Ronald Lewis Fordyce

Jan. 21, 1937-April 11, 2012

Gresham resident Ronald Lewis Fordyce, 75, died Wednesday, April 11, in Portland.

Interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Ronald was born Jan. 21, 1937, in Hood River to Red and Hazel (Moore) Fordyce. He grew up in White Salmon, Wash., where he graduated from high school. He later enlisted in the Army and served during the Korean War.

Ronald was a heavy equipment operator for Weyerhaeuser. He operated a CAT, which he loved, and worked clearing trees and pulling logs. He resided in Roseburg and Portland. After retirement he moved to Gresham. He was divorced. Ronald enjoyed hunting, fishing and breeding animals.

Survivors include his daughter, Connie Jenkins of Portland; son, Bill Fordyce of Ontario; sister, Sandra Jackson of Sandy; three grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Boyd Herbert Simmons

Oct. 6, 1917-April 8, 2012

Former East County resident Boyd Herbert Simmons died Sunday, April 8, in Redmond, Wash., surrounded by family. He was 94.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Interment will be at Hayes Cemetery in Woodland, Wash.

Boyd was born Oct. 6, 1917, in Kalama, Wash., to Earl and Nellie (Brewer) Simmons. He graduated from Kalama High School and attended Reed College for a year.

On Nov. 27, 1936, he married Helen Johnson.

Boyd owned Simmons Petroleum Products in Gresham. He was a member of the Gresham Elks, a Cub Scout leader and a past president and lifetime member of Gresham Rotary, never missing a meeting in 30 years. He later moved to Vancouver and then to Woodland.

Boyd was an avid outdoorsman and loved camping, fishing, hunting, golfing and playing poker. He owned a cabin in Rhododendron, where he spent the summer and his weekends skiing. He raised quarter horses. He loved children and animals and was devoted to his cats, Sugar and Shadow.

His wife preceded him in death in July 2004.

Survivors include his daughter, Phyllis Ray of Langley, Wash.; son, Buck Simmons of Bend; sister, Bonnie DeVilliers of Salem; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations can be made to Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, P.O. Box 828, Woodland, Wash., 98674.

People's Memorial in Bellevue, Wash., is handling arrangements.

Marilyn Ann Jackson

May 26, 1931-April 14, 2012

East County resident Marilyn Ann Jackson, 80, died Saturday, April 14.

A service of remembrance will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, 520 W. Powell Blvd. Private interment will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Marilyn was born May 26, 1931, in South Bend, Wash., to Edward and Edna (Bachman) Bartlett. She was raised on Parkview Dairy Farm in Clackamas and graduated from Hillcrest High School in Salem.

Marilyn married Earl Edward Jackson. They later divorced.

Marilyn resided in East County since 1971 and had various jobs over the years that included being a cook for Albertina Kerr and a reading tutor for Portland Public Schools. She was an avid reader and wrote poetry.

She was preceded in death by her son, Valjean Jackson; daughter, Ellen Lopez; and brother, Willie Bartlett.

Survivors include her daughter, Yevette Hewes of Portland; sisters, Marion Bartlett of Boring and Jennifer and Julie Bartlett, both of Lacey, Wash.; brother, David Bartlett of Kalispell, Mont.; four grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.

Contributions may be made to Legacy Hopewell House Hospice, 6171 S.W. Capitol Highway, Portland, 97239.

Visit Marilyn's page at batemancarrollfunerals.com to sign her guest book and share thoughts and fond memories with the family. Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Lucy Agnes Blankenship

March 9, 1922-April 15, 2012

Gresham resident Lucy Agnes Blankenship, 90, died Sunday, April 15.

A private gathering will be held at a later date.

Lucy was born March 9, 1922, in Schoenchen, Kan., to Joseph and Leontine Wolf. She moved to Kansas City and attended Catholic school.

In 1942, she married Jess W. Blankenship in Amarillo, Texas.

During World War II, Lucy built aircraft for the military. When the war ended, she became a homemaker.

In 1985, Lucy moved to Portland to be closer to her son. She moved to Gresham in 2001. She was a member of the Catholic Church.

Survivors include her son, Dr. Jess Blankenship of Gresham; stepson, Jan Blankenship of Sacramento, Calif.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband; sons, Dick Gieber, Bobby Gieber, Fred Gieber and Sandy Blankenship; sister, Ruby Fischer; and brother, James Wolf.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army, 8495 S.E. Monterey Ave., Happy Valley, 97086-7844.

Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

James D. Farwell

April 14, 1929-April 15, 2012

East County resident James D. Farwell died Sunday, April 15, in Hillsboro. He was 83.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 20, at Rockwood United Methodist Church, 17805 S.E. Stark St. Inurnment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Jim was born April 14, 1929, in Albany to James Otis and Lillian (Miller) Farwell. He graduated from Albany High School in 1948. He served in the Army during the Korean War.

In August 1953 he married Arlene McNeill.

Jim worked for Strohecker's in Portland until he retired.

Jim loved gardening, fishing and hunting. He was a member of Rockwood United Methodist Church for 53 years. He resided in East County for 57 years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, and his sister, Delores Nadine Farwell.

Survivors include his daughters; Julie Hoeppner of Hillsboro and Vicki VanDijk of Portland; sister, Donna McTimmonds of King City; brother, Edward Farwell of Duncan, Ariz.; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Remembrances can be made to the Oregon Food Bank, P.O. Box 55370, Portland, 97238; and the American Diabetes Association, 4380 S.W. Macadam Ave., Suite 210, Portland, 97239.

Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

Michael Cholbi

June 20, 1926-April 13, 2012

Michael Cholbi, a longtime Gresham businessman, chamber of commerce member and community activist, died Friday, April 13. He was 85.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, April 20, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St. A celebration of life reception will follow. A committal service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 S.E. Mount Scott Blvd., Portland.

Mike served the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce as an ambassador, board member and member of the Government Affairs committee. In 2008, the chamber gave him its Lifelong Member Award in recognition of his 60 years of involvement.

Mike told The Outlook in a profile story that he joined the fledgling chamber of commerce when it had about 10 members and was 'a good ol' boys club.' (The chamber now has 497 members.)

Mike was born June 20, 1926, in New York City to Michael and Madalena (Mata) Cholbi, immigrants from Spain. Mike credited his grandfather and father for teaching him two important life skills: listening and giving.

'(My dad) said, 'You've got to be a giver. If you give to yourself, you'll feel good about yourself, and you'll get back tenfold.' So that's what I've tried to live by,' Mike told The Outlook.

Mike played in a Georgia-based independent baseball league - 'the bottom of the stack,' he said - before he enlisted in the Army on Jan. 12, 1946. He served in the Pacific and was honorably discharged on Feb. 28, 1947, with the rank of staff sergeant.

Attracted to the Pacific Northwest, Mike settled in Gresham after the war. He wanted to avoid the bustle of Portland, which he said reminded him of New York City.

'I thought, 'Boy, this is heaven here.' All the trees, the ocean, rivers. It just caught my eye,' he said.

Mike married Dorothy Schmidt. To support his children and stepchildren, Mike worked three jobs, including as a hot dog vendor at the Beavers baseball stadium. He and Dorothy divorced.

Mike later married Barbara Duran. They divorced in 1984.

Mike got involved in real estate in 1970. He opened his own realty business in 1977 and became a principal broker with Windermere Real Estate.

Mike was a member of the Lions, Elks and American Legion. He served as chairman of the Cottrell School Board and as director of the Woodmen of the World, and he belonged to the East Metro Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

Survivors include his children, Janet Cholbi of Milwaukie, Christine Noreen of Happy Valley and Michael Cholbi of Devore, Calif.; stepchildren, Carol Mascaron of Beaverton, Lorinda Schackenberg of Corbett, Antony Anderson of Portland and Charles Anderson of Gresham; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; and one step-great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, remembrance can be made to Little League of Gresham, P.O. Box 181, Gresham, 97030. Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

Helen Cleo Anderson

Feb. 4, 1907-April 14, 2012

Gresham resident Helen Cleo Anderson died Saturday, April 14. She was 105.

A private family service and viewing will be held.

Helen was born Feb. 4, 1907, in New Orleans to James and Josephine (Munich) Simeon. At age 5 she moved to Los Angeles where she attended school.

In 1946, she married DeWitt T. Bolding in Las Vegas. They moved to Grants Pass in 1947 and to Portland in 1957. They also resided in Albuquerque, N.M. Dewitt died in 1971, and Helen moved to Gresham.

On July 22, 1978, Helen married Archibald Anderson in Vancouver, Wash. They resided in Brookings and he preceded her in death in 1996. Helen returned to Gresham to be closer to her family.

Helen worked as a homemaker. She was a member of the Catholic Church. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, word searches and cooking. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting and scary movies.

Her five brothers and sisters preceded her in death.

Survivors include her daughters, Marilyn Nogler of Gresham and Arlene Huber of Provo, Utah; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105. Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Norene 'Rene' Best

Sept. 22, 1930-April 16, 2012

Former East County resident Norene 'Rene' Best, 81, died Monday, April 16, in Oregon City.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 19, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, 520 W. Powell Blvd. Visitation will start before the service at 9 a.m. Interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Rene was born Sept. 22, 1930, in Hastings, Iowa, to Bert and Dana (Jones) Goins. She moved to East County as a child and graduated from Gresham High School in 1948.

On Sept. 22, 1948, she married Dallas Best in Vancouver, Wash. They moved to Oregon City in 1976 where Rene was involved with the Extension Club, a garden club and a bowling league.

Rene enjoyed reading the newspaper, doing crossword puzzles and gardening. She also enjoyed traveling, camping and going to Reno, Nev., and the casinos.

Her husband, three brothers and sisters and her granddaughter, Angela Dobbins, preceded her in death.

Survivors include her son, Ed Best of Oregon City; two grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to Providence Hospice, 6410 N.E. Halsey St., Suite 300, Portland, 97213.

Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.