Kittitas County WA

Ferguson, Benjamin Franklin – Obituary

Benjamin Franklin Ferguson, 93, a lifetime resident of the Ferguson Road are east of Ellensburg, died Saturday at a local nursing home. He was born July 14, 1886, a son of the late James and Elizabeth Ferguson, who settled in the area in 1872. They came here from Shelton. He attended Dysart Rural School No. 5. He and Nora Wyatt were married March 4, 1912. She preceded him in death Jan. 23, 1968. He retired from active farming in 1977. He had been affiliated with the Baptist Church. He is survived by a son, Bud Ferguson, and two daughters, Gwendolyn … Read more

Biography of David Murray

DAVID MURRAY. – This gentleman is a well-known capitalist. He has retired from active business, and is now reaping the benefits of a life full of even and unceasing hard work. David Murray is a name that every youngster in the Kittitass valley, Washington, is familiar with. It might be well for those very same youths if they had a few of the hardships to go through that Mr. Murray did in his early life. He was born in Maine in 1831, and at the age of twenty left his home to seek his fortunes in the Golden state of … Read more

Robinson, Buena Estella Gage – Obituary

Mrs. Buena E. (Peggy) Robinson, 54, 101 N. Elliot, Ellensburg died Wednesday [May 1, 1974] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born in Ellensburg, Aug. 11, 1919. She attended local schools and in 1937 she and George Robinson were married in Yakima. She is survived by her husband, George, Ellensburg; one son, George Jr., Yakima; one daughter, Mrs. Kathy LePage, Ellensburg; four grandchildren; her father, Robert F. Gage Sr., Ellensburg; six brothers, Clifford, Bob and Seth, all Ellensburg; Harrel, Gresham, Ore., George, Chehalis, and Fred, Tonasket; five sisters, Mrs. Tressa Graham and Mrs. Ethel Kinkade, both Ellensburg; Mrs. Esther … Read more

Hammond, Betty Leah Pease – Obituary

Funeral services were Tuesday in Fremont, Calif., for Betty Leah Hammond, 44, a former Ellensburg resident August 22, 1970. A native of Union, Oregon, she was raised in the Ellensburg area and graduated from Thorp High School. She lived in Fremont for 23 years. Survivors include her husband, Wesley L. Hammond; three children, Kirk, Kathryn, and Mary Ann, all of Fremont; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Pease of Thorp; two brothers, Clifford Pease of Virginia Beach, Va. and Fred Pease of Othello. Remembrances may be made to Children’s Hospital, Oakland, Calif.

Pickup, Cleora Lester – Obituary

Lifelong Ellensburg resident, Cleora L. Pickup, 81, passed away Saturday, August 13, 1994 at Royal Vista Care Center. She was born on November 6, 1912 in St. Maries, Idaho to Edward V. and Ada C. (Rich) Cooke. Cleora was married to Roland H. Pickup on November 5, 1934 in Yakima, WA [May 5, 1932]. He preceded her in death in 1973. After raising their three children, Cleora obtained her drivers license and attended CWSC studying in Home Economics. She was proved a livelihood by her joys in quilting and sewing. She owned and operated her own quilting shop located in … Read more

Weaver, Clyde Carl – Obituary

Clyde Weaver, son of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Weaver, and a well-known young man died at his residence in West Kittitas, six miles west of this city, Friday, January 4th at 9:15 p.m., of heart failure. Mr. Weaver had been more or less indisposed for several days and had returned from a trip to Roslyn where he went on business. He retired rather early and shortly his wife noticed that he was restless and gasping. She arose and lit a lamp but he passed away before she could do anything for him or even give any alarm of his … Read more

Fray, Myrtle Mildred Minielly – Obituary

Myrtle M. Fray, 87, a Colorado Springs hat maker and musician, died Friday November 28, 1986 at a local hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Evergreen Funeral Home Chapel at the intersection of Fountain and Union boulevards. The Rev. Curtis Blair of Grace Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will follow in Ellensburg, Wash. IOOF Cemetery. Mrs. Fray was born Oct. 13, 1899, in Ellensburg, and moved to Colorado Springs in 1965. She was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary and belonged to 8/40 La Boutique Des Huit Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes. She is survived … Read more

Lee, William M. – Obituary

William M. (Billy) Lee, 68, widely-known Ellensburg resident, died at 8:45 p.m. last night [May 23, 1949] at the Morris Sorensen Memorial Hospital. He had been in the hospital for five days, but had been in failing health for some time. He had been a resident of Ellensburg nearly all his life. A native of Walla Walla, he is survived by his wife, Mrs. Geneva Lee, a son, Melvin Lee of Seattle; two half brothers; six half sisters and other relatives in this area. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. [Burial was in the IOOF Cemetery]. William was the son … Read more

Olmstead, Phil – Obituary

Phil Olmstead Valley Pioneer Called–Resident of Valley for 61 Years Passed Wednesday From Heart Attack–Had Distinguished Ancestors Philip S. Olmstead, 73-year-old resident of the Kittitas Valley for nearly 62 years, died suddenly at his farm home Wednesday morning [March 23, 1938] from a heart attack. Death came to him without warning about 9:30, shortly after he had conferred with D. W. Brunson, local auctioneer, about a sale which he was contemplating next week, after which he planned to retire from active farming. Mr. Olmstead was born in Ottawa, Illinois, the 14th day of February in 1865. He came to the … Read more

Rutledge, Mary Palmer – Obituary

Mary M. Palmer Rutledge, 86, widow of the late S. C. Rutledge, died at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. A. W. Welch, 410 Island Home, yesterday afternoon at 12:45 o’clock. Mrs. Rutledge was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, November 23, 1839. She was converted and became a member of the Baptist Church at the age of 13 and lived a consistent life for 72 years. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. G. A. Toomey, Miami, Fla., and Mrs. A. O. Child, Powell’s Station; three sons W. T. Rutledge, Thorp, State of Washington; John M. Rutledge, Knoxville, and S. … 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

Biographical Sketch of John M. Newman

JOHN M. NEWMAN. – The gentleman whom we here introduce to the reader, and a view of whose residence is placed in this history, is a native of Sullivan County, Missouri, and was born August 10,1851. While but a lad of thirteen he came to eastern Oregon, and, after a sojourn of a year upon the sage-brush plains, continued the march to the Willamette valley. Some years were there spent in Marion and Benton counties, the most interesting period of his life there being his marriage to Miss Isabel Forgey, a noble woman who has borne him eight children. In … Read more

Uebelacker, William Martin – Obituary

Rosary services will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Andrews Church and Requiem Mass will be said there at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for Dr. William M. Uebelacker, who died at the age of 68 at the Ellensburg General Hospital yesterday afternoon [May 13, 1959]. He was born here July 4, 1890. He attended the Washington Grade School, and graduated from St. Martin’s College and from the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Neb. He opened his practice here in 1918, and continued until failing health forced his retirement in 1957. He was a member of St. Andrews Church. … Read more

Schnebly, Margaretta Painter – Obituary

After a lingering illness, Mrs. Margaret A. Schnebly died last Saturday afternoon [February 9] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Davidson, at an advanced age. She had been an invalid for years and much of the time was a great sufferer. Mrs. Schnebly was one of the pioneer women of the valley and was widely known and much esteemed. She was a woman of strong personality and left an impression of her characteristics upon the community, with a strong influence for good. Besides her daughter she leaves two sons, P. H. and C. P. Schnebly and a … Read more

Michels, Peter – Obituary

Peter Michels, 63, a resident of Ellensburg since 1882, died at his home, 1108 B Street, early this morning [May 19, 1942] after a lingering illness. Born in St. James, Minn., August 8, 1878, he came to Ellensburg 60 years ago with his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Martin Michels, valley pioneers. He received his education in the public schools here. On October 30, 1902, he was married to Miss Minnie Taylor, of Ellensburg. Besides his wife, he is survived by three brothers; Frank Michels and H. J. Michels, both of Ellensburg, and J. J. Michels, of Duluth, Minn.; … Read more

Dixon, Olive V. O’Rear – Obituary

Mrs. F. M. Dixon dies of Heart Failure, succumbs at North Yakima Wednesday at age of 32, Funeral Tomorrow here. Succumbing to an attack of heart failure, Mrs. Olive Dixon died at North Yakima Wednesday evening January 1, 1917. She was the wife of F. M. Dixon, whose brothers, Elwood and James, are residents of Ellensburg, as is also his father, John Dixon. Elwood Dixon is the mail carrier on R.F.D. No. 2. Both the deceased and her husband had been residents of Ellensburg for several years, he having been born in this city. Mrs. Dixon was Olive O’Rear before … Read more

Flynn, Maggie C. (Hall) – Obituary

Mrs. Maggie C. Flynn, 85, a resident of the West Side and widow of J.C. Flynn, pioneer shoe store operator in Ellensburg, died early this morning in Valley General Hospital. She had lived at the “Flynn Orchards” on Route 1 for more than 40 years. The elderly woman fell two weeks ago Saturday when arising in the morning. She sprained her ankle and was unable to stand. She lay for two days in a cold house before she was found by the rural mail carrier, Willie Rentz. Mrs. Flynn is survived by two daughters, including Mrs. Margaret Griffith of Wapato, … Read more

Morrison, Ica Ladd – Obituary

Mrs. A. D. Morrison of Kittitas, died at her home in that town, Tuesday [June 3, 1913] of tuberculosis after an illness of 5 months. She came to this county three years ago and secured employment in Crockett Company’s store and last September was married to Mr. Morrison. Her maiden name was Ladd. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Rader, Margaret Chance – Obituary

On Sunday Oct. 26th the gentle spirit of Margaret Rader passed to the land where pain is not, neither sorrow nor death, age 73. She was the mother of ten children, seven of whom are still living, two sons in the Methow Valley, one of whom had just been down to see her, one daughter in California. Her husband died about two years ago and from that day on never saw a well day. After his death, she made her home with Mrs. Rose Huss, but when able she visited around a week or two with each of her children … Read more

Biography of C. A. Sander

C.A. SANDER. – This is one of those redoubtable men from Prussia who have helped to make our country great. He was born in 1840. At the age of twenty-five he came to America. He first engaged in milling in Florida. He followed the same business in New York and Kansas. He followed the same business in New York and Kansas. In 1868 he was in Arizona at work in the quartz mines for about fifteen months. He was next prospecting in British Columbia in the Peace river country. He then came down to The Dalles in Oregon, and worked … Read more