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Clara Janet McKee
May 16, 1951 – May 9, 2015
Janet McKee, 63, passed away unexpectedly of an extended illness on Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, surrounded by family and friends. Janet is survived by her husband of nearly 40 years, Richard “Dickie” McKee; three brothers, Ken, Clyde, and Tony; two sisters, Becky Johnson and Mona Dilley; stepsons, Carl Hoyer and his wife, Michele and Scott McKee; one step-grandchild, Iris Rue McKee and her mother, Chantelle; numerous nieces and nephews, and Dickie’s cousin, Vicki Esses and other relatives. A step-child, Lorenda Ryan McKee, preceded Janet in death in 2014.
Janet was born in Carthage, Ill. on May 16, 1951, the third child of Louis Martin and Helen Annette Bristow. She spent her childhood in St. Patrick, Mo. In 1969, the family relocated to Aberdeen, Wash. Janet graduated from Weatherwax High School in 1969.
For nearly four decades Janet was a very active participant in amateur and professional billiards. She accumulated many accolades and awards over those years, and she loved all the people she played pool with. In the 1980s she was the Washington State Eight Ball Champion. In 1983 and 1986 she won the National Championship Eight Ball title at Las Vegas. She was also a member of the local team that placed fourth in an international tournament. She was a member of the Elma Eagles Auxiliary. Her other passions included riding a Harley with her husband, gardening and caring for her many pets.
A celebration of Janet’s life will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2015, beginning at 2 p.m. at the 40 et 8 Veterans Club, located at 2313 Simpson Avenue in Aberdeen.
In lieu of flowers the family request that you make a contribution to the Grays Harbor SPCA Society (PAWS) or a charity of your choosing.
The Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam, Wash. is managing arrangements.
Robert “Bob” George Focht
Robert “Bob” George Focht, 86, passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2015, in Ocean Shores, Wash. He was born on Nov. 30, 1928, in Detroit, Mich. to Leopold R. and Emma (Loewe) Focht.
Bob grew up poor, in Detroit, with his two brothers and two sisters. He enlisted in the Army in 1946 at the age of 17. Upon his discharge, moved to Texas where he married
Mary Olga Gonzalez with whom he had two children. He migrated north to Washington in the late ’50s, settling in Aberdeen to work for The Daily World. In 1960 he married
Virginia Pickles and they had six children together. By the early ’70s Bob had moved to Ocean Shores where he spent over 40 years with his love, Phyllis Porter, until her passing in 2012.
Always involved in publishing and newsprint, Bob owned his own advertising agency and published the Ocean Observer though the’ 70s and ’80s. During the ’80s, he also partnered in the ownership of the weekly Elma Chronicle. He and Phyllis then started publishing the North Coast News in Ocean Shores until selling upon his retirement. Bob had embraced new technology in all his print ventures.
A big Mariners fan, Bob always enjoyed watching baseball games, although his passion for fishing was unequaled. He spent many summers with various combinations of kids and grandkids on fishing trips to British Columbia, especially at Lake Knouff.
Bob is survived by his sisters; Betty (Tom) Stephenson of Indiana and Barbara Duffey of Ohio. His children; Erik Porter (Sarah Nelson), Kim (Bruce) Jarvis, Kevin Focht, Kelly (Andy) Berschauer, Keith Focht, Kathy (Bruce) Bowen, Kyle Focht, Charlotte Focht and Gordon Focht along with 11 grandchildren, one great-grandchild and seven nieces and nephews.
An informal gathering will be held Sunday, May 31, 2015, 11 a.m. in the banquet room of Galway Bay Restaurant in Ocean Shores.
Bob’s family would like to extend their thanks to the staff at Emeritus at Harbour Pointe who took exceptional care of him.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
Dennis Lee Bedortha
Dennis (Denney) Lee Bedortha, age 72, was called home to be with the Lord on May 16, 2015.
He was born on May 5, 1943, to Luther Clyde Bedortha and Donna Belle Rohr Bedortha. He attended school in the Tacoma and Steilacoom area, graduating high school in 1961 from Clover Park High School in Lakewood, Wash.
Denney was in the U. S. Navy from 1961 to 1965, where he was stationed in the Philippines. He married
Jeri Jene Forney on Sept. 7, 1963. They have three daughters, Shelley, Teri and Jamie.
He worked for the Dupont Chemical Company before moving his family to Ketchikan, Alaska, where he was employed by Ketchikan Pulp Company for seven years. While in Alaska, Denney loved to fish for salmon, halibut and anything that would bite his hook!
In April, 1977, Denney and his family returned to the Pacific Northwest, specifically to Elma, Wash., where he hunted with his father as a young boy. He worked for Weyerhaeuser at the Cosmopolis pulp mill until his retirement in 2001.
Denney loved hunting for deer, elk and grouse. Some of his fondest memories were hunting with his three sons-in-law and grandchildren. He also enjoyed working in his wood shop and watching the Mariners play ball.
Denney is survived by his wife Jeri Bedortha; daughters Shelley (Darrell) Borden, Teri (Mark) Bosler, Jamie (Chris) Johanson; grandsons Dennis (Stacie) Tobey, Mark and Jesse Bosler; granddaughters Darci (Collin) McMaster, Allison (Casey Felder) Borden, Nicole Johanson, Anna Johanson, Kensi Johanson and great-grandsons Tyler and Aaron Tobey and Evan McMaster. He is also survived by two sisters Sharon (Mike) Fuller, Tami (Mike) Davis, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 23, at 2 p.m. at the Malone Assembly of God, 23 Mox Chehalis Road, Malone, WA 98559.
Cheryl Davis
Longtime Aberdeen resident Cheryl E. Davis died at her home on Friday May 15, 2015. She was 59.
Arrangements are by Harrison Family Mortuary in Aberdeen.
Jerry West
LACEY — Former Aberdeen resident Jerry G. West of Shelton died Friday, May 15, 2015 at Panorama City Convalescent and Rehabilitation in Lacey. He was 86.
Arrangements are by Funeral Alternatives of Tumwater.
Philip Luce
HUMPTULIPS — Philip D. Luce, a resident of Humptulips, died Saturday, May 9, 2015 at his Humptulips family home. He was 77.
He was a supervisor for the Grays Harbor County Road Department.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ocean Shores.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
Gloria “Peggy” Fredericks
Gloria M. “Peggy” Fredericks, a lifelong resident of Aberdeen, died Monday, May 18, 2015 at Pacific Care Center, Hoquiam. She was 89.
She had been a clerk in Aberdeen bakeries for several years.
A graveside service will be held at noon, in Fern Hill cemetery, Aberdeen. A reception will follow in the Dorothy Mann Reception Room at Fern Hill Funeral Home.
Gordon G. German III
Gordon Grant German III, a lifetime resident of Hoquiam, died Monday, May 18, 2015, in Hoquiam. He was 38.
After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served a four year term which included time in the Persian Gulf. Upon his discharge, he returned to the Harbor where he had worked at various locations.
A celebration of his life gathering will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, at the Simpson Plaza in Hoquiam. An urn committal service with military honors will be held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 8 at Tahoma National cemetery in Kent.
Cremation arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
John Hannick
ILWACO — John Hannick, a longtime Aberdeen resident, died Monday, May 4, 2015 at his Ilwaco residence. He was 58.
Arrangements by Penttila’s Chapel by The Sea, Long Beach.
Robert G. Focht
OCEAN SHORES — Robert George Focht died Thursday, March 19, 2015, in Ocean Shores. He was 86.
He worked for the Daily World, was publisher of the Ocean Observer, co-owned the weekly Elma Chronicle and published the North Coast News
An informal gathering will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 31 in the banquet room of Galway Bay Restaurant in Ocean Shores.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
Janet McKee
OLYMPIA — Montesano resident Janet McKee died Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. She was 63.
A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of The Daily World.
The family requests that you make a contribution to the Grays Harbor PAWS.
A celebration of Janet’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, at the 40 et 8 Veterans Club in Aberdeen.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
Dianna G. Gottula
OCEAN SHORES — Dianna Gail Gottula, a resident of Ocean Shores for the past 10 years, died Saturday, May 16, 2015, at her home in Ocean Shores. She was 70.
She had been a school teacher in Texas prior to moving to Ocean Shores.
A celebration of life gathering is being planned and will be announced in a later edition of The Daily World.
Cremation arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.
Darrell E. Keel Oct. 22, 1940 – May 14, 2015
Darrell E. Keel, age 74, went to be with the Lord on May 14, 2015, after a six-month battle with cancer. He was born in Lorraine, N.D., and grew up in Sherwood, N.D., later moving to the Camas/Washougal area as a teen. He married
Gayle Ann Kellogg of Washougal on June 18, 1960, and moved to Aberdeen, Wash., where he worked for Allstate for 37 years. After retirement he enjoyed traveling the world and spent cold winter months in Peoria, Ariz. and spring/summer months in Washougal, Wash. Darrell was also a world master bridge player but golf was always his favorite passion.
Darrell is survived by a sister Lillian Aherns of Longview, Wash., daughters Kerri Lynn Keel (Mollett) and Laura Ann Keel (Osborn), six grandchildren Jennifer Mollett, Sarah Mollett (Harris) and Crystal Mollett (Bach), Justin Sutherby, Danny Rowan and Trinity Rowan, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Clara Keel, sisters Clarice Ritter, Arlene Larsen and brothers John (Jack) Keel and Clarence (Ken) Keel. Darrell was the crown and foundation of his family and was greatly loved and will be deeply missed.
There will be a celebration of life event held at Bethel Community Church, 1438 B St. in Washougal, Wash., on May 30, 2015, at 11 a.m. Please join us in celebrating the life of a man who has truly touched our hearts and souls.
Ruby Monson
Ruby Monson died Friday night at Wesley Homes Health Center in Des Moines, Wash. She was 103 years old. She was the widow of Cas Monson, who owned and operated the Western Auto Store in Raymond from 1947 until he retired in 1970. Ruby was born in Minnesota to Jane and Oliver Lee. Growing up, she lived in Saskatchewan, Vancouver, B.C., and in South Bend, where her father farmed for a time. She said that a teacher had to be hired for her and her brother while there.
The family then moved to Everett and eventually to Olympia, where she graduated from Olympia High School and from St. Peters Hospital School of Nursing. She enjoyed her work very much and after her youngest child entered second grade she worked at the Riverview Clinic, then at the Willapa Harbor Hospital. After retirement Ruby and Cas enjoyed spending winters in Arizona. The both loved to golf and were able to do so year-round.
Ruby was a masterful seamstress and later in life enjoyed making quilts, which her children are grateful to have. Her handwork was always done to perfection. She is survived by her four children: Andy of Raymond, Judy Swanson of Kent, Michele Monson of Kent and Jill Monson of Auburn; and her son-in-law, Don Swanson and grandchildren Meredith King, Kirk Swanson, Jacob Monson, Ariel Monson and Erik Monson, as well as four great-grandchildren. Ruby’s children are grateful to their wonderful parents for being exceptional examples of love, hard work and generosity. They are also grateful that they had the good fortune to grow up in Raymond.
Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21, 2015, at the Fern Hill cemetery in Menlo, conducted by Ruby’s nephew, Kempton Hewitt, who considers his Aunt Ruby a very special person in his life.
Arrangements were in care of Stoller’s Mortuary in Raymond, Wash.
James Michael Edminster
James Michael Edminster, 66, of Montesano, Wash., went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, May 15, 2015. Mike was born on March 30, 1949, in Pampa, Texas. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1972 with a BA in accounting. Mike worked for much of his career as a CPA in Odessa, Texas, El Paso, Texas, Denver, Colo., Vancouver, Wash., and spent the last 18 years of his career with Anderson Middleton of Hoquiam, Wash.
Mike loved spending time with his family and enjoyed the outdoors and traveling.
Mike’s faith in Jesus was central to his life.
Mike is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lark, his mother Beth, his son Jason (wife Susie), his daughter Deborah Norton (husband Eric), and by six grandchildren: Faith, Liam, Catalina, Jeremiah, David, and Aurora.
A viewing will be held on May 20 from noon to 1:45 p.m. at Calvary Chapel Montesano (114 W Marcy Ave). At 2 p.m., a memorial service will be held at the same location. The internment will be at 3:15 p.m. at Wynoochee cemetery, and a reception will be held back at Calvary Chapel at around 4 p.m.
If you would like to honor Mike, please consider continuing a work he gave his heart to by donating to Set Free, a Christian-based addiction recovery center located in Elma (setfreeelma.org).
Robert Whitman Young
Robert Whitman Young, 60, a longtime resident of Aberdeen, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2015, at his home.
Rob was born in Newark, N.J., on July 31, 1954, to Leonard and Delores (Currie) Young. He graduated from JM Weatherwax High School in 1972 and went to work for ITT Rayonier in Hoquiam and later for Ocean Spray in Markham.
Rob was a talented mechanic who was always willing to help his friends and family. He was also an avid animal lover who never turned away a stray.
At his request, there will be no service. However, a celebration of his life is planned for a future date.
He is survived by his parents, Leonard and Delores Young of Aberdeen; his sisters: Jeanne Brecht of Seattle and Suzanne Graves of Snohomish as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial can be sent to PAWS, P.O. Box 451, Aberdeen, WA 98520 of a charity of your choice.
Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen.
