S moke S ignals
february 1, 2014
11
Walking On...
elsie Marie (Jeffers) Cummings
May 4, 1933 – Jan. 17, 2014
Tribal Elder Elsie Marie (Jef-
fers) Cummings, 80, of Lacomb,
Ore., passed away Friday, Jan. 17,
2014, at her grandson’s home in
Lebanon.
She was born May 4, 1933, in Eu-
gene to Melvin and Edna (Michaels)
Jeffers.
Elsie grew up in the Wolf Creek
area near Veneta. She later moved
to Redmond where she graduated
from high school. She worked as a
nurse’s assistant while attending
college at the Oregon Technical Institute in Klamath Falls, which later
became the Oregon Institute of Technology.
She lived in California and Arizona before moving to Lacomb in the
late 1960s, where she had lived since.
Elsie worked as a bank teller, housewife and bookkeeper. She later
owned and was the president of BGE Construction in Lebanon for
many years. She was a member of the Lebanon Elkettes Lodge 1663,
the Oregon Tops and the American Legion. She loved to play steel
guitar.
She is survived by her sons, Barry Cummings of Lancaster, Calif.,
and Tony Cummings of Lacomb; daughters, Lori Humphreys and Pau-
line Porter of Stayton; brother, Ivan Jeffers of Eugene; grandchildren
Korby, Larae, Stephanie, Christopher, J, Wade, Logan and Tabatha;
and great-grandchildren Hunter, Kaedence, McKenzie, Chazlynn,
Caeleb, Lucas and Connor.
Elsie was preceded in death by her father, Melvin Jeffers; mother,
Edna Croocks; stepfather, Roly Croocks; brothers, Carl and Dale Jef-
fers; and sisters, Rose Lee, Hazel and Lucille.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Jan. 25, at Huston-Jost
Funeral Home.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the SafeHaven Hu-
mane Society sent in care of Huston-Jost Funeral Home, 86 W. Grant
St., Lebanon, OR 97355.
ther and also helped with her younger
siblings. She also helped care for her
mother, who suffered from diabetes up
until she passed in 1966. She cared for
her brothers Bill and Fred, who were
all roommates up until the brothers’
deaths.
She had her own home in north Port-
land in the 1960s and ‘70s where her
son Tommy and many of her family
members lived with her. This was a
happy time for her as there was always
someone in the house.
Family was No. 1 to Pearl. She had
one child, Thomas Roy Beebe, who died
of cancer at the age of 27. She was the oldest of four children and sibling
to William Roy Tanner, Frederick Roy Tanner and Beatrice Tanner,
who all preceded her in death.
Pearl was also auntie to many nieces and nephews who preceded her
in death. She is survived by her nieces Pearl Boswell and Christina
Morgan and nephews William Boyd and Billy Tanner.
Pearl worked throughout her life in many different jobs. Her last place
of employment was at her own little shop called The Little Thrift Store
on West Burnside at 19th Avenue, and she loved it. She had planned
for many years to have her own little thrift store. It was a dream of
hers. It gave her great joy as many of the residents of the area would
stop in and chat. She also worked for the Perry Center Thrift Shop and
for Naideen Leavens for many years as a seamstress and homemaker.
Pearl loved making Native beaded jewelry. She loved arts and crafts and
made her own greeting cards, a favorite among those who received them.
Pearl was the holder of all the family lore and loved to share those
stories with younger family members. She loved to reminisce of family
and days gone by.
Pearl loved tending to the flowers outside her apartment and feeding
the wild raccoons and cats of the neighborhood until she was no longer
able to do so.
She was such a loving and caring woman who will be missed by all
who knew her.
pearl Marie Tanner
Dean Martin Baker Jr.
March 7, 1922 – Jan. 3, 2014
Tribal Elder Pearl Marie Tanner, known as Bibsey throughout her
life, was born March 7, 1922, in a houseboat near Woodland, Wash. She
walked on Jan. 3, 2014, at the age of 91.
She was the daughter of Mary Marie Knighton and Abraham Roy
Tanner. Pearl and her siblings grew up on the Lewis River in Woodland,
where they lived in a houseboat, and in St. Helens, Ore. She lived in
Portland at the time of her death.
Pearl was a caretaker at a young age as she helped her blind grandfa-
Dec. 3, 2013 – Jan. 1, 2014
Sweet baby D.J. went to Heaven at only 28 days old. God always has a
reason. We don’t know why nor do we understand. He touched so many
hearts in his short time. He will truly be missed.
He is survived by his parents, Dean and Tiffany Baker; sister, Bonnie
Baker; grandparents, Tim and Carla Brown, Juanita and Gene Barack
and Sam and Melissa Roberts; great-grandparents, Shelly and James
Kent and Mary Cook; and many more family.
Fly with the angels, sweet baby boy.
Adult Foster Program
The Tribe’s Adult Foster Care lodges are committed to offering quality
care to our Elders and helping them remain as independent as possible, while
providing the personalized assistance they need. At our lodges, a wide range
of services is available in a comfortable setting where privacy is respected
and maximum independence is supported. For information, contact the Adult
Foster Program Director at 503-879-1694. n