Brennon ‘Buck’ Newell

Brennon K. andquot;Buckandquot; Newell, 78, died March 21, 2008.

Internment will be at a later date.

He was born Nov. 22, 1929, in Montour, Idaho, to Mae and Ben Newell. He and his siblings worked their father’s ranches until 1944.

At age 15, Brennon ran away from home and joined the army. One year later they found out how old he was and sent him home where he stayed until he was 17, when he left again to join the navy.

He met Rosellen andquot;Teriandquot; Pritchard in Seattle in 1949. They married in 1950 and separated in 1954.

Buck then met Darlene Young in Prairie City and they married in Nevada. They resided in numerous places due to his work.

They had three children Debra I. Newell of Burns; Cameron G. Newell, his son and best friend, of Baker City; and Phillip Newell, who preceded Buck in death.

Brennon and Darlene moved to Haines from Halfway after 30 years in Pine Valley due to her failing health and his work. Darlene died in 2004.

Brennon then remet Teri. They remarried in 2005 and had three wonderful years together.

Brennon had three brothers, one sister and one adopted brother: Mannie Newell and his wife Doris of Montour, Don Newell and his wife Betty of Boise, Maynard Newell, who’s deceased; sister Verna M. Thrasher of Kansas City, Mo.; adopted brother B. Newell and his wife Jeri of Canby, Ark.; and stepson Mark McNeil and his wife Jane of Marysville, Wash. He also had numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and aunts, most of whom reside in Oregon and Idaho.

He had four grandchildren and two step grandchildren Joshua Pfaff, Krystal Pfaff, Liberty Newell, Justus Newell, Joshua Taylor and Nikki Taylor. He will be sorely missed by all and especially by his grandson Justus Newell, who could by age 10 drive most of his grandpa’s equipment, a fact that made Brennon proud.

His family said that Brennon was considered by some to be a colorful character, but even those who ran up against his hot temper would be hard-pressed to find a more loyal, decent, hard-working man and a true friend. He worked as a logger (his first love), truck driver, miner, construction worker, and at Harney Rock, where he retired at age 76.

Brennon’s wife Teri expressed thanks to the good neighbors of Haines and to her two andquot;rocksandquot; throughout this stressful year daughter-in-law Amy Newell and Brennon’s adored niece, Kimberly LeMasters.

The family also thanked St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center in Meridian, Idaho, and Pathway Hospice in Baker City andquot;for their wonderful care and concern.andquot;

‘Von’ LeaMaster

Avonne andquot;Vonandquot; Mae (Hinton) LeaMaster, a longtime Haines resident, died March 22, 2008.

A funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Haines First Baptist Church. Long time family friend Clifford Cole will officiate. A private family internment will follow at the Haines Cemetery.

Von was born May 4, 1929, at Wallowa to Velma Margaret Davis Hinton Plass and Harry Hinton.

She grew up on the family ranch near Crow Creek a few miles northeast of Enterprise and spoke fondly of those childhood years. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandmother Myrtle Davis.

Von and her mother had a special passion for horses and her rural upbringing provided the perfect environment for her to become an expert rider. There were several instances when she would walk up to a bridled horse, grab the reins and tuft of mane, and swing herself up and ride off bareback to the wide-eyed astonishment of onlookers.

As the Great Depression years continued into the latter 1930s, Von’s family moved off of the ranch in search of employment. The family moved several times and eventually found steady work in Portland.

She attended her first two years of high school at Roosevelt High before moving back to Enterprise where she completed her senior year and graduated from Enterprise High School in 1947.

She worked several jobs following high school including secretarial work in San Francisco, hostess/usher at the Paramount Theatre in Portland, and later helped her mother with their restaurant business in La Grande.

She met a handsome young sailor, Carlus Raymond LeaMaster andquot;Lee,andquot; who was on leave visiting family and friends in Eastern Oregon. They dated for a few months and were married July 20, 1951, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The young couple moved several times during the 1950s as Lee was assigned to duty stations in Hawaii, Virginia, and Alaska. They eventually moved back home and settled in Haines in 1960 when Lee retired from the Navy.

Von’s life revolved around her family, community, and friends. She was the consummate stay-at-home mom, homemaker, and housewife. She was very involved in the Haines PTA when her children were attending Haines Elementary School. The PTA- sponsored andquot;Hootinannysandquot; of the early to mid 1960s brought the entire community together and have become legendary among longtime local residents.

She loved big band music and if a Glenn Miller tune came on she would leap to her feet, grab the nearest person and dance gleefully about the room.

She was a voracious reader and could devour long novels in just a couple of days. She especially looked forward to family picnics, dinners, gatherings, and visits from friends. If you knocked at her door you would be greeted with a warm smile, a cup of coffee (and perhaps a piece of pie) and an engaging conversation. She liked to talk and it was not easy to have a andquot;shortandquot; conversation with her.

By far, she considered her grandchildren, Hannah, Jordan, and Clay LeaMaster her treasured blessings. She had an especially close and endearing bond with them.

Von was a loving mother, wife, grandmother and friend to many. She will be greatly missed.

Von was preceded in death by her father Harry Hinton, her mother Velma, stepfather Orville Plass and her husband Carlus.

Survivors include her half-siblings Thomas Hinton of Milton-Freewater and Sandra Johnson of Wallowa; son Brad R. LeaMaster and his wife Katherine of Dallas, Ore.; daughter Carla Michel and her husband Jim of Meridian, Idaho; son Blain LeaMaster and his wife Paula of Baker City, and grandchildren Hannah, Jordan and Clay.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Haines School Fund through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.