These are obituaries that Tom Childers has donated. Many thanks for his great contributions to Union County.
If you have any obituaries you can donate, please drop a line to Janine M. Bork.Your information can help others.
Funeral services for Bert Slack, Dalles resident who died here Monday, will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Zell funeral home. Rev. R. A. Hutchinson of the Congregational church will officiate and interment will be in the local I. O. O. F. cemetery. Surviving relatives include two daughters, Mrs. Feleta Barnhill, Mason City, Wash., and Mrs. W. H. Graham, Pendleton, and one brother James Slack, Elgin.
Mr. Slack came to The Dalles from Summerville, Ore., more than 20 years ago. He was a cowboy all his life and participated in the Pendleton Round-Up annually from 1910 until 1936. Known as "Buckaroo Slim" he was reported to have been an outstanding rider and roper at the yearly event. His horse "Lizard" is still alive at the age of 36 years. Pallbearers at the services will be former cowboy associates.
Burris Elbert Slack, 58, of 1306 Fourth, a farmer, died early this morning in a local hospital following a lingering illness.
Mr. Slack, who had resided in Union county throughout his life, was born in Summerville, April 28, 1874.
Survivors include his wife, Effie; three children, Mrs. Bernice Billerbeck and Vadis C. Slack of La Grande and Lyle Slack of Shepher Field, Tex.; two sisters, Mrs. Emma Burnaugh and Allie Slack, both of Summerville; two brothers, Dennis Slack of La Grande, and George Slack of Summerville, and two grandchildren. One son, Emra S. Slack, died in 1929.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Summerville chapel. Burial will be in the Summerville cemetery.
Was First Woman to Ride Into Grande Ronde Valley in Stage Coach
Clarissa Lucinda Slack, who is said to have had the distinction of being the first woman to ride into the Grande Ronde valley on a stage coach, passed away at her home near Summerville last night after a lingering illness. She was a pioneer of this valley, coming across the plains to Oregon from Iowa in 1870 by train and by stage coach. Mrs. Slack was born Jan. 20, 1845 in Ohio and at the age of six, she moved to Iowa where she grew to womanhood. She was married to F. Slack in 1870, the year they came west.
Mrs. Slack is survived by three sons, Burr, Dennis and George, of Summerville; three daughters, Allie Slack, Mrs. Della Walker and Mrs. Emma Burnaugh, three grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Mary Pierson of Iowa, Mrs. Saphronia Winchell, of Nebraska, and one brother, J. B. Nables [Nobles], of Washington.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Summerville chapel with burial, in charge of the Snodgrass and Zimmerman mortuary, to take place in the Summerville cemetery.
Mrs. Effie Slack, 1306 Fourth street, died Sunday morning in her son's home in Summerville. She was 69 years old. She had been ill for a long time. Mrs. Slack had lived in Union county all of her life. She was a member of the First Methodist Church and a 50-year member of the Rebecca lodge.
Funeral services will be held for her at the Summerville chapel on next Wednesday at 2 p.m. Rev. Robinson will officiate. Mrs. Slack will be buried in the Summerville cemetery next to her husband who died in 1940.
Mrs. Slack is survived by one son, Lyle, and two daughters, Mrs. Bernice Billerbeck, Summerville; and Mrs. Vadis Kirby, Prineville. She has one brother, Ira Hobson, Mill Valley, Cal. Her five sisters are Mrs. Margaret Golden, Portland, Mrs. Hattie Wise, La Grande; Mrs. Mary Hurley, Baker; Mrs. Ardra Behrens and Mrs. Ruth Rollins both of Summerville.
Emra Slack, 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Burr Slack, of Summerville, died at the Grande Ronde hospital at 4 o'clock this morning. He was brought to La Grande suffering from pneumonia, an aftermath of influenza, a week ago Monday.
The decedent's father, who with the mother and several brothers and sisters, left the hospital the day Emra was taken there for treatment. The elder man also had been ill of pneumonia, but recovered after hope for his life had about been abandoned.
Finanders Slack Passes On at Summerville at Ripe Old Age; Many Mourn His Death
Finanders Slack, pioneer of the Grande Ronde valley, died at his home at Summerville late yesterday at the age of 78 years and 27 days at the termination of a brief illness. Countless friends mourn the passing on of Mr. Slack, who has resided in the Grande Ronde valley since 1865.
The deceased was a pioneer stage driver from Walla Walla to Summerville and was mail carrier from Summerville to La Grande for several years. He married Miss Clarissa Noble of Iowa in the year of 1870 and to this union was born eleven children, of whom six survive.
Mrs. Clarissa Slack of Summerville, his wife, B. E. Slack, E. D. Slack, Mrs. Emma Hug, George Slack, Mrs. Della Walker, and Miss Allie, his children, all of Summerville and a brother, James Slack, of Elgin survive him. All were present at the last hours of his illness.
The funeral services will be held at the chapel at the Summerville cemetery on Wednesday, November 22, at two o'clock in the afternoon with Snodgrass and Zimmerman Undertaking Parlors in charge.
Funeral services for George H. Slack, 74, who died yesterday in a local hospital, will be held in the Summerville chapel tomorrow at 2 p.m. Rev. Gene Robinson will officiate and burial will be in Summerville cemetery. Snodgrass Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Slack, a retired farmer, had been ill for some time. He was a lifetime resident of Union county having been born at Summerville on Aug. 30, 1878.
Survivors include his sister, Allie Slack, of La Grande; two nieces, Mrs. Bernice Billerbeck of Summerville and Mrs. Spadis Kirby of Prineville. A nephew, Lyle Slack, lives at Summerville. Two great nephews and other relatives also survive.
Milton-Freewater
Lyle B. Slack, 1915 Davis St., died at his home Wednesday. He was 64.
He was born Oct. 14, 1914, at Summerville, Ore. He attended elementary schools at Summerville and Imbler, and graduated from La Grande High School.
Later, he lived in Wallowa County for five years. He was in the Army during World War II. Mr. Slack married Ruth Hopkins at Cheyenne, Wyo., June 4, 1943.
They farmed in the Summerville area several years before moving to Milton-Freewater in 1962, where he owned and operated Slack Upholstery Shop.
Survivors are his wife; son, Donald, Hermiston; daughter, Mrs. Don (Kathy) Bishop, Milton-Freewater; sister Bernice Billerbeck, Yuma, Ariz.; and three grandchildren.
The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Milton-Freewater Cemetery.