennehoff. He attended school at Richland and went on to graduate from Multnomah Junior College at Portland. After college, Duane went into the U.S. Navy, where he served in the South Pacific during World War II.

After his time in the service, Duane returned to Portland where he worked for several years as a meat cutter. He later returned to Richland to run the Bennehoff Dairy.

Most of his lifetime he was a farmer/rancher, but he also spent many years building in the Baker Valley. He enjoyed fishing and working with wood.

Many of his friends referred to him as andquot;Bennyandquot; and he helped many people get a home or business started. Duane helped run the weight scales at the Baker Livestock Auction Yard and strongly supported the Baker Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Willma Guard Bennehoff; his sisters, Phyllis Jones and Natalie Tawney; his sons, Gary, Bert and Glen Bennehoff; a daughter, Brenda Bennehoff Boyle; and grandchildren, Yohanas and Layna Bennehoff, and Justin, Eric and Brian Boyle.

Memorial contributions may be made to to the Disabled American Veterans Van Fund through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.