‘Jo’ Snook-Dickison

Baker City, 1920-2019

Laurel “Jo” Snook-Dickison, 98, of Baker City, died on April 17, 2019, at Meadowbrook Place, surrounded by family.

A celebration of her life will take place May 17 at 10 a.m. at the Nazarene Church, 1250 Hughes Lane, with a lunch reception at the church following the service.

“Jo” was born Aug. 25, 1920, at Baker City to Alva and Georgia (Hudspeth) Gardner. Her younger years were spent at Baker City and McEwen. Teenage summers were often spent at Red’s Horse Ranch cleaning cabins and helping in the kitchen with her sisters, Teen and Ethyl. Many wonderful memories were made before the family sold the ranch.

She attended a two-room school in McEwen for several years where her dad was a winchman on the dredge, and some in Baker where her dad worked as a mechanic. Her mom cooked for the logging camps.

She graduated from Baker High School in 1938, the year Baker won its first state basketball championship.

Upon graduation, she enrolled in the first St. Elizabeth Nurses Training Program. She completed her training at Doernbecher Hospital. She was a registered nurse for over half a century at St. Elizabeth, with the last 32 years as a surgical nurse. During her nursing career, Jo also did private duty for many families. Being a long-standing member of the community put her on a warm, first-name basis with most of the community and added to their comfort. Many lifelong relationships were made over the course of her career.

One of her greatest joys was being a church camp nurse at Baptist youth camps at Anthony Lake, Cove, and Elkanah for many years. She made sure that every child who wanted to go to camp got the opportunity. She was a major influence on many of the children’s lives.

She also loved serving for nine years as a nurse on bus tours to many wonderful places that were sponsored by longtime friend Don Wilson.

Jo married Dean Snook and was blessed with three children – Larry, Peggy and Eddie. Dean was a mechanic and owned a garage on Broadway and Tenth for many years, then in later years was a mechanic at the Ellingson Lumber Mill. Dean passed away in 1998 after a long battle with cancer.

After her retirement from nursing, Jo became a regular worker at the Sycamore Tree, owned by her daughter, Peggy. She loved being around the people in the store, helping and serving them as well as entertaining them.

Jo married Andy Dickison in 2001. They spent ten years traveling, making memories, and involving themselves in Bible studies before Andy’s death in 2011.

She spent her last years at Meadowbrook Place. Her time there was a great blessing to her, as well as her visitors and the wonderful staff, who quickly became like family.

Jo had a heart for God and a love for people, whether they were 1 or 100 years old. She loved the Lord and gave most of her life in service for Him. He was the most important part of her life.

She was an amazing, supportive, loving, encouraging and entertaining mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Her family was her pride and joy. They all loved “Grammy Jo.”

Survivors include her daughter, Peggy Pearson (Larry); her sons, Larry Snook (Shirley) and Ed Snook (Penny); her grandchildren, Kathi Sayers, Kereen Dose, Kevin Pearson, Brad Snook, Greg Snook, Jason Snook, Chad Snook and Joe Snook; 18 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifetime friend Gin Widman.

Jo was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Dean Snook; her husband of 10 years, Andy Dickison; and her sisters, Ernestine and Ethyl.

Memorial contributions may be made to the missionary program at the McEwen Church or Camp Elkanah through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

To light a candle for Jo or to leave a condolence for her family, go to www.grayswestco.com

Russel Hunt

Formerly of Haines, 1951-2019

Russel Alec Hunt, 67, of Summerville, and formerly of Haines, died Nov. 9, 2018, at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande.

A celebration of his life, with military honors, will take place on Saturday, May 18, at 2 p.m. at the Baker City Christian Church, 675 Highway 7.

Russ was born April 20, 1951, at Ritzville, Washington, to Ross and Violet (Geddes) Hunt. He attended grade school in Walla Walla, Washington, and the family moved to Haines when he was 11. He was active in Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1966. Russ graduated from Baker High School in 1969.

In 1970 he joined the United States Navy and completed 5 1/2 years of military service as a Navy Musician. His sea tours, among other things, included Vietnam, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience of picking up the Apollo 16 astronauts after splashdown in April 1972. Russ was selected for Navy’s Show Band West and toured for several years in the western United States. He then was transferred to “Flagship,” Navy’s rock band in Orlando, Florida, and was stationed there until his honorable discharge in 1975.

Russ married Sharon McLean in 1974, and the marriage was dissolved within a year. He married Joan Bagley McClure in 1975 after he was discharged from the Navy. They moved to Haines and a son, Daniel, was born in 1977. That marriage was dissolved in 1996.

Russ had a number of occupations in his lifetime. He began working in hay fields as a young man and also worked as a short-order cook and gas station attendant. He owned his own fiberglass shop, a dental lab, was a real estate broker and worked in a nursing home. He worked for the Forest Service as a firefighter and on a survey crew. He was active in Baker County Search & Rescue, worked as a reserve deputy for the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and served on the Haines City Council. He taught first aid and was actively involved in the Little League program, both as a coach and referee. He also rejoined the military as a medic in the Army National Guard.

At the age of 33, Russ went to college and in 1988 completed bachelor’s degrees in both Nursing and Psychology from Oregon Health Sciences University and Eastern Oregon University. He returned to the Navy by commissioning into the Naval Officer Corps where he served as a nurse until he retired from the Navy Reserve as a lieutenant commander in 2003, with more than 24 years of total military service.

In 1991 after completing a master’s degree in Nursing, he found his niche as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.

Russ was a faculty member of OHSU’s Nursing Program on Eastern Oregon University’s Campus from 1991 to 1997 and was also a student advisor. He was one of the first in the nation to use audio-video technology both as an instructor and clinician. When he left OHSU in 1997, he worked in community mental health in Harney, Lake, Baker and Umatilla counties. He also opened a part-time, then full-time private practice. Russ had a passion for helping veterans and scaled back his private practice in order to provide psychiatric services to the VA Clinic in La Grande for four years. He retired from federal service in 2013 and returned to a full-time private practice.

In 2002, Russ married Anita Enneberg Hunt, the love of his life. For the 16-plus years they were married, he and Anita did everything as a team — from the office to farm work and working with ponies; from playing music to cooking and traveling. They loved being together, and she supported him in his other interests and hobbies. Russ loved to hunt and fish. He trained and showed Welsh ponies; flew their airplane (even after two plane crashes); and enjoyed working with his hands — from mechanics to new construction, remodeling and frame building.

He was passionate about music and played with The Blue Yesterdays, Baker City’s big band, of which he was an original member; The Quartet, four saxophonists in La Grande; the Community Symphonic Band in La Grande; and The Sometimes Band, a mostly family group that played for church-related events.

He loved his home — from the view of the Grande Ronde Valley to working with the machinery. He treasured his family and friends and his church family from both Elgin and Imbler Christian churches. He loved the Lord with all his heart, and it was his goal that his friends and family would also love the Lord.

Russ was a longtime member of the National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH), formerly served on its board of directors and presented numerous times at its annual conference. In more recent years, being a member of the Navy Musicians Association and attending the NMA Reunions reconnected him with shipmates from long ago.

In 2014 he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and it was metastasis from that which ultimately took his life on Nov. 9, 2018.

Russ is survived by his wife, Anita, of Summerville; his sons, Daniel (Joy) Hunt of Elgin, Ross Kemp of Shreveport Louisiana, and Lane (Katrina) Kemp of Biloxi, Mississippi; his brothers, Eugene (Rhea) Hunt and Robert Hunt; his grandchildren, Taylor, DJ, Gabby, Max, Zoe and Wyatt; as well as several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ross and Violet Hunt; and his brother, Daniel.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cove Christian Camp, The Blue Yesterdays or the Navy Musicians Association in care of Gray’s West & Co Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

To light a candle in memory of Russ or to leave a condolence for his family, go to www.grayswestco.com