Kittitas County WA

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

Schnebly, Elizabeth May Barnhart – Obituary

Elizabeth Barnhart Schnebly, 95, of 502 E. Fifth, a life-time resident of the Kittitas Valley, died Saturday [May 21, 1983] at Haven House Nursing Home. She was born Oct. 15, 1887, in the Fairview District, a daughter of the late Frank C. and Matilda (Bailes) Barnhart and a granddaughter of the Rev. Keithley and Sarah (Marshall) Bailes and Thomas Henderson and Mary (Letterman) Barnhart, all pioneer settlers of the Kittitas Valley. Mrs. Schnebly was educated in local schools and attended one of the early classes at the then Ellensburg Normal School. She and Joseph Jay Schnebly were married on Oct. … Read more

Benz, Gladys McEwen – Obituary

Gladys Benz, 81, of 521 N. Date St., Toppenish, died Tuesday in Central Memorial Hospital. She was born Oct. 19, 1901, in Ellensburg to Oscar and Ella McEwen. Mrs. Benz was raised by Lou and Martha Evans and lived in the Toppenish area 72 years. She married Paul Benz in Seattle April 4, 1923, and they recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Benz had been a manager for Wheeler Electric Co. for 30 years. Survivors include her husband, Paul Benz of Toppenish; a daughter, Patricia Ann Aaker of Boulder, Colo; two sons, Paul Benz Jr. of Yakima and Lou … 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

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

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

Gillis, Malcolm M – Obituary

Malcolm M. Gillis, 88, longtime Kittitas resident, died Thursday at the Gold Leaf Nursing Home [died March 6, 1975]. He was born May 28, 1886 in North Dakota. He came to the Ellensburg area in 1915. He and Marjorie Cooke were married in 1917 at Ellensburg. They farmed in the valley until 1936. They built their home in Kittitas and he worked as a carpenter until his retirement in the late 1950’s. He assisted with construction of the Kittitas Community Church, of which he was a member. In addition to his wife Marjorie, he is survived by a son, M. … Read more

Michels, Martin – Obituary

Martin Michels, Sr., aged 80 years and a pioneer citizen of Ellensburg, died yesterday [February 14, 1917] at his home north of the city after an illness of several years. Pending the arrival of a son, J. J. Michels, from the east, funeral arrangements will not be announced until Friday. Mr. Michels was born May 2, 1837, in Germany, and came to the United States in 1855. He was married at Aurora, Ill, September, 1859, to Miss Margaret Lenhartz, and later with his family removed to St. James, Minnesota, in 1871. In 1882 Mr. Michels came to the Kittitas Valley, … Read more

Montgomery, William Thomas – Obituary

Valley Pioneer, Tom Montgomery, Succumbs today. Death follows a three months Illness; funeral to be held her on Thursday. W. T. Montgomery, 74, Kittitas Valley pioneer, passed away at the home of his daughter Mrs. Leta Bates, 200 N. Sprague Street early this afternoon [December 22, 1931]. Mr. Montgomery’s death followed an ailment of three months duration, which confined him to bed. His passing marks the end of another pioneer life vividly reminiscent of long treks over the plains in covered wagons. His entry to the Kittitas Valley was from California in 1861 when he made the trip in a … Read more