Daniel Joseph Schmelzle, age 43, resident of Vancouver, Washington passed away March 23, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Linda Louise Stout, age 71, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 27, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Cecilia Thompson passed away at her home on March 24, 2021. She was surrounded by family and cared for by Heart of Hospice. Cecilia was born on December 23, 1933 in Grants Pass, Oregon to Bert Newby and Ruth Rawson Newby. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, JC Thompson, her sister, Evelyn St. Clair, and her brothers, Richard and Gaylord Newby, her daughter-in-law, Naomi Thompson, and her grandson, Zane Thompson. She is survived by her brother, Dale Newby, and Sister, Lorna Walker, her children, Ramona Horton Collins (Sean), Dorothy Krueger (Randy), and Tim Thompson. Her grandchildren, Gail Horton Maravi (Gabe), Janet Strege (Chris), Erin Horton (Erik Vann), Jennifer Gonzalez-Krueger (Jesus), Robert Krueger, Meghann Thompson (Jake), Kendall Mitchell (Nick) and her great-grandchildren, Natalie and Gabe Maravi, Lydia Strege, Paisley Vann, Isabel, Monica, and Alex Gonzalez, and Dylan Krueger. Also, many extended family members, including JC’s family and many friends.
Cecilia grew up in Grandview, Washington on a farm. She graduated from Grandview High School in 1952. She met JC Thompson shortly before her graduation and married him on February 15, 1953. JC was a farmer and they moved to Granger, Washington and bought a fruit ranch. Cecilia was a homemaker and could be found in the fields pruning, thinning, irrigating, and driving tractor when needed. Cecilia excelled as a seamstress and enjoyed canning food for her family. She and JC were instrumental in the construction of the first Southern Baptist Church in Granger, Washington where she led the music, taught Sunday school, and bible school for many years.
In 1970 they sold their farm and bought a Cherry Ranch in The Dalles, Oregon. They were active members of Emmanuel Baptist Church. The moved in 1976 to Boise, Idaho and then in 1982 to Andalusia, Alabama, JC’s hometown. In 1994 they moved back to The Dalles, Oregon to be near their children.
Cecilia enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and spent winters as a snowbird in Arizona. She was an avid quilter and a member of the Cherry City Quilters Club. She regularly attended Emmanuel Baptist Church. She also hosted a non-denominational weekly bible study in her home. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.
Her Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 17th at 1:00 pm at Emmanuel Baptist Church 2819 W. 10th St., The Dalles, Oregon. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Heart of Hospice, 407 Portway Avenue #201, Hood River, OR 97031
Antoinette Denning, age 86, passed away at a local hospital Mar. 21, 2021. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Allen Walter Chapman, age 67, resident of Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 19, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Ronda Jeannette Thom, age 66, resident of Lyle, Washington passed away March 22, 2021. Services will be held at a later date, details will be on Spencer, Libby & Powell website once finalized.
Jeffrey Cunningham Krier, age 70, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 22, 2021. Due to current gathering restrictions Memorial Services will be held at a later date, details will be posted on Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home website once they have been finalized.
Ridge Evan Olmstead, age 63, resident of Wasco, Oregon passed away February 12, 2021. Celebration of life will be held Saturday April 10, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Spencer, Libby & Powell Gathering Hall, 1100 Kelly Ave., The Dalles, OR. 97058
Donald Eugene Hixson Jr. , age 81, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away February 28, 2021. He was laid to rest next to his beloved wife Gwendolyn at IOOF Cemetery/Parklawn in a private burial. Services will be held at a later date. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Joan I. Spickerman, age 98, a resident of The Dalles, Or. passed away Mar. 3, 2021 at a local assisted living facility. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Betty Lou Kelly, age 87, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 9, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Robert Bruce Burns, age 80, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 2, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Ila Gertrude Neulreich, age 101, resident of Hood River, Oregon passed away at her residence surrounded by family, March 9, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Lois E. Nelson, age 89, resident of The Dalles, Oregon, passed away February 23, 2021. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband Vernon Nelson in a Graveside Services 10:30 AM June 5, 2021 at Tygh Valley Cemetery. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Robert Timlick Jr., age 61, a resident of Page, AZ., passed away at a local care facility Mar. 2, 2021. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Nina Jill Shaw, age 76, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away March 1, 2021. At her request there are no public services planned. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Dean Edward Crofton, age 64, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away February 25, 2021 at the Portland VA Medical Center. A graveside service will be held at Willamette National Cemetery at a later date. The date and time will be here when scheduled. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Teresa Rene Bibby (Terri), 68, passed away in Bend, Oregon on Feb. 23rd, 2021. Terri was born on December 22, 1952 to John and Mary Reeder of Shaniko, Oregon.
Terri grew up in Shaniko, Oregon for the first years of her life. The family later moved to Portland where she attended David Douglas High School and Portland College for teaching. She taught school at the Kent School before marrying Doug Bibby on November 15th, 1986. Sarah Bibby was born on September 3rd, 1987 and Joseph Bibby to follow on August 28th, 1990.
Terri later worked as a school bus driver in Sherman County and at Fred Meyer in The Dalles, Oregon. She retired her working career teaching at Chenowith Elementary in The Dalles, Oregon.
Terri was known for her heart of gold and kindness toward anyone she met. She would go above and beyond for her friends and family whether they needed it or not. A woman of faith, her love for her church and God was contagious. She enjoyed gardening, taking friends to town, being active in the community and spoiling her children and grandchildren. She loved her family and friends immensely and she was loved by all in return.
Terri is survived by her children Sarah Bibby (daughter), Joe Bibby (son) and Tessa Bibby (daughter in-law); two beautiful granddaughters Elsie and Lylah Bibby; cousins; and many many friends.
Graveside service will be held 10:00 March 13th, 2021 at the Grass Valley Cemetery with memorial service to follow at 11:00 at First Baptist Church, Grass Valley.
Tina Marie Welch, age 65, resident of The Dalles, Oregon passed away February 20, 2021. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.
Patricia Ann “Pat” Johnson was born on September 18, 1929, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and died on Monday, February 1, 2021, in the Dalles, Oregon. She survived cancer, pneumonia, stroke and COVID 19 before passing peacefully at the age of 91. She joins her beloved husband George William von Borstel who preceded her in death by 12 years.
The youngest of four children, Pat was the only daughter born to William Johnson and Mary McIntosh Johnson of Portage, Pennsylvania. Her grandmother Vallie McIntosh also lived in the family home and shared in her early years. Pat attended Catholic school and church with her mother. She looked up to her older brothers and loved to tell stories about them. She helped her father in the family’s confectionary store and remembered serving gallons of ice cream the day World War II ended. Pat also drove a taxicab during this time and said she once had to drive a man far into the country, but that she always carried a pipe wrench and moved it out from under the seat so it would be handy if she needed it. She chose teaching as her profession and left home after high school to attend Indiana State Teachers College in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Home economics was Pat’s course of study at college during the week, but she lived to dance on the weekends. She loved all the music of the day and claimed that drummers were the greatest dancers because they had the best rhythm. She joined a sorority, made lots of friends and celebrated spring break at east coast hotspots. She and her girlfriends would smoke cigarettes and perm each other’s hair. They took pictures of themselves in fashionable swimwear and dressed for evening outings. Pat was always very stylish in her dresses and suits with matching hats, handbags, and shoes. She learned to sew her own garments and practiced her cooking skills on her parents. Pastries and desserts were her specialties.
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Pat worked as a seamstress at a dry-cleaning shop and taught school for a couple of years. She left her first teaching position when she discovered and challenged the school principal about being one of two women not to receive a salary increase for the coming year. She was told single women with fathers to provide for them didn’t require an increase. She promised to find another position and she never returned. Instead, she applied for positions while spending her summer with her eldest brother Bill, wife Louise and their small children living and working for the Forest Service in Dufur, Oregon. When talk at an interview in Albany turned to unkind references about the rural folks in Eastern Oregon, she decided to take a position offered in John Day and join them.
Pat first met her future husband when the parish priest in Dufur invited her to visit the von Borstel family farm near Kent, Oregon. As she and Fr. Dominic prepared to leave, George met them at the car and offered to transport Pat in the future. She would often visit the farm and grew to love the boisterous family. She learned farm cooking, housekeeping, and gardening skills from George’s mother and sisters. Pat was a good student and a perfectionist, and she followed instructions and methods to the letter. She would expect the same of her students and future children.
George proposed after only four months and the couple married on June 11, 1955, at St. Alphonsus in Dufur. They honeymooned at Niagara Falls and visited Pat’s family and childhood home before settling into farm life. George farmed sections of family property while Pat managed the house and garden. Together they would fill their home with furnishings, modern appliances and six children. Pat also took care of the landscape, cooked for harvest crews, drove trucks to the elevator, spent many hours painting and papering their 1918 farm home, substitute-taught at Sherman Union High School and kept the farm financial books. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and Altar Society in Grass Valley, Oregon, and the Sherman County Historical Society. She will be remembered for her cinnamon sweet roll twists that she served at family and community events.
In her final years, Pat moved to Flagstone Senior Living in the Dalles where she enjoyed independent life with many past friends and neighbors from the county. She then transitioned to the memory care unit after her stroke. She was beloved by the staff at Flagstone.
Pat leaves behind daughters Judy (Butch), Beth (David) and Nancy and sons Alan (Judy), Stuart (Carol) and Brian (Debbie) as well as 13 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Her children and grandchildren will continue to embody her fighting spirit and quick wit.
A private funeral mass will be held, a public graveside service may be attended at 2:15 pm, February 27, 2021 at Grass Valley Cemetery with a reception immediately following at the Grass Valley Pavilion.
The family suggest donations be made in Pats memory to the Sherman County Historical Society, PO Box 173, Moro, OR 97039