Saturday, January 8, 2022
BIRTHS
GRANDE RONDE HOSPITAL
CALDWELL: Mac Ryan Caldwell, born Dec. 11, 2021, to
Alexis Jade Caldwell and Ryan Patrick Caldwell, of La Grande.
Grandparents are Bert and Kathy Kirby and Pete and Kathy
Caldwell.
GIVENS: Kennedy Jamin Jo Givens, born Dec. 10, 2021, to
Cheyenne Bright and Logan Givens, of La Grande.
MEADERDS: Xavier Angelo Meaderds, born Dec. 27,
2021, to Belen Meaderds and Joseph Andre Meaderds, of La
Grande. Grandparents are Angelo Meaderds, Beatrice Mea-
derds, Raul Calderon and Nely Calderon.
ORTON: Giovanni Orton, born Dec. 23, 2021, to Kylee
Orton and Christopher Orton, of La Grande. Grandpar-
ents are Darren Montgomery, Gina Montgomery and Linda
Orton.
SHECKS: Thibault David Shecks, born Dec. 17, 2021, to
Jessica Shecks and Matthew Shecks, of Cove.
TROYER: Madison Kate Troyer, born Dec. 15, 2021, to
Stephanie Renae Troyer and Benjamin Roy Troyer, of Union.
Grandparents are Dwayne and Marlene Martin and Jerry
and Ivy Troyer.
DEATH & SERVICE NOTICES
Myra Christenson
RECORDS
UNION COUNTY SENIOR
CENTER LUNCH MENU
Dine-in meals: Served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.;
use front entrance and observe social distancing.
Takeout meals: Pick up from noon to 1 p.m. at kitch-
en’s back door.
Cost: Age 60+, $3 suggested donation; all others, $6.
JAN. 10-14
Monday: cheeseburgers, steak fries, fresh fruit,
dessert.
Tuesday: taco salad, chips and salsa, fresh fruit, light
dessert.
Wednesday: fried chicken, mashed potatoes with
gravy, salad greens, fresh fruit, dessert.
Thursday: teriyaki chicken wrap, pasta salad, fresh
fruit, vegetable sticks, light dessert.
Friday: honey-baked ham, scalloped potatoes,
steamed green beans, salad greens, baked bread, fresh
fruit.
UPCOMING LOCAL SERVICES
La Grande
Myra Christenson, 88, of La Grande died Jan. 7, 2022,
at Wildflower Lodge. Arrangements are by Loveland
Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
John R. Shafer
La Grande
John R. Shafer, 22, of La Grande, died Jan. 3, 2022.
Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crema-
tory, La Grande.
Kenneth E. Smith
La Grande
Kenneth E. Smith, 93, of La Grande, died Jan. 6, 2022,
at a local care facility. Arrangements are by Loveland
Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Betty I. Bronson
Formerly of Union
Betty I. Bronson, 87, of Emmett, Idaho, and formerly of
Union, died Jan. 4, 2022, at her residence. A funeral ser-
vice will be held Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Union Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Wayne Wolfe
Wallowa
Wayne Wolfe, 103, of Wallowa, died Dec. 31, 2021, at a
local care center. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at
1 p.m. Jan. 22 at St. Katherine Catholic Church in Enter-
prise, followed by vault interment at the Wallowa Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Bollman Funeral Home, Enterprise,
and services by Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande.
Mamie M. McCrae
La Grande
Mamie M. McCrae, 86, of La Grande, died Jan. 2, 2022,
at her residence. A funeral service will be held Jan. 15 at 11
a.m. at Bollman Funeral Chapel, Enterprise. Arrangements
are by Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Barbara M. Weishaar
La Grande
Barbara M. Weishaar, 88, of La Grande, died Jan. 3,
2022, at a local care facility. A graveside service will be
held Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Island City Cemetery. Casual
dress is preferred by the family. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Please follow guide-
lines regarding face cov-
erings and social dis-
tancing at all gatherings.
Jan. 8 — WANDA
JOHNSON: 2 p.m.
memorial service,
New Song Community
Church, La Grande.
Jan. 10 — BETTY
BRONSON: 2 p.m.
funeral, Union Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Jan. 11 — BAR-
BARA WEISHAAR:
2 p.m. graveside service,
Island City Cemetery;
casual dress preferred.
Jan. 15 — AUDREY
BEAN: 9 a.m. viewing,
10 a.m. funeral; Island
City Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Jan. 15 — MAMIE
McCRAE: 11 a.m.
funeral, Bollman Funeral
Chapel, Enterprise.
Jan. 15 — JIM
LUNDY: 2 p.m. memo-
rial service, Gilbert
Center, Eastern Oregon
University, La Grande.
Jan. 22 — WAYNE
WOLFE: 1 p.m. Mass
of Christian Burial,
St. Katherine Catholic
Church, Enterprise; vault
interment follows at Wal-
lowa Cemetery.
— calendar cour-
tesy of Loveland Funeral
Chapel
Wanda Marie Johnson
November 18, 1964 – December 25, 2021
Wanda Marie Johnson,
57, of La Grande, passed
away on Saturday, De-
cember
25,
2021 at her
residence. A
memorial ser-
vice will be
held on Sat-
urday, Janu-
ary 8, 2022,
at 2:00pm at
New
Song
Community
Church.
Wanda was
born on November 18,
1964, in Myrtle Point,
Oregon, to Jim and Marty
(Cazone) Guida. She at-
tended schools in St. Hel-
ens, Oregon, and Joseph,
Oregon.
She married
Mike Overton and they
later divorced. She then
married Scott Johnson.
Wanda was active in
church, especially with
the children’s ministries.
She loved fiercely and
cared
deep-
ly for those
around her.
Wanda is
survived by
her husband,
Gordon Scott
Johnson; chil-
dren,
Misty
Emerson (Ste-
ven) of Salem,
OR; mother,
Marty Cazone
of Salem, OR; sisters,
Debi Fox of Oklahoma
City, OK, and Charlene
Dunn (Terry) of Spokane,
WA. She was preceded in
death by her father, Jim
Guida.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.
Elsewhere
• For the public safety report and community
bulletin board, see Page A8
• For more records and local news, go online to
lagrandeobserver.com
Donna Jean (Daggett) Brodhead
April 23, 1935 - December 24, 2021
Donna Jean (Daggett)
Brodhead died Decem-
ber 24, 2021 at Grande
Ronde Retire-
ment Home in La
Grande, Oregon.
A memorial ser-
vice for Donna
and her husband
Rusty will be
held at a later
date. (Time and
date will be an-
nounced)
Donna Jean
was born on April 23, 1935
in Wallowa, Oregon, to
Lester and Mary (Hunter)
Daggett.
Donna grew up in Wal-
lowa and Union County, she
graduated from La Grande
High School. She worked
numerous jobs throughout
her life including owning
and running a small gro-
cery store in North Powder,
Oregon. Donna also baked
pies, breads and pastries
for the North Powder Cafe
for a number of years. She
absolutely loved being a
grandma and great-grand-
mother, she was always
telling everyone how many
grandchildren she had.
Donna married and lat-
er divorced George Claire
Grove. She married Mer-
ald “Rusty” Lee
Brodhead on June
27, 1968.
She was pre-
ceded in death
by her parents,
her
husband
Rusty Brodhead,
her older sister
Arlene, and her
grandson Colby.
Donna is sur-
vived by her children; Su-
san Faith (Grove) Blake of
Portland, Robert George
Grove of Pendleton, Rus-
sell Howard Grove of La
Grande, Ruth Irene (Grove)
Frieboes of North Powder,
Anthony Kent Grove of
La Grande; grandchildren
Eric Blake, Andrea (Blake)
Acosta, Zeb Grove, Sam
Grove, Tyler Grove, Riley
Grove, Adam Grove, Jen
(Frieboes) Smith, Josh Frie-
boes, Toni Marie Grove,
and numerous great-grand-
children; sister Blanche
(Daggett) Hutchison.
Online condolences may
be shared at www.tamispi-
nevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Merald “Rusty” Brodhead
November 28, 1937 - November 19, 2021
Merald “Rusty” Brod-
head died on November
19, 2021 at Grande Ronde
Retirement Cen-
ter in La Grande,
Oregon. A Me-
morial Service
will be held at a
later date (time
and date to be
announced).
M e r a l d
(Rusty)
Lee
Brodhead was
born on November 28,
1937 to Phyllis Jean (Hat-
field) and Morvan Francis
Brodhead. Rusty grew
up on a ranch in Dayton,
Washington. He gradu-
ated from Dayton High
School. Following high
school, he went to work
for John Deere out of Wal-
la Walla, Washington, be-
fore going into the Army,
where he was stationed in
Germany.
On June 27, 1968
Rusty married Donna
Jean (Daggett) Grove
and took on the respon-
sibility of raising her five
children. He worked sev-
eral years for the Union
County Road Department,
then later after he semi-re-
tired, he worked for North
Powder Lumber in North
Powder, Oregon.
Rusty was an active
member, for numerous
years, belonging to both
the Eagles, and the Elks in
La Grande, Oregon. Rusty
enjoyed playing shuffle-
board and pool, he played
on
several
different
teams/leagues
throughout the
years.
He was pre-
ceded in death
by his parents;
step-dad Delos
Jay
Rayburn;
siblings Clive
(Sonny) Morvan
Brodhead and
Danice Lily (Brodhead)
Brown; grandson Colby
Blake.
Rusty is survived
by his children, Susan
Faith (Grove) Blake of
Portland, Robert George
Grove of Pendleton, Rus-
sell Howard Grove of
La Grande, Ruth Irene
(Grove) Frieboes of North
Powder, Anthony Kent
Grove of La Grande;
grandchildren
Eric
Blake, Andrea (Blake)
Acosta, Zeb Grove, Sam
Grove, Tyler Grove, Ri-
ley Grove, Adam Grove,
Jen (Frieboes) Smith,
Josh Frieboes, Toni Ma-
rie Grove, and numer-
ous great-grandchildren;
brothers Phil and Jay Ray-
burn; step-brother Law-
rence Rayburn; step-sis-
ters Sharon and J’Anna
Brodhead.
Online
condolences
may be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com.
tHE OBSErVEr — A3
Betty Irene Bronson (nee Hayes)
January 4, 2022
Betty Irene Bronson
(nee Hayes), age 87, of
Emmett, ID, formerly of
Union, OR,
passed away
January
4,
2022. A Fu-
neral Service
will be held
at the Union
Church
of
Jesus Christ
of Latter-day
Saints
on
Monday, Jan-
uary 10, 2022
at 2:00pm.
She was
born in Vinita, Oklahoma,
to Alvie Martin Hayes and
Jessie Mae Hayes (nee
Dow). Due to the Dust
Bowl, her family moved
several times before set-
tling in Oregon where
Betty graduated from
Hillsboro High School
in 1952. That same year,
she married Kenneth
Howard McDonald and
together they had three
children; John Lawrence,
Kevin Martin, and Kara
DeeDawn
McDonald.
On May 11, 1963, Betty
married William (Bill)
Everett Bronson, gained
two more children, Toni
Lee Bronson and Robert
M Bronson, and had two
more sons; Erin William
Bronson and Andrew Jo-
seph Bronson.
Together, Betty and
Bill raised their children
in Warrenton, Oregon,
then moved to Union,
Oregon, where they lived
for 27 years until Bill’s
death in 2013. They were
happily married 50 years.
In 2021, Betty moved
to Emmett, Idaho, to be
nearer to her son Erin and
his family. During her
life, Betty worked as a
waitress and bookkeeper,
participated as a member
of the Union City Coun-
cil, and volunteered as a
cook for the Senior Meals
program. A lifetime lov-
er of the Arts, Betty was
an excellent
painter, who
enjoyed craft-
ing, garden-
ing, and danc-
ing. She spent
many years
as an active
participant in
the Pastorius
Scandina-
vian dancing
while on the
Oregon coast.
Additional-
ly, as a member of The
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints, Betty
served 2 missions; one in
the Philippines and one in
the Family History Center
in Salt Lake City, Utah,
assisting in the work of
eternal families. She held
numerous other volun-
teer positions with the
church as well, but her
favorite was teaching the
children’s lessons. She
was a strong, determined,
and active woman who
is survived by her seven
children, 18 grandchil-
dren, and 17 great-grand-
children. She is preceded
in death by her brother
Devoyd Hayes and sis-
ter Oma Jean Swartwood
(nee Hayes). Betty will be
dearly missed, but always
remembered.
The family would like
to thank the wonderful
help and care given by
Hospice of St. Alphon-
sus Hospital. If desired,
memorial contributions
may be made in her name
to The Church of Je-
sus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints Union Ward or
churchofjesuschrist.org/
donations.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.
Barbara Mae Weishaar
July 10, 1933 - January 3, 2022
Barbara Mae Weishaar,
88, of La Grande, Oregon,
passed away peacefully
Monday, January
3, 2022. Grave-
side services will
be held at the
Island City Cem-
etery Tuesday,
January 11, 2022
at 2 p.m. Casual
dress is preferred
by the family. A
memorial service
to honor Barbara’s life
will be arranged for a later
date.
Barbara was born July
10, 1933 in Clarkston,
Washington, to Dale
Walter and Zella Mae
(Hubbard) Rowe. The
family later moved to
Kennewick, Washington,
where she graduated from
Kennewick High School.
She was a cheerleader and
an exceptional student.
She married the love of
her life, Stanley Weishaar
in Bonners Ferry, Idaho,
and they soon moved to
La Grande. Barbara was
the quintessential busy
farm wife feeding many
farm hands at harvest
time. She was a beautiful
woman who enjoyed mu-
sic, tending to her yard
and roses and keeping a
tidy home with never a
hair out of place. Meeting
often for coffee with her
dear friends was a very
important tradition that
brought her joy for many
years.
Barbara
attended
Eastern Oregon College,
worked 15 years as a sec-
retary for the Union Soil
and Water Conservation
District and Secretary/
Treasurer for the Wallowa
Lake Yacht Club. She was
a member of Beta Sigma
Phi for many years and the
Daughters of the Amer-
ican Revolution (DAR).
She competed in the can-
ning and baking divisions
at the Union County Fair
for many years receiving
numerous first place priz-
es for her efforts.
Stan and Barbara cele-
brated their time together
traveling across the coun-
try, going on cruises, trips
to various countries, vaca-
tioning in Hawaii
while occasion-
ally taking the
grandchildren
with them. They
also loved the
summer
visits
from the grand-
children that in-
cluded camping
and hiking at
Wallowa Lake and time
on the farm. Stan and Bar-
bara enjoyed 51 happy
years together. Following
Stan’s passing her con-
stant companion was her
beloved dog, a Shih Tzu
named Mitzi.
Barbara is survived by
daughter and son-in-law,
Penny and Tom McCor-
mack of Rio Vista, Cal-
ifornia; sons and daugh-
ters-in-law, Doug and Dee
Toland of La Grande, and
Guy and Peggy Weishaar
of La Grande; daughter-
in-law, Debbie Weishaar
of La Grande; brother
and sister-in-law, Lynn
and Fran Rowe; broth-
er, Mike Rowe; twelve
grandchildren, seventeen
great-grandchildren, three
great-great-grandchil-
dren, and numerous neph-
ews and nieces. Barbara
was preceded in death by
her parents, Dale and Zel-
la Rowe; her beloved hus-
band, Stanley Weishaar;
daughter, Donna Vancura;
and son, Steven Weishaar.
In lieu of flowers, the
family ask you donate in
her honor to a charity of
your choice serving the
causes of dementia and
cancer, to which she suc-
cumbed.
Special Note: The fam-
ily would like to thank
Connie Seaman of Coun-
try Rose Manor for the
wonderful, loving care
she gave to Barbara in her
last months of life. Con-
nie, you are very much
appreciated.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.