Kittitas County WA

McEwen, Cora Belle – Obituary

Auburn—Cora B. McEwen, 95, retired Ellensburg school teacher, died Sunday [June 30, 1990] in Auburn where she had lived for the past four years. She attended Ellensburg Normal School and Central Washington College of Education. She worked for Dr. Pinckard for a number of years before beginning her 30-year teaching career. Following retirement she served as a private tutor in her home. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and was active in youth groups for more than 80 years. Survivors include three great nephews, Clair Schnebly of Kittitas, and Ted Schnebly and David Leickum, both of Renton. … Read more

Filer, Martha Ann Bacus – Obituary

After an illness of several months at her home near Twisp, Washington, Mrs. Martha Filer, died Thursday, August 25 [1913] age 73 years. Mrs. Filer was born January 8, 1840 in Illinois and when a girl moved with her parents to Texas, where in 1869 she was married to Jacob Filer. [Marriage date is incorrect. First child was born about 1862]. To this union twelve children were born, eight of whom are living; her daughters, Mrs. Jones of Twisp, Mrs. Tuverson of Kellogg, Idaho, Mrs. Manning of North Yakima, and Mrs. G. C. Charlton of this valley. Four sons Fred … Read more

Cleman, Nora Belle Sharp – Obituary

One of Kittitas County’s earliest settlers died Monday [January 4] in the passing of Mrs. Jake Cleman, 63, who passed at the Ellensburg hospital from a brain hemorrhage which had confined her since Christmas Day. Mrs. Cleman, whose maiden name was Nora Belle Sharp, came to this valley with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. sharp in 1874 and has resided here continually since that time. She was born in Oregon in 1868 and in 1887 was married. Eleven children, three sisters and two brothers survive her. The children are Clarence of Sacramento, Calif.; Mrs. Lelah Pratsch of Aberdeen; … Read more

Bender, Maria Elizabeth Hayes – Obituary

Mrs. Maria E. Bender, daughter of one of the earliest Kittitas Valley pioneer families, died Saturday morning March 30, 1968, at Bernaths Nursing Home at the age of 82 years. She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James T. Hayes A Valley resident all of her life, she was married to Louis Bender June 22, 1907, at Ellensburg. He preceded her in death in 1946. She was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Moose for 40 years Mrs. Bender is survived by four sons; Bernard, Louis, Russell, and Harrell, all of Ellensburg; one daughter, Mrs. … Read more

Charlton, Maude Betty Filer – Obituary

Mrs. Maude Betty Charlton, Fairview District pioneer died at Bernath Nursing Home Monday, Feb. 24 [1964] at the age of 92 years. She had been a Kittitas Valley resident 80 years. Maude Filer was born March 26, 1871 in Dallas, Tex. and came West to Pendleton, Ore. in a covered wagon at the age of 11 years. Her father died there shortly after arrival and in 1883 the family moved to the Kittitas Valley [Jacob is listed as being buried in the Ellensburg IOOF Cemetery so this account seems to be in error]. She was married here to George C. … Read more

Hayes, Helen Lorine Kinkade – Obituary

Helen Lorine Hayes, 62, Kittitas, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1987, at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born in Ellensburg on Mar. 2, 1925. A daughter of Dallas and Mabel (Olson) Kinkade. Mrs. Hayes was graduated from Ellensburg High School and was employed as a sales clerk at the J. C. Penney Co. for 23 years. She and Woodrow J. Hayes were married in Ellensburg on Feb. 2, 1946. She later worked with her husband in the Hayes Tax Office in Kittitas. Mrs. Hayes was a member of the First Christian Church. Survivors include her husband, Woody, Kittitas; a son, … Read more

Huss, Rose Rader – Obituary

Mrs. Rose Huss, Pioneer, Passes. Widely Known Valley Resident Taken By Death Today. Mrs. Rose Huss, 73, widely known Kittitas Valley pioneer, died at her home here this morning [March 12, 1946]. Mrs. Huss traveled with her parents to this area by covered wagon over the Old Oregon Trail when a girl of seven, in 1879. She was born Rose Rader, a daughter of the late A. J. and Margaret Rader, October 9, 1872, near Hollister, Cal. She was the youngest member and last survivor of the sturdy Iowa family which moved into the Northwest in pioneer days. Their first … Read more

Schnebly, Frederick Dorsey – Obituary

Fred Dorsey Schnebly, little son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Schnebly of the Fairview District, passed away at 4 o’clock this morning of pneumonia, following an illness of 10 days. The lad would have been 10 years old next Monday. He attended the Lower Nanum School. He is survived, besides his parents, by a brother, Henry, and two sisters, Wanita and Loila. Funeral services will be held from the family residence at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Rev. E. Leslie Rolls, pastor of Grace Church will officiate.

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

Schnebly, Marguerite Nelson – Obituary

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday [February 27, 1966] at Evanson’s Chapel for Mrs. Marguerite A. Schnebly, pioneer resident of the Kittitas Valley, who died Friday at Bernath’s Nursing Home Mrs. Schnebly, 80, was born August 8, 1885, in Copenhagen, Denmark and came with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. James P. Nelson. They lived in the Fairview District until 1934, when she and her husband, Frank Schnebly, moved to Ellensburg to make their home at 101 W. Eighth The Schneblys were married September 27, 1905 in Ellensburg and Mr. Schnebly preceded her in death April 12, … Read more

Seaton, Marguerite L. Stampfly – Obituary

Marguerite L. Seaton, 72, of Rt. 5, died Thursday morning [December 13, 1984] at her home. She was born Jan. 18, 1912, in Ellensburg, a daughter of Emil and Marie Stampfly. She attended the rural Fairview School and Ellensburg High School. She and Ralph Seaton were married Feb. 1, 1930 in Yakima. They farmed in the Fairview District until retirement in 1969. Following the death of her husband in 1975, Mrs. Seaton made her home near her daughter and son-in-law on Wilson Creek Road. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church. Survivors include a son, Allen Seaton, of … Read more

Davis, Ina Lorene Dewees – Obituary

Mrs. Ina Lorene Davis died this morning [January 12, 1959] at the Ellensburg General Hospital where she has been a patient for the past month She was born in Enid, Okla. and came here about 55 years ago with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William DeWees and has made her home here since then For many years she was a grade school teacher here, her most recent work having been with the handicapped children as their first instructor at the Lincoln School She was married in June 1916 to Ellis Davis who died here Dec. 16, 1958. She was a … Read more

Morrison, Chester J. – Obituary

Chet Morrison, 73, Rt. 5 Box 270, died Friday evening [December 5, 1980] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. He was born in Ellensburg on August 9, 1907, a son of the late Thomas J. and Lilly (Ferguson) Morrison. He attended school in Kittitas and from 1923 to 1950 he followed the rodeo circuit. He and Bertha Zumbrunnen were married in Yakima on April 8, 1938. Since 1942, they have operated a ranch in the Fairview District on Nanum Road. Morrison helped to start the Kittitas County Calf Ropers Assocation with Bud McNeil. In addition to his wife, he is survived … Read more

McKenzie, Charles Maxfield – Obituary

Former Yakima Valley resident Charles “Max” McKenzie, 84, of Edmonds, died Sunday in Edmonds [August 17, 1986]. Mr. McKenzie was born Dec. 8, 1901, in Omaha, Neb., to Charles and Maude McKenzie. They moved in 1903 to Quincy, where his family homesteaded until the death of his father in 1915. In 1917, they moved to the Kittitas Valley and took up farming. Mr. McKenzie went to work for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1923, retiring in 1967. He was married in 1926 to Ruth Barnhart. They were transferred to Yakima in 1932. While working for the railroad, he maintained a … Read more

Sorensen, Swan – Obituary

Funeral services will be held this afternoon at Honeycutt’s for Swan Sorensen, 73, well-known farmer here for the past 50 years, who passed away Tuesday [January 9, 1937] at his home on Route 2. Rev. R. A. Hansen will conduct the ceremonies. Surviving are his wife, Amelia Marguerite; a son, Andrew of Ellensburg; and two daughters, Amelia and Marguerite of Seattle. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Nealis, Martha Shelton – Obituary

B. M. Shelton of Ellensburg has received word of the death of his sister, Mrs. Martha Nealis, 92, Saturday morning in Seattle [October 25, 1941], at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. T. Gott. Mrs. Nealis and Mr. and Mrs. Gott will be remembered by may friends in Ellensburg, where they lived for 17 years before moving to Seattle in 1923. Funeral services will be held Tuesday in Seattle. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Curtis, James H. – Obituary

James H. Curtis, one of the early pioneers of the valley, who came here in 1873, died suddenly last Saturday at Brewster, Wash., according to work received here. He was born July 1, 1849, in McCoon County, Mich. In 1875 he was married in The Dalles, Ore., to Miss Samantha Wheeler. Four of their six children are living Mrs. Tillie Hayes and Mrs. Etta Vaughn of Ellensburg, and Mrs. May Goldberg and Wesley Curtis of Brewster are surviving children. Mrs. Rose Carver of this city is a sister. There also are 28 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. His widow, Mrs. … 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

Jensen, Jens C. – Obituary

Jens C. Jensen, 68, a widely known Ellensburg resident, was instantly killed when a Northern Pacific passenger train struck his automobile at the grade crossing on South Main street yesterday afternoon. His car was hit at 4:45 P.M. by the second section of N.P. passenger No. 5, running two hours behind the first section, which arrived at 2:45 P.M. Driving north on his way home from the George Kontos place across the Yakima river, Jensen had almost cleared the crossing when the passenger’s engine struck the rear of his 1926 model Overland sedan. The road angles across the tracks and … Read more

Wheeler, Maria Fry – Obituary

Mrs. Maria wheeler, pioneer of the ’70s, is called by death. Was mother of 11 children, and leaves 28 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. Crossed plains in 1850. Funeral to be held tomorrow from baptist church-well known among pioneers. Mrs. Maria (Grandma) Wheeler, aged 84, one of the earliest pioneers of the state, and a resident of Kittitas Valley since 1871, passed away last evening [May 27, 1917] at the home of her son, A. L. Wheeler of Kittitas. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Baptist Church, Rev. Mr. Cline reading the service. Interment … Read more