William D. Loney, 81-year-old retired farmer of the valley, resident of the community since 1882, died Friday morning [April 19] in a local nursing home.
He was born September 3, 1864 in Ontario, Canada, but had been hereabouts for nearly 65 years. He farmed in the Hudson Bay District south of Lowden for many years, retiring from active work about 1942. His wife, member of the pioneer Stroble family, died December 29, 1931.
Loney’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Loney and with his brothers, John and Sam, he farmed, grazed cattle on the range from Touchet to the Snake River and farmed the ground where the penitentiary now stands to as far as Dry Creek.
Loney purchased the farm in the Lowden District in 1906. In 1911 he bought the Cascade fuel yard which he operated some time and in 1918 farmed on Dry Creek, but from 1920 to the time of his retirement he was on the Lowden ranch.
Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Guy Kent and Mrs. J. Vincent Nelson of Walla Walla and Mrs. Irvin Alexander of Freewater; eight sons, William Charles of Walla Walla, Elwin Joseph of Cove, Herbert R. of Touchet, Orville R., Delbert S., Virgil T. and Samuel E. Loney, all of Walla Walla, and Albert S. Loney of Pasco; two sisters, Mrs. Robert Potts of Sprague and Mrs. Kate Paul of Tacoma; 17 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
The funeral is set for 3 p.m. Saturday. [Interment Mountain View Cemetery]
Walla Walla Union Bulletin, April 19, 1946
Contributed by: Shelli Steedman