Search Archived Marriage Records
Middling, Mary M. Saturday, 16 Aug 2003
Mary M. Middling died Aug. 16, 2003, in Phoenix, Ariz. She was 92 years old.
She was a resident of Tacoma most of her life and had also lived on Vashon.
Her husband, Robert Middling, died earlier.
Mrs. Middling was an avid lover and breeder of Arabian horses.
Survivors include Don and Teri Middling of Tacoma, Gene and Deloris Erickson of Dolon Springs, Ariz., Bob and Shirley Bullock of Wickenburg, Ariz., nine grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren.
Services were earlier in Tacoma.
She was buried in Vashon Island cemetery.
Proffitt, Dorothy "Dot" Monday, 28 Jul 2003
Dorothy ‘Dot’ Rolando Therkelsen Bacon Proffitt died July 28, 2003, at her home on Vashon Island. She was 82 years old.
Mrs. Proffitt was born on May 11, 1921, in Centralia, Wash., to Stephen and Jennie Rolando.
She moved to Vashon at age 6 and learned to love life on the island that would be her home for the next 77 years. Her family home was on the top of Shawnee and the family grew and sold lilies.
Dot attended schools on Vashon, graduating from Vashon High School in 1937, where she skipped two years of school.
Not long after graduation, Dot married
Max Therkelsen, a mechanic who owned a garage at Center. They had one daughter, Janice Ann. After divorcing Max, Dot worked at Garla Acres growing garlic, which was being commercially sold at the time.
Dot married
Joseph Bacon in 1947, and they had two children, Steven and Angela. During their 20-year marriage, Dot was an active homemaker. She was active in the Rebeccas and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
She was also active in many traditional activities — crocheting, canning, knitting and gardening. But Dot was also proficient at what for women were non-traditional activities — hunting deer and pheasants as well as being a master geoduck hunter.
Following Joseph’s death in 1967, Dot cooked for the Baptist Assembly Grounds (Camp Burton) and worked at the Burton Store. Her involvement with the Eagles Auxiliary introduced her to Zola Proffitt, whom she married
on April 5, 1972. With Zola, six step children joined her family. She and Zola loved to travel, including to Arkansas for family reunions.
She also enjoyed bowling, golfing at the Vashon Island Golf & Country Club and walking the Burton Loop.
She was a loyal friend and a strong-willed woman who knew her own mind. She expected much out of her family and much from herself. A hard worker, Dot also loved to party, to dance to country and Western music and to celebrate holidays.
Survivors include her husband of 31 years, Zola Proffitt, her children Janice and her husband Tom McCasland of Evergreen, Colo., Steven Bacon of Vashon and Angela Nordling of Vashon and her step children Ron Proffitt, Sheriel and husband Bob Pilkington, Jerry Proffitt, Jim and wife Gerlinda Proffitt, Randy Proffitt and Carie and husband Tom Safford.
Other survivors include 19 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren as well as her sister Maxine Bice of Tukwila, two nephews, a niece and numerous cousins.
A service to celebrate her life was Saturday, Aug. 2, at the family home. A private interment preceded the service.
Brenno, Adele Tuesday, 27 Jul 2004
Adele Brenno of Vashon died July 16, 2004, on Vashon Island. She was 90 years old.
She was born in Cle Elum on May 5, 1914. She had lived the last two decades on Vashon.
Her husband, Harold Brenno, died earlier, as did her two sons.
Survivors include her stepchildren Bob and Diane Brenno, Betty and Bobby Lewis, George and Barbara Brenno and Barbara and Ken Cooper all of Vashon.
There will be no service at her request.
Remembrances can be made to the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association.
Harley Waine Bowdish, 83
Harley Waine Bowdish died May 8, 2004, in Sequim, Wash. He was 83 years old.
Mr. Bowdish was born June 13, 1920, in California.
He served in World War II in the South Pacific and returned home to operate service stations in Seattle before beginning his career with the Boeing Company. The highlight of his career at Boeing was piloting and training pilots on the Boeing Hydrofoil in Puget Sound, Asia and Europe.
He enjoyed long hours on the golf course, week-long elk hunting trips, fly fishing and boating with family and friends.
He lived 15 years on Vashon.
Friends and family say they remember him as a hard-working, kind, quiet, funny, loving husband and father who will be missed by everyone whose lives he touched.
Survivors include his wife Ellie, daughters Sandra Kreis and her husband Roger of Shelton, Barbara Knight of Poulsbo, and son Mike and his wife Lori of Redmond, grandchildren Jacob Kreis, Joanna Jacobson, Mary and Danielle Bowdish, great grandchildren Tyler, Corey, Cameron and Spencer Kreis, sister Rayma Burger and numerous nieces and nephews.
His wives Mary and Virginia and brothers Darrel and Mel died earlier.
Eagleson, Glen A Wednesday, 21 Jul 2004
Glen A. Eagleson died Wednesday, July 21, 2004, at his home in Renton. He was 75 years old.
Mr. Eagleson was born July 29, 1928 in Union, N.D. He married
in Milton, N.D., in October 1952. He retired from Boeing in 1987.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Joyce Juanita Eagleson, sons Larry Eagleson of Vashon, David Eagleson of Kent, Randy Eagleson of Renton, daughter Shelly Jo of Kent, sisters Gladys of Crockston, Minn., Alyce of Edinburg, N.D., Donna and Joyce, both of Woodburn, Ore., and three grandchildren.
Services were at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church. Burial was at Tahoma National cemetery.
Donofrio, Brandon Scott Monday, 28 Jun 2004
Brandon Scott Donofrio, formerly of Vashon, died at his home in Port Angeles on Monday, June 28.
Survivors include his wife Sheila, daughter Amelia, son Cameron, all of Vashon; mother Renae Brown of Auburn; father Bob of Oregon; brother Michael of Auburn; in-laws Mike and Cindy Trocha of Elma, Wash. and a large extended family.
Private services were held on June 3 in Auburn.
Smith, Mary Tuesday, 06 Jul 2004
Mary R. Smith died in her Vashon home on July 6, 2004, after a long illness. Loved ones, including dogs, were at her bedside. She was 75 years old.
Mary Frances Ruble was born to Roland O. Ruble and Mildred Rose Ruble on Sept. 24, 1928 in Kansas City, Kansas. The family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where Mary completed high school.
After graduation from Colorado College, Mary toured Europe, her first of many hosteling adventures. On her return she moved to Bremerton to live with her college roommate, D.A. Stroup. It was in Bremerton that she met and subsequently married
Roger M. Smith.
Children followed, Barbara then Roland. The family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, then Bellingham, and landed on Vashon Island in 1961.
After her children were in school Mary embarked on her first of three careers as a welfare caseworker in Tacoma. Next, she attended the University of Washington. After earning her teaching certificate she taught 6th, 7th and 8th grades at Burton Elementary.
After Roger died in 1970 Mary once again went back to school, this time to University of Puget Sound Law School. She established a private law practice on Vashon, serving the community’s legal needs for the next decade.
Mary was an active member of the Vashon Democratic Club. She attended the Washington State convention as a delegate for Eugene McCarthy. On Vashon she will be remembered as the maker of those killer bean burritos during Strawberry Festival.
As long as her health allowed, Mary traveled at every opportunity. She and her friend Connie DuFresne adventured to Europe, Asia and Australia, sometimes in the company of a third close friend Grace Delano, or some of their assorted children and grandchildren. They snorkeled in warm Pacific waters, rode camels in Alice Springs, and sampled every exotic cuisine that opportunity provided.
Mary served for a number of years as a member of the Vashon Health Center Board. She also volunteered for VIVA, dispensing emergency funds to those in need.
A life-long Girl Scout, Mary was a group leader with her friend Carol Slaughter and many others. Together they led several Island Encampments.
Children with disabilities and those who were deaf were among the hundreds of Island children who hiked, swam, sang and swatted mosquitoes in the woods of Western Washington.
As Mary’s health declined, the community returned her gifts. A rotating team of loving and committed people supported her. Without her caregivers’ hard work and creativity Mary would not have been able to remain in her own home.
Survivors include her brother Roland R. (Skip) Ruble and his wife Betty, her daughter Barbara and partner Lotus, son Roland, grandchildren Amy and Jay, nieces Sharon, Patty and Sandy, nephews Trevor, Zachary, Logan, and Steven, and countless friends and her loyal companions, dogs Wally, Effie and Charlotte.
The community is invited to share in a celebration of Mary’s life on at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 18, at the Vashon Youth Hostel. Potluck offerings of food or drink are welcomed but not required. Gifts may be made in her memory to the Vashon Island High School scholarship fund.
Martin, Michael P. Thursday, 07 Oct 2004
Michael P. Martin of Seattle died after a year-long illness, on Oct. 7, 2004, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 86.
Michael was born Feb. 7, 1918, in San Francisco, California. He served in the Army during World War II, from 1941 to 1945.
He was employed at Lockheed Shipbuilding, and K2 Ski Corp. An avid gardener, he had his own landscaping business. He worked for Betty McDonald before she moved to California.
Michael belonged to the Chrysanthemum Association; he raised prized blooms and received many blue ribbons. Roses were his favorite flower, and gardening was his favorite hobby.
He is survived by his wife Vera, son Paul, daughter Jackie Thurston, brothers Vincent, Leo and Joe, and sisters Clara and Isabel.
He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2826 Vashon. The memorial service will be private.
Remembrances can be made to Hospice Association Home Care Services 12844 Military Road South, Tukwila, WA 98168.
Callaway, Jean Stone Roen Tuesday, 09 Nov 2004
Jean was born in Tacoma, Washington, March 31, 1911 to Elmer and Cora (Turner) Stone. Her grandparents were pioneers of Burton on Vashon Island. She attended Burton schools and graduated from the first class of the consolidated high schools in 1929. She also attended the University of Washington.
In August of 1942, Jean married
Alfred Roen. They had three children, Craig, Jill, and Bradley. Al passed away in September of 1977 after a short illness. They lived on Vashon all of their married
lives, first in Cove and then Sunrise Ridge.
After being a widow for 11 years, Jean married
a former high-school classmate, Baxter Callaway. They enjoyed retirement by traveling as often as possible until he passed away in May, 1991. Jean felt fortunate to have had two such wonderful men in her life.
Jean was a member of the Burton Community Church, the Vashon Orthopedic Auxiliary and a charter member of Vashon Ryther Four and Twenty Auxiliary. She enjoyed playing bridge and belonged to several bridge clubs over the years. She also belonged to the Vashon Island Golf and Country Club.
She is survived by her son Craig of Chehalis and wife Shirley, daughter Jill Rudek and husband Dennis of Edmonds and Moses Lake, her son Bradley of Bellingham and wife Regina. She also leaves two step-daughters Shirley and Patricia, daughters of Baxter Callaway. She will be greatly missed by her grandchildren: Dale, Connie, Dean, Peter, Randy, Kenlynn, Megan and Katie as well as several great grandchildren.
Jean spent the past two years with her daughter Jill her family in Edmonds and was enjoying time with them at their summer place on Moses Lake when she became ill. She was moved to the LifeCare Center of Bothell in October and passed away Nov. 9. She was 93. At her request, there will be no service. Her ashes will be laid to rest next to Al’s at the Vashon Island cemetery.
Ling, Robert Roy Saturday, 13 Nov 2004
Robert Roy Ling (Bob) was born on April 28, 1936, and passed away Nov. 13 at 11:30 p.m. at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. Bob lived on Vashon Island for the last 40 years of his life, where he raised his family. He was very involved in numerous community associations, including Vashon Island Youth Sports, Jaycees, and Eagles.
Over the course of his life he worked in a wide array of occupations, from a Boeing employee, to many different sales jobs, to all phases of home construction, to real estate.
Bob is survived by his brother Richard Tritten, four grandchildren and six children; Scott of Orting, Kevin of Buckley, Shawna Bunch of San Antonio, Texas, Julie Chisholm of Bellingham, Darin of Vashon Island, and Bryon of Kent. He is preceded in death by his wife Sandra and his brother Douglas.
Bob was an extremely self-motivated hard worker, who enjoyed the outdoors and projects with his family. He will be remembered and greatly missed by all of his many friends and family.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Eagle’s Hall. Please call Island Funeral service at 463-9300 for more information.
Mary Kathryn Stephens, 90
Mary Kathryn Stephens died Oct. 28, 2004, at the home of her daughter Jane Pease on Vashon Island. She was 90 years old.
Mary died surrounded by the family and friends whom she cherished, knowing that her lifelong devotion to her five children, 17 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and dozens of extended family members who knew her as “Aunt Mary” or simply “Gram” was a blessing.
Born to Thomas and Clara Smith June 15, 1914, in Seattle, she attended Holy Rosary Grade School and graduated from Holy Names Academy in 1932.
In 1936 she married
Edwin J. Stephens, a well-known Seattle butcher and grocer. Since his death in 1964, Mary focused her life fully on her family and her Catholic faith.
Closely bonded to her sister Cecelia “Tommy” Kelly of West Seattle, Mary was a true godmother to all who sat at her table or shared the warmth of her fire and hospitality at the family home on N.E. 80th.
Mary was a long-time member of St. Catherine’s parish.
Rosary and viewing are scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4, at Island Funeral Service.
Mass is scheduled for noon Friday, Nov. 5, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church on Vashon Island. Private burial service will be later.
