Kittitas County WA

Fortney, Jefferson S. – Obituary

Jefferson S. Fortney, 85, former valley resident, died Sunday [December 17] at Yucaipa, Calif. He was born Aug. 29, 1893, east of Kittitas in an area known as Warm Springs. He is the son of the late Levi and Julia Hayes Fortney. He married Alice Anderson in Ellensburg in 1913. He was employed by the Milwaukee Railroad in 1915 and worked as a section foreman and superintendent of the Extra Gang. He moved to Tacoma in 1930 and retired in 1958. He was preceded in death by his wife, July 23, 1962 in Tacoma. He moved to California in 1968. … Read more

Morefield, Anna Marie Morrison – Obituary

After a year of suffering caused by tuberculosis, Mrs. Anna Marie Morefield, 29 years old, passed away this morning [December 2, 1920] at the home of her mother, Mrs. Catharine Morrison, in the Sunnyside Addition. Mrs. Morefield was born March 2, 1891, seven miles east of Ellensburg, and has made her home in the Kittitas valley all of her life. In 1910 she was married to W. R. [William Reecer] Morefield of Ellensburg who survives her. Mrs. Morefield is also survived by two sons, Lynn Harold Davidson, aged nine, and Leverne Morefield, aged one; her mother, Mrs. Catharine Morrison, and … Read more

Banister, Sam L. – Obituary

Sam L. Banister, 55, former Ellensburg resident who had resided for several years in Kirkland, died Thursday in Maynard Hospital, Seattle, following a lingering illness. Born in Tieton Aug. 28, 1913, Banister resided in Ellensburg until 1943 when he went to work for Boeing Aircraft Company. He is survived by his wife, Helen at the family home in Kirkland; two sons, Paul and Perry Banister, both in the U.S. navy; a brother, George Banister, Seattle; an aunt, Mrs. Belle Lewis, Yakima; and four cousins, Bertha Longerbeam, son, Cora McEwen and Mrs. Pat Jordin, all of Ellensburg. Funeral arrangements are pending. … Read more

Wright, Alfred – Obituary

Alfred W. Wright, 70, died Wednesday at Seattle [died May 24, 1972]. He was born in Ellensburg, June 15, 1901, and worked for many years for Cabin Creek Lumber Co., which was owned by his father. He was married to Bertha Ferguson December 18, 1922, at Ellensburg. For the past 30 years they have lived in Seattle, where he continued to work as a millwright until retirement. He was a member of Shipwrights Local N. 1184 of Seattle. In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Alfred Wright, III, of Seattle; four grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Doris … Read more

Parker, Orilla Fogarty – Obituary

Mrs. Orilla Fogarty Parker, 49, a native of Ellensburg, died at her home at 608 North Ruby Street last night [November 23, 1948] following an illness of two months. She had been in failing health for several years. Mrs. Parker, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. Fogarty, Kittitas Valley pioneers, was born here in 1899. She married her husband, Fred C. Parker, on January 23, 1926. For the past 11 years, Mrs. Parker had been employed at the Washington National Bank. Her last position with the bank was chief of the safety deposit vault department. Mrs. Parker … Read more

Phelps, Mary Smith – Obituary

Mrs. Mary Phelps, a resident of Ellensburg from 1884 to 1945, died recently [January 16, 1951] in Everett, where she has lived for the past five years. She was born in Pike County, Missouri, in 1867. Surviving are three sons, Gilbert of Everett, Tracy of Chelan, and Odie Phelps of Seattle; a sister, Mrs. Ella Wilson of Everett, and a brother, Sherman Smith, of Ellensburg. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at the Honeycutt-Evenson Chapel, with Rev. Dan Rueb officiating. Interment will follow at the IOOF cemetery here. 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

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

Page, Alfred Otto – Obituary

Funeral services will be held in the Evenson Chapel at 2 p.m. Saturday for Alfred O. Page, 73, a longtime Park District farmer who died Wednesday [April 15, 1964] at the Ellensburg General Hospital. The Rev. C. M. Strong will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery. Mr. Page was born in Seattle and married Mary Wooding. Survivors include his wife, three sons, Edwin, Ellensburg, Myron, White Salmon, and Robert, Annette, Alaska; a daughter, Mrs. Viola Christian, Ellensburg, 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Ira, Davenport, and Raymond, Spokane. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Peffers, Henry Elmer – Obituary

Elmer Peffers, 47, died here this morning [June 14, 1935] after a short illness. Born here and for most of his life a resident of the valley. Mr. Peffers is survived by two sisters, Emma Waters and Mary McEwen; and four brothers, John, Leavenworth; William and Burton, Ellensburg; and Albert, Sunnyside. Funeral arrangements have not been made. [Interment in IOOF Cemetery] Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Sorenson, Nielsine ‘Sine’ Pedersen – Obituary

Mrs. Soren Sorenson, 77, a Kittitas Valley pioneer, died Tuesday [September 3, 1940] at the Ellensburg General Hospital following a two week’s illness. Born Nielsine Pedersen in Holme, Denmark, Sept. 10, 1862, she came to America at the age of 27, living in the state of Ohio for a short time before coming to the Kittitas Valley in 1889 with her brother, Peder Pedersen. On Oct. 29, 1890, she was married to Soren Sorenson, a prominent valley farmer. The first year of their marriage, they lived on the John Denton place in the Broadview District. Then they moved to their … Read more

Noble, Louis – Obituary

Louis Noble, 78, retired mail carrier of the Kittitas Valley, passed away early Wednesday morning [August 27, 1930] following a long illness. He was born June 5, 1852 in Cleveland, Ohio, and was marred to Miss Addie M. Huntley on December 5, 1880. The couple came to this valley in 1908. Mr. Noble was a rural mail carrier–seven years of which were on route one–for over ten years after which he retired to his small valley farm. His death is deeply grieved by the many farmers and friends to whom he delivered mail daily for a number of years. He … Read more

Schnebly, Joseph Carroll – Obituary

Joseph Carroll Schnebly, 67, of Ellensburg, died Sunday [February 10, 1985] at his home following a brief illness. He was born May 6, 1917, in Ellensburg, the son of the late Joseph Jay and Elizabeth (Barnhart) Schnebly He was graduated from Ellensburg High School and Washington State University, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He operated a ranch in the Fairview District until his retirement in 1972 Mr. Schnebly was a past president of the Kittitas County Farm Bureau, and was a member of the Kittitas County Cattlemen’s Association and the county board of tax … Read more

Cooke, Chester Allen – Obituary

Chester Allen Cooke, 60, widely known Ellensburg resident and a Kittitas Valley native, died this morning [January 31, 1950] at the Valley General Hospital. He had been in the hospital four days. A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George B. Cooke, who conducted large early-day cattle operations in the valley, Cooke was born here and had lived most of his life in the valley. He farmed on the old Cooke place in the Edgemont-Thrall District until 1938, when he moved to a ranch near Cashmere. In June of 1941, a few months before Pearl Harbor, he went to … Read more

Dewees, Rebecca Ellen Freels – Obituary

Death came to Mrs. Rebecca Ellen DeWees, 71, at her home at 210 South Sampson Street this morning [February 14, 1940] after a two weeks’ illness. Her death follows that of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. George DeWees by just one week Mrs. DeWees was born in Havensville, Kentucky, March 17, 1858, and came to the Kittitas Valley in 1902. She has lived in her present home for 17 years. She was a member of the Miriam Rebekah Lodge here Mrs. DeWees is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Robert Kirk of Coldwater, Kansas, Mrs. Emma Sherman of Wichita, Mrs. Ina Davis and … Read more

Springer, Laura Harrell – Obituary

Mrs. Laura M. Springer, 68, died at the Ellensburg General Hospital Sunday [May 7, 1961]of a heart attack. Laura Harrell was born Nov. 2, 1892 in Hawkins County, Tenn. and came here with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Harrell in 1909. She was married to Frank Springer in Ellensburg shortly after. They farmed on the West Side until 1936 and for the past 25 years. Mrs. Springer has lived at 301 South Sprague Street. Mr. Springer preceded her in death in February 1948. She was a member of the First Christian Church and the Women’s Welcome … Read more

Montgomery, George – Obituary

George Montgomery, valley pioneer, passed away yesterday [April 29, 1934] at his home, 712 East 8th Street following a short illness. He was born in Jackson County, Oregon, Sept. 29, 1860, and came to the Kittitas Valley at the age of 21 from Salina, Calif. He was married to Deliah Davis, Feb. 14, 1890. Mr. Montgomery worked as early pioneers did and driving freight in from The Dalles, Oregon, and suffered many hardships. He has been gardener at the Normal School for 14 years where he was affectionately known as “dad.” He leaves a widow and two sons, Carl of … Read more

Curtis, Rosetta Carver – Obituary

Mrs. G. Carver, Valley Pioneer, Expires Today Resident Here Since 1876; Passes At Age Of 77 After Long Illness Mrs. George W. Carver passed away at her home at 9 o’clock this morning [November 14, 1930] following a long illness and after being bedfast for more than three months, at the age of 77 years. Mrs. Carver was one of the earliest pioneers of the Kittitas valley, coming here in 1876. Rosetta Curtis was born in Macomb County, Michigan, January 3, 1853. She was married to George W. Carver at Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska, on March 6, 1869. Homestead on Nanum. … Read more

Dawes Laurin T. – Obituary

Laurin T. Dawes, 70, died at his Fairview District ranch on Sunday [December 5, 1976]. He was born February 21, 1906 at Silverton, Ore. He came to Ellensburg from Portland in 1930. He was married to Edna Cooke in 1933 and was a carpenter for many years prior to moving to his ranch in 1945. He is survived by his wife Edna and one brother, Walter Dawes of Portland, Ore. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Evenson Chapel. The Rev. Don Meekhof will officiate. Entombment will follow at the IOOF Mausoleum. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

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.