Kittitas Washington

Schnebly, Frederick Cooke – Obituary

Fred C. Schnebly, 74, who was born in the Kittitas Valley of a pioneer family, was a director, board president and outstanding leader in the creation and operation of the Kittitas Reclamation District, and for more than 50 years was one of the best known cattlemen of the Pacific Northwest, died at the Valley General Hosptial Tuesday evening [April 12, 1955]. Death followed an illness from a kidney infection started last September. His father and all his brothers were likewise leaders in the cattle industry of the Northwest, as his son is today. His father was the late P. H. … Read more

Ferguson, John M. – Obituary

John M. Ferguson Pioneer Is Dead Well Known Local Farmer Was Born In This State 56 Years Ago Death claimed another Kittitas county farmer, when John M. Ferguson, one of the pioneer farmers of the valley passed away last Friday [April 22, 1927] at the age of 56. Besides his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson, Mr. Ferguson who was unmarried is survived by five sisters, Mrs. W. T. Montgomery; Mrs. G. P. Harris, Mrs. George Minielly, Mrs. T. J. Morrison, Mrs. O. N. Phelps; and three brothers, Jim, George, and Ben Ferguson, all living in the valley besides a large number … Read more

Carver, Rosetta Curtis – Obituary

Mrs. G. Carver, Valley Pioneer, Expires Today. Resident here since 1876; passes at age of 77 after a 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. Mrs. Carver … Read more

Casey, Velma Leona Hayes – Obituary

Velma L. (Toots) Casey, 69, 105 S. Ruby, died Friday [November 24, 1978] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born September 15, 1909 at Ellensburg, a daughter of the late James J. and Matilda Hayes. She first married Ed Holmes in 1926 at Wenatchee and later married Daniel Casey at Ellensburg in 1947. Both husbands preceded her in death. After her marriage to Casey, they lived on Camano Island for 15 years. They returned to Ellensburg to operate the Edison Hotel from 1952 to 1960. She was a member of the Thorp Grange. She is survived by two sons, … Read more

Rutledge, William Thomas – Obituary

William Thomas Rutledge, 79, died yesterday [died December 13, 1938] at the family residence on North B Street here. He was born in Knoxville, Tenn., September 10, 1859, and was married September 9, 1886, to Mary Harrell, who survives him. He is also survived by two daughters, Mrs. L. E. Wyatt, Kittitas and Mrs. Earl Elmer of Ellensburg; four sons, Ernest and Oscar Rutledge of Ellensburg; Earl Rutledge of Prindle, Wash., and Edgar Rutledge of California; a brother, Rev. S. W. Rutledge of Knoxville, and a sister, Mrs. Bert Childs, of Knoxville. Funeral services will be held at the Honeycutt … Read more

O’Brien, George – Obituary

George O’Brien, 72, a pioneer Washington state resident and a resident of this city and area for the past 40 years, died this morning at the Valley General hospital [January 30, 1951]. He was a farmer and farm worker. A native of Wisconsin, he came to this state in 1892. He had been a widower for the past 20 years. He and his wife, the former Susie Wheeler, were married here in 1904. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. L. W. Mosebar, and a granddaughter, Darlene Mosebar, both of Ellensburg, and three brothers, Ed, Homerdale, Wisconsin; Dave, Grand Forks, … Read more

Grindrod, Mildred Miller – Obituary

Mildred M. Grindrod, 61, Kittitas, died Tuesday [December 3] morning at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born in Ainsworth, Neb., on Sept. 3, 1924. She and Owen Grindrod were married in Sumner on April 4, 1942. They came to the Kittitas Valley from Puyallup in 1944 and farmed in the Badger Pocket area. They moved to Kittitas in 1959 and operated the O&M Café for a number of years. Mrs. Grindrod had been employed as a cook at Husky House for the past five years. She was a member of the Kittitas Community Church and the Kittitas Booster Club, … Read more

Churchill, Julia (Nettie) Lester – Obituary

Mrs. Nettie Churchill [w/o Alfred Churchill], mother of Mrs. Chester Cook, died Sunday night [February 16, 1914] at the home of her daughter in the Southeast part of the valley. Mrs. Churchill was 53 years old and had been sick for some time. The funeral was held from the Methodist Church, Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Nathan, pastor of the church conducted the services. Burial was in the IOOF Cemetery. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Cooke, E. Ward – Obituary

E. Ward Cooke Dies. E. Ward Cooke, of 406 South Sprague Street, died last night, of heart failure. He was 59 years old. The body is now at Steltz’s undertaking parlors, and funeral arrangements are in charge of the Odd Fellows lodge. Edward was born April 1, 1858 in Oregon. He was married to Virinda Wheeler in 1878. He was known as Ward. Virinda and he had 12 children. Ward died December 23, 1917. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Gore, Wilfred A. – Obituary

Wilfred A. Gore Dies After Brief Illness Wilfred A. Gore, of 320 ½ North Main Street, died at his home early this morning after a ten days’ illness with appendicitis, which later developed into peritonitis. Mr. Gore who was born in Harrisburg, Ore., in 1874, came to Washington with his father in September, 1889. On Christmas day, 1898, he was married to Ella McEwen Lee. Beside his wife he leaves a daughter, Mrs. Hazel Waldusky, of Ellensburg. His father and stepmother, Mr. And Mrs. H. A. Gore, live in Los Angeles, Cal., Mr. Gore having come north during the illness … 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

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

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

Morrison, Harry – Obituary

Funeral services for Harry Jim Morrison, 47, Kittitas Valley native, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Evenson Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Walter Tussinger will officiate. Interment will be in the IOOF Cemetery. Morrison died Tuesday [June 13] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. He was born Jan. 8, 1920 in Kittitas and spent most of his life in the Kittitas Valley with the exception of the years he served with the US Navy in World War II. He was married to Erma House on May 2, 1952. The family home is at 301 East 13th. Ellensburg Daily, … Read more

Hayes, Robert Lewis – Obituary

The body of Robert Lewis Hayes, 36, who was electrocuted north of Spokane Monday morning [November 30, 1964], will be returned here by the Evenson Funeral Home for services and burial. His home was at Kittitas. Arrangements are pending the arrival [IOOF Cemetery]. Mr. Hayes was born May 30, 1928 in Ellensburg, attended Kittitas High School and served with the US Navy during the Korean War. He married Mollie Mullen on Sept. 21, 1957 in Kittitas and they had made their home there since that time. He was a member of the Moose Lodge and the Electrical Workers Union NO. … Read more

Morrison, Thomas Edward – Obituary

Ed Morrison, 54, a native Kittitas County farmer, 54, died Sunday [July 2, 1978] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. He was born May 15, 1924 at Kittitas. He has farmed in the Kittitas Valley since he was 14-years-old, more recently in the Denmark and Badger Pocket districts. He attended Kittitas schools and was married Juanita Borgman May 27, 1944 at Kittitas. He was active as a volunteer in the Denmark area rural fire department. He is survived by his wife at the farm, Rt. 2, his mother, Mrs. Rose Morrison of Ellensburg; one son, Tom Morrison of Enumclaw; a daughter, … Read more

Uebelacker, Frank – Obituary

Last Sunday afternoon about two o’clock Frank Uebelacker passed away. Mr. Uebelacker was born in Germany 44 years ago, came to America, stopping at Streator, Ills., in 1882; came to Kittitas valley and married Miss Anna Michel, July 16, 1888. To this union nine children were born, eight of whom are living. The funeral was held from St. Andrews church Wednesday at 10 a.m. Frank was born September 1860 and died December 22, 1904. He is buried in Ellensburg in the Holy Cross Cemetery. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Schnebly, Joseph Henry – Obituary

J. Henry Schnebly, 78, Thorp area rancher and member of a pioneer Kittitas Valley family, died Saturday [April 8, 1967] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 17, 1889 in the Schnebly Fruitlands District, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pointer Schnebly. [His wife, Edna Emily Smith, died September 1, 1971. Interment in IOOF Cemetery] Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

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

Wright, William J. – Obituary

William J. Wright, 68, valley farmer, was fatally injured yesterday afternoon [August 15, 1934] when he was struck by a car driven by Rex Willard of Pullman as he stepped from behind a car into the highway five miles east of town on the Vantage Road. Mr. Wright, riding to a point near his home with George Minielly, had left the car and stepped from behind the car to cross the highway en route home. He appeared in the path of Mr. Willard’s car, was struck down and dragged a considerable distance, according to reports of officers. An ambulance was … Read more