Claude Harold Witcher

Claude Harold Witcher, age 87, of Grants Pass, died Thursday, November 20, 2008 at Oak Lane.

A viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors.

A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at Grace Bible Church with Pastor Gary Cloud officiating. Military funeral honors will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Eagle Point National Cemetery. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances in memory of Claude may be made to Gospel Rescue Mission, PO Box 190, Grants Pass, Oregon 97528.

Claude was born January 25, 1921 in Tussy, Oklahoma at the home of his parents, Elmer Kenneth Witcher & Zula R. Berry Witcher. In 1930 he moved with his family to Bakersfield, California where work was available in the oil fields during the Depression. In 1942 Claude joined the California State Guards and was honorably discharged in April 1943 when he enlisted in the United States Army at age 21. After serving in the Philippines during World War II, he was honorably discharged at Camp Beale, California on February 26, 1946. Claude married Miss Vivian Retha Elliott at Bakersfield, California on December 15, 1944 while on leave and before shipping out overseas. His marriage to Vivian was blessed with two sons, Thomas Harold – born in Long Beach, California on November 22, 1945 and Virgil Lee – born in Long Beach, California on January 27, 1947. During his early married years, Claude worked in the oil fields as a rough-neck driller and tool pusher. He was seriously injured in a work accident that forced his retirement from the oil fields in 1957. In 1959 he moved his family to Grants Pass, Oregon and took a job in the box factory on Mill Street. He then began working for Paquin Water Well Drilling as a driller. He soon financed a drilling rig of his own and started the Witcher Well Drilling business with Vivian, providing water wells to hundreds of homes and businesses in the Rogue Valley.

Claude attended Grace Bible Church and Merlin Community Church before moving to Oak Lane Retirement, where he made many friends.

Claude enjoyed travel, horticulture, south-western jewelry-making and hunting.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas Harold Witcher and his wife Diane of Soldotna, Alaska and Virgil Lee Witcher and his wife Charlyn of Grants Pass, Oregon; four grandchildren, Tamara Quincy and her husband Todd and Shane Witcher and his wife Danyelle all of Soldotna, Alaska, Tiffany Baskett and her husband Michael of Salem, Oregon and Chantay Witcher of Corvallis, Oregon; and five great-grandchildren, Kyliera, Tyler,Gabriel, Tristan, and Chelsea.