Jeffery Rogers, Linda Freemantle, Gary Summers, Joshua Summers

Jeffery Rogers

Jeffery Wiley Rogers, 44, of Baker City, died Dec. 15, 2008, as the result of problems related to chronic kidney disease.

His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane.

Jeffery was born on May 7, 1964, at John Day to Robert W. and Geri Rogers. He was a 1983 Baker High School graduate and lived in Baker City for his entire life except for his first four years.

During his life he held jobs as a clerk at the Cut-Rate Meat Market, Truck Corral, and then at Cenex until his health prevented him from working full time. During his final years, he took a job delivering papers for the Baker City Herald. He used this job as well as the service he freely rendered in his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to help him forget his own problems in the service of others.

Those who knew Jeff were inspired by his drive to serve others and to improve the world around him. Although the last decade of his life was characterized by many health problems and their accompanying infirmities, Jeff spent very little time dwelling on these problems. Instead, he chose to minimize the adversity he faced by focusing on others, his family said.

He will be missed by all who knew him, but most especially his mother, Geri.

Survivors also include his Aunt Marlene Semp of Portland and his Uncle Normon H. Lewis of Germany.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the family to help defray expenses through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Linda Freemantle

Linda Freemantle, 60, died Dec. 16, 2008, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise with her family be her side.

Her memorial service and a celebration of her life will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Richland Christian Church. Private interment will be at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception after the service at the New Bridge Grange Hall.

Linda was born on July 27, 1948, at Ontario to Esther and Ed Miller. She was the youngest of four children. She grew up and was educated at Ontario. After graduation, she lived in Washington and worked as a bookkeeper.

Linda married Terrell Freemantle on July 12, 1973. They lived at The Dalles. While Linda worked as a hotel manager, her best-loved career was as wife to Terrell and mother to James, Korey, and Heather. Then later came her grandchildren, Jayme, Dustin, Mattison, Blayne and Krista, all of whom she adored.

Linda was the joy of the family. She had a quick wit and had the kind of effervescent personality that drew people to her, family members said.

She was a family favorite and developed many dear and close friends. She never met a stranger and quickly became friends with everyone she met. Linda took part in every blood drive that came to town. She was glad to be a donor.

She loved to quilt, make afghans, play cards or take in a day of fishing. Linda truly enjoyed her time traveling with Terrell, especially taking cruises.

Mid-life, Linda was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. While the family was devastated for her, Linda met this challenge with strength and good grace. It slowed her down at times, but she never let it stop her from doing what she wanted to do, her family said.

She was a member of the New Bridge Grand and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“She leaves a deep hole in the heart of our family and that of her friends. She will be greatly missed,” family members said.

Survivors include her husband, Terrell; her children, James and his wife, Amanda, of Milton Freewater, and Korey and Heather, both of The Dalles; grandchildren Jayme, Dustin and Blayne of Milton Freewater and Mattison and Krista of The Dalles; her mother, Esther Blind of Mesa Ariz.; siblings, Clara Berger and her husband, Doug, of Kennewick, Wash., Evelyn Swirbul and her husband, Arnold, of Mesa, Ariz., and brother, John Miller of The Dalles; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Oregon Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Gary Summers

Gary Summers, 48, died Dec. 13, 2008, as a result of a motor vehicle accident near Durkee.

A memorial service and celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Church in Durkee. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception afterward at the former Durkee schoolhouse.

Gary’s father, Virgil Carson “Butch” Summers was born and raised at Baker City and the family every summer when Gary was a boy.

Butch’s best friend, Glen Hall, was an uncle to Gary and took him under his wing when Gary lived in Baker City during the l970s.

Gary’s oldest brother, James Michael Summers, spent a majority of his adult life living in Baker City, married Jodi and had his son, Joshua, there.

Gary lived most of his life in San Diego. Since his other siblings had relocated elsewhere, he became the closest to his mother, living with her off and on. She will feel his loss more than anyone, family members said.

But Gary was well-liked by many people and had friends in many circles. He was always cheerful and pleasant, talkative and a great storyteller. Full of facts about many topics, he amused people with his perception and humor, his family said. He was an avid reader.

Gary was an avid fisherman and had an affinity for the ocean. He worked in the sport fishing industry and was happiest in that world. Always a hard worker, he could fix nearly anything, take on almost any handyman job and always with a smile. Gary was also an excellent cook and loved to eat.

Gary was so happy to reconnect and spend time with his nephew, Josh.

Memorial contributions may be made to help the family with funeral expenses through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.

Joshua Summers

Joshua Michael Line Summers, 29, died Dec. 13, 2008, as the result of a motor vehicle accident near Durkee.

His memorial service and celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Church in Durkee. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception afterward at the former Durkee schoolhouse.

Joshua was born on Sept. 22, 1979, at Baker City to James Michael and Jodi Lynn Bottoms Summers.

He spent most of his early childhood in Eastern Oregon, growing up in the open spaces and fresh air. He moved with his family to Massachusetts in the late 1980s, but later returned, settling in Idaho.

He finished his high school education and learned house painting, which would become his career, in the Job Corps. He was very proud of these accomplishments.

He married Tamara Lerback on Sept. 7, 2002, at Caldwell, Idaho. They, along with her children James, Angelica, Michael and April, then moved to Cascade, Idaho, where they made their home.

Josh loved his kids more than anything in the world, his family said. He put most of his energy into work so he could give his kids a life he never had.

Tamie says he was the best provider a woman could ask for. He was by far the most intelligent, funniest and most hard-working man she ever had the pleasure of knowing. She and the children will miss him always, she said.

Josh continued to paint houses and eventually established his own business, which he loved. Josh also was an outdoorsman. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved to share his stories with everyone.

He loved to make giant bonfires and hang out with family and friends, his family said. He loved to camp, cut firewood, go for drives in the mountains, travel, snowboard, snowmobile and ride on four-wheelers. He also dabbled in photography and made it a point to teach the children how to do all these things.

Josh was always there to help a person in need. He was a compassionate and caring person.

“He was such a presence in our lives. He filled us all with love and laughter,” family members said.

He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Bill Bottoms and Virgil “Butch” Summers; and his father “Jim” Summers.

Survivors include his mother, Jodi Nickerson; sisters, Lane, Kaylin, Devon and Stasia; his grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family to help with funeral expenses through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.