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

Bob Winter, 82, of Island City died June 22 at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla. A memorial will be held at a later date. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Winter was born May, 21, 1924, to Fred and Lillian Klein Winter in Sandoval, Ill. After high school he entered the Army and served during World War II and the Korean War. He married Mae Fetter in Carlisle, Pa. He spent 21 years in the Army and another 21 years as a civilian executive assistant at the Umatilla Army Depot. When he retired the couple settled in Island City in 1983.

He drew sketches and caricatures, and while in the service he designed a pin that is still worn on military uniforms. St. Mary Regional Cancer Center in Walla Walla has many of his sketches and caricatures on display.

He was a member of the La Grande Country Club, and enjoyed art and golf.

Survivors include his wife of Island City; a daughter and son-in-law, Vicki and Chuck Fetty of Pueblo, Colo.; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Rudy Winter of Medford; and other relatives. Three brothers, Wayne, Leonard and Fred Winter, and a grandson, Robert Fetty, all died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the St. Mary Regional Cancer Center in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St.

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Marguerite Jean Vanderbilt, 88, of La Grande died June 18 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Nazarene Church with Pastor Mouse McKinney officiating.

Mrs. Vanderbilt was born Nov. 10, 1917, to William Wallace and Barbara Agnes Whittall Orr in Ponteix, Saskatchewan, Canada. She graduated from high school in Ormstown, Quebec, attended a school in Plattsburg, N.Y., and the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital Nurses' Training School. She became a registered nurse and worked in Temiskaming, Ontario, and Montreal. On Aug. 14, 1946, she married John William Vanderbilt in Plattsburg. They lived in several places while he served in the Army, and settled in La Grande.

She volunteered with the Little League, the PTA, and other organizations while her children were growing up. She was a member of the Nazarene Church, the Good Sam Club and a sign language group, and enjoyed cooking, making hand-dipped chocolates, sewing, arts and crafts and being with her family. Her doll collection has been displayed at the Union County Museum.

She and her husband moved to Carson City, Nev., in 1978 for two years and then to Sitka, Alaska, for another three before returning to La Grande.

Survivors include children Robert Vanderbilt of Baker City, Jean McKern of Hood River, Peggy Vanderbilt of Portland, and Jim Vanderbilt of La Grande; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Barbara Aldridge of Ormstown, Quebec, and Carita Zumbrunn of Calgary, Alberta. Her husband, a daughter, Victoria Antonia Vanderbilt, and a sister, Eleanor Reid, all died earlier

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to any charity in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St.

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Grace Pope, 99, formerly of Cove and Halfway, died June 2 at a care center in Clayton, Wash. A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. July 22 at the Presbyterian Church in Halfway.

Mrs. Pope was born Sept. 21, 1906, to Isaac and Mary Nelson in Aitkin County, Minn. On Nov. 8, 1927, she married Milo Pope in Montesano, Wash. They lived in Washington, Montana and in Sutherlin, John Day and other Eastern Oregon towns where he worked as a logging contractor.

They lived in Halfway from 1964 to 1996. She was a member of the Christian Church and helped establish a congregation in John Day. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge and sang with the PTA Mothers Singers. She enjoyed sewing, crochet, knitting, tatting and quilting. She often said, "When life gives you scraps, make a quilt." Her door was always open.

After her husband died in 1997 she lived in Clayton or in Cove with her daughters. She moved to a care center three years ago.

Survivors include children and their spouses, Beverly Nordquist of Cove, Bruce and Cathy Pope, Milo and Gayle Pope, and Nila and Jim Palmer of Clayton; 21 grandchildren; 75 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. A son, Delford Pope, a son-in-law, Darold Nordquist, and a great-grandson, Gordon McGinnis, all died earlier.

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William Lewis Hallmark, 86, of Portland and formerly of Cove died June 14.

Mr. Hallmark was born July 29, 1919, in Cove. He graduated from Cove High School and helped run the family store. On Dec. 24, 1937, he married Winifred Mae Slauson, and attended Oregon State University and Eastern Oregon Normal School. He studied engineering and put himself through school by working for the Forest Service. He celebrated his 21st birthday while fighting a forest fire.

In 1942 he began working for Willamette Iron and Steel as a draftsman in the shipyard. After the war he became first a plant manager and then a vice president. He supervised the construction of components of the Columbia River dams, nuclear power plants and the naval nuclear program. He retired in 1983.

His hobby was architecture. He designed a bank building and a hardware store in St. Helens and a medical office in Scappoose.

Survivors include his wife; childen and their spouses, Bill and Elaine Hallmark, and Anne and Ed Newbegin, all of Portland; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A brother, Arnold Hallmark, and a sister, Dottie Jean Stitzel, both died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Lewis Hallmark Engineering Scholarship at the Oregon State University Foundation, 850 S.W. 35th St., Corvallis 97333.

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Ralph Schisler, 74, of Union, died June 23. The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at the New Life Center on Island Avenue next to Wal-Mart. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery.

Mr. Schisler was born Dec. 23, 1931, to Francis and Marie Schneider Schisler in North Platte, Neb. The family moved to California, and he served in the Navy.

In 1973 he moved to Klamath Falls where he owned a ranch. In 1981 he moved to the Catherine Creek area where he continued ranching before settling in Union where he was a carpenter and contractor for many years.

On April 22, 2005, he married Betty Travis in La Grande. He was a member of the New Life Center and enjoyed traveling, photography, hunting and cutting wood.

Survivors include his wife of Union; children, Chuck Schisler of Lake Forest, Calif., Debbie Carroll of Apple Valley, Calif., Dawn Roland of Riverside, Calif., and Julie Achleithner of La Grande; step-children, Tammy Pascoe of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Teena Bambolo of Bothel, Washington; a brother, Bob Schisler of California; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren and other relatives. A son, Jack Schisler, died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the New Life Center in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St.

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William G. Gross, 81, of Island City died June 20 at a hospital in Boise. A private service will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Gross was born Nov. 1, 1924, to Glenn and Margurite Mathewson Gross in Portland. He attended school in Battleground, Wash., and served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trains and being with his family. He moved to the Grande Ronde Valley around 1960 from Reith.

Survivors include children, James Gross of Island City, David Gross of College Place, Wash., and Teresa Mastrude of La Grande; two brothers, Don Gross of Sweet Home and Russ Gross of Gladstone; three sisters, Marjorie Kumpula of Amboy, Wash., Mary Ellen Cleasby of Federal Way, Wash., and Lynelle Kumpula of Port Angeles, Wash.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Doris, and a brother, Robert, died earlier.