SS Death Index, Name: Richard E. Piper SSN: 540-26-0451 Last Residence: 97862 Milton Freewater, Umatilla, Oregon, United States of America Born: 31 Jul 1925 Died: 13 Jun 2001 State (Year) SSN issued: Oregon

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OBIT - Valley Herald - June 22, 2001

PIPER

Richard E. "Dick" Piper of Milton-Freewater passed away June 13, 2001, at the St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla; he was 75.

Memorial services were at the First Christan Church in Milton-Freewater with Pastor Duane Geyer officiating. Privat interment was held at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church, Frazier Farmstead or the charity of donor's choice through the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home.

Piper was born July 31, 1925, in Milton-Freewater the son of Elwood and Mytle McCabe Piper. He was a great-great-grandson of W.S. Frazier who was the founder of MIlton. Piper attended local schools and graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in 1944. During the graduation ceremonies, he was traveling aboard a transport ship to Hawaii during WWII. Upon arrival in Hawaii, he was assigned to the LST 124 where he served his country for 22 months in the South Pacific. During that time, his ship was involved in the battles of Tinian, Saipan and they transported supplies, trucks, tanks and wounded to many South Pacific Islands including Guadalcanan, Tillagi, Bora Bora, Bouganville, Samoa and many others. After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, he attended Oregon State University.

He married his high school sweetheart, Louise Samuel in Hood River, OR., Aug. 17, 1947. The couple settled in Walla Walla where he was employed by the Zellerbach Paper Company. He was later transferred to La Grande, OR to work in sales. In 1951, the family moved to M-F and he began his life's work as a wheat rancher. He loved the land and did everything possible to be a good custodian of the century farm with which he had been entrusted. Piper was the fourth generation to farm the Piper/Elam ranch. He retired in 1991, due to ill health, after 40 years of active farming.

As a small child he developed a great love for horses. He and his brother Don rode "Old Button" everwhere they went. "Button" was a retired pack-horse and whenever a child fell off his back, he would stop and patiently wait for them to climb back on. This love of horses continued into adulthood and he owned and bred Quarter Horses. He was very fond of rodeo and participated as a calf roper in his younger years. Later he showed cuttling horses in the Northwest and South and derived a great deal of pleasure in that activity. Piper was a loyal supporter of the Pendleton Round-Up and attended their show each year for 54 consecutive years. During the Pea Festival, he, mounted on horseback was in charge of getting each horse exhibit into the parade at the proper time. He did this job every year until the Pea Festival was discontinued. He was also a co-chairman of the horse show that was held during the early days of the Pea Festival. He sold the white horse, to the movie studio, that was used in the movie "The Legend of the Lone Ranger".

Piper loved to hunt and fish. He was very proud of his children and five grandchildren.

Through the years he served this community by participating on the District #31 School Budget Committee, was appointed by the Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture to serve as a member of the East Umatilla County Chemical Control District Board, was a Life Member of the Walla Walla Kennel Club, American Angus Association and National Quarter Horse Association. He was appointed and served as a member of the Milton-Freewater Planning Commission and was a Community Committeeman for the Agricultural Stabilization Committee for several years. He served as President of the Milton Ditch Company for eight years and was the second president of the Mac-Hi FFA Chapter. He joined the First Christian Church in M-F in 1937, and has been a member since that time. He was a member of the Milton-Freewater Historical Society (Frazier Farmstead Museum), BPOE #2146, American Legion Post #24, was president of the Pioneer Posse and had been a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He also was an Agriculture 4-H leader of a livestock club.

Survivors include his wife Louise Piper at the home; a son and daughter-in-law Rick and Vickie Piper of M-F; a daughter and son-in-law Kris and Tim Barry of Walla Walla; five grandchildren, Johna Piper, Seth Piper Heidi Piper all of M-F and Patrick Barry and Connor Barry of Walla Walla.

Piper was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Don Piper.

Census: 1930, OR Umatilla Milton Dist 13 Pg 48B (see father)

Marriage: 17 Aug 1947, Hood River, OR