A2 — BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2021
OBITUARIES
Mary Thompson
La Grande, 1931-2021
BAKER COUNTY CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 20
Baker City Planning Commission: 6 p.m. at City Hall,
1655 First St. Public hearing to consider an application
from Bruce Smith for a conditional use permit to
convert the New Beginnings Fellowship Pentecostal
Church of God, at 1820 Estes St., into a dwelling.
TUESDAY, OCT. 26
Baker County Natural Resource Advisory
Committee: 3 p.m. at the Courthouse, 1995 Third St.
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
October 18, 1971
Keeping their offense in check through the reserves
route, the Pine-Eagle Spartans kept their grip on the Wapiti
League lead by downing Joseph Saturday, 28-0.
The marshmallow outing gave the Spartans a 3-0 loop
mark, just ahead of Enterprise, a team Pine-Eagle has
already beaten 7-0.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 18, 1996
The Baker City Council on Thursday took no offi cial po-
sition on siting a 1,500-bed medium-security prison 1 1/2
miles southeast of the city, but councilors approved a long
list of conditions they want state offi cials to agree to.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 19, 2011
Occasional emotional moments punctuated the Baker
School Board’s discussion Tuesday about the school dis-
trict’s proposed weapons policy.
It was the topic of a work session preceding the board’s
regular meeting, but the matter came back again to domi-
nate the rest of the meeting, which lasted about three
hours.
Board members have opted for a temporary compro-
mise that prohibits employees and contractors from carry-
ing concealed weapons, even if they have a permit.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
October 20, 2020
Wingville has never been a town in the offi cial sense,
but so long as Howard Payton was living there the com-
munity in the heart of Baker Valley had its own mayor.
Payton’s title was ceremonial but his position was pretty
prominent just the same.
“If you needed to know something, you went to How-
ard,” said Sean Lee, who has lived in Wingville for about
15 years and considers Payton, a longtime rancher, one
of his mentors. “He was a huge historian for the area, and
he could answer any question. Everyone called him the
mayor.”
Payton, whose family’s roots in Baker County extend as
far back as the county’s founding in 1862, died Sunday in
a Boise hospital. He was 83.
Payton spent almost the whole of his life on the family
ranch at the intersection of Wingville Lane and Old Wing-
ville Road, about 7 miles northwest of Baker City. He and
his wife, Sandra, were away for two years while Howard
attended college.
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SENIOR MENUS
WEDNESDAY: Lasagna, garlic bread, vegetables,
broccoli-and-bacon salad, pudding
THURSDAY: Chili cheeseburgers, potato wedges, peas,
coleslaw, cheesecake
FRIDAY: Roasted turkey, stuffi ng and gravy, mixed
vegetables, rolls, applesauce, bread pudding
MONDAY (Oct. 25): Chicken broccoli fettuccini, garlic
breadsticks, zucchini and tomatoes, cookies, ambrosia
TUESDAY (Oct. 26): Herb baked chicken, mashed
potatoes with gravy, peas and carrots, biscuits, beet-and-
onion salad, cinnamon rolls
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., from
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $5 donation (60 and older), $7.50
for those under 60.
CONTACT THE HERALD
2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 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
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Copyright © 2021
Mary Alice Thompson, 89,
of La Grande,
died Oct. 13,
2021, at her
residence at
the Grande
Ronde
Retirement
Residence,
surrounded
Mary
Thompson
by her loving
family.
Her graveside service
took place Monday, Oct. 18
at the Sumpter Cemetery. A
celebration of Mary’s life is
also planned for Memorial
Day 2022.
Mary was born on Nov.
26, 1931, in Baker City to
Green Hudspeth and Rachel
Hanby Hudspeth. Mary’s
early years were spent on the
ranch owned by her father
and uncles. The ranch is now
known as the “Red Horse
Ranch.” She enjoyed rid-
ing horses with her siblings
and living in the mountains.
Mary always had a cheerful
greeting for the guests com-
ing to stay at the ranch or to
go on a guided hunt.
In 1935, Mary lost her fa-
ther to a hunting accident. It
was at this time her mother
moved the family to Sumpter,
where Mary’s uncles, Wal-
lace “Spud” Hudspeth and
Earnest Hudspeth and their
families lived. Mary loved
riding her horse to the McE-
wen School and feeding the
cows on the hay wagon in the
pasture that is now Phillips
Reservoir.
Mary met Sam Valentine
and they were married in
Baker City. They had three
children together: Terry,
Sammy and Jody. After this
union dissolved, Mary met
the love of her life, Samuel
Thompson. Two more daugh-
ters were added to the family,
Pam and Cindy. After living
in various areas of Oregon,
Mary and Samuel settled in
Pendleton.
Mary loved to dance,
read and ride horses. Her
children loved to listen to
the stories she would tell of
her childhood days. Because
Mary was an avid believer
that fi rst impressions were
the lasting ones, she always
looked her best and taught
her children the same. Once
you met Mary, it was like you
had known her forever.
Mary made many friends
while working as a bartender.
She was also a certifi ed fl ag-
ger. Mary continued working
until the age of 80.
Mary was always look-
ing for an adventure. She
enjoyed camping, going to
fl ea markets with family
and attending the Pendle-
ton Round-Up festivities.
And if you were up for the
challenge, Mary was al-
ways ready for that next
card game.
Mary suffered many
broken hearts with the loss
of her son Sammy (1989),
her husband Samuel (1995),
her mother Rachel (2000),
her daughter Jody (2017),
her brother William and
three grandsons, Brian, Cody
and Hank.
She is survived by her son,
Terry (Kathy) Valentine of
Union; her daughters, Pam
(Lynn) Wiley of Pendleton,
and Cindy (Mark) Mecham of
Watford City, North Da-
kota; her sisters, Jean Marrs,
Joyce Pierson and Sharon
Soleseng; numerous grand-
children and great-grandchil-
dren as well as nieces and
nephews.
Contributions in honor
of Mary can be made to the
Pendleton Fraternal Order
of the Eagles No. 28 through
Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer
Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave.,
Baker City, OR 97814.
To offer online condolences
to Mary’s family, go to www.
grayswestco.com.
2021, at Saint Alphonsus
Medical Center in Baker
City.
A private memorial ser-
vice will take place at a date
to be determined.
Linda was born on Jan.
20, 1949, in Huntington
Beach, California, to Nor-
man Frederick Wells and
Thelma Lorraine Crouch.
Linda gradu-
ated from
Huntington
Beach High
School in
1967.
Her great-
est passion
Linda
was work-
Koplein
ing with
the clients
at Step Forward Activities.
Linda did this for nearly
39 years. She earned many
smiles and hugs and undy-
ing loyalty from so many
of Step Forward’s clients;
Linda gave them her full
attention when they needed
it most. She was a safe
harbor for them to come to,
where they could sit when
they were upset, without
judgment or commentary.
In 2000, Linda received the
“Manager of the Year” award
from the Oregon Resource
Association. Ask anyone at
Step Forward and they will
tell you she earned that
reward and deserved many
more. Linda was a friend
and mentor, confi dante, advi-
sor and guide to many of her
co-workers. Linda was the
foundation of Step Forward
and a strong advocate for
Step Forward’s Mission. Her
wit and laughter, knowledge,
and heart will be missed
dearly by all.
Linda married Michael
Koplein on Dec. 10, 2004,
in Baker City. She enjoyed
traveling with Michael to
“destinations unknown.”
In addition to traveling,
Linda enjoyed tending to her
indoor plants; she had an
amazing green thumb.
Linda is survived by her
husband, Michael Koplein of
Baker City; her son, Joshua
Bryant of DuPont, Wash-
ington; her sister, Norma
Arnold of Boise; her brother,
Norman Wells of Burbank,
Washington; and six grand-
children.
Memorial contributions
can be made to Step For-
ward Clients Christmas/
Party Fund through Gray’s
West & Co. Pioneer Chapel,
1500 Dewey Ave., Baker
City, OR 97814.
To leave an online condo-
lence for Linda’s family, go to
www.grayswestco.com.
Chico Road. There will be a
potluck to follow. This ser-
vice will include her great-
grandparents, Karlee E.E.
Langley and Ivan Langley.
The family understands the
concerns of COVID, and if
you do not feel comfortable
or are not able to attend,
the family appreciates
your thoughts and prayers.
Services will be available
online at www.bakercityor.
adventistchurch.org.
If you have an experience
or something you would like
to share about the life of
DebbraAnn please feel free
to send an email to nmlang-
ley1974@gmail.com and the
family will share it at the
celebration of life.
DebbraAnn was born on
July 24, 2001, to Novalee
Langley and Kent Hamp-
ton. She was a bundle of
joy to watch grow up into
a wonderful person. Dur-
ing soccer games she was
always helping the person
without a shoe, who was
hurt, or whatever happened.
Her concern for how people
felt was important to her
and followed her through
her whole life.
In early 2010 her mom
was diagnosed with cancer.
They moved to Henderson,
Nevada, for her mom to
receive treatments and to
have help taking care of
DebbraAnn. While in Hen-
derson, she found a connec-
tion with the Paradise Sev-
enth Day Adventist Church
and their Pathfi nders group.
They took her in and made
sure she was involved in
as much as she could. She
really enjoyed feeding the
homeless every Saturday af-
ternoon. It amazed her that
they looked normal and yet
so many were hungry. She
learned the sign language
honor and was able to sign
to a man that was on the
streets in a wheelchair and
deaf. She also talked with
another person who was
deaf in a shopping mall.
These were very interest-
ing experiences. The man
was shy but lit up like a
Christmas tree when she
signed to him. Her dad
came down for a week to see
her each Christmas that she
was away.
DebbraAnn loved attend-
ing the Hampton family
Christmas parties and din-
ners held at the La Grande
Mavericks as well as at
Willow School, where the
kids received gifts and made
gingerbread houses, sugar
cookies and crafts. She also
loved to attend the Hamp-
ton family reunions held
at the ranch every second
Saturday in July. Talking
with family she hadn’t seen
throughout the year.
When her dad had his
leg amputated, Novalee
would bring DebbraAnn to
the hospital in the Tri-Cities
and they would stay with
him during his recoveries.
She was always a very car-
ing and loving daughter.
She continued with her
care for others in many
ways, the best being her
hugs. Those who knew her
best can attest to her hugs
and always telling you “Hi,
how are you!” multiple
times in one visit.
DebbraAnn loved ani-
mals dearly. She left behind
her dog of 13 years, Little
Heart.
Little Heart
slept with
her every
night. She
had two
therapy
cats as well.
Her family
DebbraAnn
Langley
had never
seen two
cats allow her to do so much
with them. They brought
her great joy, peace, and
comfort. The kids she went
to school with knew she
would stand up for those in
need and they will deeply
miss her.
She graduated from
Union High School in June
of 2021. While attending
Union High School she
was crowned Homecoming
Queen in the fall of 2019.
Even though she did not
participate in sports it was
voted to award this title
because of her support of
school sports and sports-
manship behavior. She
participated in Drama class.
She was enrolled through
an online college to start
forensic courses in Florida
and was accepted into St.
Leo University in Forensic
Science. Her plans were set,
and she was working with
VR and BTI to establish a
work history.
In lieu of fl owers, a dona-
tion may be made to an ani-
mal shelter of your choice.
DebbraAnn Langley
2001-2021
DebbraAnn Mildred
Langley, 20, died Aug. 10,
2021, due to complications
with her heart while hospi-
talized in Portland.
A celebration of her life
will take place Saturday,
Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. at the
Baker City Seventh Day
Adventist Church, 42171
Our family would like to express our sincere gratitude for the
love, support, and comfort provided during this tremendous loss.
Our thanks to Gray’s West & Co. for all of your support as well.
The family of
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Linda Koplein
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Linda Rae Koplein, 72,
of Baker City, died Sept. 14,
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