Laurose Mae Hibberd

Laurose Mae Hibberd, age 96, of La Grande and formerly of Elgin and Imbler, died September 6, 2011 at her home. A celebration of life service will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Elgin Stampede Hall on Monday, September 12, 2011. Committal and interment will follow at the Elgin Cemetery. Viewing will be held on Sunday from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th Street in La Grande.

Laurose was born on June 3, 1915, the daughter of Scott Edwin and Josephine (McConnell) Harris in Elgin. Her father was the first pharmacist in Elgin. She attended Elgin Schools and was Valedictorian of her graduating class of 1933. On August 19, 1934 she married Dick Hibberd in Elgin. They were the founding owners of the longest continuously-bred purebred Polled Herefords in the Northwest that is still in the family name of Hibberd's Hornless Herefords. She was a devoted farm wife and mother who was very active in the community. She attended both the Presbyterian Church in La Grande and the First Christian Church in Elgin. She was a 78 year member of the Blue Mountain Chapter Order of Eastern Star. She served on many committees and held many offices and during 1957-1958 she served as Oregon Worthy Grand Matron O.E.S. She also served as Rainbow District Deputy.

Laurose was a member of the Oregon Pollettes, Columbia Empire Polled Hereford Association, Oregon and Union County Cattle Women. She was named Union County Agriculture Woman of the Year, was State Advisor for the Oregon Jr. Hereford Association, was 4-H Livestock leader of the Imbler Pitchfork Gang (one of the oldest continuous running 4H clubs in Union County) and also led groups in cooking and sewing for over 20 years. She was the last living active Charter Member of the Elgin Stampede and was honored to be a Legend of the Elgin Stampede, and rode in the Elgin Stampede Drill Team for 25 years. Her many other activities include the Elgin Opera House, the Elgin Museum, the Dirt Diggers Garden Club, the Oregon State Fair Commission and the Union County Fair Board. For several years she wrote for Bits & Pieces for the Elgin Recorder, writing historical pieces and of her memories of Elgin in her early years. Laurose loved all of her clubs and meetings. She always said "Old people need something to look forward to doing. It keeps them young." Her husband Dick preceded her in death on February 14, 2002. On April 30, 2005 she married Ernest Adams and he preceded her in death on June 8, 2006. She lived in Elgin and Imbler before moving to La Grande in 2007.

Survivors include her daughters and their husbands, Carrie and Ross Bingaman of Imbler and Mary and Russ West of Imbler; grandchildren, Wade Bingaman, Kristen Kruse, Sarah Lucas, J.D. Cant, Jamie Jo Haddock, Nick West and Reva Rose West; great grandchildren, Nate, Jake and Josephine Bingaman, Ayden and Darby Lucas, Jayda, Jeytt Rose and Justis Cant, Olivia and Whitney Haddock; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by a sister, Marie Wheeler.

Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to ESTARL of O.E.S., Imbler Education Foundation, or the Elgin Stampede Building Fund in care of Daniels~Knopp.

.