Rhonda Lee Ruth Kragness Obituary (1965

Rhonda Lee Kragness, 55, of Baker City, died April 8, 2021, at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center after a long battle with scleroderma. A celebration of her life will take place on Friday, April 17 at 4 p.m. at the Baker City VFW. Rhonda was born on May 23, 1965, in Piqua, Ohio. Her parents were Nicholai Stavro and Priscilla Anne (Landis) Codekas. She was raised and attended school in Ohio but graduated from Aloha High School near Portland in 1983 and then attended Concordia Lutheran College in Portland. On Sept. 27, 1987, she married Brent Anthony Kragness, the love of her life and soulmate, at Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Beaverton. Rhonda worked as the surgical coordinator for Tuality Community Hospital from 1988 through 1991 and medical RN, front desk for oncology, from 1991 to 1996. Brent and Rhonda moved to Baker City in 1996 to own and manage the Idle Hour Tavern, which they did for 16 years. Rhonda loved life and everyone in it. She loved camping by the water, the Oregon Coast, and spending time with family and friends. She may have been the smallest person but had the biggest heart and personality in the room. She could, and did, talk about anything "three times." She was kind, loving, warm, and generous to everyone she met. Everyone was her friend and she returned that gift! She was the eternal optimist and caregiver. She loved to laugh and make others laugh with her. Survivors include her husband, Brent, and their son, Lon Chavez; her brothers, Peter Bedrosian and his wife, Diane, of Ohio, Shannan Codekas of Germany, Nicholai and his wife, Beth, of Aloha, and Stavro Codekas of Forest Grove; her sisters, Kelly Codekas of Baker City and Melena Codekas of Forest Grove; her mother-in-law, Bonita Thompson of Battle Ground, Washington; her brothers-in-law, James Kragness and his wife, Samantha, of Aloha, Phil Kragness and his wife, Jamie, along with children Cecil and Aaron of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and Robert Kragness of Minnesota; her sisters-in-law, Colleen Kragness and Marinne Daly of Vancouver, Washington; her grandchildren, Aden, Riley and Francesca; her nephews, Michael Kragness, Jordan Codekas, Christopher Codekas and Nicholai Jr. Codekas; her nieces, Taylor Osgood-Kragness, Caprice Codekas, Hali Codekas, Kayla Codekas and Alexia Codekas; her great-nephews, Jacob Codekas and Skyler Codekas; and her great-nieces, Elizabeth Codekas and Ava Osgood. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Fred and Evelyn Cooper and Vernon Smith; and her parents, Nicholai and Priscilla Codekas. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Rhonda's name to the Scleroderma Foundation at: Scleroderma.org or by calling 800-722-HOPE.