Luretta Jean Kelso
April 1944 – August 22, 2023
Luretta Jean Kelso entered the world in April of 1944 in Ontario, Oregon, and left us on August 22, 2023.
Luretta will be remembered for her feisty attitude, adventurous spirit and independence. She was always on the go as she planned the next journey or trip. Even as a child, her family remembers her as funny and outdoorsy. Luretta loved to spend time in her family’s orchard, where she climbed the trees and ate apples until her stomach hurt. Her cousins were a big part of her younger life. Her cousin Judy was not only family but a great friend, as were her double cousins Sauni, Leslie, Marcia, Dallas, Dave and Don. Not only would they find their own fun at the orchard, but they also used to sit in an old car in their grandpa’s garage and pretend they were on an amazing road trip. Luretta always pretended she was driving to the mountains, and the mountains remained her love and passion. She stayed close to all her cousins throughout her life.
The love of adventure steered Luretta to become an avid hunter. She started as her dad’s hunting partner and downed her first elk at a young age. Her love of the outdoors continued into her high school years, where Luretta’s cousin Judy and her best friend Laurel used to ride their bikes to the river or a ditch so they could spend the summer swimming. She loved fun but was also a hard worker, performing all kinds of jobs with her friends to earn money.
A young Marine named Bennie would capture her eye and they would marry in 1963. The two lived in California for a few years, before returning to the Treasure Valley. Luretta was not a fan of California and was so happy to come home. Together, Ben and Luretta would have two sons, Scott and Kevin. Eventually, they found their way to Harper and Willow Creek and, finally, Vale. Along the way, Luretta lived in an old, haunted house, bucked many a bale of hay, and started working at Bi-Mart, where she would stay for many years.
Between Scott and Kevin, Luretta would get five grandkids and would add five more bonus grandkids when Scott married Krystal. They were her world! The grandkids have many great memories of their grandma, including sleepovers full of blankets on the floor and as much candy as they could eat. They fondly remember how grandma almost killed them when she drove the wrong way down a one-way street in Boise or had the five kids “double buckle” so they all could sit together in the back seat of her car. She especially loved camping with the grandkids and even got to take a motorhome trip to Redfish Lake with all the younger grandsons.
Luretta loved to travel and took many cruises and trips, visiting Mexico, the Caribbean and even Alaska. She would think nothing of jumping in her car and heading to her next adventure. She must have owned 1,000 camp trailers through the years, always on the hunt for the perfect one! Her favorite place included anywhere she could camp, with her beloved spot being a quiet area in the Wallowa Whitman Forest. The family sends out a huge thank you to the kind nurses and staff at Pioneer Place who gave Luretta her last camping trip, and to her friend Laurel, who took her to see the ocean one final time.
When family and friends were asked to describe Luretta, they remembered her as fun, spirited, bossy, a bad cook, and a person who loved her family. She will be missed by us all and we hope she is enjoying a heavenly campfire. We can’t wait to see you again.
Luretta was preceded in death by her parents, Beryl and Opal Martin; her husband Bennie Kelso; her brother Dean, and many friends and family. She is survived by her sons, Scott Kelso (Krystal) and Kevin Kelso (Anne-Marie); her sister Evelyn Dentinger; grandchildren, who were her pride and joy, Kayle Kelso, Grace Kelso, Sable Kelso, Greta Kelso, Payton Kelso, Katelynn Stewart, Trevor Stewart, Zachary Stewart, Brandon Stewart and Alex Stewart; nieces who were like daughters, Brenda Murdock Femrite (Mike Vogelmore) and Terry Sower; daughter-in-law Cresta Kelso; and, again, a host of family (all those cousins!) and friends.
Services will be held on September 8, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the Vale Senior Center, 100 Longfellow St. S., Vale, OR 97918.
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Ferrell Irene Towell Anderson
February 5, 1929 – February 2, 2023
After an adventurous life of 94 Years, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Ferrell passed away February 2, 2023 at Saint Alphonsus in Nampa, Idaho.
Ferrell was born to Paul and Georgie Towell at her Aunt Eva’s home near Weiser, Idaho. In her early years, she grew up using horses and being horseback in Midvale, Idaho. She was a fourth generation Midvale, Idaho pioneer. She was tough, sturdy and inventive in the true pioneer spirit. Her parents Paul and Georgie, along with Ferrell and sister Jean moved from Midvale, Idaho to Harper, Oregon to homestead. Ferrell went to grade school and high school in Harper.
It was in Harper that she met Joe Anderson and the couple was married December 23, 1950. They had two children, Jodie and Quinten Anderson.
Ferrell loved working outdoors. The family ranched and farmed in Cow Valley, Rose Creek, and Bridgeport, along with doing custom haying for other area ranchers. During this time Joe and Ferrell enjoyed playing music with the Ironside Bandits at grange hall dances and having jam sessions with friends and family. In 1970, Joe and Ferrell purchased a smaller acreage outside of Vale. While in Vale, Joe worked for the BLM and ODOT. Upon Joe’s retirement they moved to Unity, Oregon and continued their adventures of hunting and mining.
Joe passed away in 1993 and Ferrell started her shop, “Ferrell’s Taxidermy”. She loved the outdoors, hunting, mining, building things, crafts and creating beautiful big game mounts for family, friends, and customers. She was a member of the Unity Home Extension and the Red Hat Ladies. In her later years, she loved growing flowers in her rock gardens, feeding hummingbirds, finches, watching the deer and antelope off her porch, and visiting with her “friends of the round table”. Telling stories and visits with the grandkids and great grands was a highlight for her. In 2022, Ferrell joined the assisted living family at Pioneer Place. Everyone there loved their talks with Ferrell and hearing her life stories. Ferrell’s family would like to thank Pioneer Assisted Living for their love and care during her time there.
She is survived by children; Jodie (Mike) Maupin, son Quinten (Gwyneth) Anderson, brothers; Dave (Joan) Towell, Del (Carol) Towell. Grandchildren; Rachelle (Kelly) Parker, Chelsey (Gene) Ross, Ellen (Cody) Carpenter, Mandi (Mark) Wallace, Jenni (Bo) Workman, Cody (Cara) Anderson, Whitni (Jordan) Matteri. Seven grandchildren and twenty-four great grandchildren. Many wonderful nephews and nieces, great nephews and great nieces.
Ferrell was preceded in death by her husband Joe, parents Paul and George Towell, sister Jean Carper, granddaughter Rikki Anderson and many dear friends and extended family.
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life on Saturday, September 16th, 2023 at 1:00PM Pacific Time at the Unity Community Hall, Unity, Oregon.