Edward Bruce Baker
Nov. 13, 1938-Jan. 15, 2013
Prineville resident Edward Bruce Baker, a former Gresham resident, died Tuesday, Jan. 15. He was 74.
A service will be held at noon Thursday, Jan. 24, at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
A full obituary will run in a future edition of The Gresham Outlook and Sandy Post.
Patricia Olaen
July 22, 1925-Jan. 13, 2013
Gresham resident Patricia Olaen died Sunday, Jan. 13. She was 87.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Rainier Senior Center, 48 W. Seventh St., Rainier, Ore.
Patricia was born July 22, 1925, in Los Angeles, to Harlow and Margaret King.
She married and divorced James McClendon and Jack Walker. In 1959 she married Norvel Olaen, the love of her life.
Pat won many awards for her oil paintings and flower arrangements. She was proud to be a Daughter of the American Revolution and traced her genealogy extensively.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Norvel Olaen. She is survived by daughters, Carol Walker, Patty Braush, Jacklyn Johannesen, Victoria Solis and Robin Feigner; brother, Michael King; sister, Marty Rathmanner; 12 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are being handled by Crown Memorial Center of Milwaukie.
Rebecca Lynn Scott
Jan. 27, 1961-Jan 11, 2013
Damascus resident Rebecca Lynn Scott died Friday, Jan. 11, from complications caused by cancer. She was 51.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, at New Beginnings Church, 3300 N.E. 172nd Place, Portland.
Rebecca is survived by her children, Frank Buck of Damascus and Crystal Jinks of Gresham; parents Dorothy and Marvin Buck of Damascus; and grandchildren Dominic Cosma, Charlee Cosma and Michael Cosma, Jr., all of Gresham.
Arrangements are being handled by Crown Memorial Center of Milwaukie. To sign the online guest book and light a candle in Rebeccas honor, visit anewtradition.com.
Gwendolyn Jean Johnson
Feb. 6, 1925-Jan 19, 2013
Former Gresham resident Gwendolyn Jean Johnson died Saturday, Jan. 19. She was 87.
Services will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 795 E. Powell Blvd., Gresham.
Gwen was born Feb. 6, 1925, in Belle Plaines, Iowa, to Edward I. and Grace L. Hansen. Gwen graduated from Arcata High School in 1942 and attended Eureka Business School.
Gwen married and divorced Earl William (Bill) Johnson. She married Tommy Pierce in 1961. After he died in 1996, Gwen rekindled her relationship with Bill and they married again in 1998.
Gwen worked for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, belonged to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Gresham and collated Braille bibles for the blind.
Gwen is survived by her only child, David Johnson; sister, Janice Tompkins; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Gresham Memorial Chapel.
Lois Joan Balzer
Oct. 12, 1929-Jan. 17, 2013
Former Gresham resident Lois Joan Balzer died Thursday, Jan. 17. She was 83.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, at Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center, 287 S.W. Washington St., Dallas, Ore.
Lois was born Oct. 12, 1929, in Goessel, Kan., to Frank J. and Bertha Unrau Schmidt. She married Earl Balzer Aug. 11, 1950 in Dallas.
Lois was a school bus driver for Centennial School District for 20 years. She volunteered for her churches, Albert Community and Peace Mennonite; Kiwanis; and SnowCap Community Charities.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her children, Thayne Balzer, Ronna Unger and Jenelle Ediger; sister, Erna Jeffries; twin brother, Lyle Schmidt; brothers, Archie Schmidt and John Paul Schmidt; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center is handling arrangements.
Paid obituaries
SPC MICHAEL KIM PRITCHARD
May 16, 1986-January 13, 2013
SPC Michael Kim Prtichard, a former resident of Gresham, Oregon, passed away on January 13, 2013 at Ft. Carson, Colorado. He was 26 years of age.
Michael was born on May 16, 1986 in South Korea and was the son of Dennis and Susan Pritchard. He attended Gresham High School where he played football and was on the wrestling team. He graduated in 2005 and attended classes at Mt. Hood Community College and Linn Benton Community College. He worked for a short time at Colwood Golf Course in Portland.
Michael Doc enlisted in the United States Army in 2008. He served with the Warhorse Team, 2STB and the 1-67 AR since 2010. He served two tours of duty in South Korea and was a Combat Medic in Afghanistan, returning from deployment in 2012. He was most recently stationed at Ft. Carson and had achieved the rank of Specialist.
He was an avid sports fan who enjoyed pro and college football. He was an Oregon State Beavers Fan as well as a fan of Notre Dame. He also enjoyed playing Texas Holdem and playing golf with his dad especially when he got to drive the golf cart.
Michael was generous to a fault and would do anything to help his family and friends. He was very witty, had a great sense of humor and was very affectionate with his contagious hugs. He had great respect and love for his Brothers in Arms and deeply enjoyed serving his country. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Michael is survived by his parents, Dennis Pritchard of Portland, Susan Pritchard of Gresham and sister, Gina Pritchard-Wilson of Portland along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends as well as his Brothers in Arms.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2013 11:00 am at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home in Gresham. A committal service with Full Military Honors will be held at Willamette National Cemetery. Contributions may be made in memory of Michael to the Wounded Warrior Project, 2223 Alskan Way, Suite 220, Seattle, WA 98121. Please visit www.batemancarrollfunerals.com for more information.
Gwendolyn Jean Johnson
February 6, 1925 - January 19, 2013
Gwendolyn Jean Johnson passed away on January 19, 2013 in Eureka, CA, seven months after experiencing the first of several strokes. Gwen was born on February 6, 1925 to parents Edward I. and Grace L. Hansen in Belle Plaines, Iowa. The family moved to Humboldt County from Oregon in 1937, settling in Dows Prairie. Gwen graduated from Arcata High School in 1942. She attended Eureka Business College until going to work in the office at North Coast Mercantile in Eureka. Gwen was married to Earl William (Bill) Johnson in 1944 and they had a son, David E. Johnson in 1949. She was divorced in the early 50s and was married to Tommy Pierce from 1961 until his passing in 1996. After being divorced from Bill for 45 years, Bill moved to Gresham in 1997 to rekindle their relationship and they were married in January, 1998. They continued to live in Gresham until his death in 2008.
Gwen worked in the PG&E office in Eureka for over 30 years. After relocating to Gresham, Oregon in 1969, she continued to work until the early 1990s. Gwen was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Gresham for many years and volunteered with collating Braille bibles for the blind. In 2009 Gwen moved back to Eureka to be near her son. She was known as having a sweet nature. Those who knew Gwen, appreciated her dry sense of humor. Gwen is survived by her only child, David E. Johnson (Martha) of Eureka; her sister Janice Tompkins of Heyburn, ID; her only grandchild, Michael Johnson (Chelsea) of Tacoma, WA, and great-grandchildren, Kirsten and Erica Johnson of Tacoma, WA.
Funeral arrangements are being made by the Gresham Memorial
Funeral Chapel in Gresham, OR. Services will take place on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 2:00 at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 795 East Powell Blvd. in Gresham to be followed by refreshments. There will be a private interment at Willamette National Cemetery.
The family requests contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.