Alma Lee Landreth
July 5, 1926 – Jan 8, 2024
Alma Lee Landreth passed away on January 8, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Baker City, Oregon.
Alma was born on July 5, 1926, in Nyssa, Oregon, the oldest child of Harland and Elsie Ray Diven. Through both her parents, she was a descendent of two Malheur County pioneer families, the Diven’s and the Ray’s. Alma Lee had two younger siblings Margaret Diven and Richard Diven who preceded her in death. The family moved to Caldwell, Idaho in 1931 and back to Nyssa in 1943, where she graduated from high school in 1944.
Alma had a job selling tickets at the Nyssa Theater, when a young man, Chuck Landreth, asked her out. They were married on October 17, 1944, in San Francisco where Chuck was stationed in the Navy. After Chuck completed his service in the Navy, they returned to Nyssa. They made their home on King Avenue as one of the first young families in the neighborhood, and where Alma lived for over seventy years. She worked at Owyhee Truck and Implement until they started their family. Ken was born in 1958 and Nancy in 1960. When Nancy started first grade, Alma took a job in the Nyssa School District as a library aide. She worked there until her retirement in 1981.
Chuck and Alma loved to camp (in a trailer) and took their family on many adventures. Alma loved to read and sew. She also liked to tease and joke, a trait she inherited from her parents. In 1976 they bought a lot in Sumpter where they built a cabin. During their retirement years, they traveled the country in an RV, snowmobiled in Sumpter, and enjoyed their friends. After Chuck passed away in 2011, Alma was a regular for morning coffee, meeting with friends, and visiting her children. In 2021, she moved to Baker City to live with her daughter Nancy.
Alma was a quiet but loyal friend. She and Chuck had a long and happy life, and delighted in each new adventure that life brought them, whether in an RV, on a motorcycle, or a snowmobile.
Alma Lee is survived by her children Ken Landreth (Terri) and Nancy Rorick (Andy); her grandchildren Richard Landreth (Christina) and Meghan Rorick; great grandchildren Darren, Kellen, Shauna, and Hailey.
A celebration of life will be held later. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com
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Eleanor Short
Feb 2, 1932 – Jan 16, 2024
Eleanor Short passed away Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise.
Eleanor Lorraine Reed Short was born on February 2, 1932, in Haigler, Nebraska. She was the fifth of nine children born to Lloyd Vivian Reed and Blanche Hildreth Sharp Reed. The family moved to Flagler, Colorado, while Eleanor was in elementary school. She graduated from Flagler High School in Flagler, Colorado, in 1949. After graduation, she attended Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley for two years. On July 2, 1951, Eleanor married Harold Lee Short. The couple were married for 40 year, a union that was blessed with six children.
Eleanor and Harold moved from Colorado to Malheur County, Oregon in 1956 with their three preschool children. They lived in Malheur County, in Jamieson and Ironside, for four years. The family moved to Hereford in Baker County, Oregon in 1961 where they lived for 25 years. The couple retired to Jamieson in 1985, where Eleanor lived until her death.
Eleanor was active in 4-H for a large portion of her life, first as a 4-H member in Colorado and then as a 4-H leader in Baker and Malheur counties. She was also a member of the Baker County Cowbells and the VFW Auxilary.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold L. Short; daughter-in-law, Karen Short; sons-in-law, Richard Grate and David Schuster; granddaughter, Maria Kindschy; all eight of her siblings; two nieces and two nephews. Eleanor is survived by her six children, Barbara (Jack) Falls, Maurice Short, Romana McLean, Roberta Schuster, Rhonda Williams, and Jim (Carol) Short, 20 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the Vale Ambulance and Brogan QRU crew for their excellent and compassionate assistance. Also the Saint Alphonsus staff in Ontario and Boise.
There was a graveside inurnment at Dell Cemetery at 5100 John Day Highway, Jamieson, Oregon, on Friday, April 19.
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