Niola Anderson Baum Jones

Niola (Anderson) Baum Jones, 90, of Rathdrum, Idaho, and formerly of La Grande, died Nov. 5 at her home with family near.

A service was held Nov. 8 at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Niola was born April 17, 1918, to Leo R. Anderson and Evelyn Neilson in Dayton, a town in Franklin County, Idaho. Descended from pioneer families, the family made its home in Cove, Union and La Grande. Niola graduated from Union High School in 1936.

In La Grande, she met Guy Hiatt Baum and the couple married on May 22, 1938. On Jan. 19, 1946, as a Union Pacific Railroad engineer and fireman, Guy was killed in a passenger train derailment along with the acting engineer, Clarence Rizor, between La Grande and Pendleton at Gibbon in Umatilla County.

At the time of his death, the couple had two sons: Kerry Robert, a first grader; and Brian Guy, 18 months old. In supporting her young children Niola was employed as a secretary to Union County Extension Agent James R. Huber. She was also closely associated with the home economics division at Extension.

Her sons also remember their mother working at the Foley Building at Char-Bon-Do, their favorite ice cream parlor named for the owner/operator's (Verna Mason Stauffer's) children: Charles, Bonnie and Doris.

Following financial need, she purchased and operated the apartment building downtown on Eighth Street and O Avenue. At this time she met an early tenant, Oregon State policeman Jake Jones who was furthering his education at Eastern Oregon Normal School, now known as Eastern Oregon University. He later received his degree in education.

Following their marriage, Jake was offered a teaching contract in the Rathdrum and Coeur d'Alene area. There they raised their family. Niola had two more children with Jake: Jennifer and Linden Jones.

Niola was a lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She assisted with keying history and records for the E.S. and Mary Eva Baum Family Association.

Survivors include her children, Kerry R. Baum of Highland, Utah, Brian Guy Baum of Hayden Lake, Idaho, Jennifer Jones Maines of Rathdrum and Linden Jones of Sumner, Wash.; 20 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; sister, Virginia (Anderson) Johnson and her husband Alfred Johnson, of La Grande; three nephews; sister-in-law, Laura Mae Baum Marshall of La Grande; and brother-in-law, Percy Hiatt Baum of Walla Walla. She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Guy Baum; and her second husband, Jake Jones.

Memorial contributions may be made to the LDS Family History Center, 2504 N. Fir St., La Grande 97850, or any charity.

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