Obituaries for the day of November 18, 2008

Ferguson

Hindman

Nadeau

Beccker

Daawson

Hardy

Hocks

Newcomb

Rita J. Ferguson

La Grande

Rita J. Ferguson, 72, of La Grande, died Saturday at Grande Ronde Hospital. A full obituary will be available later. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Reta J. Hindman

Formerly of Elgin

Reta June Hindman, 76, of Touchet, Wash., and formerly of Elgin, died Wednesday at her home. A funeral took place today at the Chapel of Herring Funeral Home with the Rev. Marcia Mitchell of Amazing Grace Church of the Nazarene officiating. A reception will follow at the Nine Mile Ranch in Touchet. A private family burial will take place in Elgin.

Reta was born Jan. 24, 1932, in La Grande.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Elgin Stampeders in care of Herring Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, WA 99362

Cynthia M. Nadeau

La Grande

Cynthia Marie Nadeau, 57, of La Grande, died Saturday at her home in La Grande. A full obituary will be available later. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Greg Becker

Enterprise

1964-2008

Greg Becker, 44, of rural Enterprise, died Nov. 10 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital surrounded by family and friends after an almost two-year battle with brain cancer. A memorial service was held Nov. 17 at the Enterprise Baptist Church.

Greg was born July 5, 1964, to Bud and Nita Becker in Ontario. He grew up in the Ontario and Vale areas in Eastern Oregon.

Greg loved horses, learning horsemanship and working with horses from an early age with his dad on the family ranch in Westfall in Vale. Greg was always proud of the fact that the Westfall Ranch had been in the family since the days of the Pony Express when it was first owned by Charlie Becker, a rider for the Express.

Greg’s reputation as a horse trainer and reiner was well known in Eastern Oregon and was beginning to reach beyond Wallowa County. He was a member of the Snake River Reining Alliance and won many awards for his reining abilities and training techniques.

Greg drove the “big beer truck” for P&E Distributing out of Baker for seven years and worked at the RY Timber Co. for eight years before that.

Although Greg loved working with horses, his first love was his family. He married June Gorbett Sept. 16, 2006, and they made their home in rural Enterprise. Those who knew Greg say he possessed an expansive sense of humor. He often referred to his and June’s 5 1/2-acre spread as “The Beckerosa,” and during his battle with cancer, he often responded to the greeting, “Good to see you,” with “It’s good to be seen.”

Those who knew Greg say he was a good neighbor to all and he never hesitated to offer a helping hand, often going out of his way to help anyone in need.

Greg is survived by his wife, June Becker of Enterprise; children, Kirstin Lopez and Sarah Becker of Twin Falls, Idaho; stepchildren, Jessica, Ashley and Tristan Morehouse of Enterprise; sisters, Paula of Alaska, Jayleen of Prineville, Tammy of Arizona and Lee of Ontario; brother, Allen of Atlanta; and four grandchildren in Twin Falls. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bud and Nita Becker.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bollman Funeral Home, 315 W. Main St., Enterprise 97828.

Carmen Dawson

Wallowa

1930-2008

Carmen Dawson, 78, of Wallowa, died Nov. 11 of pancreatic cancer at her home with family near. A funeral service was held Nov. 14 at Bollman Funeral Home. Burial was at Lostine Cemetery.

Carmen was born Jan. 24, 1930, at the family ranch on Buck Creek in Silver Lake. She was the youngest of seven children raised by Kate (Alderidge) and James Mark Ferns. She attended grade school in Silver Lake and high school in La Pine.

Carmen and her future sister-in-law, Ethel, were the first girls in their high school to take wood shop. They were also required to take cooking and sewing skills they had already mastered.

Carmen graduated salutatorian while Ethel graduated valedictorian.

Carmen and her husband of 59 years, Marvin, retired to their home in Wallowa after ranching in Lostine for 23 years. Prior to living in Wallowa County, the Dawsons ranched in La Pine where they were recognized as Deschutes County Cattlemen of the Year in 1961.

Carmen was a lifelong and active member of the Grange. She was a 4-H leader for more than 30 years and was the first woman to be elected to serve on the Deschutes County Fair Board for 10 years. Carmen did these responsibilities with great pride and dedication. Prior to serving on the fair board, Carmen was a 4-H dorm mother and an active supporter of FFA.

Carmen loved country life and being a rancher. She and her husband, Marvin, fondly known as Mutt, raised their family together as active community members. In addition to working on the family ranch, Carmen drove the school bus and drove buses for sports activities for Moffit Brothers of Wallowa. She also worked on an agricultural land use committee representing the benefits of grazing on public and private lands for the National Wild and Scenic River systems.

Carmen was a skilled hunter and filled many deer and elk tags. Her love of hunting became a family tradition with numerous Thanksgivings celebrated at the cabin on Smith Mountain during elk season. She enjoyed family reunions and spending time with grandchildren and neighbors. She had a great love of music and played in a band for dances and weddings in La Pine. She played the accordion, piano and organ for enjoyment.

Carmen welcomed many into the Dawson home. As a rancher’s wife, she enjoyed preparing and serving branding lunches, holiday dinners and potluck dishes for Grange.

Survivors include her husband, Marvin, a World War II veteran; brother, Daryl Ferns and his wife, Ethel, of La Pine; daughter, Colleen and her husband, Tim Winters, of Hermiston; son, Mark and his wife, Leanna Dawson, of Enterprise; son, Lyle and his wife, Barbara Dawson, of Red Bluff, Calif.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wallowa County 4-H.

Florence M. Hardy

La Grande

1937-2008

Florence Mae Hardy, 71, of

La Grande, died Nov. 14 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A public graveside gathering will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hillcrest Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Florence was born May 2, 1937, to John Everett and Lena Catherine (Duckett) Winburn in La Grande. She was raised in

La Grande and graduated from La Grande High School in 1955. She worked as a secretary for a local attorney firm until retirement.

In November 1957, she married Joseph Hardy, and they lived in La Grande their entire 48 1/2 years of married life until Joe’s death in May 2006. Florence was also preceded in death by her father.

She is survived by her mother, Lena Marshall, of La Grande; brother, Everett Winburn of Hardin, Mont.; sisters, Darlene Herron of La Grande and Dolores Jean Adams of Ontario; and many nieces and nephews.

Vernon L. Hocks

Formerly of La Grande

1962-2008

Vernon L. Hocks, 46, of Winnemucca, Nev., and formerly of La Grande, died Nov 12 in Winnemucca. Services were held today at the LDS Church in Nampa, Idaho.

Vernon was born June 18, 1962. He grew up in La Grande.

When asked about her father, Vernon’s daughter, Jodi Hocks, said, “The dad with the big blue eyes ... my dad was an amazing father. He loved my sister and I so much — we were his entire world.”

Those who knew Vernon say he had a big heart, always putting others before himself. His daughters say that they’ll miss their father’s laugh and smile the most and that he loved to entertain with funny faces or dances.

Vernon was an avid fisherman and hunter. He loved to go four-wheeling and spending time with his girls.

He is survived by daughters, Jodi and Megan of Wenatchee Wash.; mother, Lori Vicklund and her husband, Don, of Nampa; and siblings, Verlo Hocks and his wife, Trish, of Dover, Del., Vickie Hill and her husband, Ron, of Nampa, Valerie Brown of Reno, VernaLee Magee and her husband, Roger Farmington, of Utah, and Dixie Hocks Clay and her husband, Jeff of Denver.

Tony L. Newcomb

La Grande

1958-2008

Tony Lee Newcomb, 50, of La Grande, died unexpectedly Nov. 10. A celebration of life was held Nov. 17 at Loveland Funeral Home.

Tony was born March 15, 1958, in Coeur d’Alene. He spent his youth in La Grande.

Tony was a gentle soul who was always willing to lend a hand to family, friends and neighbors. Those who knew him said he was a hard worker who took pride in the things he did. He trained to be a chef and enjoyed cooking, traveling, yard work, building models and playing video games. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

He traveled throughout Oregon on his bicycle but was happy to settle back in his hometown of La Grande 10 years ago.

Survivors include his father, Vern Newcomb; brothers, Chester Newcomb of Boise and Vern Newcomb of Portland; sister, Dorsaie Wilson of Bellingham, Wash.; uncle and aunt, Larry and Debby Witten of La Grande; aunt, Linda Witten of Boise; several nieces, nephews and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Newcomb; grandparents, Walter and

Neva Witten; and uncle, Irv Witten.