Orlee Sipes

Orlee Sipes Orlee Sipes, long time resident of the Ridgeview District in Oregon west of Homedale, Idaho, age 89 years, died of long term heart problems Nov. 30, 2008 at his home. He was an original homesteader on the 500 acres his farm now occupies, breaking it out of sagebrush in the 1930's and 40's. Orlee was born to a family of 3 sisters July 13, 1919 in Crowley, Colo., and was raised on a farm there, by parents who were originally from NW Missouri. He was an athlete in High School and academically gifted, graduating Salutatorian. Then, in 1937 his family moved to Ridgeview and began to develop land newly opened to irrigation. He served in WWII, crossing the Atlantic via ship to Agra, India, where in the Army Air Corps he rose to crew chief, maintaining aircraft used to fly over the hump to China. He married Ann Haroldsen of Nyssa in 1945, and they returned to the family farm, raising three sons, feed crops, dairy heifers, and later building a double-eight grade A dairy barn. Orlee served as board chairman of the Ridgeview School District, on the water board for Owyhee project, and on the Board of Directors for the old Intermountain Seed Company in Homedale. He was presented the Oregon Soil Conservation award once and the Eastern Oregon Dairyman's Award for Excellence twice. He had many friends, was ever ready to chat with neighbors on the road or in the yard, and was generous to those in need. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and traveling. But his heart was always in the land and with his family. Orlee retired in 1980 and traveled by motor home for 17 years, spending most winters at Kino Bay, near Hermisillo, Mexico, where he once saved the lives of a couple cast from a capsized boat in the surf. In 1995 ill health forced him to return to the farmhouse, where he has since been nursed in declining health by Ann, ever at his side, supported by his sons and daughter-in-law Irene. Orlee was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Oda Sipes of Ridgeview, and sisters Curine (Mrs. Melvin Allen) of Caldwell, Juanita (Mrs. George Johnstone) of Homedale, and Chlotine (Mrs. Elmer Varner) of Spokane. A younger sister, Eunice, had died before Orlee was born, while his parents to be were still in Missouri. He is survived by Ann, his wife of 63 years; sons Brett of Kennewick and late of the home, Dirk and wife Irene of Phoenix, and Lee of Caldwell; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Viewing will be held Friday, December 5 from 4-8 p.m. Services will be held at the Flahiff Funeral Chapel in Homedale, at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 6. Interment will follow at Homedale-Marsing Cemetery. Luncheon-reception will follow at 3 p.m. at the Homedale Senior Citizen Center for all friends and family.