Kittitas Washington

McEwen, Oscar – Obituary

Death Take Well-Known Resident Oscar Mcewen Oscar (Ott) McEwen, well-known Ellensburg resident, died Sunday at the Kittitas Valley Memorial Hospital. He was 89 years old [died June 4, 1967]. McEwen was one of the last true cowboys in the northwest, and the familiar scene of McEwen astride his horse, riding through town, was a common-place occurrence. He was for many years a rider at the Ellensburg Rodeo and participated in many of the early events at the rodeo. He still made an annual appearance at the show. He was born October 6, 1877 in a frontier home three and one … Read more

Wyatt, Helen Hartwell – Obituary

Mrs. Helen Hartwell Wyatt, 68, a Kittitas valley resident for 31 years, died here Thursday [January 3, 1952] evening at 9 o’clock in the Airway Nursing Home. She had been ill for the past 18 years and had been at the nursing home for the last four years. She is survived by her husband, Arthur Wyatt of Kittitas, whom she married January 12, 1918 at Twin Falls, Idaho. Other surviving relatives include a daughter, Mrs. Lucille Martens of Montesano; three sisters, Mrs. Louie Welles of Los Angeles, California, Mrs. Caroline Patrick of Rogerson, Idaho, and Mrs. Dorothy Gish of Benicia, … Read more

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

Cooke, Daniel R. – Obituary

Daniel R. Cooke, 32, died Dec. 28, [1991] in Youngstown, Ohio. He was born May 26, 1959 in Seattle. He attended grade and middle schools in Ellensburg, graduating from Kittitas High School in 1977. He played baseball and football on the KHS teams. Since graduation he has been driving moving vans for Mayflower and United Van Lines. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church. He is survived by his daughter, Diana Allemand; and his parents, Glen and Sally Cooke, all of Ellensburg; a sister Glenda Sederstrom, his sister and brother-in-law Mary and Bill Pettit, three nieces and one nephew, … Read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cornwall, Hiram D. – Obituary

Pioneer man of Ellensburg dies. H. D. Cornwall, Civil War Veteran, succumbs. Funeral service will be held at the home. 707 South Pine Tuesday Afternoon. Hiram D. Cornwall, 82, Ellensburg pioneer and veteran of the Civil War, died at his home, 707 South Pine Street Saturday evening, following an illness of three months [died August 20, 1921]. Mr. Cornwall was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1839 and was married to Emily Eberle in 1883. In 1864 he enlisted in the 3rd Michigan Cavalry Co., and in the summer of 1889 moved to Ellensburg where he was engaged in farming until … 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

Sorenson, Soren Albert – Obituary

Death Takes Al Sorenson, Civic Leader, Veteran Member Of County Board Succumbs Sunday May 8, 1955 Death comes to Soren Albert (Al) Sorenson, 60-year-old member of the Board of Kittitas County Commissioners and one of the county’s most prominent citizens, Sunday afternoon in Sorensen Memorial Hospital here. He had suffered a heart attack Wednesday afternoon. A Kittitas Valley native, active in farm and community affairs throughout his adult life Sorenson was widely known throughout the state and Northwest. Mourned by friends and associates he was eulogized by them as having “always given his best efforts to the interests of Kittitas … 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

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

Bender, William – Obituary

William Bender, a 71-year-old bachelor farmer of the Menastash Canyon District, died in his bed sometime Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Eugene King, a hired man, told the sheriff’s deputies and assistant prosecuting attorney Philip A. Davidson that he was in the habit of sleeping with Mr. Bender and arose at the customary hour Thursday morning, watered and fed the stock and started breakfast. He called Mr. Bender and after he failed to appear in a few minutes he went to the bed to awaken him and found him dead. As we go to press details of the funeral arrangements … Read more

Zumbrunnen, Victor – Obituary

Victor Zumbrunnen, well-known Kittitas valley farmer and stockman, died at his home in the Nanum district last night after a short illness. Born in Switzerland 55 years ago, Mr. Zumbrunnen has been a resident of this valley for the past 34 years, most of that time in the district, where he resided at the time of his death. Surviving are his widow, Bertha; a son, Fred J.; two daughters, Rose and Bertha; and his mother and a brother in Switzerland. Funeral services will be held at the Honeycutt chapel at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. Victor was born May 5, 1879 in … Read more