Obituaries for the day of June 10, 2009

Messick, Rysdam, Gayman, Goebel, Roberts

LOCAL FUNERALS AND VISITATIONS

June 11 — Juanita Messick, 10 a.m., celebration of life, Church of Christ, 2107 Gekeler Lane, La Grande

June 13 — Mary Rysdam, celebration of life, 1 p.m., Elgin Community Center pavilion

June 14 — Myra Gayman, burial, graveside service, 4 p.m., Promise Cemetery

June 14 — Leo Goebel, celebration of life, 1 p.m., Wallowa Senior Center

June 15 — Bernadene Roberts, memorial service, 2 p.m., Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center

Lois Delaney, 83, of Enterprise, died May 27 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital after a short illness. At her request, there were no local services. Her ashes were interred at Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) Cemetery. Bollman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Lois was born in 1925 the third daughter of Ernest and Lillian (Simmons) Quinn in Enterprise. She graduated from Enterprise High School in 1944. She married Gene A. “Bud” Moffit. They later divorced.

She worked at Homans Drug and the Fireplace in Enterprise. She met and married Shirley Delaney in Coeur d’Alene. They lived in Hayden Lake, Idaho. After 30 years of marriage, he died and Lois moved back to Enterprise.

Survivors include her son, Dan and his wife, Kathy Moffit; stepson, Mike Delaney; two grandsons; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Cecile Lay of Enterprise.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Shirley; infant son, Francis Moffit; parents; and her sister, Margaret Steen.

Myra B. Gayman, 93, of Hermiston and formerly of Promise, died June 8 at the Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston. A funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday at Burns Mortuary Chapel in Hermiston. Burial and graveside service will follow at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Promise Cemetery.

Myra was born Nov. 19, 1915, to Chester and Bessie Phillips Gorbett in Promise. Myra was raised and attended school in Promise and was baptized there as a teenager. She continued to live in Promise for a time before moving to Portland where she lived until 1955. Myra settled in Hermiston where she has lived since, although she always remained connected to Promise.

She was a 50-plus-year member of the Columbia Grange, a VFW Gold Star Mother and a member of the Travel Club and the Main Street Cowboys where she played the calliope. Myra enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, gardening, quilting and canning.

She is survived by her daughters, Orvalla Hafer of Othello, Wash., and Myrna Journot and her husband, Bob, of Promise; sister, Vera Henderson of Wallowa; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandsons; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Myra was preceded in death by her husbands, Orval Carper, Grady Banks and Lyle Gayman; son, Merlin Eugene Carper; son-in-law, Raymond Hafer; parents; brothers, Rolin and Duane Gorbett; sisters, Verla Gorbett and Lola McDonald.

Memorial contributions may be made to Promise Cemetery in care of Wyleigh Carper, P.O. Box 443, Wallowa 97885 or Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, P.O. Box 289, Hermiston 97838.

Bernadene Nelle Roberts, 89, of La Grande, died Feb. 21 at her home. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Monday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center. Military Honors will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery.

Bernadene was born Dec. 31, 1919, to Charles and Gladys (Lloyd) Roberts in La Grande.

During World War II she served her country with the United States Navy.

After her honorable discharge she lived in San Francisco where she was a buyer for Livingston Brothers. After her retirement in 1988 she returned to La Grande to care for her mother.

She was a member of the VFW and American Legion. She was an avid Elvis Presley fan. She collected dolls and crocheted doll clothes. She loved going to yard sales, gardening, canning, working outside and feeding the squirrels and bluejays.

She had an active mind and enjoyed doing number and crossword puzzles.

She also loved fishing, camping and telling stories on her sister.

Survivors include sister, Olive Olson of Bayview, Idaho; a nephew and a niece; and numerous other relatives. She was preceded in death by siblings, Gladys Moffett, Charles Roberts and Lawrence “Sonny” Roberts.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion Auxiliary in care of Daniels-Knopp, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande.