Pierce County WA

Biography of Bedford L. Martin

BEDFORD L. MARTIN – In the features of Mr. Martin we see another of those who passed through the fire and hardships of our Civil war. Born in Arkansas in 1847, he was bereft of both parents at the age of four years, and was taken to Indiana and brought up by an uncle. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in Company A, Tenth Indiana Cavalry, and served in the hard campaigns subsequent to 1863. At Hollow Gap he was in the charge where two hundred and fifty men were shot down from his regiment. At Nashville, he was … Read more

Hart, Helen Mildred Bell – Obituary

Mrs. Charles L. (Helen M.) Hart, 74 of 6810 South J St., died Monday [September 10, 1979]. Mrs. Hart was born in Ontario, Canada, and had lived in Tacoma since 1930. She was a retired nurse, and a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Steve (Michele E.) Hull of Gig Harbor; two sons, Duane Lee of Reno, Nev. and James A. of Bend, Ore.; a sister, Alice Mooney of Victor, B.C.; a brother, Doug Bell of Sidney, B.C.; and 10 grandchildren. Mountain View Funeral Home is in charge. Tacoma News … Read more

Hallock, Ahlma Rose MacDonald – Obituary

Ahlma R. MacDonald, 99, a resident of Tacoma the past 64 years, died Monday [January 7, 1985]. Mrs. MacDonald was born in Heppner, Ore. She was a retired librarian who had worked in Portland and New York City. She was a former member of the Ladies Musical Club, pro America, Tacoma County & Golf Club and Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Herrick (Beatrice) Allen of Tacoma, and two grandchildren. Buckley-King Downtown is in charge. Tacoma News Tribune, January 9, 1985 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Champ, Jay D. – Obituary

Jay D. Champ, 79, of Spanaway, died Saturday [December 10, 1983]. Mr. Champ, a retired lumber worker, was born in Winlock, Lewis County, and came to Spanaway 20 years ago. Surviving is a sister, Florence Leland of Seattle. Powers Funeral Home, Puyallup, is in charge. [Interment Fern Hill Cemetery, Aberdeen, WA.] Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of William H. Fife

WILLIAM H. FIFE. – This gentleman is a native of Otonabee, Petersburg county, Ontario, and is the third child of William and Mary Beckett Fife. He was born on the first of October, 1833. His father was a native of Kincardine, and came to Canada in 1820, following farming in that country. His mother was born January 20, 1811, in Ayrshire, Scotland, and came with her parents to Canada about 1820, and is still living with her youngest son on the old homestead in Petersburg county. Our subject resided on his father’s farm until he became sixteen years of age, … Read more

Robertson, Mary Virginia Morrison – Obituary

Mrs. J. W. Robertson departed this life May 1, 1903, aged 23 years, 11 months, and 19 days. Mrs. Robertson was born in Ellensburg, May 11, 1879, and lived there till June 2, 1899, when she went to Tacoma, and after a short time was married to J. W. Robertson and resided there until her death. She was a loving wife and a devoted mother, and was beloved by all who knew her. She leaves a husband, one child, four brothers, a sister, a mother and father an many friends, and relatives to mourn their loss. When our earthly life … Read more

Fix, Thomas Arthur – Obituary

Thomas Arthur Fix, 60, died Sunday [October 31, 1936] at his home at Dash Point where he had lived for 17 years. Mr. Fix was a former member of the Tacoma Fire Department, but had been retired a number of years. He was a member of the Methodist Church of Orting and of Fairweather Lodge, F. & A. M. He is survived by his wife, Stella Y.; a daughter, Mrs. Genevieve Baker of Tacoma; three brothers, William W. and George S., of Orting and Samuel E. of Kapowsin, and a sister, Mrs. Grace E. Baker of Tacoma. Mellinger will announce … Read more

Wright, Janet Arteburn Mrs. – Obituary

Janet Arteburn Wright, 72, a former Baker City resident, died Jan. 10, 2008. A family service will be scheduled later. Janet was born on June 24, 1935, at La Grande. She was raised at Baker City and attended Eastern Oregon State College at La Grande. (now Eastern Oregon University). During college she met Warren G. “Dub” Wright. The couple were married and became lifelong friends. Janet later earned a master’s degree from Western Washington University. She spent most of her career working as a classroom teacher, outdoor educator, school administrator and elementary principal in the Highline School District in the … Read more

Bowman, Arthur – Obituary

Arthur W. Bowman, 79, of 8726 Newgrove Ave. S.W., died in a local hospital Monday. He was born in Trempealeau, Wis. Mr. Bowman had lived here 43 years. He was a retired Tacoma Transit Co. employee. Mr. Bowman was a member of the Motor Coach Employees’ Union. He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Mary Gordon of Tacoma and Mrs. Ida Wakefield of Parkwood; three sons, Charles R. of Coulee Dam and George and Arthur of Tacoma; nine grandchildren and a brother, George of Pierre, S.D. Services will be announced by the Mountain View Funeral Home. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Noel, Clarissa Jane Farris – Obituary

Mrs. Clara J. Noel, 75, died Friday [October 9, 1942] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Pauline Stalcup, 634 North Oakes Street [Tacoma]. She was a native of Fresno, Cal., and had been in Tacoma 12 years. She lived some years at Ellensburg and Snohomish. Her home was at 2603 ½ 6th Avenue. She was married Nov. 30, 1882 at Ellensburg to W. H. Noel who died in 1930. She was member of Glendale Camp Royal Neighbors in Tacoma and of the Epworth Methodist Church, Tacoma. Besides Mrs. Stalcup, she leaves daughters, Mrs. Myrtle Francis and Mrs. Stella Faithful … Read more

Cantrell, Mary Jo – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Word was received that former Wallowa County resident Mary Jo (Reece) Cantrell passed away Dec. 2, 1998, in Puyallup, Wash. She was born in Enterprise on Sept. 20, 1930, to Lacy and Ruth Reece. Mary Jo was a member of the local VFW Auburn Auxiliary #2298 and the Eagles. She retired from Boeing in Everett, Wash., in 1995. She loved her family and friends in a big way. She is survived by her four children; son, Rudy Kruse of Clatskanie; daughters, Cindy Kruse of Sumner, Wash., Gloria Kruse of San Diego, Calif., and Dawn Holland of … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Julia A. McCarver

MRS. JULIA A. McCARVER. – Julia A. McCoy was born November 19, 1825, in St. Charles county, Missouri. Her parents died before she was three years old; and she was brought up by her grandfather and grandmother. At an early age she was married to Garrett Buckalew, and thereafter lived in the State of Illinois until the spring of 1847, when, with her husband and two children, and the families of eighteen neighbors, she started across the plains for Oregon. At St. Joseph, Missouri, they joined a host of other emigrants, the combined party including ninety families, who continued their … Read more

Fix, Stella Yates – Obituary

Mrs. Stella Fix, 64, of Rt. 6, Box 262, Dash Point, died Wednesday [July 17, 1946] in a local hospital. She had lived at Dash Point 40 years and was a native of Oregon. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Genevieve C. Baker of Tacoma, and one grandson. Private services were held Friday at Mountain View with cremation following. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Lindley, Susan Clair Monaghan Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Susan Clair Lindley, 58, of Baker City, died May 14, 2006, at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Boise. After a courageous struggle, she died from complications after surgery. She also had a longtime battle with breast cancer. In celebration of Sue’s life, recitation of the rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the cathedral. Susan was born on Dec. 31, 1947, at Brooklyn, N.Y., to Daniel Richard Monaghan, insurance executive, and … Read more

Biography of Hon. William R. Downey

HON. WILLIAM R. DOWNEY. – There are few men who are more familiarly and favorably known to the old pioneers of Puget Sound than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. His father was a Revolutionary hero, having followed General Washington in the battles waged by the colonists for freedom from the oppression of Great Britain. Mr. Downey was born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, March 6, 1808. At the age of three years he accompanied his parents to Hopkins county, and while living there received his education. On February 12, 1829, he was united in marriage to Miss Emily S. … Read more

Ellenberger, Caroline Mary – Obituary

Mrs. Caroline M. Ellenberger, 74 years old, died Tuesday [June 15, 1926] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Perry of Milton, she having been her daughter’s guest for several weeks. Mrs. Ellenberger leaves also one son, Albert of Pilot Rock, Ore., with whom she made her home; two other daughters, Mrs. Bertha Lightfoot, Sacramento, Cal.; Mrs. Jane Blanchard, Pendleton, Ore.; 27 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. The body was removed to the C. O. Lynn Mortuary for shipment to Pilot Rock for burial Wednesday. Tacoma News Tribune, June 15, 1926 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Fix, Elizabeth Ward – Obituary

Mrs. Russell (Elizabeth Ward) Fix, 76, a 53-year Graham resident died Friday [September 7, 1984]. Mrs. Fix, a native of Wenatchee, was a retired school teacher. She taught at Bethel Junior High School, Bethel High School, and Eatonville High School. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three daughters, Carolyn Blount of Seattle, Pamela Mesick of Federal Way, and Harriott Balmer of Graham; a son, Phillip of Puyallup; two brothers, Dillis Ward of Manson, Chelan County, and Walter Ward of Tigard, Ore.; a sister, Olive Joy of Tigard; and seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. Powers Funeral Home, … Read more

Biography of Edward S. Smith

EDWARD S. SMITH. – The death of Edward Slade Smith, at San Francisco, California, on December 31, 1885, and incidents relating to his life gathered from recollections of Judge Charles H. Berry, Honorable John A. Mathews and Doctor James M. Cole. Edward Slade Smith was born in what was then Chemung, now Schuyler county, in the State of New York, February 28, 1827; and hence at his decease he was nearly fifty-nine years old. His parents were Joel and Anna Smith, both early settlers in Winona, Minnesota, and both of whom are now dead. There were born to them six … Read more

O’Farrell, Thomas E. – Obituary

Thomas E. O’Farrell, 77, of 4506 No. 27th St., died Sunday [November 16, 1952] in a local hospital. Born in Orting, he had lived in Pierce County all his life. A retired machinist for the Northern Pacific Railway, he was a member of the Catholic Church, the Washington State Pioneer Society and the 50-Year Club of Tacoma. He was formerly chief park ranger of Rainier National Park. Surviving are three sons, Howard, Tacoma; Allen, Everett, and James, Las Vegas, Nev.; a daughter Mrs. Ethel McNabb, Tacoma; a brother, James R. Orting; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Brown

BENJAMIN BROWN. – Mr. Brown was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1831, and remained at his native place until 1857, receiving a common-school education. In this year he emigrated to American and settled in Michigan, remaining until March, 1858, when he came to California by way of New York and the Isthmus. From San Francisco he found his way to the Siskiyou mines, and operated until July of 1868, and thence came to the Frazer river mines. In the autumn of that year, he brought his journeyings to a close at Steilacoom, where he remained a year. Being favorably impressed … Read more