Washington

Lee, Ruthella Chaplin – Obituary

Ruthella Chaplin Lee, 95, died Wednesday, May 10 [1989], in Providence Hospital in Centralia. She was born Oct. 3, 1893, in Brownsville, Ore., and was the daughter of Ralph and Sarah [Coshow] Chaplin. Lee attended Bellingham Normal School and was a teacher in the Chehalis School District until her marriage in 1917 to Virgin R. Lee. He died in 1986. She was a life member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a long-time member of the St. Helen’s Club and the Pioneers of Washington. Surviving are a son, William R. “Bill” Lee of Chehalis; three granddaughters; and three … Read more

Layton, Merle Alta Lewis – Obituary

A lifetime resident of Lewis County, Mrs. Merle Alta Layton, 70, Toledo, died Sunday [May 8, 1966] in a Chehalis hospital. She was born Jan. 19, 1896 in Clatskanie, Ore. Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Hazel Foley, Chicago, Ill., Mrs. Oneta Pettett, Olympia and Mrs. Genevieve McKune, Winlock; a son, Virgil Layton, Kelso; three half sisters, Mrs. Gladys Marshall, Kelso, Mrs. Viola Wetzel, Seattle and Mrs. Reba Richter, Louisiana; three stepsisters, Mrs. Ethel Layton, Olympia, Mrs. Esther Pratt, Toledo and Mrs. Ruth Allison, Junction City, Ore.; 14 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services are Wednesday at 2 p.m. … Read more

Champ, William J. – Obituary

Willie J. Champ, last Thursday [August 21, 1902], of typhoid pneumonia. Father died several years ago. Willie, born 25 Sept 1881, in Winlock and soon afterwards parents moved two miles east of Winlock where family has since lived. He worked and managed farm till two years ago when Mrs. Champ married W. A. Large. Since then Willie has been attending school in Olympia, leaves mother, stepfather, two brothers and a stepsister. Funeral at home Saturday, Rev. Ludwick of Castle Rock conducted. Burial in Winlock Masonic Cemetery. The Winlock Pilot, August 29, 1902 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Champ, Wallace Arnold – Obituary

Wallace Arnold Champ died Monday, Feb. 6, in St. Helen Hospital at the age of 82. A lifetime resident of Winlock, Champ was born there on March 17, 1901. He was preceded in death by his wife, Della, on Jan. 9 [same year]. Survivors include a son, Arnold Champ of Minneapolis, Minn.; a daughter Doris Ojala of Winlock; a sister, Erma Holten of Longview; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. By request off Champ, no funeral will be held. Remembrances may be donations to the Winlock Ambulance Fund. Arrangements are under the direction of Cattermole Funeral … Read more

Champ, Robert Allen – Obituary

Funeral services were held at Winlock, Sunday for Robert A. Champ, 75, who was found dead in his home there Wednesday [April 3, 1939]. The services were held at the Cattermole Funeral Home with interment in the Winlock Cemetery beside the grave of his wife who died many years ago. Survivors are three sons, Earl of Hoquiam; and Harrison and Henry in California, and one brother, William of Aberdeen. Mr. champ had been engaged in logging activities in Winlock for many years. He was born at Shelton, going to Winlock when only two years of age. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Champ, Melissa C. McEwen – Obituary

Mrs. Wm. Champ died at her home [November 16, 1888] near Winlock Saturday morning last after a short illness. Mrs. Champ was one of the pioneers of Lewis County, coming here before the day of railroads and palace cars, or even steamboats, and has seen the development of the county from its infancy. Many a weary and discouraged immigrant has found shelter and encouragement under her hospitable roof, and many a one will cherish her memory kindly for good deeds nobly done. She leaves a large family of grandchildren and a husband to mourn her loss, who are given the … Read more

Champ, Cora A. Eells – Obituary

Mrs. Cora A. Champ, aged 78 years, and a resident of the Winlock community for the past sixty-four years, passed away at her home in Winlock Tuesday morning, October 13, following an illness of two weeks. She was born March 3, 1864, in Spring Valley, Minnesota, and came to WA Territory with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Darwin Eels, in 1879, settling near Toledo. She was married May 1, 1881 to John H. Champ whose parents came by covered wagon from Indiana in 1861. Mr. Champ died in 1915. They were the parents of ten children, only three of whom … Read more

Champ, James William – Obituary

James William Champ, a resident of Centralia, died Friday, Sept. 17, in Centralia General Hospital at the age of 103. Champ was born Jan. 5, 1897, on Lacamas Prairie in Winlock.. He was a retired farmer and logger. He is survived by a sister, Violet Lampitt of Palo Alto, Calif., and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service was held Monday at the Winlock Cemetery with the Rev. August Banaksy officiating. Fir Lawn Funeral Chapel of Toledo was in charge of arrangements. Daily Chronicle Centralia, September 20, 1982 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Champ, Alfred William – Obituary

Alfred Champ, of this city, 45 year old native son of Lewis County, died Friday [June 8, 1933] at Riverton Hospital, where he had been some months following an illness of flu, contracted in January. He was the son of former well known pioneers. Surviving are his aged mother, Mrs. Cora Champ; two brothers, Howard Champ of Winlock and Wallace Champ of Alsea, Ore.; and six sisters, Mrs. George Mellor of Shelton, Mrs. Willis Pope of Adna, Mrs. Ruth Miller of Longview, Mrs. Erma Kotoskey and Miss Lottie Champ of Winlock and Mrs. Sol Chancey of Los Angeles, Calif. Funeral … Read more

Layton, Amanda Elizabeth McDannald – Obituary

Death came to Mrs. Amanda McDannald Layton, 76, Tuesday evening [June 29, 1943] at the house of her daughter, Mrs. Amanda Prince, on Ford’s Prairie. Also surviving are a son Roy R. Layton, Ryderwood; seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Born October 9, 1866 at Rollo, Sullivan County, Missouri, Mrs. Layton crossed the plains the following year with her parents, Daniel W. and Margaret [Wheeler] McDannald who took up a homestead at Napavine. She was married May 4, 1881 to Henry C. Layton who passed away in 1921. Since then she had made her home with Mrs. Prince. Funeral services … Read more

Gowen, Sophronia Ellen Thomas – Obituary

Mrs. Francis M. Gowen, aged 56, a well-known Lewis County pioneer, died at the family home at Silver Creek, Friday, July 8 [1927]. Sophronia Thomas was born in march, 1871, at Sidney, Fremont County, Iowa, and at the age of 16 she came with her parents to Toledo, where in 1896 she was married to Francis Gowen. They moved to Silver Creek in 1902, where they have since resided. She is survived by the widower and seven children, three boys, Ernest, Dewey and Myron; and four girls, Mrs. Pearl Baird, Misses Daisy and Ruby, of Silver Creek, and Mrs. Violet … Read more

Curtis, Norman Samuel – Obituary

Norman S. Curtis, 56, a lifetime resident of Winlock, died Friday [Jul 25, 1969] at his home following a short illness. He was born Sept. 2, 1912, in Winlock and was an employee of Weyerhaeuser Company at the time of his death. Survivors include his widow, Vernice, at the Winlock family home; two sons, Norman D., Winlock; Archie F., San Francisco, Calif.; two daughters, Mrs. Sandra Jorgensen, Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. Lorraine Petersen, Longview; two brothers, Glen, Hoquiam; Vern, Aberdeen; and one sister, Mrs. Dorothy Schlitz, Delano, Calif. Services will be Wednesday, 1 p.m., at the Cattermole Funeral Chapel, Winlock, with … Read more

Layton, Lucinda ‘Lulu’ Minnie Omeg – Obituary

Mrs. Lulu M. Layton, 77, of Star Route, Toledo, passed away Thursday [April 3, 1952] in a Chehalis hospital following a brief illness. She was born Oct. 13, 1874 in Vermillion, S.D., and had been a resident of Toledo and Lewis County since 1889. Surviving are seven daughters, Mrs. Nora Nixon, Toledo; Mrs. Gladys Latunen, Winlock; Mrs. Verna Ryckman, Centralia; Mrs. Edna Edmonds, Tacoma; Mrs. Laura Conrad, Oakland, Calif.; Mrs. Mabel Hurley, San Francisco, and Mrs. Eva Kirkendoll, Bridgeville, Calif.; one son, Oren, Toledo; one brother, Ed J. Omeg, Toledo, and 16 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Funeral services will … Read more

Layton, John – Obituary

John Layton, 90, Lewis County’s oldest native son, died Friday [March 8, 1946] at his home on Layton Prairie, where he was born on March 3, 1853. Survivors include three children, 30 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren. The children are Mrs. Mahala Partch, Poulsbo; Mrs. Alice Fawver, Shelton, and George W. Layton, Olympia. Funeral services have been set for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian church in Toledo. Mr. Layton was a familiar figure each year at the annual picnics of the Southwest Washington Pioneer Association. His father crossed the plains in 1849 and took up a homestead on … Read more

Layton, Elias Pilgrim – Obituary

Lewis County lost another of its native pioneer residents Saturday [April 12] in the death of Elias P. Layton, 79, in a Chehalis hospital. He was born May 16, 1872 at Layton Prairie and had lived there all his life. He was a farmer and during his active years had a prominent part in affairs of the community. He is survived by his wife, Maggie; one son, Ernest; three daughters, Mrs. Stella Smith, Mrs. Elva Armstrong, and Mrs. Edith Kirkendoll; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all of Toledo. Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon at the … Read more

Penner, Gerhardt Adolph – Obituary

A resident of Lewis County from 1923 to 1977, Gerhardt Adolph Penner, 88, died in a Kirkland nursing home, Tuesday, January 2. He was born March 26, 1890 in Port Orchard and has been a resident of Bellevue since 1977. Mr. Penner worked as a salesman for Darigold and as a custodian for the Centralia and Chehalis Schools. He was a member of the First Christian Church of Chehalis and was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey Dorene in August, 1978. Survivors include a son, Clark C., Walnut Creek, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. H. C. (Carman) Hardebeck, Bellevue; a … Read more

Penner, Audrey Dorene Viles – Obituary

Audrey Dorene Penner, a resident of Lewis County for 70 years, died Thursday [August 24] in a Bellevue Hospital. She was 79. She was born Oct. 25, 1898, in Grove, Okla., and was raised in the Adna area. Survivors include her husband, Gerhardt at home in Bellevue; a son Clark C, Walnut Creek, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. H. C. (Carmen) Hardebeck, Bellevue; a brother, George W. Viles, Centralia; six grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Monday at 1:30 p.m. at Sticklin Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Dennis Weaver officiating. Interment will follow at Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis. … Read more

Roberts, Hubert Eberton – Obituary

Former Lewis County Boy Died In France. News comes from France that Gen. Pershing reports the death of Hubert E. Roberts of Warren, Ore., from meningitis [January 26, 1918]. Mr. Roberts was raised in Lewis County and has a large circle of friends here. His sister, Mrs. Gust Anderson, lives in Klaber. He was 28 years old, married and had no children. He was called on the first draft at St. Helens, Ore., and sent to Camp Lewis. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Morrow, Herman Grinsel – Obituary

H. G. Morrow, one of the best known and most highly esteemed pioneers of the county, died suddenly near his home in Cowlitz Prairie about nine o’clock Wednesday forenoon [June 7, 1905]. Mr. Morrow had been sick for some time but had gotten better and was able to be about. Yesterday forenoon Mrs. Morrow and the other members of the family started to Toledo to attend the state Grange which is in session there. They had not been gone long when Mr. Morrow entered Henriott Brothers’ store on the Cowlitz and handed his watch and a walking stick to John … Read more

Morrow, Catherine Champ – Obituary

Graveside services were to be held at the Cowlitz Mission Cemetery this afternoon for Mrs. Catherine Morrow, 85 whose death, occurred in Portland, Wednesday [July 18, 1934]. Mass was said in St. Agatha’s Church in that city this morning. The Morrow family settled on Cowlitz Prairie in the early days. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Morrow moved to Portland, where she has resided many years. She is survived by the following children: Mrs. Belle Frazier, L. P. Morrow, Mrs. C. J. Kryger, Mrs. Nellie Miller and Mrs. Irene Moore, Portland; Harry Morrow, Oregon City, and M. J. Morrow, Sacramento. A … Read more