Rex Moles

Francis Rex Moles, known as Rex, 82, died on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at Valley View Senior Living in John Day, Oregon.

Rex was born on September 20, 1942 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  He grew up in Scotts Mills, Oregon, and later moved to Eastern Oregon with his family. He has lived in John Day since 1958, graduating from Grant Union High School in 1961.  Rex met his wife, Sharon, in the principal’s office at Grant Union High School in September of 1960.  They dated and have been together ever since.  Rex was 19 and Sharon was 18 at the time they got married on June 9, 1962.

His working career began at John Day Ford Garage for Lloyd Oglevie and the Chevy Garage for Gordon Glass. He tried his hand at mechanics, but hated that. He also ran a wrecker for a time and worked for the U.S. Forest Service contracting. Rex was predominantly self-employed working in the woods, logging, thinning, brush piling and cleaning wilderness trails.

 During his life, he lived the summer of 1962 at Deer Creek Guard station. Rex liked carpentry and woodworking.  From 1962 to 1973, he built a house in Mt. Vernon.  Rex ran his father’s second-hand business from 1975 to 1977.  He then purchased property up on Canyon Creek near Wikiup and built a place there from scratch from 1978 to 2023.

Rex loved living in Grant County and enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and horseback riding in the surrounding forests. He adored being outdoors, enjoying all it had to offer.  

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.

Rex is survived by his wife Sharon; daughter Arlita Marie Moles and son Dennis Rex Moles both of Hood River, OR; brother Randy Moles of John Day, OR; 3 grandchildren Justin, JeniLea and Joshua (Kelly); 7 great grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

 Rex loved living in Grant County; he had many good friends there and as he would say “See yah later, Alligator!”

For those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Rex, the family suggests Hope4paws or the Carrie Young Memorial through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services PO Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com