Obituary- Claude Morin Patterson

Obituaries for Feb. 20: Claude Morin, 'Bob' Patterson
February 19, 2008 09:00 pm, Baker City Harold, Baker City, Oregon

Claude Orin Morin, 97, of Brookings, a former Baker County resident, died Feb. 13, 2008, at a Brookings hospital of age-related causes.

His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, 1995 Fourth St.

He was born on March 30, 1910, at the mouth of Pine Creek in Baker County. He was the sixth of nine children born to Lewis Calvin and Laura Ellen Phillips Morin.

As a young child, he moved to Hereford, where the family homesteaded a cattle ranch. He attended school in Haines. He was a 1933 graduate of Oregon State University at Corvallis where he earned a bachelor's degree in forestry.

On Dec. 31, 1930, he married Olive Josephine Harrison at Weiser, Idaho. The couple made their first home at Sumpter. They had three sons, Claude Jr., Harold and Forest. Mrs. Morin died on June 20, 1964.

Mr. Morin married Elaine Horne Liddell on April 28, 1972. She died on April 19, 2007.

He was employed by the U.S. Forest Service, and the family moved with his employment transfers to Wisconsin and several areas of Oregon and Idaho. He was stationed in New Meadows, Idaho, for 13 years before transferring to the regional office at Ogden, Utah.

His final career move was to the national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Mr. Morin retired from the Forest Service in 1973.

In retirement, Mr. Morin traveled extensively throughout the United States and to many areas of the world including Egypt and the Holy Lands, Spain and other European countries. The Morins were members of the first group to travel to China after the opening of the country to visitors during the Nixon administration.

He was currently a member of the Brookings Presbyterian Church. While living at Ogden, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in Idaho, the Methodist Church. Ecumenical in thought, the family usually attended the church nearest their home while the children were growing up.

Mr. Morin was a talented fix-it guy, and enjoyed making repairs to many things, his family members said. He was a perfectionist and a very hard worker by nature. He had a winning smile, a good sense of humor, was affectionate and non-judgmental, and was everyone's favorite uncle in the family, they said.

In younger years, he loved to dance, and while in New Meadows, Idaho, he started the community's first Boy Scout troop.

He loved to grow flowers, and while living at Ogden, had planted and tended a large rose garden around the church and his home.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Claude Jr. and Bonnie Morin of Brookings; grandchildren, Laurie Larson, and her husband, Don, of Beaverton, Kelvin "Kelly" and his wife, Paula Morin, of Salem, Kolleen Bennett and her husband, Dennis, of Weston, Joe Morin and his wife, Stephanie, and Peggy Crow and her husband, Tom, all of Brookings, and Trudy Kessler and her husband, Ed, of Sandy, Utah; stepchildren, Scott and his wife, Skuntala Liddell, and Gary Liddell, all of Ogden, Utah, Kathy Bolte and Dr. Bob Bolte, both of Salt Lake City; daughters-in-law, Judy Morin of Salt Lake City and LaDonna Osborn of Appleton, Wash.; and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wives; two sons, Harold and Forest; four brothers, Vernell, Ted, Pierce and Glen; and two sisters, Gladys and Nellie; and an infant brother and sister , who were born prior to Claude's birth.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Brookings Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 540 Pacific, Brookings, OR 97415; or to the First Presbyterian Church of Ogden, 880 28th St., Ogden, UT 84403.

The Redwood Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements. For more information, call 866-469-9112.

‘Bob' Patterson

William Roberts "Bob" Patterson, 67, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 12, 2008, at the Veterans Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash., from complications of cancer.

His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Enterprise.

Bob was born on Feb. 16, 1940, at Baker City to Franklin W. "Bill" and Elizabeth Patterson. The Patterson family spent summers at their cabin at Wallowa Lake, which had been purchased in 1918 by grandfather, Dr. Carl G. Patterson of Baker City.

Bob attended Baker public schools and attended Eastern Oregon University at La Grande. He married Ann Jennings of Joseph in 1961. They had two children, Kristan and Steven. He and Ann were divorced in 1978.

He joined the U.S. Air Force and after completing flight school, he flew C-121 radar tracking aircraft over Vietnam. Ultimately, he became proficient in all aircraft (fixed wing and helicopter) during his 14-year Air Force career.

Bob flew for several airlines, finally as captain of both the Boeing 757 and Airbus 320 for America West Airlines. The last seven years he served as an instructor pilot on the Airbus training simulator.

Bob and his wife of 13 years, Marvel, both retired in 2007 to their new home on Wallowa Lake. They became active in the community this past summer volunteering during Chief Joseph Days, caring for flower boxes on Main Street, and as members of the "Westsiders" of Wallowa Lake.

Bob's cancer was diagnosed in late summer.

Survivors include his wife, Marvel, and her children, Chenelle and Connon; his son, Steve, and his wife, Chris, of Oregon City; daughter, Kris Fowler-Patterson; granddaughters, Brittany and Brooke; his brother, John, of Walla Walla; sister, Charlotte "Char" Williams of Joseph; and seven nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cancer Society, the Wallowa County Memorial Hospital, or a charity of one's choice.