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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2017)
FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9 Local & Entertainment Bebe’s word search — Obituaries — CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Milton entered the Army in August of 1944 and took basic training in Fort Bliss, TX. He spent 17 seasick days on the USS William Wiegel’s first voyage with 5,000 other men, landing in Europe. He served as an anti- aircraft gunner and mili- tary police in Germany, France, and Belgium. He re-enlisted to get the extra $300, but the war ended and he was shipped home in March 1946. His sister Marge intro- duced him to Norma Faye Porter in 1946. After seven dates, he presented her with a $100 engagement ring and they married on April 21st in a small Easter ceremony in Corvallis, OR. That fall they moved to Beaver Creek to run the farm. Life was hard for the city girl who ran the house- hold with no electricity, a propane fridge, wood cookstove, and an “up- town” pitcher pump in the kitchen—the “bath” was a “path.” Their daughter, Marlene Louise, was born on 6/4/47 and son Roger Kent was born 9/21/48. They had two babies under two, no phone, and no near neighbors. Milt worked nights at Baker Mill and Grain for several winters and always said, “Farming was just a hobby!” He had to work for a living! In the summer of 1953, the Prowell family pur- chased a house at 2222 Nevada, as Marlene was to start first grade, and there was still No bus service to Beaver Creek. Three years later, Cal- Pac finally ran electricity to the end of Beaver Creek Road, and the remodel of the farmhouse to accom- modate modern plumbing and electrical services, meant that the family could move back to the farm. Milt rented and farmed 1,000 acres of dry land, so summers were busy with harvesting hay, grain, irrigation, keeping the machinery running, and managing 100 head of cattle. Winters Milt spent work- ing other jobs: delivering oil for Chet Smith, work- ing in the potato cellars for Clyde Ward, logging for Kenny Miles. He spent several months recuperat- ing from a logging ac- cident in 1959 where a log rolled over him and broke his back. By 1963, most of the Hayes and Warnock land he had been renting was put into the Soil Bank, a “gummint policy” where farmers were paid not to farm. Two memorable family vacations were in 1962 to the Seattle World’s Fair with Bob and Dorothy Wooters, kids, Mike and Patrick; and a trip to Dis- neyland for Marlene’s 16th birthday, because it was too wet to plow. Milt and Norma always made time for fun as well. They enjoyed the Crazy 8’s Square Dance Club at the Rod & Gun Club, the Pinochle Club with potlucks with the Elms, Pittmans, Georges, Crock- etts and Doughterys, water sports on hot summer days at Brownlee with JoAnn and Melvin Dunn, and dances at various locations with Warnocks, Perrines, Dufrees, Hayes, Hansons, Simpsons, and Gyllen- bergs. Holidays means big dinners with the Prowell relatives, Christmas tree gatherings with hay rides, fire and food. Branding in the Spring and 4-H func- tions with the kids, and visiting with friends was always enjoyed. In 1967, with both kids gone from home (no more free help) Milton and Norma decided to put the farm up for sale and bought a house on East Street in Baker. In 1968 they bought a beer distribution business and named it P & E Dis- tributing, with Blitz-Wein- hard as the major product. Milt was widely known for his weekly cards (slightly risque and funny) that he shared while delivering beer to accounts across the county. He bought a brand new semi-truck and made weekly trips to Portland and California to pick up beer and wine products. He won several sales trips and traveled to Germany and Sweden, Hawaii, San Francisco and Chicago. In 1972 Milt and Norma took a month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand to visit their son Roger and his wife Susan. In 1981, Milton and Norma decided to retire and sold the beer business. Never one to sit around, Milt had lots of “contracts” he worked over the years. He drove truck for Ben’s Transfer, Gary Smith, Sno- Cap, Farmterials, Wards, Kearns, and logged 10,000 miles one year with com- munity Dept. of Human Resources driving clients to medical appointments in Boise, Ontario, La Grande, and Portland. In 1997 Milton married Wynona Morrison. They enjoyed playing cards, gardening, volunteering, and took their last cruise together two years ago. Always fond of travel- ing, Milt visited all 50 states, driving up to Alaska and across the US twice. He also visited Denmark, Germany, Canada, the Ca- ribbean, Singapore, Aus- tralia, Greece, Turkey, and a “sibling trip” to Africa. Milt also traveled to Wash- ington, DC in 2010 on the Oregon Honor Flight for recognition of his military service during WWII. Thirty years of injuries and accidents may have slowed Milt down a bit, including his ileostomy in 1980, a broken neck in 1985, two broken feet from a roof fall in 1987, a triple bypass in 1997, three heart attacks, two knee replace- ments, hernia, skin cancer, and a serious bout with pancreatitis, the man never stopped. He was a lifetime member of the Elks Club and was named Elk of the Year in 1978. He was also a charter member of the Eagles, the VFW, and attended the Christian Church for more than 50 years. Milt kept 360 acres on upper Beaver Creek and al- ways enjoyed hunting deer and elk with his son and other family and friends. He last killed on elk on this property at the age of 81. Milt never met a stranger, and could talk to anyone, always make a lasting connection. He was well known for being kind, generous, honest, and trustworthy. He was a true gentleman who loved to dance (never missed a New Year’s Eve) and party. He was preceded in death by Norma, his first wife of 50 years, in 1996 and his son Roger in 2014. He is survived by his brother Wallace (wife Roberta) of Beaverton, daughter Marlene Prowell of Baker City, grandsons Erik Prowell and Brett Prowell (and his wife Lindsay) of Portland, daughter in law Susan Prowell of Bend, former wife Wynona, several cousins and many nieces and nephews (and spe- cial friends Vic and Judy Endicott). The family wishes to acknowledge the lov- ing care Milton received from the staff at Mead- owbrook Place and the faithful friends who visited regularly in the past six months. Also the caring ways of the staff at Heart ‘n Home Hospice care. Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite Charity or to the Elks Meadowood Speech Camp through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City OR 97814. To light a candle in memory of Milton or leave a condolence for the family, please visit: www. grayswestco.com. DMV warns of scam Oregon residents have reported telephone calls from someone claiming to be collecting DMV fees owed and insisting upon immediate payment. The scammers may ask for payment by wire transfer or prepaid debit/ credit. Or they may ask for personally identifiable information, such as Social Security number, bank ac- count number, debit/credit card number or other infor- mation that could be used to steal money, commit fraud or perpetrate identity theft. Some callers threaten arrest, lawsuits and/or criminal prosecution. In addition to telephone calls and robo-call ma- chines, these scammers often use email, social me- dia and texting. Scammers have found ways to fool caller ID and appear to be calling from a real DMV phone number, so custom- ers who try to call back reach the real DMV call centers. Remember that: DMV never calls cus- tomers to request unpaid vehicle or driver-related fees. DMV sends corre- spondence by mail. DMV is not able to ac- cept payments by phone, wire transfer or prepaid card. DMV asks for pay- ment by check mailed to Oregon DMV or by our online Vehicle Registration Renewal at OregonDMV. com. DMV never calls and asks for debit/credit or other account numbers or Social Security Number by phone. DMV never threatens arrest or lawsuits for alleg- edly unpaid DMV fees. DMV does not collect state or federal income taxes. There is no connec- tion between income taxes and vehicle registration fees. The Littles’ crossword puzzle Across 1- Riyadh resident; 5- Songs for two; 10- McNally’s partner; 14- Gaucho’s weapon; 15- Take pleasure in; 16- Controversial or- chard spray; 17- Fashionable; 18- Mental lapse; 20- Looks for; 22- Swelling reducer; 23- Au contraire!; 24- Bias; 26- ___-cone; 27- Bonelike; 30- Explorer; 34- Spread out; 35- Tyne of “Judging Amy”; 36- French friend; 37- Layer of paint; 38- Mr. Magoo, for one; 40- Singer Redding; 41- Jackie’s second; 42- Dynamic intro; 43- Cash register key; 45- Comes back; 47- Disperse; 48- Fido’s appointment; 49- Twice, a comforting comment; 50- Boatswain; 53- Nectar collector; 54- Femme fatale; 58- Having three sides; 61- Up ___ good; 62- Sicilian resort; 63- African language group; 64- Are you ___ out?; 65- ___-do-well; 66- Japanese dish; 67- Room in a casa; Down 1- Basics; 2- Architect Mies van der ___; 3- I cannot tell ___; 4- Inferior position; 5- Narc’s employer; 6- Unfasten; 7- Bounce; 8- Got ripped; 9- Isr. neighbor; 10- Shoot from the root of a plant; 11- Touched down; 12- Greek temple; 13- Bond classic; 19- Harass; 21- Gradual; 25- Illness; 26- Absence of sound; 27- Movie award; 28- Future fungus; 29- Characteristic; 30- Baby food; 31- Really bother; 32- Author Zola; 33- Stair part; 35- Scooby-___; 39- Decade divs.; 40- Inflammation of bone; 42- Concert venue; 44- Long objects used to row a boat; 46- Type of consonant; 47- Close-fitting dress; 49- Slender gulls; 50- Bingo call; 51- Writer Sarah ___ Jewett; 52- Trig function; 53- Boyfriend; 55- Barrett of gossip; 56- Hydroxyl com- pound; 57- Writer Ephron; 59- Atlanta-based cable channel; 60- Him, to Henri;
