Grover Mann

Baker City, 1932-2019

William Grover Mann, 86, died Feb. 8, 2019, in Baker City at home, surrounded by his loving family.

His memorial service will be Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 42171 Chico Road in Baker City. Friends are invited to join the family for a potluck reception at the church following the service.

Grover was born on Nov. 21, 1932, at Baker to Francis and Millie (Hall) Mann. He was raised in Baker and went to grade school at Churchill School then to junior high and on to Baker High School where he graduated in 1951.

Grover met his lifelong love, Mary Jean Carter, in high school when he was 16 and she was 15. They connected completely and were married on June 29, 1952. Grover and Mary had three children, Dan, Dave and Sandy. Grover and his father, Francis, worked at their family’s business, Mann Plumbing, for 10 years before Grover took over the business himself. Grover ran the business until 1981 when he became a plumbing inspector for the State of Oregon and handed the business to his son, Dan, the third generation plumber in the family.

Grover and Mary left Baker to pursue the inspector job in Newport. After three years there they moved to Corvallis, where they were the house parents at the Kappa Delta Sorority. Grover continued his inspection job and was the “house” maintenance man for seven years. Grover and Mary then retired to Lincoln City where Grover worked two days a week for the county as a plumbing inspector until his 80th year.

Baker City was calling him to come home, so they packed up and came home! He loved going over to McDonald’s every morning and enjoying a cup of coffee with his buddies until his health failed him and he could no longer go. He belonged to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Grover loved hunting, fishing, and being in the mountains. He was inventive and constantly doing something. Family was everything to Grover.

Grover’s favorite catchphrases: “Sweets,” for his daughters and granddaughters; “Honey,” “darling,” “sweetheart” for his wife, “Mare”; “Kiddo,” girls outside of the family; “Bud,” all boys; Many other “Groverisms” too many to list. For a full list see “Grover and Me” written by his granddaughter, Jennifer Battrell.

Memorable dates that Grover always remembered were the day of his marriage, birthdays of all of his loved ones and he always made Christmas very special. Grover leaves a legacy of love and kindness. Anyone who knew Grover had a lifelong friend.

Grover is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mary Jean Mann; his daughter, Sandy Perkins of Baker City; his sons, Dan and his wife, Chris, of Baker County, and Dave and his wife, Pam, of Cove; a special nephew, Don McDowell and his wife, Nancy, of Spokane Washington; his sister, Donna Lanyon and her husband, Kenny, of Yamhill, Oregon; 11 grandkids, 22 great-grandkids, two great-great-granddaughters; and many loved nieces and nephews. Grover also loved all of Mary’s brothers and sisters and counted them as his own.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Millie Mann; two infant sisters; his sister, Leatha Seibel; and two grandsons, Joseph Mann and Danny Mann.

For those who would like to make a memorial donation in honor of Grover, the family suggests either the Seventh-day Adventist Church or Heart ’N Home Hospice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com

Jerry Morris

Baker City, 1949-2019

Jerry Monroe Morris, 69, of Baker City, died Feb. 1, 2019, at his home with his family at his side.

A celebration of his life will take place later, with the date and time to be announced.

Jerry was born on Sept. 12, 1949, at Homedale, Idaho, to Howard and Helen Morris. He attended school and was raised in both the Marsing and Lake Lowell, Idaho, area.

After his high school graduation, Jerry joined the Army. Following that Jerry’s life began to play like a Johnny Cash song — not surprisingly, his favorite country music singer. In the 1970s, while attending the school of hard knocks, he helped to take down an entire prison administration. He had uncovered their second set of “books” and had brought them to light. It was because of this that he was forced to live a life of uncertainty, never knowing if and when he would be punished for exposing a truth. Years later Jerry was arrested in relation to the scandal and would marry the love of his life, Lisa Smith. On June 21, 1986, they were wed in the Baker County Jail. Their wedding photographs were taken on the same Polaroid camera that was additionally used to take mug shots. His life philosophy was “There are two ways in life, right and wrong.” Lisa stood by her man and eventually Jerry was acquitted on all charges. Jerry always stated that he could not have made this accomplishment without the help of the Lord.

He earned the nickname “Freight Train Morris” in regards to his fast pitches in softball when he would play against the guards and for his hard-hitting boxing abilities. After leaving the joint, Jerry was employed as a truck driver and as a wildland firefighter for Grayback. He was also a professional “dead wood extractor.”

Jerry enjoyed hunting, camping, and fishing with his grandkids. One of his favorite things to say was, “If you’re not going to have any fun, don’t go.” He also often joked and said he was a “silverback” and everyone else was a monkey. He loved listening to “outlaw” country music. Jerry also loved gardening and attending to “the girls.”

Jerry had a soft spot in his heart for the homeless. If they were hitchhiking he would give them a ride. If they needed a place to live or food to eat he wouldn’t hesitate to bring them to his own home. Jerry was a great believer in the Lord and was always willing to help those in need.

Jerry is survived by his wife and best friend of 38 years, Lisa Morris; his daughters, Sage Marie Gladys Morris and Nicole Kerri Morris; his sons, Cody Monroe Morris and Cole Jerry David Morris, Chatz Dylan Rath, Danny and Ronnie Bean; his first grandson and fishing buddy, Xavier Jerry Juan Sanchez, who was followed by many more loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren; also, his good friend, Raymond Bohannon.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Helen Morris; his brother, Steve Morris; his father-in-law, Dave Hedges; and his dear friends, Glen Schwingel and Ed Jones.

Those who would like to make a donation in memory of Jerry may do so to help defray service expenses through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com