Carlos Eugene Easley

Carlos Eugene Easley, age 91, of La Grande, died Saturday, May 10, 2008 at his home. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church. Arrangements are entrusted to Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center.

Carlos was born the 6th of 8 children to George Woodson and Della Jeanette (Whitton) Easley in Chillicothe, Texas on April 7, 1917. He spent his early years in Texas and then the family moved to Southern California where he attended schools in Baldwin Park and West Covina. One of his earliest memories is of a house fire which burned the family home and everything was lost. He attended college at Fort Lewis, Colorad and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder. On July 6, 1940 he married Wilma C. Thomas. He taught physics at Boulder High School for a year before coming to Oregon in 1943 with his wife and newborn daughter, Elizabeth. He was hired to teach pre-flight training classes as part of the war training program to Naval and Army Cadets intending to stay a year. The following year he taught in Pendleton where second daughter, Carol, was born. In 1945 he was again offered a position at Eastern Oregon College teaching radio-electronics in La Grande where son, Tom, was born.

Carlos received his Master's Degree in 1948 from the University of Colorado in Boulder and his Doctorate in Education in 1952 from Washington State University in Pullman. He went on to become Director of Education at Eastern Oregon College in the early 1960's and taught many extension classes. He served on Teacher's Credentialing and Professional Standards Committee for O.E.A. In 1965 he became Dean of Instruction at Eastern Oregon State College and in 1973 serves as Interim President during a presidential search. Carlos retired from the college in 1977 after 34 years.

Throughout his professional academic life he remained very active in the community volunteering and remodeling houses. He was a 60+ year member of the local Lions Club serving as President in 1949. He was active in all their fundraising endeavors and loved to lead the singing. He served as a member of the Salvation Army Board and the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation Board and was President of the Chamber of Commerce in 1970. In 1972 he spearheaded the fundraising drive for the replacing of the antiquated Second Street Viaduct over the railroad tracks. He helped create the baseball fields in Pioneer Park and was instrumental in helping the Lion's Club create the George S. Birnie Lion's Memorial Park on "C" Avenue in La Grande. In 1973 he chaired the FOLKS (Friends of La Grande Kids) committee to pass a school bond levy. In 1977 Carlos and Wilma were named Man and Woman of the year by the Chamber of Commerce. He served over thirty years on the Board of the DeWuhs-Keckritz Educational Trust Fund. In 1980 he co-hosted the United Way Drive and during the 1980's he chaired the city's Fair Tax Base Campaign and helped organize funding for the new sewage treatment plant. Carlos was part owner of a Cove Cherry orchard. He created People's Savings and Loan, serving as President and Chairman of the Board. During that time two buildings were erected in town now housing the Baker-Union-Wallowa Credit Union and Eastern Oregon Title.

Family was important and he took pride in his children and grandchildren and their schooling, projects, jobs and activities to the end. He was a past member of the La Grande Elks Club and a Mason. He was an active member of the La Grande First Christian Church where he sang in the choir, was Superintendent of Sunday School, a Deacon and Elder. He celebrated 67 years of marriage to Wilma who kept a man with big dreams tethered to reality. He enjoyed remodeling houses, hiking, fishing, politics, barbershop singing, genealogy, poker, classical music and playing the organ.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Elizabeth and Elburn Cooper of La Grande, Carol and Richard Haddock of La Grande and Tom and Mona Easley of Corvallis; grandchildren, Christine and Dan Harpel of Ft. Collins, Colorado, Chad and Christy Haddock of Sherwood, Oregon, Elissa and Matt Wells of Myrtle Point, Oregon and Dara Jones of Portland; two great grandchildren, Austin and Ashley Haddock; siblings, Marjorie Bennett of Reno, Nevada and Ruby Heflin of 19 Palms, California; plus numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death are his wife, Wilma, on June 9, 2007, and siblings, Grady Easley, Ora Ridgeway, Lena Atkisson, Cliett Easley and Lois Easley.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation, La Grande Public Library or the First Christian Church Memorial Fund.