Obituaries for the day of June 5, 2009

Brad Gentry

Formerly of La Grande

1966-2009

Brad Gentry, 42, of Lakeview and formerly of La Grande, died May 29 at his home. A private family memorial service will be held later.

Brad was born Oct. 14, 1966, to Wayne and Inez Gentry in Lakeview. He graduated from Lakeview High School in 1984 and then attended technical college in Arizona where he earned his associate degree. For the past 18 years, he was a mechanic and shop foreman at the Oregon Department of Transportation shop in La Grande.

Survivors include his children, Jamie and her husband, Jason Norton of Klamath Falls, and Jesse Gentry and Ashely Gentry, both of La Grande; mother, Inez Gentry of Lakeview; sisters, Kaye and her husband, Lyle Cory of Bonanza and Noelene and her husband, Jim Watts of Lakeview; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Wayne Gentry; and his grandparents, Louis and Arie Jones and Noel and Clara Gentry.

Memorial contributions may be made to any charity.

Joy L. Harris

La Grande

1947-2009

Joy L. Harris, 61, of La Grande, died May 27 in Silverton. Private family services will be held. North Santiam Funeral Service in Stayton was in charge of arrangements.

Joy was born June 6, 1947, in Medford and grew up in the Coleman Creek area between Phoenix and Talent.

Joy married Vern Harris Dec. 21, 1964, in Phoenix.

Joy moved to Dallas in 1970, making it her home until 2006, when she moved to La Grande. She drove school bus and worked as a waitress while living in Dallas.

Joy loved the outdoors, fishing and picnicking. Her greatest joy was her children and grandchildren, whom she adored.

Survivors include her husband, Vern of La Grande; son, Bill and his wife, Taunya Harris, of Grandview, Wash.; daughter, Jaime Harris and her fiancee, Larry Hall of Silverton; sister, Marcille Welburn of Dallas; and six grandchildren.

Dwight O. Wyckoff

Formerly of Wallowa

1920-2009

Dwight Osborne Wyckoff, 88, of Roseburg and formerly of Wallowa, died June 9. A celebration of life will be held at the Wallowa United Methodist Church later.

Dwight was born June 18, 1920, the first child of Christian Cornelius Wyckoff and Frances Naomi (Bratton) Wyckoff at the Wyckoff farm home near Luray in Russell County, Kan. The family moved to Gove County in 1935. After three years in the dust bowl in Kansas, the family moved to Nyssa. Dwight’s father, a World War I veteran, won a drawing for 100-plus acres of raw sagebrush land under the Owyhee Irrigation Project in Malheur County. The family developed the land into an irrigated farm.

Dwight graduated from Nyssa High School in 1939. He enrolled at Oregon State University in 1941. His education was interrupted by service in World War II. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in agronomy and farm crops. Dwight enlisted in the Navy Air Corps in 1942. After graduation from officer’s training at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., he was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and spent most of his time in service in Air Sea Rescue in Port Angeles, Wash.

On June 18, 1944, he married his high school sweetheart, June-Marie Wilson from Nyssa. They shared 65 years together. Dwight and June-Marie moved from Port Angeles after his military service ended. They moved to Nyssa, where Dwight was a FFA instructor at Nyssa High School from 1951 to 1955. Following his teaching career he was manager for Ralston Purina Feed Stores in Nyssa and Weiser, Idaho. After moving to Portland in 1967, he was the office manager for Western Propane. Dwight then worked as office manager of the Bill Wolfe Hereford ranch in Wallowa for 10 years before retiring in 1986.

After retirement, Dwight and June-Marie spent 11 years traveling the United States in their fifth wheel. They retired in Florence for 11 years. Dwight had a passion for flying and had a special interest in the PBY Coast Guard rescue planes. He loved gardening, music and reading. Dwight was a member of the United Methodist Church for 61 years.

He is survived by his loving wife, June-Marie; three children, Christy Neal and his wife, Laura, of Portland, Barney Gerald Wyckoff of Aspen, Colo., and Marcia Marie Sheehy and her husband, Dennis, of Wallowa; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Charles Dean Wyckoff, Burl Bryson Wyckoff, Bette Ruey Stover, Jean Bratton Wyckoff, Barbara Ann Sorenson; and step-sister, Elaine Stein. He was preceded in death by his step-brother, Richard Sherley.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the memorial fund of the United Methodist Church of Wallowa in care of Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande.