‘Jim’ Tyler

James Andrew andquot;Jimandquot; Tyler, 44, of Halfway, died June 23, 2008, at his home.

His memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Pastor Bill Shields will officiate.There will be a reception after the service.

Jim was born on Nov. 2, 1963, at Kemmerer, Wyo. He grew up in Halfway, attending Halfway Elementary School. He was a 1982 graduate of Pine-Eagle High School at Halfway.

After graduation, he went on to attend Oregon State University at Corvallis where he graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in business. After graduation from college, Jim lived in the Portland area working as a machinist for various companies that built parts for NASA, surgical instruments, and multi-tools as well as other mechanical tools.

While living in Portland, he discovered a love of umpiring softball for various children’s leagues throughout the city. Jim later moved to the Bend area after leaving Portland, where he worked as a machinist making bullets.

He returned to Halfway in 2005 after being diagnosed with ALS andquot;Lou Gehrig’sandquot; disease.

Jim loved hunting, fishing, and the outdoors in general. If he was not working he was umpiring softball games, spending the days in the outdoors riding his mountain bike, taking photographs, fishing, hunting, or just enjoying the world.

Throughout his life, Jim followed the Oregon State Beavers and was proud to be an alumnus. He cheered them on whenever they had a televised game.

He was also a lifelong New England Patriots fan, collected coins and comic books, was an aficionado of the Civil War and military airplanes, loved doing woodworking, did various drawings and sketches, and was a faithful weightlifter.

Jim was always a quiet, private person who was devoted to his family and friends.

Survivors include his parents, Wayne and Louise Tyler; sister and brother-in-law, Connie and Lonnie Jenkins; niece, Abigail; brother and sister-in-law, Francis and Tammy Tyler; niece and nephew, Hillary and Wyatt; grandmother, Christine Tyler; and numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and close friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the ALS/Muscular Dystrophy Association through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.

Johnny Petersen

Johnny C. Petersen, 71, of La Grande, a former Baker City resident, died June 21, 2008.

There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Sunday at Valley Fellowship Church in La Grande.

Johnny was born on July 3, 1936, at Baker City to Gerald Petersen and Lula Davis Cantrell.

He grew up under the loving and watchful eye of his grandparents, John and Minnie Davis, on their ranch near North Powder. He was an Eagle Scout and attended the National Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pa., in 1950 along with 47,000 other Scouts.

He graduated from North Powder High School and was married to his high school sweetheart, Tam, from 1955 to 1983. They had five children.

He also served in the Oregon National Guard. He worked for Safeway for many years and at the Edward Hines Lumber Co. at Hines, for several years before his retirement.

He was a descendent of John S. Davis and Susan Dealy Davis, who homesteaded the family ranch in North Powder in 1872, and Chris and Rosella Petersen who were Baker County pioneers.

First and foremost John loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family said. He was a living example of Christ’s love to his family, friends and strangers.

His favorite pastimes included working in his yard and talking with his family. He called family members weekly with words of encouragement and lessons from scripture. He never complained about his multiple sclerosis or its symptoms, and he beat cancer five years ago without complaint, family members said.

Many of his friends were unaware of the seriousness of his illness because of his positive attitude and his way of turning the conversation away from himself and toward the others or the Lord, they added.

Survivors include his loving wife, Jan, with whom he had 12 happy years in La Grande; his five children and their spouses, Mike and Debbie Petersen of Paulina, Gregg and Patty Petersen of Cornelius, Jeff and Joanne Petersen of Beaverton, Steve and Teresa Petersen of Warrenton and Amy and Matt Basey of Hines; 14 grandchildren; and his sisters, Patsy Patterson, Dorthy Omohondro, and Linda Clauson, and their husbands and children.

Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.