Agnes Louise Bailey
Nov. 16, 1921-April 16, 2013
Gresham resident Agnes Louise Bailey died Tuesday, April 16. She was 91.
A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home. A reception will follow, and she will be buried at Gresham Pioneer Cemetery.
Louise was born Nov. 16, 1921, in Fort Payne, Ala., to Franklin and Ida Leath. She lived in Alabama until she married John Bailey. They moved to the Northwest to work in the shipyards.
They had two children, Glenda and Jerry. Glenda died at age 10, and as a result, Louise was always fiercely protective of her family. A Christian woman, she taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school for many years. Louise had several different occupations throughout her life, but the one she was most proud of was her work at home with her family.
Louise was preceded in death by her daughter, Glenda, and husband, John. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Teri Bailey; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Alice Mildred Pearson
June 8, 1929-April 14, 2013
Longtime East County resident Alice Mildred Pearson died Sunday, April 14, in Portland. She was 83.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
Alice was born June 8, 1929, in Boring to Edward and Elsie (Brandt) Pillster.
Alice graduated from Gresham High School in 1947. She raised and rode Arabian horses and painted.
She married Wilfred Pearson on June 24, 1949, in Gresham. Alice was a member of East Hill Church since 1976.
She was preceded in death by her husband. Alice is survived by her daughter, Deborah Martin; son, Bruce Pearson; sister, Edie Komning; two grandsons; and five great-grandchildren.
Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Matthew DeLeon Palacious
April 9, 1951-April 13, 2013
Gresham resident Matthew DeLeon Palacious died Saturday, April 13, at his home. He was 62.
Graveside services with full military honors were held Friday, April 19, at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
Matthew was born April 9, 1951, in Nampa, Idaho, to Marcelino and Jerusa Palacious. He was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War and a carpenter by trade. Matthew maintained a deep spiritual belief all his life.
He considered his family his most important treasure.
Survivors include his wife, Merry, and their children, Tammy, Mark, Tanya, Lance, Sami and Jesse; 21 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild, with another on the way.
Omega Funeral and Cremation Service is handling arrangements.
Ina Evelyn Davis
Aug. 16, 1917-April 12, 2013
Ina Evelyn Davis, a resident of Gresham, died Friday, April 12. She was 95.
A graveside service was held Thursday, April 18, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham.
Ina was born Aug. 16, 1917, in Emmett, Idaho, to Albin and Anna (Anderson) Quist. She grew up in Coeur DAlene, Idaho, where she graduated from high school.
On Aug. 6, 1938, she married Walter Davis in Coeur DAlene. In 1947, they moved to Parkdale and later to Hood River and Portland.
Ina was a member of the Baptist church and enjoyed the piano, sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidering. She also enjoyed cooking and baking cookies and cakes, all with a Swedish influence.
Her husband, Walter and sister, Alice, both preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Marina Slaton of Boring; and granddaughter, Christie Zgourides of Texas.
Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Bruce E. Vermillion
Jan. 21, 1961-April 10, 2013
Portland resident Bruce E. Vermillion died Wednesday, April 10, from lung cancer. He was 52.
A private memorial service will be held.
Bruce was born Jan. 21, 1961, to Darlene Helliwell and Jack Vermillion. He graduated from Oregon City High School and worked as an industrial welder/custom fabricator.
He was preceded in death by his father and stepfather, Gordon Helliwell.
He is survived by his mother; brother, Norm Vermillion; daughters, Jamie Ail, Shauna Moys and Christina Vermillion; and grandson, Tyson Moys.
Chapel of the Chimes is handling arrangements.
Richard H. Wheeler
Jan. 30, 1931-March 19, 2013
Gresham resident Richard H. Wheeler died Tuesday, March 19. He was 83.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at St. Aidans Episcopal Church in Gresham.
Richard was born Jan. 30, 1931, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Edwin Sessions Wheeler and Mildred Hunting Wheeler. He graduated from Westfield High School, received his bachelors degree from the University of Maine in 1953 and received his masters degree from Colorado State University.
Richard married Barbara H. Hodges on Nov. 13, 1954, in Texas. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War and was discharged in 1972. Richard worked as a forest hydrologist, retiring in 1986.
He is survived by his daughters, Kathleen Johnson, Deborah Knierim and Patricia Wheeler; sisters, Nancy Bauer and Elizabeth Wheeler; and seven grandchildren.
Sunnyside Little Chapel of the Chimes is handling arrangements.
James Nesbit Swanny Swanbeck
James Nesbit Swanbeck, a resident of East County, died on April 14, 2013 at his home, surrounded by his loving family, just four days shy of his 85th birthday.
James was born on April 18, 1928 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Irvin and Mary (Gear) Swanbeck. He grew up in Vancouver, B.C. and graduated from High School. He later enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy. He received an honorable discharge for his service.
On October 20, 1950, he married the love of his life, Lillian Honey, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. As newlyweds, they resided on Texada Island, off the coast of British Columbia, for a short time before returning to Edmonton. In 1957 he received his Certificate of Proficiency as a refrigeration mechanic. They moved to Portland in 1965 where James worked in his trade for Western Engineers, and later for Honeywell Controls. He retired in 1990.
James was a proud member of the Al Kadar Shriners, the Washington Masonic Lodge #46, a 32 degree Scottish Rite Freemason, and was a 48 year member of the Steam Fitters Union Local 290. He enjoyed tending to his lawn and roses and spending time with his daughter, son-in-law and especially adored his two grown grandchildren, to whom he was most generous with his advice, time and finances. He was the best daddy and papa anyone could ever have.
James is survived by his daughter, Susan (husband, Robert) Gibson of Gresham, brother, David Swanbeck of Vancouver, B.C., grandchildren, Robyn H. (husband, Armando) Gomez of Everett, WA and Melanie Joy Gibson of Santa Barbara, CA along with brother-in-law, Norval (wife, Linda) Honey, niece Shannon Honey, sister-in-law Doreen Dubuc and nephew Brian (wife, Hazel) Honey and family, all of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His beloved wife, Lillian, preceded him in death in 2008.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to James neighbors, Dick Dykeman, Abraham Perez Luna, and family and friend and former co-worker, Wayne Frank, for their extraordinary kindness, friendship and support over the years. Also, a special thanks to Marci, from Mt. Hood Hospice, whom James referred to as the little red headed nurse.
A private service has been held for James. He will be privately inurned at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Contributions may be made in memory of James to the Shriners Childrens Hospital.
Gerald Ray Welch
Longtime Fairview resident Gerald Ray Welch died at his home on Friday, April 12, 2013.
Jerry was born on May 31, 1930 in Worden, Illinois. After graduating high school in 1949, he joined the Air Force. During the Korean War, Jerry served as a USAF radio technician along the Southern Oregon coast and in Portland where he met his future wife on a blind date. He and Margaret Louise Jackson married on June 2, 1951 in Stevenson, Washington. He was honorably discharged in 1953, returning to his hometown. In 1959, he and Margaret moved their growing family to Oregon and settled in their Cedar Street neighborhood where he lived until his death. He was a machine operator for most of his career. He retired from James River Corporation in 1992. Jerry loved Oregons abundant forests and trout streams and spent most of his life enjoying hunting and fishing. He and Margaret were also avid gardeners. In his retirement, he added small engine repair to his list of hobbies. The family says half-jokingly that he kept the majority of the lawn mowers and rototillers in east Multnomah County running smoothly. A dedicated family man, in his latter years he delighted in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren who equally delighted in him.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Margaret, of Fairview, son Gerald A. Welch of Safford, AZ, daughter Christine L. Lewallen (David) of Prairie City, OR, son Donald R. Welch (Susan) of Payson, AZ, son Terry L. Pete Welch (Lynne) of Trout Lake, WA, and son Dr. Joseph M. Welch of La Center, WA, as well as 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Levi and Nellie Welch, his brother Paul Heinemeier, and sister Rose Lanette Best.
A private interment with military honors will be at Willamette National Cemetery. Friends and extended family are invited to a celebration of Jerrys life at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Wood Village Baptist Church where he attended. A reception will follow the service.
From a young age, Jerry greatly enjoyed worshiping the Lord through music. For those who prefer to make a contribution in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Wood Village Baptists Sound Equipment Fund.