Search Archived Marriage Records
Ruth L. Curtiss
Ruth L. Curtiss, a third-generation Hood River, Ore., resident, died May 6, 2008, at her residence. She was 81 years of age.
Services will be held on Sunday, May 11, at 10 a.m. at Anderson's Tribute Center.
Ruth was born Oct. 6, 1926, in Hood River, Ore., to Harry and Leona (Burton) Barker. She attended Barrett Grade School and Hood River High School. On May 17, 1947, she and Ken Curtiss were married
in Hood River. Ken died in 1997.
Ruth had worked for 30 years at Dan Pierson's fruit cold storage and apple processing plant. She was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.
She enjoyed spending time with family, gardening, crafts and reading. She was especially known for her ribbon rose wreaths and wedding albums of lace and pearls.
She was very knowledgeable about plants. Ruth had only traveled out of Hood River on three occasions, to California, New York and Canada.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her daughter, Barbara Murillo; brothers Vernon and Jerry; sisters Beulah and Betty; and two grandchildren.
Survivors include her sons, Johnnie Curtiss, of The Dalles, Ore., Allen Curtiss, of Vallejo, Calif., and Stephen Curtiss, of Hood River, Ore.; her brother, Bill Barker, of Umatilla, Ore.; eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heart of Hospice in care of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000.
Lester Mollgaard
Lester R. Mollgaard passed away May 2, 2008, at his home in Turner, Ore. He died peacefully in his sleep and now rests with his wife, Jacqueline.
Lester was born in Powers Lake, N.D., but has made his home in Turner for the last 40 years. Lester married
Jacqueline Warner on April 12, 1946. They were married
for 56 years.
Lester was an Army medic in World War II and received the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters for his heroic service.
He worked construction, as a heavy equipment operator, most of his life. Lester loved to get on his tractor and work around his acreage, followed by his faithful companions, buddy and Cleo, his dogs. He also loved to watch tennis.
He is survived by sons Steven and David, both of Turner; brother, Arlie Mollgaard, of Yuma, Ariz.; sister, Betty Graves, of Hood River; eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Lester was preceded in death by his wife, Jacqueline; brothers Lloyd and Percy; and sister, Ruby Nogowski.
Lester requested no services. A private family memorial will be planned at a later date in Hood River.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Willamette Valley Hospice for their kind assistance to Lester and his family.
Willie Tahara
Willie Harutoshi Tahara was born in Seattle, Wash., on March 12, 1919, to parents Masaye (Masumura) and Harukichi Tahara. He passed away at the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles, Ore., on April 27, 2008, at the age of 89.
Willie was raised in Seattle, graduating from Garfield High School and then the University of Washington with a degree in forest engineering.
When World War II broke out, his family was relocated to the Minidoka internment camp near Hunt, Idaho. Willie enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 232nd Engineer of the 442nd Regiment. He served in France and Italy and received a Purple Heart.
In the mid 1950s Willie met Yoshiko Nakatsu and the couple married
in Seattle in 1957. They moved to Glenwood, Wash., and Willie began working for J. Neils Lumber Company.
After living in Glenwood for 12 years, Willie and Yoshiko moved to White Salmon. He worked for St. Regis and Champion International until retirement. Since 2004, Willie had been a resident at the Oregon Veterans Home.
Mr. Tahara enjoyed fishing, reading, crossword puzzles, Mariners baseball, UW Huskies football, and picking mushrooms. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and was very active in St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Hood River.
Willie is survived by his wife, Yoshiko, of Hood River; daughter Joanne (Steve) Angell, of Seattle; son Patrick Tahara (Jennifer Akiyama), of Kensington, Calif.; sister Mary Okazaki, of Chicago; brother Dante Tahara, of Chicago; sister Dorothy Handa, of Madison, Wis.; and two grandchildren, Kazuhiro and Emiko. He was preceded in death by a sister, Ruth Yasutake.
A memorial service for Willie will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 19, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Hood River. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Willie's memory to the University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon handled cremation arrangements.
Larry F. Copley
Larry F. Copley, age 65, passed away May 1, 2008, at his Hood River, Ore., residence, after a long battle with a rare blood disorder.
Larry was born Aug. 10, 1942, in Van Nuys, Calif., to Fay and Neva (Walston) Copley. He was raised and educated in Colorado, graduating from high school in 1960.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1967 and was stationed in Germany. He worked in the Climax Mine in Leadville, Colo., and later followed his passion for flying working as a flight instructor/charter pilot in Aspen, Colo., where he met his future wife, Barbara, from Oregon. They married
in Aspen in 1969 and moved to Hood River in 1973.
Larry served as a deputy sheriff in Hood River until 1978 when he went to work as a Teamster Business Agent for Local 670 in Hood River.
Larry also served on the State Board of Apprenticeship and Training. In 1991 he took a job with Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration and retired in 1997.
Larry was a past member of the Alpinees and climbed both Mount Hood and Mount Adams. He was a 33-year member of the Hood River Elks Lodge and was voted volunteer of the year for 2006-07.
Larry is survived by his wife, Barbara, of Hood River; his mother, Neva, and brother, Gary, of Delta, Colo.; his brother, Keith, and sister-in-law, Char, of Larkspur, Colo.; his brother-in-law, Henry Hewitt, and his wife Sharon, of Portland, Ore.; nephew, Adam, and nieces Laura and Brooke.
Arrangements by Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000.
Ila Marie Fenwick
Ila Marie Fenwick, age 92, died April 30, 2008, at Parkhurst House in Hood River, Ore.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, May 12, at 11 a.m. at the Hood River Valley Christian Church with reception after.
Ila was born Jan. 14, 1916, in Hoquiam, Wash., to Ernest and Lola (Parr) Stanton. She was raised and educated in Worden, Mont., coming to the Hood River Valley in 1944. On May 24, 1946, she and Frank Fenwick were married
in Stevenson, Wash.
Ila and Frank were owner/operators of the Oak Grove Store until their retirement in 1977.
Ila was a longtime member of Hood River Valley Christian Church. She enjoyed playing cards, quilting, sports and having a good time with friends and family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank C Fenwick, parents, brothers Calvin, Clarence and Jules and her sister, Gertrude.
Ila is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Dollie and Lynn Rasmussen and Francie and Jeff LaMarche; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Zelda Stanton, and numerous nieces and nephews in Oregon, Utah and Montana.
Ila's family is making a book of memories. They ask that you participate by sharing your favorite memory of Ila. There will be cards at the Celebration of Life to complete or e-mail them to ilamemories@gmail.com or mail them to Dollie Rasmussen, 3020 Thomsen Road, Hood River, OR 97031.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Hospice of the Gorge, The History Museum of Hood River County or the West Side Fire Department in care of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000
Virgil Leroy Ray
Virgil Leroy Ray was born in Ione, Ore., on Aug. 15, 1919, to Roy and Bertha (Keeler) Ray. He was the youngest of their three children. Both parents and his siblings, Opal (Ray) Amos and Floyd Ray have preceded him in death.
Virgil passed away in the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles, Ore., on May 27 with his family by his side. He was 88 years old.
A service to celebrate his life is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, June 2, at Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road. Military honors will be performed by the Oregon Honors Team. Graveside rites will follow at Idlewilde cemetery.
The family moved to Hood River in 1926. All of Virgil's schooling was in Odell schools. On Sept. 5, 1937, he married
his school sweetheart, Lorena King.
Virgil worked with his father'-in-law, George King, on an orchard for four years. In 1941, Richard, the first of his children, was born. Between 1941 and early 1944, Virgil held many different jobs and moved his family frequently.
In the fall of 1944 he joined the Army to fight in World War II. A few months after leaving to fight with an Army Field Artillery unit, their second son, Earl, was born.
Early in 1946, Virgil returned to Hood River and his family. He became manager of an orchard owned by Stadelman's Fruit Company. In early 1947, their daughter, Sharron, was born. He ran this orchard from 1946 into 1950.
From 1950 to 1962, Virgil was foreman of Stadelman's warehouse and cold storage facility. In 1962, Virgil and Lorena bought an orchard in the Neal Creek area. They ran and worked the orchard until 1972.
In 1972, they gave up ranching and moved to Portland where Virgil worked at a trailer parts warehouse until some time in 1976. While working there, Virgil studied massage. In 1976 he passed a test and received his Oregon license from the American Massage Association. He worked for the European Health Spa in Beaverton, Ore., from 1976 to 1984.
In 1984, Virgil retired when Lorena's father passed away and they moved back to Hood River to live with and care for her mother. Virgil and Lorena lived in that home until mid-2005 when they moved in with their daughter, Sharron.
Virgil is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lorena (King) Ray; one son, Earl, and daughter-in-law, Gale, of Beaverton Ore.; daughter-in-law, Pat (Huff) Ray, in Southern Pine, N.C.; and a daughter, Sharron, and son-in-law, John Rath, of Hood River. Virgil is also survived by nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Virgil was preceded in death by one son, Richard, and three grandchildren.
The family suggests any memorials be to Hospice of the Gorge or Hood River Valley Christian Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000.
Delores Dunn
Delores Louise Dunn, 76, a Parkdale, Ore., resident, died Jan. 20, 2008, at Providence Medical Center in Portland, Ore.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 19, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church where she was an active member.
Delores Louise Facha Dunn was born Feb. 15, 1931, in Hayward, Calif., to Frank and Aldina (Leal) Facha. Her mother passed away when she was only one month old and she was raised by her godparents, Frank Freitas Branco and Angelica Leal Branco.
She was raised and educated in Atwater, Calif. During high school she worked in the canneries and was active in the Catholic Church. Delores graduated from Merced Union High School in 1949.
On Oct. 4, 1952, Delores married
Theodore Merle Dunn at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Atwater, Calif. To this union were blessed two daughters. They lived in California until 1967 when the family moved to the Hood River Valley.
Delores worked as a cook at the Parkdale Elementary School for 30 years, retiring in the late 1990s. She was also a 4-H leader and worked at the Hood River County Fair.
She is survived by two daughters, Bernadette Loebs and her husband, Curtis, of Zachary, La., and Aldina Dunn, of Los Osos, Calif.; two grandchildren, Rebekka Frances Loebs and Abraham Jacob Loebs; and other family and many, many friends. Delores was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Robert Branco; and her husband, Merle, who died this last November.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to either Hospice of the Gorge or St. Mary's Catholic Church in memory of Delores in care of Anderson's.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000. .
Robert Hukari
Robert William Hukari passed peacefully in his sleep at home early Tuesday morning, July 8, 2008. Just four days earlier, on the Fourth of July, he'd celebrated his 86th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
A life-long resident of Oak Grove in Hood River, Rob and his brother owned and operated Hukari Orchards, as his father and uncle did before him, and as his nephews continue to do.
Rob was a lifetime member of Hood River Crag Rats Climbing and Mountain Rescue Organization, having summited every major peak in the Cascades including 63 ascents of Mount Hood. An avid climber, Rob was famous for his 'shortcuts, ' which often featured stunning scenery and challenging terrain, but seldom saved time or shoe leather.
A member of the generation of Crag Rats who saved Cloud Cap Inn from destruction by securing its stewardship as a base for mountain rescue work, when Rob's climbing days were over he was happiest sunning on the cabin's porch, swapping stories and keeping an eye on those scaling the mountain's peak.
After serving as a Navy ensign in World War II, Rob graduated from Oregon State University, and was a life-long Beaver Believer. He was active in the Hood River Grower-Shipper Association, the National Council of Agricultural Employers and the Farm Bureau, where he served with distinction on the local, state and national levels.
Rob shared his love of the Hood River valley with agricultural trainees from many countries, including France, Japan and Romania. He was allegedly a stalwart member of the Republican Party.
Rob married
Helen Gordon of Parkdale, Ore., in 1950. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1989, and his son-in-law, Garland Roach, in 2007. He is survived by his brother, R. Norman Hukari, and four daughters: Mandy Budwill, of Kenmore, Wash., Martta Roach, of Ellicott City, Md., and Althea and Lori Hukari, both of Hood River; and two grandchildren, Alex and Amy Budwill, of Kenmore, Wash.
A memorial service will be held at the Crag Rat Hut on Sunday, August 3, at 10:30 a.m. Donations can be made in Rob's name to The Hood River Crag Rats, for use in the continuing renovation of Cloud Cap Inn.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; (541) 386-1000.
