Ellensburg Washington

Morrison, Rose Dorothy Davis – Obituary

Rose Morrison, 86, longtime Ellensburg resident, died Wednesday August 28, 1985 at Royal Vista Care Center. She was born in Missoula, Mont., on Aug. 16, 1899, and moved to the Ellensburg area at age 8 with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Quincy A. Davis. She attended local schools and started to work for the Ellensburg Telephone Co. when she was 15. She was a telephone operator during World War I and handled the emergency created by the flu epidemic then. Her telephone-operating career was interrupted by her marriage in 1919 to Abraham B. Morrison. They settled in the Badger Pocket … Read more

McEwen, Catherine Chambers – Obituary

Near Oakland, Mason County, Oct 16, 1876 of heart disease, Mrs. Catherine McEwen, aged 87. Catherine was the daughter of William H. Chambers and Mary Ann Perry. She was married to the Rev. James McEwen. Catherine was the mother of John Hager McEwen. Her son John was a well-known pioneer of Oakland and Ellensburg. Catherine was buried in the Oakland Cemetery. The grave is no longer marked. A memorial headstone has been placed in the Shelton Memorial Cemetery.

McEwen, Sarah Agnes Banister – Obituary

Following a long illness, Mrs. Sarah Agnes McEwen, age 91, died early Saturday morning, Jan. 27, 1962, in the Ellensburg General Hospital. Mrs. McEwen was born March 28, 1870 in Clark County near Vancouver, Wash., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel N. Banister [mother was Martha Dixon]. When she was a small child, the Banister family first came to the Kittitas Valley. They spent one winter here, then moved to Walla Walla because of the Indiana scare. In the fall of 1884 they returned here to make a permanent home. Sarah Banister was married Jan. 3, 1884 to James … Read more

Ferguson, James – Obituary

James Harvey Ferguson, 93, member of a pioneer Kittitas Valley family, died Saturday, October 18, 1969 in a Seattle nursing home. He was the son of James Ferguson and Elizabeth McEwen Ferguson, and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John McEwen. The Ferguson and McEwen families came to the Kittitas Valley in 1871 over the Snoqualmie Pass from the Puget Sound Country. The McEwens bought land in what is now known as the Denmark District. The Fergusons settled on a homestead close by Naneum Creek, where they built a log cabin. In this log cabin, James Harvey Ferguson was born … Read more

Seaton, Ruth Z. Wallace – Obituary

Mrs. James Seaton, Sr., 54, a widely known Kittitas Valley resident, died at 10 o’clock Monday morning [June 2, 1952] at the Ellensburg General Hospital after a long illness. She had been hospitalized for the past six weeks. Mrs. Seaton was born Sept. 24, 1897, in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. She came to the Kittitas Valley in 1902 and had lived here since. She was married to James Seaton July 5, 1924 [Tacoma, WA]. They had lived in Fairview District since their marriage. Mrs. Seaton was a member of Miriam Rebekah Lodge, Chapter 105 of the Order of Eastern Star the … Read more

Taylor, Frank – Obituary

Frank Taylor, Sr., 60, Ellensburg native son and widely-known former Kittitas County peace officer, died suddenly of a heart attack at his home in Santa Ana, Cal., this morning [October 12, 1943]. The son of the late William and Mary Taylor, valley pioneers, he was born in Ellensburg July 4, 1883. He grew up here and graduated from Ellensburg High School. For 18 years he was a deputy in the Kittitas County sheriff’s office and for several years he was a guard officer at the Walla Walla penitentiary. He and the family moved to Santa Ana in 1937. He was … Read more

Barnhart, Evelyn Mildred Riegel – Obituary

Mrs. Evelyn Mildred Barnhart, 46, died last night at the Ellensburg General Hospital following a lingering illness. A resident of Ellensburg since 1918, Mrs. Barnhart is survived by her husband, Albert Barnhart; a daughter, Virginia, and a son, Darrell, and eight brothers and sisters Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the Honeycutt Chapel. Rev. W. H. Thompson will be in charge. Burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery Evelyn was the daughter of John F. Riegel and Martha Lange. She was born in 1895 in IA. Evelyn died May 5, 1942 Contributed by: Sheli Steedman

Hodgson, Lola Evelyn Harris – Obituary

Lola Hodgson, 64, died in Seattle Hospital, Saturday August 26, 1972. Born June 29, 1908 in Ellensburg, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Giles P. Harris; she married Art Pedersen in 1927. They farmed in Badger Pocket for 30 years prior to his death in 1960. She married George Hodgson in 1961. She has been employed as secretary at the CWSC physical plant for 14 years prior to retirement last year. They made their home at Millpond Manor; member of Presbyterian Church and Moose Auxiliary. Survived by her husband, two daughters Katherine Pedersen and Mrs. Karoline Torrey, both … Read more

McEwen, Vicky – Obituary

Selah—Vicky McEwen, 42, of Selah, passed away Tuesday, July 30, 1996 at her residence. She was born June 26, 1954 in Toppenish to Ralph and Barbara (Jordin) McEwen. She was raised and educated in Toppenish and had been a long-time Yakima Valley resident. Vicky enjoyed raising houseplants, flowers, and gardening. She was a people person which showed in her profession as a Certified Nurse’s Aide. Vicky very much cared for animals and the pets she adopted as her own. She is survived by her mother, Barbara Miller of Yakima; her father and stepmother, Ralph and Mary McEwen of Toppenish; a … Read more

Barnhart, Matilda Bailes – Obituary

Death Comes To Valley Resident Matilda Barnhart Succumbs Sunday Mrs. Matilda L. Barnhart, 87, pioneer Fairview District resident, died yesterday at the Ellensburg General Hospital, where she had been confined since March 1 with a broken hip died June 19, 1950. A resident of the Kittitas Valley for 73 years, Mrs. Barnhart was born in Salem, Ore., on August 26, 1862. She came to this area with her family in 1877. She was the widow of F. C. Barnhart, who died December 23, 1932 Mrs. Barnhart was a daughter of Keithley Bailes, one of the pioneer ministers of the Kittitas … Read more

Cooke, George B. – Obituary

The list of early day pioneers in this valley was thinned still more by the death Sunday evening of George B. Cooke, one of the most widely known of early valley settlers [died June 6, 1926]. He had been suffering for the past three or four years from heart trouble and since last fall his life has been a question of time. Doctors had repeatedly given up hopes for his life from week to week but the same indomitable spirit that helped him wrest prosperity from the raw lands of this valley seemed to prolong his life and he fought … Read more

Hall, Margaret Olding – Obituary

Mrs. A. M. Hall Dies On Sunday. Was Born In Valley, Parents Being Pioneer Olding Family. Mrs. Margaret V. Hall, wife of a. M. Hall of the Fairview District and daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John G. Olding, pioneer residents of the valley, died here Sunday morning December 19, 1932 at 10 o’clock. She was born in this valley August 16, 1882. Her father and mother came here in 1871 and settled on the homestead, six miles north of Ellensburg where Mrs. Hall was born and died. Her parents came here by ox team, driving from Walla Walla. … Read more

Bailes, Helen Curtis – Obituary

Helen Bailes, 90, former Ellensburg area resident, died Monday evening at her home in Seattle. She was born December 17, 1889 in Oregon. She married Amos Bailes in Oregon [married in Yakima Co., WA]. They settled in the Fairview District where they homesteaded until his death in 1932. Mrs. Bailes moved to Seattle in 1943. She is survived by two sons, Glenn Bailes, of Selah, and Lauren Bailes, of Seattle; three daughters, Dorothy Huff and Lydia Bailes, both of Seattle, and Bonnie Nora Dimm, of Federal Way; 15 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren. A third son, … Read more

Cooke, Irma Lucile Wilson – Obituary

Irma L. Cooke, 90, of Kittitas, died Sunday, Dec. 23, 1990, at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital in Ellensburg. She was born Aug. 26, 1900, in Wausau, Wis., the only child of Vernon E. and Caroline (Finup) Wilson. She earned her teaching degree at the University of Wisconsin at Grand Rapids and, following her graduation, she was a high school teacher teaching English, Spanish and piano. She came to the Ellensburg area in 1932. She was a member of the Kittitas Community Church, where she was organist and pianist. She and Norman L. Cooke were married in Ellensburg on March 29, … Read more

Schnebly, Philip Henry – Obituary

The Kittitas Valley lost another of its well known pioneers Sunday [October 17, 1926] when Philip Henry Schnebly passed away after an illness that extended over a period of more than three years. Death came at 7 o’clock Sunday, morning but was not unexpected, as Mr. Schnebly had suffered an acute sinking spell Friday. Coming here from Oregon, his birthplace, in 1872, Mr. Schnebly became one of the most important growers of beef cattle in the state, both stock and acreage mounting into the thousands. For a number of years, however, his livestock interests have been handled by his six … Read more

Wyatt, Lester Jay – Obituary

Lester Jay Wyatt, 27, teacher and head basketball coach for Hanford High School, died Tuesday at his home in Richland. He was born in Ellensburg on Dec. 31, 1954, the only son of Marvin and Kathryn Wyatt of Ellensburg. He graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1973 and from Central Washington University in 1973 with a degree in education. Mr. Wyatt taught and coached for one year at Tonasket High School. Since 1979 he had been a teacher and coach at Hanford High. Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Wyatt of Ellensburg; a sister, Mrs. John (Jane) Floyd … Read more

Cooke, Glen W. – Obituary

Glen W. Cooke, 66, a lifetime resident of Ellensburg, died Friday, September 11, 1992 at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Yakima, after a long illness. Mr. Cooke was the youngest child of Guy and Catherine (Shotwell) Cooke. He lived most of his life within a few miles of his birthplace, on Naneum Road. As a boy he was active in 4-H and FFA. He attended grade and middle school in Kittitas and graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1944. After graduation he served as a aviation cadet in the U. S. Air Force. He then returned home to ranch with … Read more

Thomson, Colin P. – Obituary

Death Comes To Colin P. Thomson Colin Petrie Thomson, 58, logger, died at the Ellensburg General hospital last night after an illness of several months [May 4, 1944]. He lived at the Webster hotel. He was born at Ottawa, Canada, May 11, 1885. He is survived by two brothers, James H. of Renton and George of Edmonton, Canada, and a sister, Mrs. Maggie Klock of Ottawa. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the Honeycutt chapel. Burial will be in the I.O.O.F. cemetery. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Harris, Susan Margaret Bearden – Obituary

The funeral of Mrs. Susan M. Harris, who died from paralysis Saturday night, took place yesterday afternoon from the Rose & Inman undertaking parlors, the Rev. W. L. Straub of the Christian Church officiating. Interment followed in the Odd Fellows’ Cemetery. The deceased, who was 72 years old at the time of her death, is survived by eleven children, as follows: G. P. Harris, Charles Harris, Tom Harris, Bob Harris, Mrs. Perry, and Mrs. [Lula] Shuey of Ellensburg; Mrs. Clem See of Nevada; Jim Harris, John Harris and Paul Harris, Hubert Harris of Toppenish. The husband of the late Mrs. … Read more

Sorensen, Andrew – Obituary

Andy Sorenson, 88, of Ellensburg, died Monday, April 20, 1992 at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital in Ellensburg . He was born in Ellensburg, Washington December 10, 1903, a son of Swan and Marguerite (Jensen) Sorensen. Mr. Sorensen graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1921 and the University of Washington in 1925. He has owned and operated his farm since 1925. He and Evelyn Colwell were married in Ellensburg on October 24, 1936. Mr. Sorensen was soil conservation Farmer of the Year in 1964, on the board of directors of the Ellensburg Water Company, president of the Kittitas County Dairymens Association … Read more