Taylor Pipes

Taylor "Roby" Pipes, age 87, of La Grande, died Saturday, September 20, 2003 at his home. A memorial service will be held on October 24, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in La Grande. At 3:30 p.m. at the Grande Ronde Retirement Center in La Grande, there will be a gathering for friends who wish to visit with the family or who were not able to attend the memorial service. Arrangements are entrusted to Daniels Chapel of the Valley.

Mr. Pipes was born near Fayette, Missouri at the Pipes family home on September 9, 1916. As a young man in Arvada, Colorado he enjoyed going with his dad who was buying and shipping dairy cattle to California. In his spare time he enjoyed playing baseball, ice and roller skating, fishing and swimming. He quit high school near the end of the depression, working many days for a place to sleep and eat. 50-cent-per-day wages was considered a gift! After his parents divorced when he was 19, he made his own life, spending much time in Filer, Idaho. On July 4, 1940 he married Anita Hermann in Weiser, Idaho. He always said "he gave up his independence on Independence Day, on Leap Year."

On December 18, 1943 he enlisted in the United States Army and served with the 743rd Railroad Operating Battalion, Company C-European Theater. He served mostly in Belgium keeping supplies going through for the Union Pacific Railroad. Some time later he joined the R.R. Battalion Army Reserves and was honorable discharged as a Captain in 1963. When the yard office closed in La Grande, Yardmaster Pipes went on the road as a Brakeman on the Wallowa Branch line and later worked on the main line between Hinkle, La Grande and Nampa. He retired in 1977 as a Union Pacific Conductor.

A perfectionist, he was very mechanical and skilled with his hands. He loved fishing, hunting pheasants, camping, puttering around in his shop and visiting with friends and family and making new acquantances.

In 1984 he had a lemon-size brain tumor removed and was fully recovered after 3 months. He and Anita then went on a European trip to visit their daughter's family in England, and then on to Belgium to revisit WWII sites and to renew foreign friendships made during the war.

In 1997 he suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke following the removal of a second brain tumor. Intensive therapy and tenacity helped him to regain his ability to walk, read, write and speak small sentences. After living in their own home on Washington Avenue for 50 years, the Pipes moved to the Grande Ronde Retirement Center in 2001. In 2002, he had a third brain tumor removed. Even after suffering further setbacks, he was committed to regain and retain his health. He could be seen walking around various parts of town, carrying his cane like a "country gentleman", only using it for safety purposes when going up or down curbs or crossing rough spots.

Survivors include his wife, Anita Pipes of La Grande; daughters and sons-in-law, Janice and Tim Kerns and Jean and David Conklin; four grandchildren; six great grandchildren; sister, Helen Burt of Arlington, Washington; and other relatives and friends. A brother, David Pipes preceded him in death.

Those who wish may make contributions in memory of Mr. Pipes to the GRH Hospice or the charity of one's choice in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850. To view the obituary, sign the guest book or leave a condolence visit: www.danielschapel.com.