Washington

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

Hayes, James Jonathan – Obituary

James J. ‘Johnnie’ Hayes, 98, of Rt. 2 in the Thrall area, died Wednesday [died February 23, 1977] at a local nursing home. He was born February 22, 1879 (headstone 1880) in Otoe County, Neb. He came here from Iowa in 1883 and lived in School District No. 12 for 80 years. He farmed in the Badger Pocket and Denmark areas until 1967 when he moved to Thrall. He and Dorothy (Tillie) Curtis were married Jan. 29, 1899. She preceded him in death Oct. 6, 1972. Survivors include: two daughters, Mrs. Hazel Indermuhle and Mrs. Velma Casey, and one brother, … Read more

Carver, George Washington – Obituary

George W. Carver Civil War Veteran Died Monday Night George W. Carver, died Monday night at the family residence, 209 South Pearl, from cancer of the bladder. Mr. Carver was born in Licking County, Ohio, June 15, 1840. He served three years in Company E. of the 94th Illinois during the Civil War and remove d to the Kittitas Valley in 1876. He had lived here since that time on the old homestead three and a half miles southeast of town until recently, when he moved to the present family residence. He is survived by his widow and six children, … Read more

Dixon, Melinda Banister – Obituary

Mrs. Melinda B. Dixon, pioneer of Kittitas Valley, died at Bernath’s Nursing Home early today at the age of 91 years [January 13, 1964]. Melinda Banister, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel L. Banister, was born Feb. 6, 1872 in Clark County, Washington and came to Ellensburg with her parents in 1870. Because of the Indian disturbance in the valley they moved to Walla Walla, returning here in 1884, making the trip in a covered wagon. She was married to Elwood J. Dixon, Dec. 18, 1890 in Ellensburg. He died here in 1937. She was also preceded in … Read more

Wheeler, Annie Montgomery – Obituary

Annie M. Wheeler Pioneer, Passes; Death Comes To Valley Resident of Past 65 Years Mrs. Annie Montgomery Wheeler, 82, a Kittitas valley resident 65 years and one of he valley’s oldest remaining pioneers, died here last night following an illness of six weeks [died April 26, 1945]. Mrs. Wheeler had not been in good health, for several years. However, she survived a fall five years ago in which she suffered fractures of both hips, learning to walk again. Mrs. Wheeler was born near St. Helena in Napa county, California, March 27, 1863. She made her home there with her parents, … Read more

Wright, Alfred – Obituary

Alfred W. Wright, 70, died Wednesday at Seattle [died May 24, 1972]. He was born in Ellensburg, June 15, 1901, and worked for many years for Cabin Creek Lumber Co., which was owned by his father. He was married to Bertha Ferguson December 18, 1922, at Ellensburg. For the past 30 years they have lived in Seattle, where he continued to work as a millwright until retirement. He was a member of Shipwrights Local N. 1184 of Seattle. In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Alfred Wright, III, of Seattle; four grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Doris … Read more

Wyatt, Leslie Elmer – Obituary

Former Resident Dies in Seattle. Leslie E. Wyatt, 62, formerly of Ellensburg, died at his home in Seattle Sunday afternoon, it was learned here today. He had resided here for several years and moved to Seattle four years ago. Survivors include his wife, Sarah and father, Felix, both of Seattle; a son, Kenneth of Salem, Oregon; three brothers, Art and Otis of Ellensburg and William of Seattle; and four sisters, Mrs. Lula Ferrier of Spokane; Mrs. Mayme Ferguson, Coeur d’Alene, Ida., Mrs. Howard Boughman, Seattle; and Mrs. Ben Ferguson, Ellensburg. Funeral services will be held at the Honeycutt-Evenson chapel Thursday … Read more

Wheeler, Laura McEwen – Obituary

Death Take Mrs. Laura Wheeler 88, Valley Pioneer Came Here by Ox Team in ’71. Death this morning took one of the oldest pioneers of Yakima County, Mrs. Laura E. Wheeler, 88, in Sorensen Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Wheeler died of complications of old age after having been in the hospital seven weeks. Mrs. Wheeler was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. McEwen and was born in Shelton in 1867. In 1871 she accompanied her parents by ox-team and horseback over the Cascade mountains to the Kittitas Valley. At that time Indian war scares were frequent, a it had … Read more

Wyatt, Arthur Grundy – Obituary

Graveside services for Arthur Wyatt, 81, longtime Ellensburg resident who died Friday, Nov. 1 at Bernath Nursing Home, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the IOOF Cemetery. The Rev. John Gaub will officiate. Born Sept. 15, 1887 in Shelton, Wyatt came to Ellensburg from Shelton in 1903. He was married to Helen Hartwell in Twin Falls, Ida., in 1918. She preceeded him in death in 1952. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Ray Martens, Sequim; two granddaughters; seven great grandchildren; two brothers, William and Otis Wyatt, Ellensburg; three sisters, Mrs. Lulu Ferrier, Spokane, Mrs. Neillie Baughman, Seattle, and Mrs. … 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

Hayes, Rebecca Jane Fry – Obituary

The death of Mrs. Rebecca Jane Hayes, wife of Sanford Hayes, occurred on Sunday morning [May 25, 1913], after a lingering illness. The funeral services took place on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Kittitas Baptist Church, Mr. Hanson of the Church of Latter Day Saints officiating, and were attended by a large number of friends of the deceased. Mrs. Hayes was a pioneer of the Kittitas Valley, having come here in 1882. She was 77 years of age, her birthplace being Millersburg, Ohio, in 1836. During the course of her early life she made four overland journeys across the … Read more

Harrell, Thomas Andrew Sr. – Obituary

T. A. Harrell, Sr., dies Sunday. Well known Valley farmer passes away at age of 82, leaves many relatives. . Thomas A. Harrell, Sr., 82, well known in the valley where he has farmed for 16 years, passed away early Sunday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Jessie Cates. Mr. Harrell had been in poor health for a year, but his illness became serious only within the last week. Mr. Harrell was born in Tennessee in December, 1843, and he lived in that state until 16 years ago this spring when he came to Kittitas valley where he … Read more

Harrell, Julia Derrick – Obituary

Valley Pioneer Dies on Monday. Mrs. Julia Harrell Resident of the Valley for 16 years dies after brief Illness. Mrs. Julia Harrell, 70, wife of T. A. Harrell, Sr., West Side rancher, passed away at her home Monday afternoon August 24, 1925 at 2:30, following a brief illness due to heart failure. Mrs. Harrell, with her husband and family, came to Ellensburg in 1909 and had lived on a ranch on the West Side ever since. She was born April 16, 1855, at Rogersville, Tenn. On December 25, 1871, she was married to Thomas A. Harrell and 11 children were … Read more

Harrell, Herbert – Obituary

Herbert Harrell, 39, former valley resident, died at Laramie, Wyoming, Wednesday, September 14 [1938]. Born at Rogersville, Tenn., August 5, 1899, he came west with his parents in the spring of 1909. Her parents settled in the Kittitas Valley and he received his education in the Ridgeway and Thorp schools. He was married to Eula Mundy April 27, 1917. The family moved to California in 1923, residing there until 1933 when they moved to Wyoming. He is survived by his widow, three daughters, Juanita, Louise and Bernadine; seven sisters, Mrs. W. T. Rutledge, Mrs. J. R. Morefield, Mrs. Jesse Cates, … Read more

Grunden, Selma Caroline Jacobsen – Obituary

Death came here this week to another of Kittitas Valley’s pioneers, Mrs. Selma Caroline Grunden, 80, who had lived here 68 years died November 29, 1946. Born in Sweden May 31, 1866, Mrs. Grunden came to Ellensburg in 1878, when she was 12 years old, and had made her home here continuously since that time. She was in Ellensburg during the last Indian uprising in Central Washington and witnessed growth of this area from a frontier section to its present development. She made her home with the late J. L. Vaughn for several years after coming to the valley. She … Read more

Grunden, John William – Obituary

John W. Grunden, 94, an Ellensburg native, died Saturday June 26, 1982 at the Goldleaf Nursing Home where he had lived for the past 10 years. He was born on Oct. 12, 1887 in rural Ellensburg, a son of the late Elof and Selma (Jacobsen) Grunden. He served in the army during World War I. Mr. Grunden had worked in the hay baling business as a pressman and foreman of the bailer crew. With the exception of 10 years in Toppenish, he had spent his entire life in the Kittitas Valley. Survivors include a brother, Glenn Grunden of Ellensburg; and … Read more

Gage, Reese Boyn – Obituary

R. B. Gage, a well known farmer of East Kittitas, died Monday, Nov. 1 [1909], after a lingering illness of several weeks. The funeral services were conducted at the home Wednesday at 10 a.m. and burial at 1:30 p.m. in IOOF Cemetery. Mr. Gage was well and favorable known in this city and valley where he has lived for the past ten years. He came from Texas to this valley. Reese was the son of Jeremiah Gage and Mary Cheney. He married Miranda America German. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Fray, Myrtle Mildred Minielly – Obituary

Myrtle fray, former long time Ellensburg resident, died in Colorado Springs, Colo. Funeral services will be handled by Cotton Chapel with graveside services at 3 p.m. Thursday at the IOOF Cemetery. Friends may meet at the cemetery. The Rev. Donald Meekof will officiate and members of the American Legion will participate. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Ferguson, Marie A. Wright – Obituary

Marie A. Ferguson, 94, of Ellensburg, died Friday [June 2, 1989] at Gold Leaf Care Center. She was born in Miller, Mo., Nov. 30, 1894, a daughter of William and Myrtle Wright. She attended school in Missouri and came to Ellensburg with her family in 1909. she and German Gage were married Feb. 21, 1912. Later she and George H. Ferguson were married in Ellensburg July 11, 1936. Mrs. Ferguson was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary, the Kittitas Rebekah Lodge and the Progressive Club. She had lived at her present home, which was part of the family farm, since … Read more

Erickson, William F. – Obituary

Long time Denmark District farmer William F. Erickson, 81, died Friday August 7, 1970 at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. Born April 3, 1889 at Wheaton, Minn., he moved to the Kittitas Valley from Beverly, Wash., in 1919. He farmed in Badger Pocket and Fairview districts before moving to the Denmark District 30 years. He was married to Elizabeth Dixon on December 25, 1919 in Ellensburg. He served in the Army during World War I, was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, World War I veterans, and the Farm Bureau. He is survived by his wife; … Read more