Lois Elms

Baker City, 1917-2013

Lois Henrietta Elms, 96, of Baker City, died Sept. 13, 2013, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City.

Visitations will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Gray’s West and Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Baker City Christian Church, 675 Highway 7. Pastor Jesse Whitford will officiate.

Lois was born on Aug. 21, 1917, at Baker City to Henry and Mary Wallace Prowell. She was a 1934 graduate and attended Eastern Oregon University, earning her teaching degree in 1936.

Lois’ first teaching job was at Durbin Creek School near Huntington. She then taught at Missouri Flat and Haines in 1941 to 1942.

She married Howard W. Elms on May 21, 1944, at San Antonio, Texas. While her husband was in the Army she worked for Union Pacific Railroad as a telegrapher for several years.

In 1946, they bought the Trail Motel and operated it until the present.

In 1947, they had their son, Edward, and Lois became a stay-at- home mom until Ed graduated from high school.

She then returned to teach at North Powder School for a combined class of third- and fourth-graders. She worked there for 20 years.

Lois was a very active person and had many friends. She enjoyed fishing, hunting, picking huckleberries, playing pinochle, watching her grandchildren’s sports and mushrooming. She also enjoyed playing cribbage, which she taught to her grandsons at an early age.

She loved going for rides seeing the flora and fauna. She loved to travel and went on several trips.

Two of her favorite trips were going to Africa with her brothers, Milton and Rich, and her sister-in-law, Barbara Prowell. She also went to France and England with her cousin, Lola Bell.

Lois was active in the Methodist Church, Community Connection, Baker Community Concerts and the pinochle clubs. She had a long and active life and she will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Survivors include her son, Edward Elms, and his wife, Patricia, of Baker City; grandson, Russell Elms, and his wife, Leslie, and their children, Averi and Rylee, of Baker City, and Ryan Elms and his wife, Stephanie, and their children, Erin and Madison, of Baker City; sister, Marge Haynes of Baker City;brothers, Milt Prowell, and his wife, Wynona, of Baker City, and Wallace Prowell and his wife, Bobby, of Baker City; and sister-in-law, Barbara Prowell of Baker City.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Mary Prowell; her husband, Howard W. Elms; a brother, Richard Prowell; a sister, Dorothy Dugan, and brother-in-law, Grayton; sister-in-law, Norma Prowell; and longtime friend, David Laurence.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Band Shell in the Park or the YMCA through Gray’s West and Co., 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR. 97814.

Darlene Lethlean

Baker City, 1937-2013

Darlene Lethlean 76, of Baker City, died Sept. 22, 2013, at Ashley Manor in Baker City.

Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. There will be a viewing from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the church. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Mrs. Lethlean was born on June 16, 1937, at Baker City to Roy and Rosslee D. “Rosie” Taylor Crockett. She received her education in Baker City.

She worked in retail management for Montgomery Ward for 20 years. She was married to John Hottel and then to Bernard Friedlander, who died in 1996. In November of 2005, she married Dale Lethlean.

Mrs. Lethlean was very active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and liked teaching the youth at church. She had continuing relationships with many of those young people throughout her life.

Survivors include her husband, Dale Lethlean of Baker City; granddaughter, Autumn Brooks of Baker City; grandson, Bryson Hottel, and his son, Bryan Hottel; stepchildren, Susan Pujals and Steven Friedlander.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bernard Friedlander; son, Robbie Hottel; and her aunt, Katy Bleakman.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Rachel Pregnancy Center, through Coles Tribute Center, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR97814.