Christmas "Jean" Gaily

Christmas Jean(Tuttle)Gaily, 105, Feb. 27 at a local care home. The burial will be private and celebration of life will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday April 3 at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande.

Known as Jean, she was born December 25, 1901, to Eddie Bruce and Verda Ethel (Woods) Tuttle on a farm in northwestern Union County. The farm was settled by her grandfather, Terry Tuttle, who came here by wagon train in 1862.

She attended the one-room Willow Creek School through the seventh grade, and rode horseback to Imbler School for four years. She graduated from La Grande High School in 1919. Jean attended Oregon Agricultural College (now ORegon State University), graduating with a bachelor's degree in home economics in 1924.

While teaching in the Enterprise school system, Jean met Donald L. Gaily. They were married April 18, 1924, and moved to La Grande in 1926. Don preceded her in death in 1989.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, T. Dean and Carole Gaily of Nanaimo, British Columbia; a niece and two grandchildren and one great grandchild.

The family wishes to express their thanks to Shirley and Rob VanWoerden and Sue Stubblefield as well as to the staff at Orchard Place for their care and compassion.