Phillip Gregory Blais

Phillip Gregory Blais, 94, formerly of Union County, died Dec. 28 in Meridian, Idaho.

His funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Burial will follow in the North Powder Cemetery. Following the service, friends are invited to join the family for refreshments at the Wolf Creek Grange Hall in North Powder. The family says Phillip wasn't a "suit and tie" guy, so attendees should feel free to dress casual.

Phillip was born Aug. 31, 1914, to Benjamin and Dorothea Burbach Blais in Eugene.

On Feb. 22, 1921, with temperatures of 21 degrees below zero and two feet of snow on the ground, the Blais family with all their household goods and livestock arrived in North Powder by rail car to start their farming on Clover Creek, five miles northwest of North Powder.

On Jan. 17, 1945, Phillip and Helen Barger Wisdom were married in Baker. They continued to live on the Blais Ranch until 1974, when the couple sold the ranch and moved to a small farm in the Grande Ronde Valley, on Booth Lane between Island City and Cove where they raised grain and hay. Phillip often had a record crop of wheat, oftentimes getting 80-100 bushels to the acre, on dry land. He was very proud of his land.

Phillip and Helen were joined on the ranch by a daughter, Lucinda "Cindy" in 1947, and a son, Robert, "Butch" in 1949. They were a part of his "crew," helping with harvest and chores until leaving home.

Phillip enjoyed fishing, cutting wood, farming, ice cream and homemade jam. He was able to farm until he was 91.

His family says Phillip "chose a ‘special' day to leave us,'' the day of his sister's birthday and also that of his son Bob's birthday along with the arrival of his latest great-granddaughter, Chanel Blais Roe, being born Dec. 28, Sunday morning.

Phillip is survived by his daughter, Lucinda Blais and her husband, Alan Atagi, of Adrian; son, Robert Blais of Union; stepson, Duane and his wife, Carol Wisdom, of North Powder; and several grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Dorothy Blais; sister, Antoinette "Toni" Sinclair; and his wife of 50 years, Helen Blais.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wolf Creek Grange, or any charity in care of Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City 97814.

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