Keith Gressley Dec. 6, 1920 - Dec. 14, 2011
Keith was born on a very cold morning on a farm near Phillips, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1920. His parents were Lorena Wilson Gressley and Russell Gressley. His grandmother, Fannie Gressley, drove a horse and sleigh 12 miles to come and help out for a few days. Keith went to the Prairie Center Country School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Phillips High School at 16 yrs. of age. He then attended the University of Nebraska Agriculture College for two years with the aid of a scholarship.
During his growing up years, much of it was in the great depression and drought of the 1930's. He frequently went to the fields with a 4 or 6 horse team, and of course, helped with the chores of milking, feeding, etc. He spent two summers working on a cattle ranch in the Nebraska Sand Hills, saving up the money to go to college.
In June of 1940, Keith went out to California to visit his sister, Darlene, and her husband. While there, he got a job working for Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corp. He started out on a job smoothing up machine parts. He was then placed in the inspection department and worked his way up to pre-flight inspection done before the airplanes were test flown.
In 1943, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps pilot training and was accepted in February. He received his pilot's wings at Eagle Pass Army Air Base in Texas in 1944 and was held there to test fly reconditioned airplanes after they came off the repair line. He was then assigned to a P-47 Thunderbird fighter group and was waiting to go to the Pacific when the war ended, and he was released from active duty.
Keith met Milldred Ogburn just before the war, but because of work and the war they were not married until May of 1946. They lived and worked for a couple of years in California before coming to Oregon in 1948, buying a farm on Morgan Avenue that had a basement house. Their three children, Bobby, Mary Beth, and Kristine, were all born at that time.
Keith kept farming, but in 1956 he went to work for the Baker Production Credit Association. He felt extremely fortunate to get to work with so many excellent farmers and ranchers in this Eastern Oregon area. He retired from the PCA as manager and vice-president in 1983.
Keith and Millie's son, Bob, grew up on the farm and helped keep the farm growing. After Bob graduated from college, they formed a partnership of Gressley Farms. Today their grandson, Scott, is a part of the operation.
Keith was active in the community, serving on the Malheur County Budget Board, the Malheur County Farm Bureau as Membership Chairman, and the local PTA as chairman. He was also active in their church serving on various committees and the diaconate board. In 2003 he was awarded the Oregon State University Diamond Achievement Award for his contribution to agriculture in the state of Oregon.
He leaves his wife, Millie, son, Robert and wife Letha, daughter, Mary Beth and husband Byron Grow, and daughter, Kristine and husband Mike VanLith, granddaughters, Angie Arriola (Aaron), Leslie Grow, and Lydia Grow, and grandson, Scott Gressley (Kylie), great-granddaughters, Jessi and Callie Arriola, and Tyler, Sammy and Matty Gressley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister and grandson, David VanLith.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association or to the David VanLith Memorial Scholarship at Vale High School.
Visitation will be Fri., Dec. 16 from 4:00-6:00, Lienkamper Chapel, Ontario. Funeral services will be held at 11:00, Sat., Dec. 17, 2011 at the First Baptist Church, Ontario.
Published in Idaho Statesman on December 16, 2011
Keith was born on a very cold morning on a farm near Phillips, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1920. His parents were Lorena Wilson Gressley and Russell Gressley. His grandmother, Fannie Gressley, drove a horse and sleigh 12 miles to come and help out for a few days. Keith went to the Prairie Center Country School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Phillips High School at 16 yrs. of age. He then attended the University of Nebraska Agriculture College for two years with the aid of a scholarship.
During his growing up years, much of it was in the great depression and drought of the 1930's. He frequently went to the fields with a 4 or 6 horse team, and of course, helped with the chores of milking, feeding, etc. He spent two summers working on a cattle ranch in the Nebraska Sand Hills, saving up the money to go to college.
In June of 1940, Keith went out to California to visit his sister, Darlene, and her husband. While there, he got a job working for Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corp. He started out on a job smoothing up machine parts. He was then placed in the inspection department and worked his way up to pre-flight inspection done before the airplanes were test flown.
In 1943, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps pilot training and was accepted in February. He received his pilot's wings at Eagle Pass Army Air Base in Texas in 1944 and was held there to test fly reconditioned airplanes after they came off the repair line. He was then assigned to a P-47 Thunderbird fighter group and was waiting to go to the Pacific when the war ended, and he was released from active duty.
Keith met Milldred Ogburn just before the war, but because of work and the war they were not married until May of 1946. They lived and worked for a couple of years in California before coming to Oregon in 1948, buying a farm on Morgan Avenue that had a basement house. Their three children, Bobby, Mary Beth, and Kristine, were all born at that time.
Keith kept farming, but in 1956 he went to work for the Baker Production Credit Association. He felt extremely fortunate to get to work with so many excellent farmers and ranchers in this Eastern Oregon area. He retired from the PCA as manager and vice-president in 1983.
Keith and Millie's son, Bob, grew up on the farm and helped keep the farm growing. After Bob graduated from college, they formed a partnership of Gressley Farms. Today their grandson, Scott, is a part of the operation.
Keith was active in the community, serving on the Malheur County Budget Board, the Malheur County Farm Bureau as Membership Chairman, and the local PTA as chairman. He was also active in their church serving on various committees and the diaconate board. In 2003 he was awarded the Oregon State University Diamond Achievement Award for his contribution to agriculture in the state of Oregon.
He leaves his wife, Millie, son, Robert and wife Letha, daughter, Mary Beth and husband Byron Grow, and daughter, Kristine and husband Mike VanLith, granddaughters, Angie Arriola (Aaron), Leslie Grow, and Lydia Grow, and grandson, Scott Gressley (Kylie), great-granddaughters, Jessi and Callie Arriola, and Tyler, Sammy and Matty Gressley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister and grandson, David VanLith.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association or to the David VanLith Memorial Scholarship at Vale High School.
Visitation will be Fri., Dec. 16 from 4:00-6:00, Lienkamper Chapel, Ontario. Funeral services will be held at 11:00, Sat., Dec. 17, 2011 at the First Baptist Church, Ontario.
Published in Idaho Statesman on December 16, 2011
Keith Gressley Dec. 6, 1920 - Dec. 14, 2011
Keith was born on a very cold morning on a farm near Phillips, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1920. His parents were Lorena Wilson Gressley and Russell Gressley. His grandmother, Fannie Gressley, drove a horse and sleigh 12 miles to come and help out for a few days. Keith went to the Prairie Center Country School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Phillips High School at 16 yrs. of age. He then attended the University of Nebraska Agriculture College for two years with the aid of a scholarship.
During his growing up years, much of it was in the great depression and drought of the 1930's. He frequently went to the fields with a 4 or 6 horse team, and of course, helped with the chores of milking, feeding, etc. He spent two summers working on a cattle ranch in the Nebraska Sand Hills, saving up the money to go to college.
In June of 1940, Keith went out to California to visit his sister, Darlene, and her husband. While there, he got a job working for Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corp. He started out on a job smoothing up machine parts. He was then placed in the inspection department and worked his way up to pre-flight inspection done before the airplanes were test flown.
In 1943, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps pilot training and was accepted in February. He received his pilot's wings at Eagle Pass Army Air Base in Texas in 1944 and was held there to test fly reconditioned airplanes after they came off the repair line. He was then assigned to a P-47 Thunderbird fighter group and was waiting to go to the Pacific when the war ended, and he was released from active duty.
Keith met Milldred Ogburn just before the war, but because of work and the war they were not married until May of 1946. They lived and worked for a couple of years in California before coming to Oregon in 1948, buying a farm on Morgan Avenue that had a basement house. Their three children, Bobby, Mary Beth, and Kristine, were all born at that time.
Keith kept farming, but in 1956 he went to work for the Baker Production Credit Association. He felt extremely fortunate to get to work with so many excellent farmers and ranchers in this Eastern Oregon area. He retired from the PCA as manager and vice-president in 1983.
Keith and Millie's son, Bob, grew up on the farm and helped keep the farm growing. After Bob graduated from college, they formed a partnership of Gressley Farms. Today their grandson, Scott, is a part of the operation.
Keith was active in the community, serving on the Malheur County Budget Board, the Malheur County Farm Bureau as Membership Chairman, and the local PTA as chairman. He was also active in their church serving on various committees and the diaconate board. In 2003 he was awarded the Oregon State University Diamond Achievement Award for his contribution to agriculture in the state of Oregon.
He leaves his wife, Millie, son, Robert and wife Letha, daughter, Mary Beth and husband Byron Grow, and daughter, Kristine and husband Mike VanLith, granddaughters, Angie Arriola (Aaron), Leslie Grow, and Lydia Grow, and grandson, Scott Gressley (Kylie), great-granddaughters, Jessi and Callie Arriola, and Tyler, Sammy and Matty Gressley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister and grandson, David VanLith.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association or to the David VanLith Memorial Scholarship at Vale High School.
Visitation will be Fri., Dec. 16 from 4:00-6:00, Lienkamper Chapel, Ontario. Funeral services will be held at 11:00, Sat., Dec. 17, 2011 at the First Baptist Church, Ontario.
Published in Idaho Statesman on December 16, 2011
Keith was born on a very cold morning on a farm near Phillips, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1920. His parents were Lorena Wilson Gressley and Russell Gressley. His grandmother, Fannie Gressley, drove a horse and sleigh 12 miles to come and help out for a few days. Keith went to the Prairie Center Country School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Phillips High School at 16 yrs. of age. He then attended the University of Nebraska Agriculture College for two years with the aid of a scholarship.
During his growing up years, much of it was in the great depression and drought of the 1930's. He frequently went to the fields with a 4 or 6 horse team, and of course, helped with the chores of milking, feeding, etc. He spent two summers working on a cattle ranch in the Nebraska Sand Hills, saving up the money to go to college.
In June of 1940, Keith went out to California to visit his sister, Darlene, and her husband. While there, he got a job working for Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corp. He started out on a job smoothing up machine parts. He was then placed in the inspection department and worked his way up to pre-flight inspection done before the airplanes were test flown.
In 1943, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps pilot training and was accepted in February. He received his pilot's wings at Eagle Pass Army Air Base in Texas in 1944 and was held there to test fly reconditioned airplanes after they came off the repair line. He was then assigned to a P-47 Thunderbird fighter group and was waiting to go to the Pacific when the war ended, and he was released from active duty.
Keith met Milldred Ogburn just before the war, but because of work and the war they were not married until May of 1946. They lived and worked for a couple of years in California before coming to Oregon in 1948, buying a farm on Morgan Avenue that had a basement house. Their three children, Bobby, Mary Beth, and Kristine, were all born at that time.
Keith kept farming, but in 1956 he went to work for the Baker Production Credit Association. He felt extremely fortunate to get to work with so many excellent farmers and ranchers in this Eastern Oregon area. He retired from the PCA as manager and vice-president in 1983.
Keith and Millie's son, Bob, grew up on the farm and helped keep the farm growing. After Bob graduated from college, they formed a partnership of Gressley Farms. Today their grandson, Scott, is a part of the operation.
Keith was active in the community, serving on the Malheur County Budget Board, the Malheur County Farm Bureau as Membership Chairman, and the local PTA as chairman. He was also active in their church serving on various committees and the diaconate board. In 2003 he was awarded the Oregon State University Diamond Achievement Award for his contribution to agriculture in the state of Oregon.
He leaves his wife, Millie, son, Robert and wife Letha, daughter, Mary Beth and husband Byron Grow, and daughter, Kristine and husband Mike VanLith, granddaughters, Angie Arriola (Aaron), Leslie Grow, and Lydia Grow, and grandson, Scott Gressley (Kylie), great-granddaughters, Jessi and Callie Arriola, and Tyler, Sammy and Matty Gressley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister and grandson, David VanLith.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association or to the David VanLith Memorial Scholarship at Vale High School.
Visitation will be Fri., Dec. 16 from 4:00-6:00, Lienkamper Chapel, Ontario. Funeral services will be held at 11:00, Sat., Dec. 17, 2011 at the First Baptist Church, Ontario.
Published in Idaho Statesman on December 16, 2011
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
