Siegfried "Sig" Siefkes, 94, of Baker City, died on May 23, 2023 at his home with his family at his side. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2023 - 10:00 a.m. at the Lutheran Church 1734 3rd St, in Baker City.
Siegfried Hermann Siefkes was born on April 30, 1929 in American Falls, Idaho. His father was a pastor, so they moved around a bit. Lived in Baker City, Oregon as a child, as well as Portland where he graduated from Jefferson High School. Served in the Korean War. Sig was an infantryman in the US Army and worked with a mortar team. Some of his duties included spotting the rounds and adjusting the fire onto the target by using precise measurements and fast math from a distance. He deployed to Korea and served during active conflict and was in country when the war ended. His son Brian also served in the military with a similar role of adjusting artillery fire onto targets from a distance. He chose this job before knowing it was the same job his father had. His son Brian served in Iraq in 2003.
He married Beverley Lorentzen, they had two daughters and later divorced. He married Catherine Kaufman on May 20, 1978 blending her three children and later had son Brian.
Went to USC and earned a degree in Physics. Was an Aeronautics Engineer for McDonald Douglas. Sig later became an attorney and had a law practice in Brea CA. He left his practice and became a City Attorney for Palm Springs and also served on the Grand Jury in Riverside. He retired in 1993 and moved to his childhood home of Baker City Oregon where he operated a cattle ranch for almost 30 years. He always considered Baker City home, and he moved back immediately after retiring in 1993 to live as a rancher just outside of town on Dry Creek.
He never was far from his fascination with planes and maintained a hobby of working on small planes when he had the time. Sig was an avid golfer and preferred the company of those he could beat, but he enjoyed any opportunity to swing the clubs for a round. In his later years he recalled how much he enjoyed the sound of a particular pipe organ he often heard in church, so he assembled the pieces he could find from around the country and built one in his office. He was an engineer through to his final days and dreamed of getting in one last golf round until his final breath.
Sig was a fan of USC college football, the Rams in the NFL, the Lakers in the NBA, and the Angels in baseball. He most enjoyed watching golf and Jack Nicholas was his favorite of all time. Thoughts he shared “If you start something, finish it” and
“If you’re going to do something, do it right.” Sig raised an incredibly diverse family by sticking to the things he knew best, tradition, decency, the church, and doing the right thing. As with many children, the full impact of the values he provided were not fully realized until the children had grown. He was a pilar in the Lutheran Church and was well known as a person that could be counted on. He was a man of his word. If he borrowed a book, he would return it. If he owed you a dollar, he would repay it. He was known for having integrity and being fair to anyone he interacted with.
Sig is survived by his wife Catherine; son Brian and wife Heather children Riley Siefkes and Annabelle Siefkes; Sharon Lynn Pavlik, married to Daniel Pavlik. 2 children Emily Ann and Chad Andrew Pavlik; Katherine Ann Siefkes, married to Kathy Burkey; James Kaufman, children Isiah Kaufman and Ariana Kaufman; Robert Kaufman, children Norena Kaufman and Alyssa Kaufman; Daniel Kaufman married to Nicki, children Tucker Kaufman, Peyton and Cody; brother Herbert Siefkes.
For those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Sig, the family suggests the Lutheran Church through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services PO Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com