Leona Maude Baxter

Leona Maude Baxter 99, dies peacefully 10 days before her 100th
birthday. Her centurion birthday party so eagerly looked forward to by her and her family and friends will, instead, be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, June 25, a 1:00 p.m. at the Senior Center in La Grande, Oregon. Private interment
will be at the Enterprise Cemetery in Enterprise, Oregon.

Leona was born on June 26, 1911 in Joseph, Oregon. to Bud and Sadie
Simms. Her early years were spent on a ranch in the Joseph area and later in Enterprise where she graduated from high school.

She married John Thomas "Bird" Frashier in 1930. ( They raised their son Harry Bird "Bud" Frashier) While being a wife and mother she worked at various retailers in Enterprise she also drove for Booth funeral home.
After Bud graduated high school. In 1953 Bird became ill and that is when they moved to a small ranch on the Burnt River in Durkee, Oregon to be closer to good
friend Ceila Titus where they worked hers and their ranches.
Bird died in 1955.

Leona and Maurice Baxter were married in 1955 and continued to ranch in the valley. The couple took on the task of driving school bus gathering students from Weatherby and all over Durkee valley to deliver them to the Durkee School. Leona also became the janitor for the school and in that role was a strong supporter of the teachers and "mothered" many of the students who passed
through the doors of that two-room school. When school was consolidated with the Baker School district, Maurice and Leona continued to gather students and
deliver them to the "big" school bus that took them into Baker City. Leona enjoyed ranch life and loved sharing that precious time with her two much-loved
grandchildren, Don and Tina.

She was a member of the Durkee Grange, Baker County Cattlewomen, and substitute USPS postmistress for many years. Leona and Maurice were married for 42 years and after selling the Durkee ranch, they enjoyed retirement in Ontario
and winters in Arizona.

After Maurice's death in 1998, Leona moved to La Grande to be
closer to her son. Leona never met a stranger and with her warm personality she made friends wherever she was. At the senior center she met and developed a
special relationship with Veryl Smith. They were companions until Veryl died in 2004. She lived a healthy, independent life until the past year when a fall forced her to move to Wildflower Assisted Care.

Leona will be greatly missed by family and friends of all ages.
She is survived by her son Bud Frashier and his wife Sue, two grandchildren, Donald Frashier and his wife Kim, Tina Kassel and her husband Scott, and one great-grandson Scott Kassel Jr. Sister Lois Nuss of Klamath Falls. Special niece and friend, Beverly Raley and her husband Larry, Nephew Tom Baxter and his wife
Dulca, Doting friends Dottie McCabe and Cleo "Dude" Smith. Niece Charlottle Adams, nephew John Nuss, and many friend who brightened her days with visits as she brightened theirs.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Bird
Frashier, husband Maurice Baxter, companion Veryl Smith, nephew Tony Staub.

Memorial contributions may be made to the senior center through
Daniels & Knopp

.