Veda Faye Wells Veda Faye Wells, 87, a resident of The Dalles died at a local care facility on Saturday, July 19, 2003. Veda was born November 14, 1915, in Pine Creek Canyon, Calif., the youngest of three children to Charles Jacob and Mattie Ethel (Metzker) Cook. She had two older brothers, Emery and Raymond. She attended State Line Elementary School and in 1939 she graduated from Modoc High School, New Pine Creek Branch. She was on the Women's basketball team in high school and was also involved in 4-H. December 24, 1936, she married Romaine Methvin and they resided in Willow Ranch, Calif. They had one son, Kenneth Dwain, Veda and Romaine later separated. June 7, 1944, Veda married Howard C. Wells. Howard brought three children to this union; Howard Jr., Gracye and Janice. The family lived in Fairport, Calif. The family expanded with the birth of Virgil, Eugene, twin boys, Gordon and Norman, Virginia and Robert. Veda was a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Goose Lake and served as treasurer for many years. She was a master gardener, growing huge amounts of corn, beans, squash and anything else to feed her brood. When her family was at home, she preserved her produce and butchered beef, hogs and chickens for the freezer. She enjoyed reading, quilting, dogs and cats, walking and collecting pretty rocks. She acted as mother not only to her own children but any other child who found his way into her home. She instilled in her children a tremendous work ethic balanced with a need to have time for fun. Veda is survived by her children and their spouses, Ken and Laura, McMinnville; Virgil and Marie, Klamath Falls; Gordon and Joyce, Texarkana, Ark., Norman and Nancy, The Dalles; Robert, New Pine Creek; Grayce Balkam, Janice and Pat Evers, all of Pleasanton, Calif. and Virginia McCool, Texarkana, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard, and her sons, Eugene and Howard Jr. and her brothers. Graveside services were held at New Pine Cemetery on Monday, July 21. Remembrances may be made to Hospice of the Gorge, 751 Myrtle, St., The Dalles, OR 97058. Lake County Examiner - Thursday, July 31, 2003 ~~~~~~ Billie C. Reynolds Anita "Jean" Waters-Reynolds (Family Genealogy) http://www.rh2o.com (Modoc County Genealogy) http://www.rh2o.com/modoc/ --- Our outgoing mail is checked by Norton AntiVirus.