Alyce Leone Whittemore

Alyce Leone Whittemore, 92, of La Grande died February 11, 2006 at Wildflower Lodge. The funeral will be held Saturday, February 18, at 1:00 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church, 902 4th Street. Burial will follow at the Grandview Cemetery in La Grande. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is responsible for the funeral arrangements.

Alyce was born April 27, 1913 to Ole and Bertha Torgeson Estensen in Cyrus, Minnesota. At the age of 17 she began her teaching career, teaching two years grades 1 through 8 in rural Minnesota. She then attended and graduated from Morehead State College and received her "official" teaching certificate. The following six years she taught in Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. On December 14, 1940 she married John Gooch Whittemore in Lewiston, Idaho. During World War II she worked in the Designing and Drafting Division for Boeing in Seattle, Washington. She was also attending the University of Washington at this time. Since 1948, Alyce lived in La Grande with her husband John and raised their three sons.

She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, member and past president of PEO Chapter DK and long time member of the La Grande Country Club. She enjoyed reading, playing bridge, traveling abroad with her husband John and socializing with her "birthday club" friends.

Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law; John G. Whittemore of Portland, Bill and Linda Whittemore, Steve and Melinda Whittemore, all of La Grande. Her grandchildren, Will Whittemore, Jason and Jamie Falconer and two great-grandchildren. Her husband John preceded her in death in 1979. Three sisters, Ruby, Pearl and Idella and two brothers, Irvin
and Roy from Minnesota, died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or the PEO Foundation in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850.