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Betty Jane Dahl
Longtime Orcas Island resident Betty Jane (Evans) Dahl passed away on Feb. 1, 2001, in Carefree, Ariz.
She and her husband Jim has been active residents of Orcas Island for 40 years before retiring to Arizona three years ago.
Mrs. Dahl worked at Rosario Resort for 18 years, overseeing the dining room. She enjoyed gardening, needlepoint, fishing and cooking. She will be deeply missed by her family and many island friends.
She is survived by her husband Jim, of Arizona; daughter, Dianna Garrett of North Carolina; grandson, Dennis Karras and his wife Linda, of Arizona; granddaughter Susie (Rebecca) Lindsey of Pennsylvania; two great-grandsons, Michael and Matthew; sisters, Lois Pamp and Dorothy Pamp of Minnesota; and nephews, Doug and Charlie Pamp.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Connie Lee.
At her request, there will be no services. Remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, The San Juan Preservation Trust, or a charity of your choice.
Julia Boyce
Julia Boyce passed away Feb. 13, 2001, after an extended illness.
She was born in Seattle, Wash., on March 18, 1918 to Felix and Lennie Chriest. She visited Friday Harbor in 1947. Here she met Bob Boyce and they were married on Oct. 10, 1947.
After Julie and Bob were married, they moved to Seattle for a short time and then returned to Friday Harbor and remained there.
Julie worked her way uptown by starting on the ferry, moving up to Kings Market, Friday Harbor Drug and then to the Post Office. She spent 22 years with the Post Office before retiring in 1982. She was always noted for remembering who was waiting for packages at Christmas.
Julie was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for many years.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy; and a son, Kenneth.
She is survived by her husband, Bob; daughters, Diane Buganski of Friday Harbor, and Donna Burton of Burlington; sons-in–law, Ted Buganski and Larry Burton; grandchildren, Katie Buganski, Chad Burton and Sheila Carrigg; and a sister, Pearl Hickson.
At her request, there will be no service. Memorials are suggested to the Islands Convalescent Center Van Fund.
Daniel Newhall Shull
Daniel Newhall (Dan) Shull of East Wenatchee, Wash., died on Feb. 12, 2001 in Wenatchee's Central Washington Hospital.
He was 81. He died of Parkinson's-related causes.
Dan was born in Friday Harbor on Aug. 15, 1919, in his grandfather Andrew Newhall's home, recently used as the resort Mariella.
His parents, Estella Newhall Shull and Howard Shull, were both children of local settler families. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his stepmother, Loretta Shull, who taught in rural one-room school houses after the death of her husband.
Dan's boyhood years were spent on San Juan and Orcas islands; in Bellingham, Stehekin and Wenatchee; and in Valley Springs, Calif.
He returned each summer to his mother's Olga, Orcas Island, cottage, working jobs such as errand boy for the local doctor, salmon fishing, and wrangling horses at the Four Winds girls' camp.
Special friends from those years included Nourdine Jensen, Carl Lange and Jim Golithan.
Dan graduated from Wenatchee High School, which he had attended as a boarding student. In 1941, he joined the U.S. Army 254th Infantry Regiment and served two tours during World War II in the Aleutian Islands and in Northern France.
At the war's end, he married Dorothea Moore of Elko, Nev., and San Francisco. They moved to Yakima, where Dan attended and graduated from the Perry Institute. He then worked for General Electric as an instrument mechanic on the Hanford Project in Richland.
In the early 1950s, he moved to Eugene, Ore., where he worked for more than 30 years in sales and service for the Borden Chemical Company.
Upon retirement, Dan moved back to Friday Harbor where he enjoyed sailing, hiking, traveling and volunteering at the annual San Juan Island Jazz Festival. His particular friend during these years was Fred Sundstrom, a fellow San Juan Island native.
In the mid-1990s, Dan returned to Wenatchee with his second wife, Betty Musson Shull, a Wenatchee native. She preceded him in death in 1997.
He lived the rest of his life in various assisted living and care facilities in the Wenatchee and Lake Chelan area.
He is survived by a daughter, Doretta E. Shull of Manhattan, N.Y.; sister, Florence L. Hoberg of Spirit Lake, Idaho; stepdaughter, Paula J. Holt of Chelan; stepson, Robert Musson of Wenatchee; and a step-granddaughter, Karen Burkhart of Wenatchee.
His former spouse, Dorothea M. Shull of Eugene, Ore., also survives him.
A memorial service will be held at March 3, 2001, 2 p.m., in the Valley Church, followed by inurnment in the Valley Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the San Juan Historical Museum.
Gladys Pearl Grogan
Gladys Pearl Grogan, 87, of Friday Harbor, died Feb. 8, 2001, in Islands Convalescent Center in Friday Harbor.
She was born in Palmyra, Mo., and grew up in Oregon and Idaho, the fourth of five children of George H. and May L. Garner.
She was married for 47 years to William Joseph Grogan, of Chicago, Ill., who died in 1982.
Gladys and Bill lived in Vancouver, Wash., from the early 1940s until they moved to Kirkland, Wash., in 1965.
Gladys was dedicated to her family and her home. She loved gardening and was a masterful seamstress.
Bill owned and operated a dance studio for many years and she spent countless hours making costumes for the student's recitals.
Gladys was her husband's dance partner, teaching ballroom dancing at the Elks Club and at the monthly gathering of the Groganeers Dance Club in Vancouver, Wash.
She was the beloved mother of Patricia Linn of Marshall, Wash., Vincent Grogan of Oregon, Stephen Grogan of Eagle River, Alaska, John Grogan of Redmond, Wash., and Cynthia D'Errico of Friday Harbor, Wash.
Gladys was dearly loved by her children's spouses: Richard Linn, Gayle Grogan, Leslie Grogan and Gordon Elliott; her 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Gladys moved to Friday Harbor following her daughter's move to the island in 1992.
Gladys lived in Dorothy's Adult Family Home until 1995, then with her daughter and grandsons for several years until she moved to Islands Convalescent Center, where she lived until her passing.
Her gentle kindness, her immense humor and thoughtfulness and her loving touch will never be forgotten.
Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel.
L.C. 'Breezy' Bennett
Lorane C. Bennett, 75, passed away March 4, 2001 in Providence Yakima Medical Center.
He was born Nov. 1, 1925 in Gordon, Wis., to Fred Lorane and Emmaline (Hoyt) Bennett. The family moved to Friday Harbor, Wash., in 1929.
Ben attended school at Friday Harbor and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday. Ben served 41/2 years as an aviation machinist mate, attaining the rank of second-class petty officer. He was honorably discharged in 1947 at Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone. He then worked for the U.S. Air Force until late 1950.
In 1947, Ben married Alma R. Duque in the Canal Zone. They moved to Everett, Wash., in 1950. For the next 30 years, he owned automotive service stations and auto and RV parts houses. In the 1980s, Ben spent six years employed by Boeing and retired in January 1988. In 1991, Ben and Alma moved to Yakima.
Ben is survived by Alma, his wife of 53 years; daughter, Jannett Bennett-Upchurch and her husband, John, of their motorhome somewhere in the USA; son, Fred Lorane and his wife, Alana Jane, of Granite Falls, Wash.; son, Charles Edward and his wife, Della, of Beijing, China.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Bernadette Schuller and her husband, Joe, of Heidelberg, Germany, Brandon O'Dwyer of Seattle, Joshua Bennett and his fiancée', Jennifer, of Marysville, Wash., and Steffani Bennett of Beijing, China; sisters, Genevieve Ewing of Everett, Wash., and Verniece Read of Portland, Ore.; brother, Kenneth Bennett of Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ben was preceded in death by his parents and younger sister, Lillian Bennett.
Ben was a member of the American Legion and a lifetime member of Post 379 of the VFW. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church.
He was truly a gentle, honorable man and will be sorely missed by his family and all that knew him.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in Holy Family Catholic Church on March 9, 1 p.m. Committal services were held at Calvary Cemetery.
Beverley Dorr Brant
Beverley Dorr Brant passed away March 29 in Burns, Ore.
She was born in Tacoma on May 9, 1914, attended Stadium High School and graduated from the University of Washington.
For 30 years, Beverley and Bill operated the Brant Photographers Studio in Bellevue, where she was active in community affairs. She was an accomplished photographer and a recognized portrait painter.
Beverley had been a member of the San Juan Island Golf Club and a charter member of the San Juan Island Yacht Club. She loved boating, especially the innumerable summer trips north in Canadian waters on their cruiser, "Starduster."
Survivors, in addition to Bill, are daughter Becky Shull of Burns, Ore.; grandson John Workman of Friday Harbor; and great-grandson Shade Noble Workman, age 18 months.
Service is April 9 in Burns, Ore., with private interment in San Juan Valley Cemetery.
E. Palmer Meredith
On March 27, 2001, E. Palmer Meredith passed on in his sleep after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease.
His family is planning a memorial service. Date and location will be announced.
Frances Seels chronicled local Presbyterian history
Frances Margaret Seels, whose 1988 book chronicled the history of the Presbyterian Church on San Juan Island, passed away in Friday Harbor April 24, 2001.
Memorial service is May 3, 1 p.m., in the Evans Funeral Home in Anacortes. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mullis Center or a favorite charity.
Seels’ 84-page book, "The Presbyterian Story on San Juan Island," was printed by Express Printing and circulated locally. To write the book, she sought first-hand accounts from 21 sources, photos from 12 sources, and cited 102 other sources in her bibliography.
Chapter 1 traces the Presbyterian Church’s first service to a log school house on Portland Fair Road in 1860. The service was conducted by a visiting missionary from Victoria, B.C. At the time, the island was occupied by British and U.S. troops during the so-called Pig War.
Seels compiled a similar history, "Early Times at St. David’s," about St. David’s Episcopal Church.
She was born June 14, 1908 in Red Lodge, Mont., to Gunner and Josephine Wingard.
After receiving her teaching degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham, she went on to graduate from the University of Washington School of Nursing.
She and Arthur F. Seels were married in 1941. After Art returned from the service, Frances became an instructor for the rehabilitation of polio victims at Harbor View, especially working with children. She traveled to Canada and Alaska with her teaching skills.
In 1970, the Seelses moved to Friday Harbor for their retirement years, building a home at Turn Point. She became very active in the Presbyterian Church.
She is survived by her husband, Arthur F. Seels; a sister, Alida Evans of Seattle; and nephews and nieces. A brother, Bill, preceded her in death.
Raymond Leon Hansen
Raymond Leon Hansen, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard in Friday Harbor and married into San Juan Island’s Nash family, died April 28, 2001 at his home in Maple Valley, Wash. He was 70 and had battled cancer for four years.
The sixth of seven children born to Hans and Zilla Hansen, Ray was born on June 5, 1930 in Valier, Mont. His family moved frequently during the Depression and World War II before settling in Darby, Mont. It was there that he attended high school and set the state record for the 880-yard dash before graduating in 1949.
Ray joined the Coast Guard because he wanted to see Alaska. Instead, he was stationed in Friday Harbor, where he met Nancy Nash, daughter of the late John and Edna Nash. Ray and Nancy were married in 1954 at San Juan Valley Church.
Ray worked briefly for Friday Harbor Creamery and Bill Savage’s seaplane charter before he and Nancy moved to Seattle. He was hired as a model maker at the Boeing wind tunnel in 1957.
They moved from Seattle in 1970 to the house in Maple Valley that Ray and Nancy built with the help of their sons and friends.
Carpentry came naturally to Ray, who had previously built several wooden boats, including a 14-foot runabout that the family — and later Nancy’s aunt, Martha Gubelman — used for fishing in Puget Sound.
They visited the island frequently, staying in the Nash family home, watching Martha’s plays, fishing for salmon, and hunting deer and ducks.
John Nash and Ray made annual trips to eastern Washington to hunt geese, and sometimes hunted elk at Mount St. Helens with other members of the Nash family.
After his retirement in 1992, Ray and Nancy traveled extensively, to Europe and Asia, Central America, and throughout the United States. He was an officer in the Boeing Employees Travel Club, and often organized club trips. He finally made his first trip to Alaska in 1984, returning several times with his sons to fish for salmon and halibut.
Ray is survived by Nancy; four sons and their wives, John and LaDonna of Maple Valley, Keith and Chris of Maple Valley, Dan and Pam of Spokane, and Rod and Dawn of Pasco, Wash.; two sisters, June Abbey of Billings, Mont., and Beth Nerger of Spokane; sister-in-law Pat Nash of Friday Harbor; brother-in-law Robert Nash of Colorado; nine grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services are planned at First Baptist Church of Maple Valley. A graveside service is planned in Spokane, where Ray will rest near his parents, his three brothers and a sister.
Service dates and times have not been set.
Frances Cobey Moore
"A’frn," known to her family as Frances Louise Cobey Moore, died Sunday, March 18, 2001 in Islands Convalescent Center in Friday Harbor, Wash., after an extended illness. She was 60.
A’frn — pronounced "a friend" without the "d" — was born Dec. 4, 1940, in Middletown, Conn. She was a unique, talented, artistic and exceptional individual who loved life, nature and the enrichment of the mind, soul and spirit.
Her children had the opportunity to meet with several people who knew her and heard special things from the people whose lives she touched. Phrases such as "She had magic," and "She was always gracious and kind" are just a couple of the things people said about her.
Her children wish to thank the people of Friday Harbor for making her feel like a welcome part of their world. For years, they watched her struggle in communities where there were too many rules and compromises expected. When she found Friday Harbor, she found a place to call home and a people with which she could open her heart. She was a person of strong convictions who refused to compromise herself and her principles.
In Friday Harbor, she at last found a place where she could "live free." The family thanks the community for enriching the last 15 years of her life.
In accordance with A’frn’s last wishes, she was buried within hours of her demise during a small private funeral service on Tuesday, March 20. The service was conducted at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery
in Friday Harbor, and was attended by her children and a few community members who wished to express their sympathies and share experiences.
The Rev. Rob Evenson of St. Francis Catholic Church presided. Rob Evans of Evans Funeral Chapel provided invaluable assistance. Because of time constraints, there was no time to arrange a formal service where notice could be sent to everyone who wished to attend.
She is now forever a part of Friday Harbor, the place she loved, buried in a beautiful spot in the sun on a gently sloping hill just inside the entrance of the cemetery, a place the family believes she would have been happy to know she was placed.
She is survived by her two children: son, Forrest Kent Moore, 38, of Meriden, Conn., and daughter, Dove Laura Moore, 37, of West Palm Beach, Fla.
A’frn’s children welcome all comments or communications. Any correspondence may be sent to Dove Moore, 19631 Green Grove Court, Loxahatchee, FL. 33470.
Marilyn Madson
On Nov. 29, 2000, Marilyn Madson closed her eyes forever.
It was her wish to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in the San Juans. Springtime seemed the best time to do this.
On Saturday, May 12, Marilyn’s children will scatter her ashes near Lime Kiln. Western Prince will provide the transportation for the family.
If anyone would like to join them, contact Marilyn’s daughter, Jennie Wright, via e-mail, mssquirt@pacbell.net; or call (415) 664-2650.
