Emery Earl Backous

Emery Earl Backous, 93, died April 19, 2012 at Garrison Creek Lodge, 1460 Dalles Military Rd where he had lived for 5 years.

Mr. Backous was born July 3, 1918 to Walter & Lillian Peck Backous on his grandparents’ farm near Wetonka, South Dakota. He grew up & attended school in Westport, South Dakota graduating from high school in 1937. After graduation, he rented & then purchased farm land. Besides farming, he was an auxiliary mail carrier for the winter months for eight years and was township assessor in two townships.

He married the love of his life, Frances Eileen Reed on June 16, 1948 in Chelsea, South Dakota. In the fall of 1950, they sold the farm in Westport and moved to Walla Walla, Washington where they bought an acreage. He worked numerous jobs in Walla Walla (prune packing, Birdseye pea harvest, Phinney’s Hatchery, William’s Lumber, Gilbertson Vault, caretaker for Catholic Cemetery, and Walla Walla Cemetery for 4 years) before going to work for the Washington State Penitentiary as a correctional officer. He retired from there in 1978 after 20 years & 4 months.

Emery loved to garden and kept busy in his workshop making home improvements and various wooden things for his family & friends. He & Frances made several trips through numerous states & sightseeing and visiting with many relatives and friends. He was a dedicated father, grandfather & great grandfather. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for 62 years. He & Frances were married for 61 years when she passed away in July 2009.

Mr. Backous is survived by his 3 daughters, Linda Kukal & Bonnie Hussey both of Walla Walla and Rita Janssen of Spokane, WA; a son, Gary Backous of Kennewick, WA; one sister, Sally Dickson of Milton Freewater, OR; one brother, William of Vancouver, WA; 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances; 2 brothers, Russell & Harley Eugene; 1 sister, Florence Kleinknecht; an infant son, David Emery and an infant great granddaughter, Ryleigh.

The Memorial Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012 at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church with Father Tyler Smedley officiating. There will be a private interment at Mountain View Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA.