Troy Humphrey, 69, died on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Harney District Hospital after a battle with cancer.

Humphrey was born on Nov. 11, 1938, to Napoleon and Eva Humphrey in Rush, Ark., where he was raised and educated.

He worked as a carpenter and rancher and enjoyed visiting with friends and family. Humphrey liked to hunt, fish and camp, and he loved his dogs.

Humphrey is survived by his children, Alan Humphrey of Burns, Kathleen Humphrey of Kentucky and Beth Ann Reed of California; and grandchildren, Troy Burton, Kelly Burton, Marisa Humphrey, Kara Reed, Katelyn Reed and Kearsten Reed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Napoleon and Eva Humphrey.

Contributions in  Humphrey’s memory may be made to  American Cancer Fund in care of LaFollette’s Chapel, PO Box 488; Burns, OR 97720. LaFollette’s Chapel is in charge of arrangements. No services will be held.

Dorothy (Dottie) Lakey, 80, died at her home in Nampa, Idaho, on Aug. 20.

She was born on Feb. 26, 1928, in Atchinson County, Mo., to Ollie and Cicero Nance.

She moved to Burns in 1929 with her family.

On Sept. 10, 1943, she married Merrill Man. The couple had two children, Dennis and Sherrill.

On May 1, 1952, she married Frank A. Lakey. The family moved to Nampa, where Lakey lived until her death.

Lakey was a lifetime member of the Elks Ladies, Nampa Elks Lodge #1389. She was elected Valentine Queen of the Elks Ladies in 1984, at the same time her husband was elected Idaho State Elk of the Year. She and her husband were very active in the Elks Lodge and made many friends through the organization.

Lakey was also a member of the Nomad RV Group, and enjoyed camping and traveling with her husband.

Lakey is survived by her son, Dennis Man of Nampa; grandson, Shawn Man of Nampa; daughter, Sherrill Prescott and husband Steve of Boise; step-children, Joan Alney and husband, Gene of Nampa, and Harold Lakey and wife, Patti of Spanaway, Wash.; and sister, Virgie Bennison and husband, Howard of Burns.

She is also survived by nephew, Gary Bennison and wife Valerie of Burns; nieces, Nancy Ray and husband, Gary of Belton, Mo., and Sandy Johanek of Redmond; great-niece, Tonya Fox and husband, Ron of Burns; great-nephew, Ted Bennison and wife, Beth of North Bend; eight grand-children; and 29 great-grandchildren.

Lakey was preceded in death by her husband, mother, father, step-father, two sisters and two brothers.

Graveside services were held on Aug. 23 at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Caldwell, Idaho. Contributions in Lakey’s memory may be made to the Elks Rehabilitation Hospital, P.O. Box 1100, Boise, ID, 83701, or, Hearts for Hospice, 4869 Malad, Suite D, Boise, ID 83705.

Burton Evans Blake died at his home in Boise, Idaho on Aug. 8.

He was born on Jan. 3, 1938, in Portland to William J. and Delight Evans Blake.

Blake grew up in Sandy, graduating from Sandy Union High School before attending Cascade College Portland, where he majored in music. He was a member of the Oregon National Guard.

In 1959, Blake moved with his family to Burns, where he worked for Edward Hines Lumber Company and KRNS Radio Station. He was an active member of the Burns Fire Department as well as the Burns Elks Lodge, where he served as organist for several years.

Blake moved to Boise, where he rejoined the military and served as a military policeman with the rank of Staff Sergeant, retiring from the Idaho Air National Guard in 1998. Following his retirement he served as a volunteer at the VA Hospital in Boise.

He was a member of the Boise Elks Lodge, where he served many positions with great pride and dedication, including Exalted Ruler.
Blake was married to his wife, Esther, for 25 years.

He is survived by his wife, Esther; sister, Nancy Cray and husband, George of Burns; niece, Kathleen Cray, of Denver; nephews, William Cray and wife Vicki of Chad, Africa, Shawn Cray of Burns, and Major David Cray of Virginia; and grand-nieces Rebecca, Susannah and Bethany.

Blake is also survived by step-children, Shirley Carter and husband, David, Katherine Newell, Thomas Newell and wife Debra, John Newell, and Benjamin Lewis and wife Joanna; 15 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Delight Blake; grandson, Jesse; and granddaughter, Gracie.
A military graveside service was held on Aug. 20 at the Idaho Veteran’s Cemetery with Elks honors.

Tom Biggs, 48, of Weed, Calif. died on, Aug. 23.

A service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 1 p.m. at the Lake Shastina Community Bible Church, 5826 Jackson Ranch Road in Weed.

Biggs is survived by his wife, Lynn; children, Nikki, Paula, Jason, Justin and Jerico; mother, Barbara Biggs; sister, Patti Wilson; niece, Tara Martinak; nephew, Tim Wilson; grandchildren, Carrie, Mya, Jordan, Caleb and Berkeley; sisters-in-laws, Paula Hutchins and Janet Moore; mother-in-law, Edna Dunham; and great-nephews Tyler and Grayden.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gaillard Biggs and brother-in-law, John Wilson.

Contributions in Biggs’ memory can be made to the Madrone Hospice Center, the Lake Shastina Community Bible Church, or to Al Bonson for a memorial tailgating party at an Oregon Duck’s football game, all in care of Tara Martinak, P.O. Box 442, Hines, OR 97738.

A celebration of life for Biggs will be held in Burns at a later date.

James Merle Cummings, 90, of Baker City died on Aug. 24 at St. Elizabeth Health Services.

Viewing will be held from 9-10 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Vale Christian Church, with funeral service to follow at 10 a.m. (PST).

Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Vale.

Linda Marie Beal died on Aug. 2, at her home in Burns.

She was born on Aug. 7, 1942, in San Bernardino, Calif., to Furness (Jack) John Taylor and Rose Marie McNamara Taylor.

Beal’s parents moved to a dairy in Vale when she was 10 years old. She helped her parents with all of the dairy chores. At the age of 15, she had 15 registered Jersey cows, heifers and calves, which she entered in the Malheur County Fair. She won the title of Oregon Jersey Queen and was awarded a trip to Chicago. When not milking and feeding calves, she enjoyed riding her horse and being around all animals.

Beal was a majorette in the Vale band, and also sang in the choir. She graduated from Vale High School in 1960.

She married Michael Gillespie, and they both attended college in Logan, Utah. The couple had two sons, Wendell James and Warren Carl before divorcing.

Beal and her sons moved back to Vale to the family dairy, and them moved to Prairie City when she married Alfred Fleming. She worked at the John Day Hospital as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). The couple had a son, Alan Laurance and daughter Ann Marie. After divorcing, Beal moved back to Vale.

In Vale, she lived in a cinder-block house on six acres, where she started raising a few horses and a cow. Beal worked for her parents and in the onion sheds in Vale.

She then married William Henry Beal, a neighbor boy she had met when she first came to Vale. To be near her husband’s job, the family moved to Brooks, near Salem on a 10-acre farm.

While living near Salem, Beal went to school for a nursing degree at the Salem Hospital.

Three years later, before Beal completed school, the family moved to Burns, again following her husband’s work.

Beal helped her family build their home, barn and shop in Burns, and also helped her husband in the Watermaster office of the Water Resources Department. She also worked at Harney Hospital as a C.N.A.

Beal was a 4-H leader for 20 years and introduced the first goats to the Harney County Fair. Her club members all excelled in market lambs and dairy goats. She was a member of the Harney County Church of the Nazarene, and through singing, delivered the Lord’s word. Her other talents included writing poems, acrylic painting and pencil drawing. She was a good organizer and hard worker.

Beal is survived by her husband, Bill; sons, Wendell, Warren and Alan; daughter, Ann; stepsons, Will, Dennis and Mike Beal; brothers, John and Tad Taylor; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Rose Taylor.

A memorial service was held on Aug. 8. Internment was held on Aug. 9 at the Valley View Cemetery in Vale. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Beal’s memory may be made to the Harney County 4-H, Harney County Extension Office, 450 N. Buena Vista, Burns, OR 97720.

Patricia Ellen Nobel died on Aug. 14 in Bend.

She was born on July 8, 1938, to George Thompson and Hazel Virginia Taylor Thompson.

On July 8, 1963, she married George Harald Nobel, in Carson City, Nev. They had recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.

Nobel was a homemaker most of her life and lived in Burns for 60 years. She enjoyed bowling, hunting, fishing and camping with her family. Her father built the “Thompson Cabin,” which is an historical landmark on Camp Creek.

Nobel is survived by her husband, George Nobel of Hines; son, Bob Johnson and wife Debbie of Burns; daughter, Regina Nobel of Hines; nephew, Fred Thompson, of Washington; brother, Charles Thompson of Hines; grandchildren, Ty Johnson of Hines, Samantha Johnson of Hines; and Derek Nobel-Woodfin of Hines.

A memorial service will be held on Aug. 23 at 1 p.m.  at the Burns Elks Lodge. Contributions in Nobel’s memory may be made to the Hospice Center, 2075 NE Wyatt Center, Bend, OR 97701.

Martha Goodwin Clark died on Aug. 8 at Harmony House Nursing Home in Bend.

She was born on March 15, 1929, in Lebanon.

Clark is survived by brothers, Albert Goodwin of Milton-Freewater, Frank Goodwin of Seattle, Wash., and John Goodwin of Brothers. She is also survived by daughters, Martha Clark-Bigknife of Sisters, and Patti Passmore of Burns; sons Ivan Clark of Rogers, Ark., and Jeffery Clark of Burns; grandsons Raymond Marsh, Jason Daniels, Joseph Rogers, Travis Clark and Barty James Clark; and four great-grandsons.

A memorial service will be held for Clark on Sept. 6, at 2 p.m., at the Burns Christian Church.

Lois Emily McGee Parmele Cassity died at her home in Madras on July 26.

She was born on Dec. 1, 1934, in Roseburg to Virgil and Katharine McGee.

In 1937, she moved with her family to Nyssa, where they had a large farm. Then in the fall of 1950, the family bought the Henry-Ruby Street Ranch on Silver Creek in the Riley area.

Cassity attended Burns High School. She married Benny Parmele on Dec. 1, 1952. The couple raised three children.

In 1955, her husband went to work for the U.S. Forest Service, so they moved a lot between lookouts and guard stations around Burns and Hines.

In 1959, they moved back to Silver Creek to work for George and Bernice McGee, before returning to the Forest Service in Hines.

In 1966, the family moved to Ripplebrook Ranger Station on Mt. Hood. Cassity worked as a flagman for the Forest Service the summer of 1968.

In 1969, the family moved to Estacada. Cassity went back to complete high school, and graduated in May 1973. She then went to Clackamas Community College for nursing and graduated in October 1974. She worked many years in the Gresham Hospital and Madras Hospital.

Following a divorce from Parmele, she married Harold Cassity in Portland in October 1979. They moved from Portland to Madras.

Cassity loved to work in her yard and travel. Her trips included going to Alaska, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Washington. She was also a seamstress and made most of her children’s clothes when they were small.

Cassity is survived by her daughters, Linda Parmele and partner Michael Cambell, and Morgan Parmele; son, Timothy Parmele and wife Liz; sisters, Mary Escarcega and husband Al, Ellen Bates and husband Tommy, Doris Cole and husband Red; sister-in-law, Bernice McGee; stepson, Stan Cassity and wife Pam; stepdaughter, Eleden Williams and husband Ted; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cassity was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Katherine McGee; brother, George McGee; and son, William.

A memorial service was held on Aug. 2 in Troutdale.

Kenneth Wayne Langdon, 69, of Eagle, Idaho, died on Aug. 6, after a long battle with cancer.

He was born on Nov. 24, 1938 in Albuquerque, N.M., to Miles and Lila Langdon. 

 Langdon was raised in Hines and graduated from Burns Union High School.

He later attended Eastern Oregon College, where he obtained a bachelor of science degree in math education.

His first teaching job was in Leadore, Idaho, where he taught math, vocal and instrumental music.

He left Leadore and taught 28 more years at various schools in the Treasure Valley area. 

Langdon was an incredible high school and college wrestler. He then coached wrestling and officiated and served as an official’s evaluator since 1959. He served on the Idaho Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Langdon was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla., on May 8, 2004, at an awards banquet in Boise, Idaho. His contributions to the sport of wrestling and young wrestlers will be remembered and appreciated for decades to come. 

Those who knew Langdon knew his love for the Salmon River Mountains around and near Yellow Pine, Idaho. He knew, traveled, or made new trails to hunt elk and mule deer in every valley and mountain top in the area. He was a “professional” hunter who seldom came home without meat. 

Langdon will be remembered for his sense of humor, quick wit, lust for life and adventure, and the teller of tales.

He enjoyed playing jokes on his friends and appreciated a good joke played on him.

He was often spoken of as a “Man’s Man.” 

Langdon is survived by his wife Joan, of Eagle, Idaho; daughters, Ronda Toston and Keri Meek of Pocatello, Idaho and Katie Roderick-Langdon of Edwards, Co.; son, Brad Peterson of Middleton, Idaho; sister, Glenda DeMoss and husband, Tom of Tucson, Ariz.; niece, Sheri Mazariegos of Pinecrest, Fla.; as well as other relatives and his many friends. A memorial service was held on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at Eagle United Methodist Church, 651 N. Eagle Rd.

Summers Funeral Homes, Ustick Chapel, was in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Langdon’s memory may be made to the Eagle United Methodist Church or to the charitiy of one’s choice.