Obituary from Baker City Herald, Baker City, OR - April 27, 2011

Caleb Forrest Krigbaum, 28, died on April 18, 2011, at Portland from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

His graveside service was Saturday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Friends joined the family for a reception afterward at the Halfway Lions Hall.

Caleb was born on Aug. 10, 1982, at Othello, Wash., to Mary Kathryn Taylor Krigbaum and Forrest Merritt Krigbaum. He joined his older sister, Jennifer Taylor-Morwood and brother, Joshua Taylor.

A memorial service will be held at New Heights Church, Monday, February 25 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Garrett's college fund at any IQ Credit Union branch.

He spent his first year of life at Mesa, Wash., and then moved to his parents' hometown of Halfway, where his ancestors go back to the pioneering days of Pine Valley.

In 1984, his parents moved to La Grande, were divorced and Caleb moved with his father to Portland. His brother, Steven Taylor, was born in 1985.

Caleb learned to swim at day care at age 4. He excelled at swimming and was the feature attraction of the day care's open house. While others were swimming across the pool, Caleb swam the length of the pool in one breath underwater.

Swimming was something he enjoyed throughout his life. He participated in competitive swimming, teaching, and became a lifeguard at 13.

Caleb was an extremely active child. He learned to ride his bike and within a week was capable of performing tricks, like standing on the seat with both feet without a helmet. At age 5, Caleb began his love of motorcycles when it became his father's only mode of transportation.

Caleb rode to and from day care everyday on the gas tank, rain or shine, and would constantly shout, "Faster, go faster."

During Caleb's first grade parent teacher conference at Whitman Elementary in Portland, his teacher commented that Caleb's energy level was extremely hard to control, his family said. She recounted an example from that day in which she turned her back on the class and they began to laugh. When she turned back around to see the reason, Caleb was standing on top of his desk.

She said she didn't even have time to write a full word on the board; he was too quick. She mentioned that even with his antics she enjoyed having him in her class the most.

Summers were spent with his Aunt Cindy and Uncle Kevin at Twisp, Wash. He was joined there by his brothers, Joshua and Steven, and cousins, Lacy, Langley and Levi Davis. He spent the summer making friends, swimming, and participating in 4-H.

In 1990, his father married Megan Kong. In 1991, the family moved to Lake Grove and Caleb attended Lake Grove Elementary.

In 1992, while Caleb was in fourth grade, his brother, Kyle Krigbaum, was born. In 1994, they moved to Aloha where Caleb attended sixth grade at Tobias Elementary.

In 1995, Caleb's youngest brother, Tanner Krigbaum, was born. Caleb attended Brown Junior High where he played baseball and enjoyed fishing and hunting with his father.

In 1996, he became a lifeguard at the YMCA in Aloha, and worked with toddlers as a swim instructor. In 1997, the family moved to Vancouver, Wash., and Caleb attended Fort Vancouver High where he also wrestled.

In 1998, his family moved across town and Caleb went to Prairie High and joined JROTC. In 1999, Caleb went to live with his aunt and uncle's family at Sisters.

While there, he attended Sisters High School and met the love of his life, Elizabeth. In 2000, he moved back home to Vancouver with his father and returned to Prairie High.

Caleb then joined the Marines on a delayed entry. At the completion of Marine Corps Boot Camp, Caleb was recognized as the most improved recruit during his training.

In 2001, Caleb and Elizabeth were married at Twisp. In 2002, while stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, his first daughter, Teara Krigbaum, was born.

In 2003, Caleb deployed in the invasion of Iraq. After returning from Iraq, he deployed to operations in Haiti. In 2004, Caleb was discharged from the Marines and moved his family to Bend.

His daughter, Hana, was born there while Caleb worked as a heavy equipment operator.

In 2007, Caleb and his family moved to Vancouver, where he attended college and worked as an armed security guard. In 2009, Caleb built his Harley Davidson, which was a source of great pride and pleasure for him. In 2010, Caleb moved to Twisp, with his brother, Joshua.

While there, he worked in the lumberyard. That fall, he sustained a serious injury to both arms during an accident at home requiring five hours of intense surgery. Typical of Caleb, he removed his own casts ahead of schedule in order to get back to life, his family said.

In 2011, Caleb moved to Portland, where he lived with his mother until his tragic accident.

He was preceded in death by his uncle, Kurt Krigbaum.

Survivors include his wife, Liz, and daughters, Teara and Hana; parents, Forrest and Megan Krigbaum of Vancouver; Kathy Taylor and her fiancee, Doug Zimmerman, of Wilsonville; brothers and sisters, Jennifer Morewood, Josh Taylor, Steven Davis, Kyle Krigbaum and Tanner Krigbaum; honorary siblings, Lacy, Langley and Levi Davis; grandparents, Dale and Judy Taylor of Halfway, Phil and Mardi Krigbaum of Connell, Wash., and Jill and John Keller of Roseburg; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to help defray funeral expenses through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.