>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Marlette, McLain, Haslep

Andrew “Andy” Loron Marlette, 39, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande, died April 24 in Milwaukee, Wis. A celebration of life will begin at 3 p.m. May 17 at the Baker Elk’s Lodge. Gray’s West and Company is in charge of arrangements

Delma Ruth McLain, 72, of Ione and recently of La Grande, died May 3 at Grande Ronde Hospital. At the family’s request, private services will be held only in Ione at a later date. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Florence Josephine Haslep, 97, of Wallowa, died April 30. After her hip replacement in 1978, Florence decided she would donate her body to a medical university to support and encourage medical research and learning. Her children have made arrangements to have her body transported to OHSU in Portland.

Florence was born Nov. 13, 1920, to Theophil and Anna Tibesar in St. Charles, Minn. She was one of four sisters: Leola, Helen and Clara.

Florence moved to Denver, Colo., in the 1950s. She and William Haslep were married in 1956. They were blessed with two children: Celene, now of Wallowa and Dean, now of Bailey’s Harbor, Wis. Florence worked for several years in banking and in retail where she retired from Target in Denver in 1985.

After retiring, Florence was very active in her community and in her church. Florence moved to Wallowa in September 2001 to be closer to her daughter and her family.

Florence filled her life with friends, neighbors, Wallowa Senior Center activities, her flower beds and her garden. Florence loved to bake and people requested her banana nut bread for bake sales. Florence enjoyed giving people the experience of eating her “little white mice” cookies.

Florence was very strong in her faith and was a parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Wallowa. Florence was a member in very good standing in the Wallowa Mountain Mommas Red Hat Society Chapter.

Florence is survived by her two children: Celene and her husband, Ron Gay, of Wallowa and Dean and his wife, Jessica Haslep, of Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin; several grandchildren and their spouses; a great-granddaughter who was just born in March; and sisters, Helen and her husband, Ben Kreofsky of Wabasha, Minn., and Clara and her husband, Dick Brennan, of Rochester, Minn. Florence was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William Haslep; and her sister and brother-in-law, Leola and Frank Martin.

To celebrate and honor Florence’s life, the family suggests volunteering with an agency, knowing and caring for neighbors, sharing cookies and banana nut bread and planting many flowers.