Lawrence Joseph “Joe” LaMeire
May 9, 2011
SPRINGFIELD — A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. May 21 at the family home at 1469 Modoc Street in Springfield for Lawrence Joseph “Joe” LaMeire of Springfield, who died April 24 of age-related causes. He was 89.
He was born July 15, 1921, in Minneapolis to Vernon and Clara McDonald LaMeire. He married Norma Jean Lawing on Feb. 25, 1951, in Longmont, Colo. She died May 24, 2001.
He served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he was self-employed as a roofer and locksmith and managed self-storage units until his retirement.
Survivors include 10 daughters, Clarice Wroblewski and Jody Elkey, both of Chandler, Ariz., Kathleen Jackson of Sedona, Ariz., Jeanette LaMeire and Connie Gereaux, both of Greeley, Colo., Valerie Horwath, Denise Dewis and Betty Tomas, all of Springfield, Teri Cote of Longmont, and Donna Lippincott of Ridgefield, Wash.; a son, Larry Lind of Tacoma; a sister, Mary Coomes of Cheyenne, Wyo.; 27 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Three grandchildren, Jeanette Ann Potter, Martin Wade Lippincott and Lori Ruth Lippincott, and two great-grandchildren, Corey Kallhoff and Trinity Leann Tomas, died previously.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.
Sarah Gibbs Fitkin
May 9, 2011
A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, May 7, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene for Sarah Gibbs Fitkin of Eugene, who died April 19 of cancer. She was 70.
She was born July 26, 1940, in Chicago to William Gibbs and Edith Fox. She married Reed Fitkin on March 19, 1960, in Denver.
She attended the University of Colorado in Boulder. She was the managing partner of Psychotherapist Billing Services in Eugene.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Scott of Winthrop, Wash., and Mark and Thomas, both of Lake Oswego; a sister, Carol Gibbs Barrett of St. Paul, Minn.; and seven grandchildren.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.Remembrances to Willamette Valley Cancer Institute in Eugene.
Vivian Charmaine Erickson
May 9, 2011
OAKRIDGE — A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. May 7 at the Moose Lodge in Oakridge for Vivian Charmaine Erickson of Oakridge, who died April 14 of cancer. She was 55.
She was born Oct. 8, 1955, in Santa Barbara, Calif. She married Robert Erickson on April 18, 1992, in Portland. She owned a motel and worked in hospitality.
Survivors include seven children, Rebekah Schaefer of Gresham, Rachel Cotton of Portland, Jermie Miller, Jarrod Miller of Albuquerque, N.M., Todd Erickson of La Center, Wash., and Brandon Erickson and Shelby Erickson, both of Oakridge.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield. Remembrances to First Tech Credit Union.
Noria Isabelle Backman
May 9, 2011
A celebration of life will be held at noon May 14 at Living Faith Assembly of God Church in Cottage Grove for Noria Isabelle Backman of Eugene, who died April 16 of lung cancer. She was 54.
She was born July 11, 1956, in Cottage Grove to Philip and Annie Wiscarson Nelson.
She graduated from Cottage Grove High School. She worked as a certified nurses’ assistant in Florence.
Survivors include two sons, Alan Jr. of Florence and Wylee of Fairbanks; a stepson, David of Cottage Grove; a stepdaughter, Heidi Tucker of Lakeside.; five sisters, Marilyn Bonsack of Ohio, Hazel Smith of Utah, Marty Hegele of Springfield and Mary Dunlap and Peg Hartle, both of Cottage Grove; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.
Harold Schnitzer
May 9, 2011
Arlene Schnitzer ran a prominent Portland art gallery for many years; her name is on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland.
Here in Eugene, the Schnitzers established the Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies at the University of Oregon in 1998.The art museum at the University of Oregon was named for their son, Jordan, a UO graduate and art collector, after Jordan Schnitzer contributed several million dollars toward finishing the museum’s renovation project completed in 2005. A gallery at the museum is named after Harold and Arlene Schnitzer.
Gov. John Kitzhaber released this statement on Wednesday about Schnitzer’s death. “I am saddened by the passing of Harold Schnitzer. He was an anchor of our state and supported programs that enriched the lives of countless Oregonians. We will miss him. My thoughts are with his wife, Arlene, his son, Jordan, and the entire Schnitzer family.”
After graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and serving in the Army, Harold Schnitzer started what now is Schnitzer Steel Industries with his father and brothers. He struck out on his own in 1951 to make his fortune in commercial real estate.“He was a brilliant businessman,” said his son, who now runs the company. “He started out with very little, and he built it up, bit by bit by bit.”
Schnitzer, who had been diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 2009, worked until January, his son said. He spent his last weeks tying up personal affairs and business and pushing civic projects to completion, his son said.“It was a wonderfully slow goodbye,” Jordan Schnitzer said.
Schnitzer is survived by his wife, son, a brother, a sister and two granddaughters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Bonita Eugene Payne
May 9, 2011
SPRINGFIELD — A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. May 7 at the Northwood Christian Church in Springfield for Bonita Eugene Payne of Springfield, who died April 17 of age-related causes. She was 88.
She was born Aug. 26, 1922, in Laurel to Ray and Elta Brunson Clark. She married Ivan Price on July 5, 1941, in Tillamook. He died in 1966. She married Lester Payne on June 10, 1967. He died in 1986.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Sylvia Walp of Springfield; two stepsons, Lyle Payne of Pleasant Hill and Leo Payne of Camas Valley; a stepdaughter, Lucille Wolf of Las Vegas; a brother, Bruce Clark of Lynnwood, Wash.; a sister, Louise Dodge of Estacada; 10 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Her son, Larry Price, died in 1998.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.Remembrances may be sent to Meals on Wheels or FOOD for Lane County.
Arlinda L. Meurer
May 9, 2011
Arlinda L. Meurer of Eugene died April 8 of kidney disease and age-related causes. She was 96. No service is planned.
She was born Aug. 20, 1914, in Shanghai, China, to Francisco and Camilla Colaco Conceicao. She married George Meurer on Jan. 1, 1946, in Las Vegas.
She worked as a licensed practical nurse.
Survivors include a daughter, Florentina Krieg-Bondelid of Florence, Ariz.; a sister, Corine Hirschell of Seattle; two grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren. A grandson, Pete Daniel Peterson, died Sept. 10, 2005.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.
Larry Ohrmund
May 9, 2011
SPRINGFIELD — Larry Ohrmund of Springfield died April 19 of cancer. He was 57. A potluck memorial service is planned.
He was born Dec. 11, 1953, in Port Townsend, Wash., to Glen and Lois Payne Ohrmund. He and his wife, Christi, were married for 25 years. They were divorced.
He worked as a long-haul truck driver.
Survivors include three daughters, Heather McDowall, Katherine Ohrmund and Jennifer Ohrmund, all of Springfield; two sons, Joseph and Andrew “Bubba,” both of Springfield; a sister, Connie Hicks of Texas; a brother, Bruce of Virginia; and five grandchildren.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.
Richard Neubauer
May 9, 2011
SPRINGFIELD — Richard Neubauer of Springfield died April 20 of cancer. He was 73. A memorial service is planned for later.
He was born Jan. 7, 1938, in Detroit, Mich., to Henry and Vivian Dickey Neubauer. He married Judy Kimball on July 7, 2007, in Eugene.
A high school graduate, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked in information technology.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Victoria Dupont and Cathy Parker, both of California; a son, Frederick of Eugene; a stepdaughter, Cheri Kimball of Eugene; three brothers, David of Ormond Beach, Fla., John of San Diego and Steve of Oakley, Calif.; seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A son, John Dupont, died previously.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield. Remembrances to the American Cancer Society.
Robert Elwin “Bob” Hufstader
May 9, 2011
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, April 26, at Buell Funeral Chapel in Springfield for Robert Elwin “Bob” Hufstader of Eugene, who died April 20 of age-related causes. He was 84. A private graveside service with full military honors will be held Wednesday at Lane Memorial Gardens in Eugene.
He was born May 28, 1926, in Dallas to Chester and Ruby Ramsey Hufstader. He married Marie deBeque on July 20, 1952, in Glenwood Springs, Colo. She died in April 1981. He and his wife, Barbara, were married in 1984.
He graduated from Springfield Union High School in 1944 and joined the U.S. Army. He served during World War II in the 96th Infantry Division in Okinawa; his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
He worked in the wood products industry for years and was a business owner.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Robert of Los Angeles; a daughter, Marlene Hufstader of McMinnville; two stepdaughters, Devery Storeby and Janell Baker, both of Eugene; a sister, Shirley Appleton of Salem; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A daughter, Bonnie, died previously.
Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.