Rowena Louise Howell Sass, 83, of Baker City, died March 22, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
Disposition was by cremation at Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory. A private service will be held at a later date.
Rowena was born May 11, 1920, near Richland to Orla and Imogene Cooper Howell. She attended 12 years of school in Richland, graduating from Eagle Valley High School in 1937. She then attended Baker Business College in 1938.
Rowena worked at Baker Packing Co. for about 10 years before marrying John R. Sass on Sept. 17, 1948. John and Rowena had two children: Robbi Ann Sass was born in 1949 and Dean Dennis Sass was born in 1952. Robbi preceded her parents in death in 1994.
Rowena and John operated a Hereford cattle ranch in Eagle Valley until 1972 when they retired to a small place near Holcomb Park. Rowena was active in the Baker County Cattlewomen and the Richland Methodist Church.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Dean and Sheri Sass; two grandchildren, Jill Dooley and her husband, Ken, and Ryan Sass of Meridian, Idaho; a sister, Colleen DeGroft and her husband, Bill, of Wallowa; a sister-in-law, Catherine Howell; and numerous nieces.
Rowena was preceded in death by her husband, John; her daughter, Robbi, her parents, Orla and Imogene Howell; and her brother, Clark Howell.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Richland Library or Richland Ambulance through Gray’s West & Company, P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, March 26, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
