Vera Zimmerman

Vera Frances Zimmerman, 94, died Feb. 12, 2008, at Halfway.

There will be no formal service in Halfway. She will be interred later next to her beloved husband at Hiawatha, Kan.

She was born on June 10, 1913, in King City, Mo., to Theodore Lee and Nettie Frances Jennings Newman. In her younger years, she lived with Pat Gossi’s parents and another sister and helped raise their children. She was a second mother to all of them and continued to be the rest of her life.

Vera lived in several different states, but always came back to the Midwest. She was married and divorced in earlier years, but later met her one true love: Richard Zimmerman. They were married on April 19, 1949, and were married for more than 25 years.

Vera worked at many jobs, but enjoyed dry farming with her husband, Richard. She also worked as a nurses aid at the local hospital for many years where she always kept her patients in good spirits with her exuberance and sense of humor.

Vera was very proud of her association with the Order of Eastern Star while still living in Kansas. She held the offices of treasurer, conductress, associate conductress, marshall, Adah, Ruth, Esther, warden and was installing marshall one year. Vera moved to Halfway in 2002 to be near Pat, her closest relative.

She was the youngest of six children and was preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings and most of their children; her husband, Richard; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Survivors include her niece, Pat Gossi of Halfway; great-niece, JoRae, and her husband, Robert Wickham, of Oxbow; great-great-niece and great-great-nephew, Candice Ann Wickham and Corby Jay Wickham; and her dedicated and devoted caregivers, Rose Darting and Lynn Melchior.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance Service through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Kenneth Shaw

Kenneth Wayne Shaw, 76, of Tigard, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 8, 2008, of leukemia.

His memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Mr. Shaw was born on June 8, 1931, at Baker City where he grew up. He served in the U.S. Army for eight years, including during the Korean War. He worked for Union Pacific Railroad for 35 years before his retirement. He married Rose Zannah Lloyd in 1957.

Survivors include his wife, Rose Shaw; a daughter, Valerine Naillon; two sons, John and Kelly Shaw; and six grandchildren.