Mason County WA

Getty, George C. – Obituary

George C. Getty, a resident of Shelton for 52 years, dropped dead at his home this morning [May 7, 1940], falling on the porch of his home while conversing with his wife as he started down town. He had worked the previous day and was in usual health, not complaining or speaking as he fell, and was pronounced dead when reached by a doctor called to the home. Funeral services will be held Friday at two o’clock from Witsiers Chapel. George Getty was born in Paris, Ontario, August 4, 1880, and was brought to Shelton by his parents, Mr. and … Read more

Ferguson, Benjamin Franklin – Obituary

Benjamin Franklin Ferguson, 93, a lifetime resident of the Ferguson Road are east of Ellensburg, died Saturday at a local nursing home. He was born July 14, 1886, a son of the late James and Elizabeth Ferguson, who settled in the area in 1872. They came here from Shelton. He attended Dysart Rural School No. 5. He and Nora Wyatt were married March 4, 1912. She preceded him in death Jan. 23, 1968. He retired from active farming in 1977. He had been affiliated with the Baptist Church. He is survived by a son, Bud Ferguson, and two daughters, Gwendolyn … Read more

Ward, William T. “Bill” – Obituary

William T. “Bill” Ward, 60, of Cornelius and a former Baker City resident, died Monday, April 14, 2003, at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. Memorial services were held Thursday, April 17, 11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. The staff of Fir Lawn Mortuary in Hillsboro were in charge of the cremation arrangements. Mr. Ward was born the youngest and only son of Guy M. and Lyla (Montgomery) Ward on Aug. 7, 1942, in Dayton, Wash. He grew up in Hood River where he graduated from high school and then attended college at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton … Read more

Hoffecker, Dallas Donald “Charlie” – Obituary

Dallas Donald “Charlie” Hoffecker, 38, died June 10, 2006, at Halfway. There was a celebration of his life and memorial service Wednesday at the Pine Valley Presbyterian Church in Halfway. The Rev. Bill Shields and Pastor Cliff Billings officiated. Charlie was born on Feb. 7, 1968, at Baker City. He was raised at Halfway and Shelton, Wash. He enjoyed the outdoors. His dream was to someday build a cabin far away from the hustle and bustle of life. He loved to hunt and fish. He was very inventive and creative with photography, story writing, storytelling and woodworking. Charlie packed a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur J. Taylor

ARTHUR J. TAYLOR. – The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears herein, was born in Staffordshire, England, on the 18th of August, 1857 When but two years of age his parents brought him to America, locating at Richmond, Virginia. Their residence there was but brief, as they soon removed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, perhaps anticipating the political troubles of the next few years. When but a boy of twelve, Arthur came West, upon his own responsibility, to the Red River of the North, where he lived until 1884. His next move, in April of that year, made him a … Read more

Montgomery, Margaret Olive Ferguson – Obituary

Resident Of Valley Since 1872 Expires From Short Illness Was Daughter Of Mr. And Mrs. James Ferguson; Lived In Broadview Mrs. W. T. Montgomery, who rode horseback into the Kittitas Valley in 1872 and has been a resident here since that time, passed away at the Ellensburg Hospital this morning [June 30, 1930], following a short but intense illness. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Ferguson and was born in Shelton, Wash., November 22, 1868 and came across the mountains with her parents to this valley in 1872. She was married to Mr. Montgomery on December 12, … Read more

Williams, Marjorie Ellen – Obituary

Marjorie E. (Ellen) Wood-Jaensch-Bowers-Strack-Williams Marjorie Ellen Williams, a 6-year resident of Bullhead City, AZ, died Wednesday June 12, 1996, in Bullhead City. AZ. Marjorie Ellen Wood was born to James Franklin Wood and Clara Lureene Womack on October 29, 1920 in Hermiston, Oregon. She was married to Charles Franklin Jaensch of Enterprise, Oregon in Dayton, Washington on January 14, 1939. They had two children, Gerald (Gary) Franklin Jaensch, and David (Dave) Michael Jaensch. Marjorie later married Lawrence Williams of Los Angeles, California. She is survived by her mother Clara L. Finstad of Port Lavaca, Texas, a sister, Lavonne Burgess of … 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

Leake, Minnie Morrow – Obituary

Final rites were held in Shelton Saturday for Mrs. Minnie Leake, 79, pioneer daughter of Mason county, who died last week [October 7, 1947] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Madge Haig, in Altadena , Calif. Her husband, Charles Leake, of the pioneer Thomas Webb family, who died in 1946, was employed for 30 years by the Merrill & Ring company, loggers, and the couple lived in Seattle. Deceased was a granddaughter of William M. Morrow, who brought his family from Iowa in 1854 and located at Oakland on a donation claim, the year after David Shelton settled in … Read more

Dayton, Gretchen Adeline – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Gretchen Adeline Dayton, 85, of Elgin died July 17 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A graveside memorial will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Elgin cemetery. She was born Dec. 25, 1920, in Port Townsend, Wash., to Asa and Sylvia Fowler. She spent most of her life in the Puget Sound area, living in Tahuya and Brinnon. In 1981, she married Darius Dayton and moved to Elgin. She loved the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting, and enjoyed watching the sunsets from her kitchen window. She was a great storyteller and loved the antics of the young children who … Read more

Ager, Nancy Jane – Obituary

Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Nancy Jane Ager passed away last Thursday, February 5 Nancy Jane Dakan was born on February 7, 1860 near Roseburg, Oregon. When only a young girl she moved with her parents to Cricket Flat where she grew to womanhood. She lived a few years at Dayton, Washington and from there moved to the John Day country and later to La Grande. In 1902 she came to Wallowa County and settled on Day Ridge. In 1895 she was married to James Albert Ager. To this union three children were born: Mrs. Sam Davis, Joseph, Charley E. Ager … Read more

Garrett, John B. – Obituary

John B. Garrett, and early settler in the Flora district, passed away in Thursday, June 20 1935 at his home. Funeral services were held Sunday Morning in the Methodist church at Flora and burial was in the Flora cemetery. John Brockman Garrett was born March 23, 1857 in Buncom County, North Carolina. He came west in the summer of 1884 and lived in Dayton Wash. where he was united in marriage to Edith Abel in the summer of 1-11-89. To this union were born seven children. They moved from Dayton to Flora in 1895, where he took a homestead west … Read more

Kirkland, William Moses – Obituary

Died in Shelton, Thursday, Jan. 22 [1891] of consumption, William M. Kirkland, aged 56 years. The deceased has been sick since August and steadily failing for a month past, staying in town for the doctor’s care. He leaves several brothers and his father, a hardy old gentleman of 86 years who resides on a farm on the Skokomish River. Aaron, a brother of the deceased, was called and was with him in his last moments. The funeral services were held in the church Friday afternoon, being conducted by Rev. J. E. Sanders, and the remains interred in the Shelton Cemetery. … Read more

Langrell, John Ronald, Jr. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon John Ronald Langrell, Jr., 76, a longtime Forest Grove resident, and a former Baker City resident, died Monday, March 27. At his request, no services will be held. John was born Sept. 23, 1929, in Baker City to John Ronald Langrell and Bertha (Riggs) Langrell. He was raised and educated in Baker City, Dayton, Wash., Portland and Salem. John graduated from Salem High School and received his bachelor’s degree in forestry from Oregon State College (now known as Oregon State University). John was a veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force. While a teen-ager, … Read more

McEwen, John Hager – Obituary

J. H. McEwen, formerly known as “Grandpa McEwen,” was born Bartholomew County, Feb. 4, 1832. When but an infant his parents moved to Decatur Co., Ind., where they resided until 1848, when with their family they moved to Fremont, Mahaska County, Iowa, where their son, J. H. was married to Miss Jerusha Amelia Morrow, Aug. 11, 1850. With his wife and young family, McEwen left Iowa in 1860, making his way across the great plains with an ox team. After a long and perilous journey they arrived at the Dallas, Ore., from which point the family were sent by boat … Read more

Conley, Rebecca S. Hooper – Obituary

Mrs. Geo. W. Conley Passes Rebecca S. Hooper was born near Baltimore, Maryland, May 25th, 1828, and died at Dayton, Wash., April 10th, 1920, at the age of nearly 92 years. With her husband, Geo. W. Conley, she came to Joseph in 1888 where he died in 1907. During this period of nearly twenty years they contributed largely to the development of the county and added materially to the social life of this community. Following the death of Mr. Conley she resided with a daughter Mrs. W.T. Mahon until last summer when she went to Dayton to make her home … Read more

McCully, Frank M. – Obituary

Death calls F. M. M’Cully, Passes away after a sinking spell yesterday morning Funeral Thursday Frank M. McCully, Deputy State Superintendent of Public Instruction, died at 5:30 o’clock yesterday morning…underwent an operation for removal of gall stones about ten days ago. The operation was successful but his condition was so enfeebled by the progress of the disease attended by kidney trouble of a similar nature that he failed to rally and rapidly became worse. Saturday and Sunday death was fought off by the injection of saline solution but on Monday he rallied perceptibly and strong hope of his ultimate recovery … Read more

McEwen, Catherine Chambers – Obituary

Near Oakland, Mason County, Oct 16, 1876 of heart disease, Mrs. Catherine McEwen, aged 87. Catherine was the daughter of William H. Chambers and Mary Ann Perry. She was married to the Rev. James McEwen. Catherine was the mother of John Hager McEwen. Her son John was a well-known pioneer of Oakland and Ellensburg. Catherine was buried in the Oakland Cemetery. The grave is no longer marked. A memorial headstone has been placed in the Shelton Memorial Cemetery.

Paulson, Emil – Obituary

Mr. Paulson had been sick about a week before his illness became so severe that he was removed to Shelton Hospital Friday night death occurring there Saturday morning [April 20, 1940]. He leaves his son, Donald, associated with him in the business, a brother, Andrew, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., and several brothers and sisters in Norway. He was born at Kristiansand, Norway, May 27, 1877. He came to the United States 46 years ago and has lived here since 1898. Mason County Journal, April 23, 1940 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Kirkland, Aaron – Obituary

Aaron Kirkland, an old settler living in the Upper Skokomish Valley, was found in a dying condition in the house on his ranch opposite the Mohrweis post office, Wednesday morning and expired soon afterwards [July 20, 1910]. He was a single man living alone and appeared about his premises as usual up to the day of his death when a neighbor visited his home and found him in a paralyzed condition. Although no further particulars have been received, it is thought that the remains will be brought to Shelton and the funeral held this Friday afternoon. Deceased was born at … Read more