Notes:

Roy L. Brasfield, 85, passed away on Friday, February 29, 2008 in Richland where he lived for over 61 years. He was born in Vale, OR on August 20, 1922 and lived his early years in Baker County in the lower Powder River region. In 1939 while in high school, Roy enlisted in the Oregon National Guard; his unit was originally mobilized in December 1940 and later deployed to Australia in April of 1942 during World War II.

Roy first met his future bride, Edna, in Rockhampton, Australia as his buddy’s companion on a foursome blind date. Two years later, Edna and Roy were reunited in early 1944 and married in July in Brisbane, Australia. Roy was shipped stateside in the fall of 1945 and honorably discharged from the Army in that year after more than 6-½ years of active military service. Edna sailed for the United States and the family was reunited in May 1946 in Portland, OR.

Roy brought his young family to Richland and began working in the finance area and later in the engineering department for the General Electric Company. In 1965, GE transferred management of the Hanford facilities to other companies and Roy went to work for a subsidiary of United Nuclear Corporation where he worked as a purchasing agent until he retired in 1985. In the years that followed retirement, Roy and Edna traveled extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the United States-and, of course, Australia.

Roy was a sentimental man of high principles and lived his life with honor. He was a great working partner with his wife--what a team they made! Roy was a stickler for details and an all-round great craftsman, which benefited many over the years. He was known for being generous with his time and talents for his friends and family. He enjoyed his puzzles, movies--old and new-and was an avid reader. Roy loved the computer age and was a great ‘email buddy;’ his email list spanned generations and continents.

“My only significant accomplishment, and the joy of my life, has been our children.” Roy is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Edna and his three children: Marilyn Brasfield of Las Vegas, NV, Cindy Ducich of Federal Way, WA, and Scott Brasfield of Pismo Beach, CA. Roy was an involved and active granddad to five grandchildren: Stephanie Owen of Sammamish, WA; Christopher Mulligan of Bonney Lake, WA; Ali and Stefan Ducich of Federal Way, WA; and Michelle Brasfield of Pismo Beach, CA. Roy also had five great-grandchildren: Wesley, Spencer, and Grant Owen of Sammamish, WA; Liam and Rilee Mulligan of Bonney Lake, WA.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, you celebrate Roy’s life by contributing towards a memorial park bench located along the Columbia River. Donations may be sent, in the name of Roy L. Brasfield, to the attention of Dave Bryant, Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Dr, Richland, WA 99354, with checks payable to the City of Richland.

The memorial service and luncheon will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2008, at Richland Lutheran Church starting at 11:00 am. A family inurnment ceremony with military honors will follow later Saturday afternoon at Sunset Memorial Gardens. You may also express your thoughts and memories in the online guest book at www.einansfuneralhome.com.


Buried:
Sunset Memorial Gardens

Roy married THWAITE, Edna May about Jul 1944 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Edna (daughter of THWAITE, Henry and BAXTER, Agnes) was born on 11 Feb 1922 in Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia; died on 10 Dec 2015 in Federal Way, King County, Washington, United States of America; was buried in Richland, Benton County, Washington, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living
3. Living

Robert married LOVE, Grace Margaret in Apr 1917 in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, USA. Grace (daughter of LOVE, Norval Cameron and ROY, Mary Belle) was born on 2 Jan 1892 in Baker, Baker, Oregon, USA; died on 13 Sep 1971 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married CLARK, Nancy Jane on 7 Dec 1890 in Scio, Gilliam, Oregon. Nancy (daughter of CLARK, Jacob and CUMMINS, Joanna) was born about 1865 in Weston, Umatilla, Oregon, USA; died about 1901 in Baker, Union County, Oregon; was buried in Baker City, Baker, Oregon, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Norval married ROY, Mary Belle. Mary was born on 17 Sep 1870 in Kansas, USA; died on 20 Apr 1950 in Boise, Ada, Idaho, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

THOMAS A. BRASFIELD

who has been closely identified with the development and improvement of eastern Oregon for more than a half century, devoted his attention to the pursuits of farming and sheep-raising throughout his active business career with great success and is now living practically retired at Baker. He owns six hundred and forty acres of improved land in Gilliam county and a tract of one hundred and sixty acres about six miles from Durkee. His birth occurred in Randolph county, Missouri, on the 3d of April, 1831, his parents being Dennis M. T. and Clarica (Williams) Brasfield, who were born in Tennessee and came of German and Welsh ancestors. Dennis M. T. Brasfield followed the pursuits of farming and stock raising throughout his active business career. Mr. Brasfield of this review has one surviving sister who is eighty-six years of age and she makes her home in California.

Thomas A. Brasfield acquired a district-school education and remained with his parents in Missouri until nineteen years of age. In the spring of 1850 he traveled overland across the plains, spending about one month in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then journeying on to Eldorado county, California, where he arrived on the 14th of October, 1850. He took up his abode at what was then commonly known as Kelsey's dry diggings, and engaged in placer mining during the following winter. In the spring he made his way to Sacramento, California, and there spent seven months. In the spring of 1852 he began farming and gardening, following those pursuits with excellent success. On the 3d of March, 1853, he began his homeward journey, returning to Missouri by water via the Nicaragua route and the Mississippi river. On his trip to California and back he had been accompanied by his brother Alexander. His brother John became ill with typhoid fever the day following his return and died nineteen days later.

His mother also fell victim to that dread disease. In the spring of 1861 he again crossed the plains and, settling in Oregon, located on the present site of Echo, which was known in earlier days as old Fort Henrietta. There he engaged in farming and stock-raising. The winter of 1861-62 was a very severe one and from sixty-five to seventy-five per cent of the cattle perished during its course. Mr. Brasfield also conducted a roadhouse or station for the accommodation of the traveling public at what was called The Crossing, en route from Echo to Walla Walla. He took up his abode there in July, 1867, but a year later removed to Scio, Linn county, where he remained for five years. On the expiration of that period he went to Weston and was there engaged in sheep-raising for eighteen years. During the following fourteen years he made his home in Gilliam county, devoting his time and energies to the sheep business with excellent results. In the spring of 1900 he came to Baker county, where he has since been engaged in farming and sheep raising to some extent, though now living practically retired at Baker. During his forty years' experience as a sheep raiser be has enjoyed gratifying success and has found it most profitable to run about fifteen hundred head of ewes in one band, often having as many as seven thousand head of sheep at one time, while at present he runs about six thousand head. He has learned that a good sheep for mutton of coarse grade is the most profitable and has raised all kinds of coarse-grade sheep, making a specialty of Southdown, Shropshire and Lincoln. These grades of sheep are all excellent for mutton and also good wool producers. Mr. Brasfield has found the fine-wool sheep more delicate and more difficult to raise than mutton sheep. It is his conviction that when a sheep's mouth begins to break the animal should be disposed of, as it can no longer be kept with profit. He has always endeavored to winter his sheep with about three months' feed, preferably good alfalfa, for which he pays from five to six dollars a ton in the stack. He has generally purchased enough hay to supply the need of a long winter and has thus always had plenty of feed even when the cold season was unusually lengthy. He owns six hundred and forty acres of wheat land in Gilliam county and also has a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of good farming land about six miles from Durkee, in Baker county. Mr. Brasfield likewise owns his residence in Baker and has practically retired from active work, spending the evening of life in well earned rest, in the congenial companionship of his wife and younger grandchildren. His sons also reside in the same locality.

On the 16th of March, 1860, Mr. Brasfield was united in marriage to Miss Matilda C. Williams, her father being Aaron Williams of Schuyler county, Missouri, who was engaged in the hotel business at Kirksville, that state. Their wedding was celebrated in Schuyler county, Missouri, and seven children were born unto them. John Silas, who is now fifty-seven years of age, married Miss Sivila Hale, of Rye Valley, Oregon, by whom he has three children. Anna Isabel, fifty-four years of age, has been twice married, her first husband being Albert O'Hara. Following his demise she gave her hand in marriage to A. M. Tegarden, of Spokane, Washington. James McClellan, who is now fifty-one years old, is engaged in the sheep business in Baker county, Oregon. Aaron Brasfield and his wife are both deceased. Their three children have been reared by our subject and his wife, Mary, now forty-six years of age, is the wife of William A. Baker and resides in Baker, Oregon. William, who is living in Eugene at the age of forty-four years, married Miss Gussie Drake. George W., forty-one years of age, wedded Miss Frankie A. Puffer, who passed away leaving two small children who are also being reared by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brasfield. The three children of Aaron Brasfield, deceased, are as follows: Robert A., born in January, 1893, who attended school in Baker for about five years and is now in Idaho; Raymond, who was born in February, 1894, attended school for about six years and is now a resident of Idaho; and Edith M., who was born on the 23d of October, 1898, and is still attending school. The children of George W. Brasfield are as follows: George Wilbur, who was born on the 31st of March, 1905, and has attended school for one term; and Raymond Langdon, whose birth occurred on the 26th of March, 1907.

Thomas A. Brasfield gives his political allegiance to the socialist party. He served as sheriff of Wasco county, Oregon, for one term, during the years 1863 and 1864, at which time that county embraced all of eastern Oregon. Since 1856, or for a period of fifty-six years, he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has exemplified its teachings in his daily life. He has now passed the eighty-first milestone on life's journey and may well look back with satisfaction upon an active, useful and honorable career.


Buried:
Mt. Hope Cemetery

Thomas married WILLIAMS, Matilda Caroline on 16 Mar 1860 in Schuyler, Missouri, USA. Matilda (daughter of WILLIAMS, Aaron Crawford and SIMMONS, Nancy Catherine) was born on 1 Dec 1837 in Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA; died on 17 Feb 1922 in Baker; was buried in Baker, Baker County, Oregon (Mt. Hope Cemetery). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jacob married CUMMINS, Joanna on 1 Nov 1860 in Guthrie, Iowa, USA. Joanna was born on 4 Dec 1844 in Canada; died on 20 May 1874 in Weston, Umatilla, Oregon, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married STEWART, Helen "Marnie" Marion. Helen was born on 22 Jun 1835 in Pittsburg, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania; died on 10 Aug 1873 in Goose Creek Ranch, Baker, Oregon, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Age: 38