Eddie B. Usrey

Eddie B. Usrey, 95 of Hamilton, went to be in the arms of His Heavenly Father on December 16, 2008 in Orofino, Idaho.

Eddie was born December 8, 1913 to Claude and Winnie Usrey in Sawyer, Oklahoma. Eddie then moved with his parents to Sayre, Oklahoma, where he graduated from Sayre High School and was a track star. There he met the love of his life Lena O'Kattie Hankins and were married November 29, 1935. The couple then moved to Burns, Oregon where Eddie worked and retired from the local saw mill
after 30 years, and at the same time he worked a small ranch with Kattie and their three children.

Eddie loved the outdoors. For years, his favorite pastime was hunting with friends and his son Claude, around his ranch at Harney near Burns, Oregon. One of his favorite hunting stories was about the time he bagged a six-point trophy elk.

In 1976, Eddie and Kattie moved to Ontario, Oregon. Then in 1987, they moved to Hamilton, Montana.

They attended the First Baptist Church. Kattie preceded him in death on June 2, 1994, after 56 1/2 years of wonderful marriage. After her death Eddie spent many hours working on The New Hope Baptist Church until the doors were open.

Eddie and his son-in-law Max spent 18 wonderful years hunting the Bitterroot and many times with their hunting partner, Ray Cox.

Eddie loved to read Zane Grey and his Max Brand western novels. If you wanted to run into Eddie you could go every weekend to the local yard sales where he met many of his friends. His other pastime was feeding the ducks and the fish at Kratofill's pond. Everyday you could fine him wondering the isles of the grocery store checking prices and talking to many of his friend.

Eddie's great love was having Winnie and Claude and their families come to visit him.

Eddie's last 2 1/2 years were spent in Orofino, Idaho where he lived with his daughter, Winne and son-in-law Raymond and his great granddaughter Tansi. Eddie took special pleasure in playing dominos with his son-in-law Raymond. He still loved to go for car rides and always went to church on Sunday at Covenent House Christian Center where he was loved and called Grampa. He loved his biscuits and bacon for breakfast and for supper cornbread which he taught us all to cook it his way.

His last two months were spent at Clearwater Health and Rehab nursing home were he was loved and well taken care of.

Eddie is survived by three children, Winnie Tiller Spoon, Orofino, Idaho; Claude and (Paula) Usrey, Sutherlin, Oregon, and Patsy (Max) Blodgett, Polson, Montana. He is also survived by 7 Grandchildren, 9 Great Grandchildren, and 2 Great-Great Grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 23rd at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton with Pastor Randy Daniels officiating. Interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton.