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Floyd Billings – Former Acting Mayor, Mayor, City Councilor, and Monroe resident for 55 years passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2023. Floyd served our community as Monroe City Councilor, Mayor, Acting Mayor, various City of Monroe Committees, Monroe Little League Coach, MHS Softball Coach, Monroe Booster Club Member, Monroe Area 4-H Club Member, and Donor for many community organizations and city projects. Floyd was committed to Monroe. He wanted to see Monroe remain a community that retains that close knit, neighborly small-town feel. A town where you can go to your neighbor, for anything, or just share the latest catch of the day. Floyd was born in Newberg, Oregon to Frank and Maxine Billings. He attended Creswell Grade School, Cottage Grove High School, and Hoopa Valley High School in Hoopa, California. Since 1968 Floyd was a Monroe resident and with his wife, Sue, they raised a wonderful family. He retired from Hull-Oakes Lumber Company and most recently worked as a Lumber Salesman at Elk Creek Forest Products.

Floyd began his 16 years of service with the City of Monroe as City Councilor (1982-1986; 1996-1998; 2016-2020), elected three times, Monroe’s Mayor (1998-2004), also elected three times, Monroe’s Acting Mayor (2020), plus countless hours on various City Committees over the years including Budget, Parks, Personnel & Finance, and Public Works & Safety. His years of service to Monroe did not stop with him being Mayor and City Councilor. In fact, Floyd also spent 24 years of dedicated service to the future of our community, our children.

From 1977-1983 Floyd served as Monroe Little League Coach and, for 4 years, beginning in 1980, he was the Monroe High School Softball Coach. In addition to his coaching credentials, Floyd held a leadership role with the Monroe Little League as President. He spent many hours volunteering his own time, repeatedly over the years, requesting donations in support of our local community organizations including Monroe Booster Club’s Auction, Monroe Area 4-H Club’s Livestock Auction, and recently Monroe’s City Park Restroom and Covered Picnic Area. Floyd is survived by his wife, two daughters and their spouses, two sons and their spouses, 18 grandchildren, and many great grandchildren. Floyd was preceded in death by his son, Floyd Billings Jr. There will be a celebration of Floyd’s life on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Monroe High School gym. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, any donations made in Floyd’s memory go to the Monroe Rural Fire Protection District and the Monroe Arts Association.

Anthony “Tony” Baker – City Councilor and Monroe resident for over 25 years passed away on Sunday, January 8, 2023. Tony served our community as Monroe City Councilor (1997-2000, 2020-2022). He was re-elected as City Councilor in the November 2022 general election to serve four more years.

Tony was active in the community and was quick to offer his help to anyone that needed it. Tony was born in Eugene, Oregon to Felix “Bob” and Audrey Baker. He graduated from Thurston High School in 1977 followed by one year of schooling at Eugene Bible College with some classes at LCC. In 1979, Tony began work at the City of Cottage Grove as a Dispatcher, and then move on to work for the City of Eugene as a Community Service Officer. On March 15, 1981 Tony married his wife, Delaine. Shortly before their wedding Tony had been hired as a Police Officer for the Eugene Police Department (EPD). He worked a total of 30 years for EPD. His various assignments included Patrol Officer, Undercover Officer, Fatal Accident Investigator, SWAT, Narcotics K-9 Handler, and Tracking K-9 Handler. He served as a Sergeant from 2004 to 2006. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in January 2007. He served in that position until his retirement in June 2009. While working at EPD he continued his schooling, graduating in August 2007, with a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Northwest Christian University.

Shortly after retirement he began work again, as a Security Officer, at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene. He worked for another 10 years before retiring again in 2019. In his off-hours from work and family activities, Tony was busy with remodeling homes, building an RV Park, and working on his 1905 Victorian home in Monroe. Also, he had an entrepreneurial spirit that was always thinking. A car wash? A bowling alley? He always had new ideas. Tony’s latest endeavor was a business called Victorian Pantry that involved freeze drying food.

The past year Tony had been honored by becoming the Executive Pastor at Encounter Church in Elmira. He was humbled by this position and also very excited about all the opportunities he would have to influence other people’s lives. He taught several different classes. Tony was also very active in the recently started building program at the church. He saw these changes as a way to make more room for people to attend church. Tony is survived by his wife, one son and his spouse, three daughters and a spouse, one granddaughter, his mother, and two brothers and their spouses. Also, he is survived by a large extended family and his much loved house cats. There will be a celebration of Tony’s life on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ’s Center Churchlocated in Junction City. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, any donations made in Tony’s memory go to the Encounter Church in Elmira, Oregon with attention made to the Executive Pastor Tony Baker Building Fund: (www.aplos.com/aws/give/EncounterOpenBibleChurch/general?mibextid=Zxz2cZ)