‘Andy’ Marlette

Andrew Loron andquot;Andyandquot; Marlette, 39, of Baker City, died on April 24, 2008, at Milwaukee, Wis.

His memorial and celebration service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Baker Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St. Friends are invited to join his family to celebrate his life.

Andy was born on Oct. 14, 1968, at Portland. He was the only son of JoAnn and Gary Marlette. The family moved to Baker City in 1968 after Gary Marlette graduated from law school. The Marlettes had decided to raise their family and begin their law practice in the comfort and community of a small town, the family said.

Andy attended Eastern Oregon University at La Grande. It was there in 1994 that he met and later married the love of his life, Kazue Kinjo. Andy and Kaz were married in the spring of 1998.

Andy later graduated from EOU in 2005, after he decided to pursue a career in dentistry. He was accepted into Marquette University Dental School, and Andy and Kaz moved there in 2005. The couple lived at and managed the Contessa Apartments while Andy attended dental school at Marquette.

He established a strong community at the apartment complex and scheduled neighborhood barbecues for the tenants.

andquot;The tenants rave about how generous Andy was with his time and efforts,andquot; family members said. andquot;He was always willing to lend a helping hand.andquot;

Andy also made strong friendships with his dental classmates and was known for his humor and his generous, kind spirit, they said.

Andy possessed a great love for Eastern Oregon. His hobbies included boating and fishing on the Snake River, snowmobiling and hiking at his parents’ cabin in the Wallowas, and working outside on the family properties at Richland and on East Eagle Creek.

He was involved in the Baker community for years, which included a DJ’ing business with his long-time, childhood friend, Andy Ballard.

Andy Marlette was also involved in the Baker Elks Drum and Bugle Corps and would travel around Oregon performing with his friends. Andy had a strong passion for music, the outdoors, and for the people who loved him. He always made people laugh with his jokes, crazy antics and contagious laugh.

andquot;Andrew is deeply loved by so many and will be greatly missed,andquot; his family said.

Survivors include his wife, Kazue Marlette; his parents, JoAnn and Gary Marlette; and two sisters, Molly Eekoff and Carolyn Kimpton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Baker High School Andy Marlette Music Fund through Gray’s West andamp; Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

William Hixson

William A. Hixson, 86, of La Grande, a former Baker City resident, died May 13, 2008, at a local care center.

There will be celebration of his life at 11 a.m. Saturday at Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 1508 Fourth St., in La Grande.

Bill was born on June 19, 1921, at Missouri Flat to Elijah William and Frances Edna Schiller. He attended grade school near Pleasant Valley and Baker High School.After high school, he began working in the sawmill and then went to log cutting.

In 1941 he tried to enlist in the U.S. Navy after Pearl Harbor. He was refused by the Navy, but was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942.

He was sent to Newport News, Va., and worked on ships picking up wounded soldiers in places such as Africa, Italy and France.

He worked in the medical corps and received four combat ribbons. During one of his leaves from the service, he met Dorothy Combs. She traveled to Newport News to marry him in 1945.

He was released from the service in late 1945 and went back to Baker City and then to Pondosa where he resumed cutting logs.

He moved to La Grande in 1951 and continued logging until 1974 when he and his son-in-law started M andamp; H Rigging. He retired in 1989 and later worked as credit manager for Eagle Truck until he retired permanently.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved spending time with his daughter and grandchildren. He loved to play cards and was always looking for someone to play.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; his daughter, Roberta, and her husband, Donald Miller; four granddaughters; five great-grandsons; and two great-granddaughters, all of La Grande; a sister, Dorothy Spivey of Baker City; and several cousins living in Baker City.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Blue Mountain Humane Society or the American Diabetes Association.

Ted Smietana

Ted Smietana, 84, of Baker City, died May 12, 2008, at his home.

There will be no service.

Ted was born on Oct. 25, 1923,at Rossford, Ohio, to Andy and Mary Smietana. He graduated from high school at Toledo, Ohio.

He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Oct. 26, 1942 and served in the Pacific Theatre on Saipan during World War II. While stationed at Pendleton, Ted met Corlie Ann Knighten of Baker City. They were married on May 3, 1943.

Ted was a member of the St. Francis de Sales Cathedral parish and the Knights of Columbus. He operated various service stations in Baker City until he retired in 1985.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ann, who died on Jan. 15, 1992; and daughter-in-law, Kathy Smietana.

Survivors include his daughter, Kay Sword, and her husband, Dan, of Baker City; sons, Mike Smietana, and his wife, Tami, of Baker City, and Ted Smietana and his wife, Pamela, of Salem; a brother, Edwin Smietana, and his wife, Mary, of Rossford, Ohio; grandchildren, Danny Sword, Michele, Joe, Steve and Alan Smietana; several nieces and nephews; and longtime friend, Ramona Idler.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Pathway Hospice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.