2A — BAKER CITY HERALD
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
O BITUARIES
Pat Leonard
Baker City, 1931-2021
B AKER C OUNTY C ALENDAR
THURSDAY, JAN. 21
■ Baker School Board: Work session, 4:30 p.m.; regular
meeting, 6 p.m.; via Zoom computer app. For more
information about how to join the meeting, call the District
Offi ce at 541-524-2260 or visit the District website baker5j.org
T URNING B ACK THE P AGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
January 22, 1971
The Ellingson Lumber and Timber Co. plywood plant,
which was closed Nov. 6 because of the depressed
plywood market, will resume full operations Feb. 8, Burl
Brown, plant manager, said this morning.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
January 22, 1996
Employees from Baker City and from the Oregon De-
partment of Environmental Quality are investigating what
appears to be a diesel fuel spill in a storm sewer ditch east
of Interstate 84.
Crews don’t know where the fuel came from or how
much has entered the ditch, said Randy Jones, the city’s
public works director.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
January 21, 2011
The state parks department has applied for a $1.85 mil-
lion federal grant to build a visitor center at the Sumpter
Dredge.
The 3,144-square-foot center would replace the current,
240-square-foot welcome center.
Given that the Sumpter Dredge State Heritage Area at-
tracts about 40,000 visitors per year, the existing center is
“woefully inadequate,” according to the grant application
the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department submitted.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
January 22, 2020
The Baker City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday to uphold the
Planning Commission’s decision to deny Verizon Wireless
a conditional use permit to build a 70-foot cell tower in
north Baker City.
Councilor Doni Bruland initially made a motion to
reverse the Planning Commission’s Dec. 4 decision, and
Councilor Randy Schiewe seconded the motion. The mo-
tion failed by a 5-2 vote.
Councilor Mike Downing then made a motion to uphold
the Planning Commission’s decision to deny the applica-
tion, and it was seconded by Councilor Larry Morrison.
That motion passed 5-2.
“I don’t see that we have substantial reason to deny
it,” Bruland said. “Aesthetically, we don’t like the looks of
it, is not a substantial reason. It’s in our viewshed is not
a substantial reason, 10 or 20 feet to the right or left. I do
not feel we have reasons, substantial reasons, that would
support our denial.”
Schiewe said that although he sympathizes with
residents who have urged city offi cials to reject Verizon’s
application, he said the Council needs to be “realistic.”
“I would be sitting on that side of the aisle ... we don’t
want it,” Schiewe said. “But we gotta be realistic about
what we’ve allowed and not allowed over the last year.”
O REGON L OTTERY
MEGABUCKS, Jan. 18
1 — 9 — 19 — 26 — 30 — 45
Next jackpot: $7.3 million
POWERBALL, Jan. 16
14 — 20 — 39 — 65 — 67 PB 2
Next jackpot: $730 million
MEGA MILLIONS, Jan. 19
10 — 19 — 26 — 28 — 50
Mega
16
Next jackpot: $970 million
WIN FOR LIFE, Jan. 18
30 — 49 — 61 — 74
PICK 4, Jan. 19
• 1 p.m.: 1 — 1 — 6 — 5
• 4 p.m.: 5 — 7— 3 — 6
• 7 p.m.: 3 — 5 — 3 — 9
• 10 p.m.: 2 — 5 — 6 — 7
LUCKY LINES, Jan. 19
1-6-9-15-17-21-26-30
Next jackpot: $19,000
S ENIOR M ENUS
■ FRIDAY: Baked cod, clam chowder, capri vegetables, roll,
coleslaw, cheesecake
■ MONDAY (Jan. 25): Chicken cordon bleu, rice pilaf, peas
and carrots, roll, pasta salad, apple crisp
■ TUESDAY (Jan. 26): Beef Burgundy over fettuccine,
corn, roll, coleslaw, pudding
■ WEDNESDAY (Jan. 27): Barbecued ribs, scalloped
potatoes, corn, roll, macaroni salad, birthday cake
■ THURSDAY (Jan. 28): Meat lasagna, capri vegetables,
garlic breadsticks, fruit cup, cinnamon rolls
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. Meals must be picked up; 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
Fax: 541-833-6414
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
circ@bakercityherald.com
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
$10.75 for print only. Digital-only rates
are $8.25.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2021
Patsy Ann (Hinkson) Leon-
ard, 89, of Baker City, died on
Jan. 11, 2021, at her home.
There will be no funeral
services.
Patsy was born on Sept. 13,
1931, at Eugene. Her mother
was Margaret Pearl (Elliott)
Hinkson, and her father was
Robert Hinkson. Pat had a
younger sibling named Bud.
Patsy grew up on her
grandfather’s
dairy farm in
Eugene, and she
helped with the
milking chores.
She attended a
Pat
small country
Leonard
school in grades
1-9 and then
went to Eugene High and
graduated in 1949. Patsy
played softball in her teens on
an elite Emerald’s Girls team.
She played catcher for sev-
eral years. Pat also rodeoed.
She entered many reining
competitions and won several
all-around honors.
Besides working on the
family farm, Pat also worked
as a receptionist at the Eu-
gene Police Department. Her
uncle was the chief of police
at that time.
Pat attended Oregon State
Agricultural College in 1950
for one year. She joined a
sorority and majored in nutri-
tion. She met the love of her
life, John Leonard, and quit
school and married him in
1951. Together they had four
children over the next six
years: Brad, Kirk, Rory and
Shan. Pat worked as John’s
bookkeeper for his log truck-
ing business. They sold their
land and trucks in 1960 and
moved from Cottage Grove to
Baker. They purchased The
88 Center in town and ran
that business for more than
30 years. They renamed the
store Leonard’s 88 Center.
The store changed locations
on Main Street three times.
The second time, they added
a craft store in the bigger
store’s basement with craft
classes being taught. Then
later, they moved again
and became Leonard’s Idea
Shop. It was a big success.
Pat always said she did not
sell anything necessary for
life in The Idea Shop, but
everything was only for your
enjoyment.
Once John and Pat got
their store established, they
purchased the Mini Ranch
just 3 miles out of town. They
thought it would be a great
place to raise their kids. They
also began to raise quarter
horses as well. They started
with a brood mare named
House Party. Her fi rst colt
was called Party House, and
she ran Top AAA at Portland
Meadows on her fi rst race.
Later she became their sec-
ond brood mare, and eventu-
ally, Jordan Ruth Bars was
their third mare. They raised
many colts off these three
mares and had about 20 colts
that they sold to racehorse
people or ran them on the
race circuit themselves. John
was their trainer. Their two
biggest successes at the track
were Party’s Jet and Party
Street. Party’s Jet won 20 rac-
es in one year and received a
national award for that. They
stood that horse as a stallion
for many years and had to
build extra barns to house all
the mares at the Mini Ranch.
Then Party Street (a mare)
came along and broke all
kinds of records at Portland
Meadows and won the most
money of all the horses they
raised. John and Pat quit
racing horses after about
20 years of fun. Pat was the
mastermind in deciding what
studs to breed their mares to
and what to name them. She
loved studying bloodlines of
the horse world.
Pat took time to volun-
teer as a 4-H Horse leader
of a club named Boots and
Saddles. She and her co-
leader, Ralph Callaway, took
their students on three-day
trail rides each year. Families
of the club members were
always invited. The other
unique thing that Pat started
within the club was a horse
drill team. Pat designed
the costumes for the riders
and the horses. She choreo-
graphed the patterns the kids
were to follow and had them
perform their program to
the tune of “The Yellow Rose
of Texas.” Pat also served as
a 4-H Horse Judge in other
counties when she had time.
Pat and John were both
civic-minded and belonged to
the Chamber of Commerce
and other committees that
helped beautify Baker City.
The Historic Baker City com-
mittee widened the streets
and paved new sidewalks.
The old storefronts from the
past were also brought back
to Main Street. Pat worked
on tourism for Baker County.
She served as the president
of Soroptimists in town and
president of the Christian
Women’s Club. She was a
member of the Quarter Horse
Association and The Racing
Commission. Pat won Baker
City Woman of the Year in
1985. She was most proud of
that honor and award.
Pat loved to play bridge
and played with two differ-
ent groups. Cards of any
kind were fun for her to play.
John and Pat loved to dance,
so they joined “Me and You,”
which held many Baker City
dances.
Pat loved needlework and
knitting as well as many
other crafts. She did several
beautiful projects that usu-
ally had horses, cowboys, or
Indians on them. Pat loved
to read poetry, and she even
wrote some of her own. Pat
liked to talk to people and tell
stories. She often was late to
appointments because she
usually was talking some-
one’s leg off somewhere.
Pat belonged to the Cal-
vary Baptist Church when
her children were young.
Later in life, she just went to
Bible studies with a group
of friends in town. Pat was
happy that she brought many
people to know Jesus and
always shared her testimony
with anyone who wanted to
listen. Her brother Bud was a
missionary for Campus Cru-
sade and traveled the world.
Both spread the Gospel in
their own way.
Pat resided on her Mini
Ranch with John until his
death in February 2020. Pat
struggled with dementia
during her last few years of
life. She had a stroke 11 days
before she died at her home.
Pat is survived by her chil-
dren, Brad Leonard of Scio,
Kirk Leonard and his wife,
Michelle (Campbell) Leonard
of La Grande, Rory Leonard
and his wife, Linda (Conard)
Leonard of Haines, and Shan
(Leonard) Wattenburger
and her husband, Bruce
Wattenburger of Redmond;
her grandchildren: Zackary
Leonard and his wife Jackie
(Barreto) Leonard of McMin-
nville, Rebekah (Leonard)
Bowland and her husband,
Dustin Bowland, of Baker
City, Allyson (Wattenburger)
Clark and her husband, Cor-
ey Clark of Redmond, Kyle
Wattenburger of Redmond,
and JayCe Leonard of La
Grande; her great-grandchil-
dren, Teagan and Zoey Clark,
Conagher and Raylee Leon-
ard, and Cara Jo Bowland,
who died Oct. 20, 2020.
Pat was preceded in death
by her parents, her husband
and her brother.
Contributions in Pat’s
memory can be made to the
McEwen Bible Fellowship
in care of Gray’s West & Co.
Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey
Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.
To leave an online condo-
lence for Patsy’s family, go to
www.grayswestco.com
Joanne Britton
Baker City, 1945-2020
Joanne Britton, 75, died on
Dec. 12, 2020, due to cardiac
arrest at her home outside of
Baker City.
The youngest of three chil-
dren, she was born on April 4,
1945, at The Dalles to Joe and
Lucille Britton.
Joanne gradu-
ated from the
The Dalles High
School where
she excelled in
Joanne
sports. She went
Britton
on to obtain
her bachelor’s
degree in physical education
from Linfi eld University in
McMinnville. She completed
graduate school and earned
her master’s degree in educa-
tion. She was a teacher for
seven years in Spray, Red-
mond and The Dalles before
she began her career with
the U.S. Forest Service on the
Mount Hood National Forest
before transferring to the
Winema. Joanne worked in
several positions for the For-
est Service before fi nding her
true calling as a NEPA (Na-
tional Environmental Policy
Act) writer-editor and team
leader. She held that position
on the Deschutes National
Forest before transferring
to the Wallowa-Whitman in
1988. Joanne excelled as a
writer-editor. She was able
to take complicated informa-
tion and put it into clear and
concise descriptions. She was
also adept at leading teams
and providing clear direction.
Joanne was a unique,
thoughtful woman who
enjoyed a number of pas-
sionate pursuits. Much of
her interests were driven by
a kind heart for all animals.
She was an active member of
Best Friends of Baker and a
founder, the fi rst president
and fi rst lifetime member
of New Hope for Eastern
Oregon Animals.
When she was younger,
she was active in outdoor
sports including tennis and
softball. She participated
in the Pole, Peddle, Paddle
Race when she lived near
Bend. She was always an
avid birder, participating
in bird counts and lead-
ing groups at the Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge
during its annual Harney
County Migratory Bird Fes-
tival. She was the Audubon
coordinator for the local
Christmas bird counts and
did numerous raptor counts.
Joanne loved the simple
pleasures of puzzles, a good
book, and stamp collecting.
She had a benevolent heart
for those less fortunate and
was known for her generous
giving, especially during the
Christmas season.
Joanne made this world a
better place and many were
fortunate to know her as a
friend.
She is survived by her
brother, Jerry, who lives in
Colorado.
She was preceded in
death by her parents and by
her brother, Scott.
In lieu of fl owers, dona-
tions in Joanne’s memory
can be made to New Hope of
Eastern Oregon, the Oregon
Humane Society or the char-
ity of your choice.
Robert Butler
Baker City, 1929-2020
Robert Lee Butler, 91, of
Baker City, died on Jan. 14,
2021, at his home with his
family by his side.
A celebration of his life
took place on Jan. 17.
Bob was born on Nov. 9,
1929, at Sioux Falls, South
Dakota, to Winona (Stanbra)
and Herbert Butler. He grew
up with two brothers and
one sister. He graduated
from high school in 1947 and
then enlisted in the Army.
He served in Korea as a
corporal and was honorably
discharged in 1951.
He returned to Sioux
Falls where he married Lois
Elaine Almont and started
a family. The couple moved
to Oregon in 1961. They had
5 children: Kathy, Dennis,
Carol, Lori and Letta.
His careers included
working as a police offi cer in
Beaverton and as a foreman
at General Motors Parts Di-
vision in Beaverton. In 1975
he purchased a Texaco gas
and grocery store in Barview,
Oregon, which he owned un-
til he retired and moved to
Ogema, Minnesota, in 1984.
There he fi shed, drove long-
haul truck, had a short stint
as a bus driver, made maple
syrup, did some ice fi shing,
worked with his brother,
Dwayne, with refrigeration,
and was a caretaker at a
retirement home in Frazee.
On Jan. 13, 2001, he lost
his wife, Lois, and moved
back to Western Oregon, and
on June 28, 2004, he mar-
ried Millie Ilene Hickerson
in Beaverton. They moved
to Baker City in February
of 2005. He became an avid
gardener, planting many dif-
ferent fl owers and plants in
his yard, making a beautiful
display for all to enjoy over
the years. He enjoyed fi shing,
camping, and long drives, all
with his dog Jake by his side.
His wife, Millie, passed
away on Feb. 11, 2013. Bob
continued his gardening and
yard work, enjoying time
with family and friends.
Jake, his constant compan-
ion, then passed away on
Aug. 22, 2016. He puttered
around and continued loving
his yard until he gained a
whole new family on Feb. 14,
2019, with Heart ’N Home
Hospice.
He didn’t think he wanted
any more family or friends,
but quickly changed his
mind when they all won
his heart over with their
amazing care and love. Bob’s
family is eternally grateful
to Heart ’N Home Hospice for
the peace of mind and love
they extended to our whole
family.
See Obituaries/Page 3A
Baker
County
Baker
The Baker County
County
Veteran Services
Veteran
Service
Veteran Service
Office
will be
will be closed
on
closed
June 1-5 December
and open for
14th
through
business
on
the 18th
Monday,
June 8th
Until further notice Veterans
will not be seen in person. If
you need assistance, call Rick’s
work number 541-523-8223
and he will call you back to
help you over the phone. This
is a measure that is being
implemented to minimize the
spread of COVID-19.
“You’ll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR
225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com