2A — BAKER CITY HERALD
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020
O BITUARIES
B AKER C OUNTY C ALENDAR
TUESDAY, MAY 26
■ Baker City Council: 7 p.m., City Hall, 1655 First St. For
details on how to access meeting go to bakercity.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
■ Baker County Commission: 9 a.m. to noon; for details
about how to access the meeting, go to bakercounty.org
T URNING B ACK THE P AGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
May 22, 1970
Ninety Boy Scouts and their leaders took to the hills last
weekend to learn more about “Our Heritage of Freedom.”
The Eagle District Camporee was held at Bulger Flat May
15 and 16.
Boy Scouts from throughout Baker County gathered
in the Blue Mountains to recognize what it means to be a
citizen. According to Dave Secl, chairman of the Campo-
ree, the program also assisted the scouts in earning their
Tenderfoot, and First and Second Class requirements.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 22, 1995
Baker City is seeking proposals from people or organi-
zations interested in leasing the Carnegie Library building
at 2020 Auburn Ave.
The city expects the building will be available by Sept. 1.
Elkhorn Family Fellowship’s lease for the library, which
is just west of Baker City Hall, expires Aug. 31.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 21, 2010
Rising home sales, building permits and construction
employment appear to signal a turning point in Baker
County’s economy.
April home sales reported in Baker County soared 125
percent over April 2009’s fi gures, pending sales were up
27.3 percent, and new listings were 14.3 percent higher,
according to the Residential Multiple Listing Service’s
Market Action newsletter.
The April increases followed a 50 percent increase in
sales and 29 percent increase in new listings in March
compared to March 2009.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 22, 2019
Four brothers with Eastern Oregon ties, three of whom
fought in World War II and one during the Korean War,
will be honored posthumously during a Memorial Day
ceremony Monday, May 27 at 12:30 p.m. at Mount Hope
Cemetery.
Rick Gloria, Baker County’s veterans services offi cer, will
give the introduction. Duncan B. Pierce will perform Taps,
and fl ags will be presented by an honor team. Derrick
Coats will give the opening and closing prayers.
The ceremony will honor the Shoemake brothers, Rob-
ert, James, Oscar and Andrew.
Andrew died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp on
Jan. 31, 1945.
His three brothers survived the war but have since
passed away.
O REGON L OTTERY
MEGABUCKS, May 18
4 — 11 — 31 — 35 — 37 — 45
Next jackpot: $1.6 million
POWERBALL, May 16
8 — 12 — 26 — 39 — 42 PB 11
Next jackpot: $95 million
MEGA MILLIONS, May 19
8 — 19 — 25 — 36 — 66
Mega
9
Next jackpot: $298 million
WIN FOR LIFE, May 18
15 — 18 — 44 — 68
PICK 4, May 19
• 1 p.m.: 9 — 7 — 9 — 1
• 4 p.m.: 2 — 7 — 5 — 4
• 7 p.m.: 3 — 3 — 7 — 9
• 10 p.m.: 7 — 5 — 5 — 4
LUCKY LINES, May 19
3-7-10-15-18-21-26-30
Next jackpot: $63,000
S ENIOR M ENUS
■ FRIDAY: Beef hard tacos, Spanish rice, refried beans, green
salad, cinnamon roll
■ MONDAY (May 25): Memorial Day celebrated; no meals
available.
■ TUESDAY (May 26): Hot turkey sandwich, stuffi ng and
gravy, green beans, broccoli-bacon salad, bread pudding
■ WEDNESDAY (May 27): Spaghetti with beef sauce,
caulifl ower, garlic bread, pea-and-onion salad, birthday
cake
■ THURSDAY (May 28): Breaded pork loin, baked potato,
mixed vegetables, roll, broccoli-bacon salad, cheesecake
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75 for
those under 60. Due to the coronavirus crisis, meals must be
picked up; there is no dining on site.
C ONTACT THE H ERALD
1668 Resort St.
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Copyright © 2020
Fax: 541-833-6414
Regional publisher
Christopher Rush
crush@eomediagroup.com
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.
com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
ads@bakercityherald.com
Classifi ed email
classified@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
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ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807),
Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are:
Baker City (97814), $10.80; all others,
$12.50.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Elvyn Bell
Baker City, 1926-2020
Elvyn Edward Bell, 93, of Baker City,
died peacefully at his home on May 11,
2020.
His memorial service and celebration
of life will take place at a later date.
Elvyn was born on Dec.
10, 1926, at Wallowa to
Leslie “Bus” and May
Martin Bell. He attended
school in Wallowa and
Baker, graduating from St.
Elvyn Bell Francis Academy in Baker
City.
He served his county in both the Army
and then the Air Force, returning to
Baker in 1950 to marry his high school
sweetheart, Patricia Louise Schmidt.
Elvyn worked in the lumber industry,
at Collins/Pondosa Pine in Pondosa, near
Medical Springs, for 8 years and then
for the Kinzua Corporation at Kinzua
and then at Heppner when the Kinzua
Corporation moved its operations. He
worked there for 31 years, retiring as
a supervisor in 1990. He and Patricia
spent many years enjoying retirement.
They traveled in their fi fth-wheel to
Yuma, Arizona, and beyond with their
friends.
He and Patti sold their home in Hep-
pner and relocated to Baker City in 2003.
Elvyn enjoyed hunting, fi shing, travel,
woodworking, just being with family, and
gardening. He was a member of the Elks,
VFW, and American Legion.
Elvyn is survived by his wife, Patricia;
his sons, Kevin Bell (Terri) of Baker City
and Kent Bell (Karmen) of Grants Pass;
his grandchildren, Kyle Bell (Kelsey) of
Portland, Kristen Anderson (Bernt) of
Haines, Drew Bell, and Meggan Martin
(Miles), all of Grants Pass; his great-
grandchildren, Braden Bell (Jacqui) of
Temple, Texas, who is stationed at Fort
Hood, McKenzie Hayhurst (Kris) of Ra-
eford, North Carolina, who is stationed
at Fort Bragg, and Salvi Anderson of
Haines.
He was preceded in death by his par-
ents, Leslie and May Bell; a sister, Flor-
ence Bell; and a great-granddaughter,
Gyda Anderson.
Memorial contributions may be made
to Best Friends of Baker through Gray’s
West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey
Ave., Baker City, OR 97814. To light a
candle in memory of Elvyn or to leave
a condolence for his family, go to www.
grayswestco.com
Alan Mellott
Alan Ray Mellott, 72, stepped into his
heavenly rest on Tuesday, March 12,
2020, after a fast and tough
battle with pancreatic
cancer and a bacterial blood
infection, with his family at
his side, at his home.
At Alan’s request, he
Alan
wanted to be cremated and
Mellott
placed with his parents, at
Mount Hope Cemetery, as
well as no services.
Alan was born in Bend on March 16,
1948, to John and Lois Mellott in an
emergency delivery in which neither
mother and child were expected to live
but by God’s grace and protection, the 26-
inch son lived, and his mother received
eight pints of blood to save her life. A
miracle was granted to both of them by
God.
Alan spent his entire life in Oregon
and, after graduating from college,
enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sta-
tioned at Fort Hood, Texas, as a person-
nel offi ce clerk. His father told him never
to volunteer, but when the position came
up, it fi t him to a tee. After his service
and return to Oregon, he earned a col-
lege degree to teach, but after seeing an
ad for a claim’s adjuster with Farmers
Insurance, he decided to apply for the
position. There were many applicants for
the job; however, a question on the appli-
cation asked, “What do you have to offer
our company,” Alan wrote a short reply,
“To be of service.” When Bud Darling
came out and started going through the
applications, Alan’s was the only one he
pulled. He was hired the next day and
spent close to 30 years working for Farm-
ers Insurance as a fi eld claims adjuster,
retiring in 2000.
From a young age, his family was
always out-of-doors, even though his
father spent long hours in the woods as
a faller. There was not a deer/elk or bird
season that Alan, his dad, mom, sister,
and many friends weren’t in the fi elds or
mountains, enjoying the great outdoors.
Fishing was just as enjoyable to Alan
from streams and ponds, fl y-fi shing
to many a summer trip to the coast to
fi sh for salmon and to catch crab. Other
times at the coast were spent taking
his grandchildren to the Oregon Coast
Aquarium, stopping at campsites, and
on into Portland for a year-end meeting,
usually at the end of March. Picking
huckleberries in the Eagles with the
grandkids, taking his mother along
after his father died, and making sure
everyone got some berries, Alan always
put more in his mouth, so we always had
to combine the buckets to have enough to
make a nice big cobbler.
It is quite certain Alan was born with
a shotgun in his hands. He enjoyed get-
ting other people interested in shooting,
helping young people, and taking one
particular boy, Chris, with him hunting
and fi shing. Alan also enjoyed spending
time with Chris and his dad, Cody. When
the four-wheel ATVs came out, Alan
purchased one the fi rst year the son’s
and only daughter were gone, attached
a mower to the front end and he got
their ¼ acre of the yard mowed quick.
The kids saw that and remarked, “well
that’s something,” dad had us rebuild
carburetors in shop class, and we had
to mow the lawn with push mowers. He
also enjoyed snowmobiling, and when
the kids were younger, bought a pair
of Rupp’s from the neighbor, living on
5 acres with the Elkhorn Mountains
right out his door, made snowmobil-
ing a fun sport. There was a blue haze
around the house because of the oil the
machines burned. Taking a trip with
Don and Betty Everson to Yellowstone
was truly a highlight, and the park was
beautiful.
Alan became a Disabled American
Veterans driver 10 years ago, and being
a former Army soldier, he met so many
great veterans, they shared stories,
knew of their struggles and several he
took fi shing. One recently purchased an
English springer spaniel puppy from
him and his business partner.
A year and a half ago, Alan became
a volunteer driver for Community
Connection and drove several hundred
miles, almost weekly to take veter-
ans to Boise, Walla Walla, Ontario,
La Grande, and just about anywhere
their appointments were. During his
career with Farmers Insurance, he felt
his driving skill was still needed and
enjoyed every one of those people whom
he drove to appointments. In his heart,
he felt being of “service to others” was
so important, and even though riding in
a car can be hard on “the backside,” he
enjoyed every minute of it.
There are so many stories which
could be told, there are too many lists
and for all of you reading this, near
and far, remember those stories, share,
build on them and keep the love of the
outdoors on your daily schedule. Alan
said that his “circle of life” was coming
Best Friends of Baker
Saturday Market
Thank You to all those on
the front lines....
Grocers, Gas Station Attendants, Medical Staff
and First Responders.
We will open soon. Until then,
Stay Home and Stay Safe!
to an end, it is what it is, so please be
positive, do good things, don’t let what’s
happening in our world overwhelm you.
God is in control, and he was going to
see Jesus face-to-face, all his pain and
poor health were going to be gone.
Alan served on the Baker Trap Club
Board and was a member for 40 years.
He enjoyed trap shooting.
He was baptized at the age of 12 in
Bend at the Bend Christian Church
and his quiet faith and how he helped
serve others is what he was called to
do. So, do good, lend a helping hand,
give when you don’t think you can be
the hands and feet of Jesus, he’ll guide
you through every situation and the
problem you have in your life.
Alan is survived by his wife of 39
years, Jeanne Ann; his stepsons, Scott
Shively and his wife, Shelly, and Tim
Shively and his wife, Brenda, both of
Baker City; his son, Gene Mellott, and
his wife, Lynn, of Seiad Valley, Califor-
nia; and only daughter, Lucinda Mellott
Stephenson, and her husband, Tom,
of Corunna, Michigan; grandchildren,
Courtney Shively Ackerman and her
husband, Ryan; great-grandchildren
Ms. Payton, Jack and Max of Albuquer-
que, New Mexico; granddaughter, Ash-
ley Shively of Beaverton, and grandson
Zach Shively of Boise; brother-in-law,
Gary Farran, and two nephews, James
and Beth Farran, Andy and Tonya
Farran and their children. He is also
survived by his special dogs, Lucy, Kit,
Twig, Wally and Tag.
Alan was preceded in death by his
parents, John, and Lois, as well as his
only sister, Corrine “Corky” Mellott
Farran, and two of his favorite dogs,
Weaver and Spring.
Memorial contributions may be made
to Community Connection, Disabled
American Veterans, or a charity of one’s
choice through Coles Tribute Center,
1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
To light a candle in memory of Alan
or to leave a condolence for the family,
go to www.colestributecenter.com
‘Bobby’ Simonis
Baker City, 1960-2020
Robert “Bobby” Simonis, 60, of Baker
City, died May 15, 2020, at Ashley Manor
in Hermiston.
Per his request there will
be no funeral.
Bobby was born on June
27, 1960, at La Grande to
Keith and Valeria Simonis.
Bobby
He was raised and educated
Simonis
in North Powder. After
graduation he joined a band
and toured back east for several years.
Bobby’s passion and talent was in mu-
sic, especially when it came to both coun-
try and rock. He was an entertainer and
played both the guitar and keyboards.
Bobby was also a social butterfl y with an
amazing gift of gab. He loved watching
football and had a knack for photography
and growing all types of fl owers. Bobby
took pride in the simple things. He was
always positive, had a good attitude, and
loved life.
Bobby is survived by his children,
Shannon, Bobby Jr., and Sara; his sisters,
Linda (Wayne) Burnside, Suzi (Ted)
Travis, Jeanna Valencia and Kim (Don)
Adcock; and his brother, Dustin (Nancy)
Simonis.
Bobby was preceded in death by both
parents, and a brother, Randy Simonis.
For those who would like to make a
donation in memory of Bobby the family
suggests Best Friends of Baker through
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cre-
mation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway,
OR 97834. Online condolences can be
made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneral-
home.com
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