‘Chuck’ Miller

Dr. Charles Dennis andquot;Chuckandquot; Miller, 62, of The Dalles, a Baker City native, died Feb. 25, 2007, surrounded by his family.

His memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Peter’s Catholic Church at The Dalles. The Rev. Doug Marquardt will officiate.

Chuck was born on Dec. 31, 1944, at Detroit, Mich., to Charles Dorrington and Maude Cary Miller. He was raised in Baker City and was a 1962 Baker High School graduate. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1972, with two tours in Vietnam.

He was a 1974 graduate of Eastern Oregon University at La Grande and a 1979 graduate of the Oregon Health andamp; Sciences University School of Dentistry. Dr. Miller practiced general dentistry at The Dalles for 28 years. He retired in August 2006. He was admired and loved by many, his family said.

He was a family man who loved golf, fishing, hunting and boating. He was an avid private pilot, enjoyed scuba diving, basketball, snow skiing and many other sports. He was a member of the Elks Lodge for more than 40 years, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, past president of The Dalles Rotary Association, a Paul Harris Fellow, a member of The Dalles Yacht Club for 15 years, and a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk and Mule Deer foundations.

Chuck was very involved with The Dalles Police Department Reserve unit and Special Emergency Response Team (SERT), volunteering for more than 4,000 hours in the past 16 years. He was awarded Police Officer of the Year 2006. He also served as deputy medical examiner for Wasco and Sherman counties and was involved in forensic odontology.

Survivors include his wife, Kathryn andquot;Kateandquot; Miller of The Dalles; his son, Jeffrey Miller, and his wife, Rachael, of Troutdale; three stepchildren, Heidi Beaulier, and her husband, Chris, of Winterport, Maine, Aaron Ingebo and his wife, Holly, of Little Rock, Ark., and Paul Ingebo of The Dalles; grandchildren, Jacen Miller, Greta Miller, Blake Leavitt, Ryan and Jacob Beaulier, Aidan and Alec Ingebo, Noah Pilcher and Jordon Ingebo; his sister, Patricia Spivey, and her husband, Clyde, of Baker City; his brother, David Oliver, and his wife, Lynn, of Edmonds, Wash.; nephews, Terry Mitchell, Bob Mitchell, Tom Supan and Chris Oliver; nieces, Tammy Curry and Deb Koopman; and extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial contributions may be made to Home at Last Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 390, The Dalles OR 97058, LifeWorks Palliative Care Program or Celilo Cancer Center at Mid Columbia Medical Center, 1700 E. 19th St., The Dalles, OR 97058 or a charity of one’s choice.

‘Neal’ Edwards

Ward McNeil andquot;Nealandquot; Edwards, 82, of Halfway, died March 1, 2007, at the Weiser Hospital in Weiser, Idaho.

His graveside funeral was today at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. There was a celebration of his life afterward at the Halfway Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7847.

Neal was born on Jan. 12, 1925, at Seattle, Wash., to William E. Edwards and Cora Mae Gilbert. He was raised at Star, Kuna and Nampa, Idaho.

Neal joined the U.S. Navy on June 30, 1944, at Boise and went to boot camp at Farragat, Idaho. He was honorably discharged on April 20, 1946.

He married Wyona Rae Bayliss on Sept. 1, 1960. After his time in the service he worked for the U.S. Forest Service, on all three dams (Oxbow, Brownlee and Hells Canyon), for several farmers and ranchers in both Pine and Eagle valleys and for the Baker County Road Department before taking over the family ranch.

He assisted in the formation of the Halfway Ambulance Service and the Hells Canyon Junior Rodeo. Neal enjoyed going to the forest for firewood with his friend, Chuck Smith, hunting, fishing, dancing and taking care of the livestock.

Survivors include his wife, Wyona; four children, Colleen Rae and her husband, Terry Gilmore, Luetta Mae Holtz and friend, Brian Lubberkke, RaeDawn Marie Edwards and William Earl Edwards; one nephew and one niece; Neal enjoyed his time with his six grandchildren, Nicole Duncan, Danielle Vallani, Kourtney Duncan, Lorena Gilmore, James Fitzpatrick and Bailey Edwards; and one great- grandson, Damian.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Lee; his sister, Alda; and one nephew, Ricky Ridneour.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance Service or the charity of one’s choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Karen Ghrist

Karen Lynn (Forsea) Ghrist, 62, a longtime Baker City resident, died Feb. 28, 2007, at her home.

A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, March 10, at Gray’s West andamp; Company Pioneer Chapel. Pastor Carrol McIntosh will officiate.

Inurnment will be at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland.

Karen was born Feb. 3, 1945 in Los Angeles to Mary Louise (Vandecar) and Elwin Long. Her father passed away when Karen was a very young child and her mother was remarried to Robert Forsea.

The family relocated to Richland from the Snake River area in 1957. Karen was schooled at Huntington and Home until high school. After graduating from Eagle Valley High, she went on to college at Oregon State University.

After two years at the university, Karen moved back to Eagle Valley and was married to her high school love Richard andquot;Dickandquot; Ghrist in September of 1965. The couple lived in and raised their two children, Samuel and Susan, primarily in Baker City. Karen and Dick spent 11 years living in Portland, but Baker City was their home.

Karen loved being a wife and mother and caring for her family. She also worked outside the home later in life. She had her real estate license, worked for St. Elizabeth Heath Services, helped run her and Dick’s business, Baker Bowl, and worked in insurance at Trails West and McAdams Insurance.

She was very much a people person, and was loved by all who knew her. Karen was a loving grandmother and enjoyed spending time with her two grandkids.

Karen is survived by her husband of 41 years, Dick Ghrist of Baker City; children, Samuel Ghrist of La Grande and Susan Allen and her husband Eric of Payette, Idaho; grandchildren, Samantha Ghrist and Mathew Allen; and a brother, John Long.

She was preceded in death by infant twins Daryl and Dana, and her parents, Elwin Long, Mary Forsea and stepfather Robert Forsea.

Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or to the charity of one’s choice in care of Grays West andamp; Company, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.