Kittitas County WA

Thomas, James H. – Obituary

James (Tiny) H. Thomas, 5, Rt. 3 Box 88, Ellensburg, died Wednesday at his home following an extended illness [February 2, 1977]. He was born in Ellensburg Feb. 1, 1902, a son of the late W. R. and Bessie Cleveland Thomas. During most of his adult life, he farmed on the home ranch in the Nanum and Wilson Creek area. As a young man, he performed in rodeos in Canada, New York, Chicago and the Northwest and later worked for the McWhorter and Coffin Brothers sheep operation. He shod horses for many years for farmers, ranchers and individuals in the … Read more

McGranahan, Anna Friel – Obituary

Mrs. T. McGranahan, a resident of Ellensburg for 26 years, died here on Wednesday [March 2, 1927] of pneumonia, which developed following a relapse suffered by the deceased after a short illness with influenza. Coming here in 1901 from St. Anthony, Idaho, Mrs. McGranahan has been numbered among the pioneers of the valley. Besides her husband, and her son, C. C. McGranahan, assistant cashier of the Farmers Bank, she is survived by three brothers and two sisters in the East. Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock. Friday from the family home, 109 W. Ninth Street, with the Rev. … Read more

Grunden, John William – Obituary

John W. Grunden, 94, an Ellensburg native, died Saturday June 26, 1982 at the Goldleaf Nursing Home where he had lived for the past 10 years. He was born on Oct. 12, 1887 in rural Ellensburg, a son of the late Elof and Selma (Jacobsen) Grunden. He served in the army during World War I. Mr. Grunden had worked in the hay baling business as a pressman and foreman of the bailer crew. With the exception of 10 years in Toppenish, he had spent his entire life in the Kittitas Valley. Survivors include a brother, Glenn Grunden of Ellensburg; and … Read more

Whitson, Nellie Cooke – Obituary

Mrs. Nellie R. Whitson, 78, who first came to Yakima as a child in 1865 and was a member of one of the first white families to settle in the valley, died in St. Elizabeth’s hospital last night [January 2, 1939]. She was taken to the hospital Saturday for treatment for injuries received in a fall in her home. She lived with a daughter, Mrs. George W. Clark, wife of the city commissioner, at 602 South Eighteenth Avenue. Born in Polk County, Oregon, Mrs. Whitson came to the valley with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Cooke and settled … Read more

Stuth, Nellie M. Grunden – Obituary

Nell M. Stuth, 82, of Olympia died Saturday, Jan. 5, 1985, in an Olympia convalescent center. She was born July 1, 1902 in Ellensburg and lived in Seattle and Yakima before moving to Olympia in the 1930s. She was married in 1940 to Albert E. “Stubb” Stuth in Olympia. He preceded her in death. Mrs. Stuth worked for Miller’s Department Store and was a member of First Christian Church. Survivors include two sisters, Anna Nichols, Port Orchard and Lottie Dale, Portland, Ore. The graveside funeral service for Mrs. Stuth was today, Jan. 8, in Masonic Memorial Park. Arrangements are by … Read more

Cooke, Ella Harrel – Obituary

Ella Cooke, 96, died Saturday, April 19, 1997 at the Masonic Retirement Center in Des Moines, Wash., where she has been a resident for 9 years. She was born Jan. 1, 1901 in Hawkins County, Tenn. She came to the Ellensburg Valley with her parents, Edward and Julia Harrel, as a small child. She and her husband, Budd Cooke who preceded her in death, lived in the Colockum Pass area north of Ellensburg for over 40 years. She loved to do crafts and handiwork. Before her move to the coast, she belonged to Jolly Neighbors and to the Country Mothers … Read more

Biography of Hon. Charles P. Cooke

HON. CHARLES P. COOKE – The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Erie county, Ohio, in 1824. His early life was spent in his native place. In 1846 he went as a volunteer to the Mexican war, and served as second lieutenant in the first regiment of Ohio Volunteers. He was in the army a full year, and participated in the engagements at Monterey, Buena Vista and other bloody battles of that war. He then returned home, but in the spring of 1849 left for the Pacific coast, crossing the plains with ox-teams … 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

Cooke, Lloyd R. – Obituary

Lloyd R. Cooke, 63, of 517 N. J. St., died Thursday [June 20, 1963] while visiting in Fresno, California. Born in Ellensburg, he had lived in Tacoma 30 years. He was a retired smelter worker and a member of the Loyal Order of Moose and the Ancient Order of United Workman. He is survived by his wife, Betty; a son, Kenneth of Tacoma; a daughter, Mrs. Barbara Keller of Torrance, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. Charles Bull of Calgary, Alta.; and three grandchildren. Services are announced today by the Cassady and Allen Mortuary. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Sisk, Clarence Charles – Obituary

Clarence Charles “Irish” Sisk, 69, was killed in an automobile accident near Mesa, Arizona on Wednesday February 6, 1974. He was born Nov. 8, 1904 in Yakima County and had spent most of his adult life in the Ellensburg area. He was married to Gladys Morrison, Sept. 16, 1929 in Wenatchee. He was employed by F. A. Kern as a ranch foreman and truck driver from 1933 to 1943. Later, he operated a ranch on the Kittitas Highway and more recently ranched north of Kittitas on No. 81 Road. He had been spending the winter at Apache Junction, Arizona. Sisk … Read more

Carver, George Washington – Obituary

George W. Carver Civil War Veteran Died Monday Night George W. Carver, died Monday night at the family residence, 209 South Pearl, from cancer of the bladder. Mr. Carver was born in Licking County, Ohio, June 15, 1840. He served three years in Company E. of the 94th Illinois during the Civil War and remove d to the Kittitas Valley in 1876. He had lived here since that time on the old homestead three and a half miles southeast of town until recently, when he moved to the present family residence. He is survived by his widow and six children, … Read more

Fulton, Arabella Clemens – Obituary

Arabella Fulton, Valley Pioneer, Succumbs Today. Mrs. Arabella Clemens Fulton passed away July 30 1934 at 3:45 a.m. at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Will German. She was born in Boone County, Missouri, on January 23, 1844. She crossed the plains in the spring of 1864 by wagon trains to Boise, Idaho. On November 24, 1864, she married Francis M. Fulton. Four children were born in Idaho; J. L., John Hugh, Della, and Isabelle. In 1872 Mr. and Mrs. Fulton moved by wagon train to Decatur, Wise County, Texas. In Texas the following four children … 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

Huss, Dorcas Jane Graham – Obituary

The death of Mrs. Harvey Huss, aged 77 years, occurred Wednesday morning at the home of her son, F. Huss, caused by bronchial pneumonia. Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed. Dorcas was the daughter of William Graham and Catharine Pruitt. She married Elisha Harvey Huss in Missouri on April 3, 1863. Dorcas died February 11, 1925. She was buried in the IOOF Cemetery. Contributed by Shelly Steedman.

Wippel, Leo F. – Obituary

Leo F. Wippel, 43-year-old native of Ellensburg, died Tuesday [January 18] at his home in Woldale District, apparently the victim of a heart attack. He was the second member of the same family to be taken by death this month. His father, Simon Wippel, died on January 10. Wippel was found dead in his home by his sisters who had been attending the funeral of Thomas Keeley in the Catholic church that morning. Wippel was born September 9, 1904 in Ellensburg. He was a member of the Catholic Church. He is survived by his sisters, Miss Louise Wippel and Mrs. … Read more

Prater, Felix – Obituary

An illness of three weeks with heart disease brought death early this morning [August 5, 1937] to Felix G. Prater, 58-year-old, well-known farmer, at his home on the West Side. Mr. Prater was born on October 23, 1878, on the West Side, on a farm near that on which he lived for most of his adult life and resided there and in Ellensburg throughout his life. For a short time he operated an automobile agency in Ellensburg. He was married to Miss Alice Harrell on August 10, 1904. He is survived by his widow; a son, Dorsey Prater of Ellensburg; … Read more

Bender, Louis – Obituary

Louis Bender is taken by death widely-known valley resident succumbs here this morning Louis Bender, 65, a widely known Ellensburg and Kittitas Valley resident for nearly half a century, died at his home this morning [March 22, 1946]. He had been in ill health for several months and had undergone two operations at Swedish Hospital in Seattle Born in Onondaga, Mich., in 1880, he came to Ellensburg in 1899. He was employed at the Clarence Palmer livery stable for seven years. Identified with livestock and farming virtually all his life, he left the Palmer Livery to take a contract hauling … Read more

Hayes, Matilda Curtis – Obituary

Matilda (Tillie) Hayes, 92, died at a local nursing home Friday. She was the daughter of valley pioneers Mr. and Mrs. James Curtis. Born November 16, 1879, at the site where Kittitas now stands, she married James J. Hayes, January 29, 1899, and she lived in the Denmark-Badger Pocket area until five years ago when she moved to Ellensburg to live with her daughter, Mrs. Velma Casey, 105 S. Ruby. She is survived by a son, James A. Hayes, Ellensburg, two daughters, Mrs. Hazel Indermuhle and Mrs. Casey, both of Ellensburg, seven grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren, ten great-great grandchildren, and … Read more

Rutledge, Nellie Bessie Ferguson – Obituary

Mrs. Nellie Bessie Rutledge, 26, wife of Edgar Rutledge, died early this morning [January 25, 1928] at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Ferguson, at 210 South Main Street. Funeral announcements will be made later. Mrs. Rutledge leaves besides her husband and parents, two sons, Marvin and Glenn; a brother, Lester Ferguson, well-known baseball player, and a sister, Mrs. Bertha Wright. She was born in Ellensburg, February 24, 1901, and was a member of the Baptist Church. Nellie died from injuries incurred in a horse and buggy accident. She was buried in the IOOF Cemetery. Contributed … 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