Washington

Wright, Alfred Malcolm – Obituary

Al wright suddenly dies today. Pioneer businessman and civic worker passes this afternoon. Al M. Wright, pioneer Kittitas county lumberman, former county commissioner and one-time city councilman, died suddenly this afternoon [March 23, 1933] at his residence, 1005 North Water Street. He had complained of not feeling well and did not eat luncheon. Early this afternoon he went out to his workshop, and his body was found there shortly afterward. Leading a diversified life of business endeavors and civic work,. Wright had a crowded life in Kittitas County. Twenty-four years ago he operated an automobile factory on the present site … Read more

Wheeler, Maria Fry – Obituary

Mrs. Maria wheeler, pioneer of the ’70s, is called by death. Was mother of 11 children, and leaves 28 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. Crossed plains in 1850. Funeral to be held tomorrow from baptist church-well known among pioneers. Mrs. Maria (Grandma) Wheeler, aged 84, one of the earliest pioneers of the state, and a resident of Kittitas Valley since 1871, passed away last evening [May 27, 1917] at the home of her son, A. L. Wheeler of Kittitas. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Baptist Church, Rev. Mr. Cline reading the service. Interment … Read more

Wheeler, Charles – Obituary

Charles Wheeler, a young man who was raised in the valley, but who has lately been living at Toppenish, died on Thursday [August 12, 1909] at the home of Phil Olmstead. He was about 23 years old and was a son of G. W. Wheeler. Charles was born January 16, 1884 in Ellensburg. His parents were George Washington Wheeler and Anna Montgomery. He was single. Charles was interred at the IOOF Cemetery. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Uebelacker, William Martin – Obituary

Rosary services will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Andrews Church and Requiem Mass will be said there at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for Dr. William M. Uebelacker, who died at the age of 68 at the Ellensburg General Hospital yesterday afternoon [May 13, 1959]. He was born here July 4, 1890. He attended the Washington Grade School, and graduated from St. Martin’s College and from the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Neb. He opened his practice here in 1918, and continued until failing health forced his retirement in 1957. He was a member of St. Andrews Church. … Read more

Thomas, Gladys Brown – Obituary

Mrs. Gladys Thomas, 30, died suddenly in Seattle early this morning [April 13, 1943], according to work received here today. Mrs. Thomas, daughter of Mrs. Bertha Godbey of Ellensburg, was born here July 9, 913. She is also survived by an aunt and four uncles. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Gladys’ parents were Frank Brown and Bertha Looney. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Thomas, Edith Ferguson – Obituary

Edith M. Thomas, 77, died Monday, July 11, 1994 at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. She was born on March 17, 1917 in Ellensburg, the youngest of three children born to Benjamin Franklin and Nora Estella (Wyatt) Ferguson. By horseback she attended Dysart, or No. 5 school. After her education, she helped her family on the ranch, breaking, and riding young horses, caught from the herd of wild horses that they owned. In 1920, Mrs. Thomas assisted in establishing the first rodeo held in the Kittitas Valley at the Ferguson Ranch. Also the Ferguson’s supplied some of the bucking stock for … Read more

Taylor, Emma Augusta Abraham – Obituary

Funeral services for Mrs. Frank (Emma Augusta) Taylor, Sr., will be held Thursday, December 28, at the Evanson Funeral Home. A well-known resident of Ellensburg for more than 60 years, she died Sunday, December 24 [1967], at the Kittitas Valley Memorial Hospital. Born in West Bloomfield, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Augusta Abraham. At the age of 6 months, her parents moved to Orange, California, where she was reared. She attended schools in Orange and Santa Rosa. She moved with the family to a ranch in the Teanaway valley just before the turn of … Read more

Springer, Laura Harrell – Obituary

Mrs. Laura M. Springer, 68, died at the Ellensburg General Hospital Sunday [May 7, 1961]of a heart attack. Laura Harrell was born Nov. 2, 1892 in Hawkins County, Tenn. and came here with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Harrell in 1909. She was married to Frank Springer in Ellensburg shortly after. They farmed on the West Side until 1936 and for the past 25 years. Mrs. Springer has lived at 301 South Sprague Street. Mr. Springer preceded her in death in February 1948. She was a member of the First Christian Church and the Women’s Welcome … Read more

Sorenson, Soren – Obituary

Soren Sorenson, prominent farmer of the Denmark District, died Tuesday afternoon [December 29, 1931] at the hospital from a heart ailment after an illness that confined him to his bed for little more than two weeks. The end came peaceably and while it was a great shock to relatives and friends was not unexpected. Soren Sorenson first entered the hospital on December 11 for the second serious illness of his entire life. He was taken there suffering from a heart ailment that terminated in a blood clot. After a bad two or three days during which time his life was … Read more

Sorenson, Nielsine ‘Sine’ Pedersen – Obituary

Mrs. Soren Sorenson, 77, a Kittitas Valley pioneer, died Tuesday [September 3, 1940] at the Ellensburg General Hospital following a two week’s illness. Born Nielsine Pedersen in Holme, Denmark, Sept. 10, 1862, she came to America at the age of 27, living in the state of Ohio for a short time before coming to the Kittitas Valley in 1889 with her brother, Peder Pedersen. On Oct. 29, 1890, she was married to Soren Sorenson, a prominent valley farmer. The first year of their marriage, they lived on the John Denton place in the Broadview District. Then they moved to their … Read more

Sorensen, Andrew – Obituary

Andy Sorenson, 88, of Ellensburg, died Monday, April 20, 1992 at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital in Ellensburg . He was born in Ellensburg, Washington December 10, 1903, a son of Swan and Marguerite (Jensen) Sorensen. Mr. Sorensen graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1921 and the University of Washington in 1925. He has owned and operated his farm since 1925. He and Evelyn Colwell were married in Ellensburg on October 24, 1936. Mr. Sorensen was soil conservation Farmer of the Year in 1964, on the board of directors of the Ellensburg Water Company, president of the Kittitas County Dairymens Association … Read more

Sorensen, Amelia Marguerite Jensen – Obituary

Word was received in Ellensburg Monday morning of the death of Mrs. Amelia Sorensen, 68, in Seattle [February 21, 1938]. Mrs. Sorensen moved to Seattle a year ago from Ellensburg, where she had resided since 1890. She was married to Swan Sorenson in 1895. He preceded her in death a year ago. She is survived by a son, Andrew Sorenson of Ellensburg and two daughters, Marguerite and Amelia Sorenson of Seattle. Funeral services were held Wednesday at the Honeycutt Chapel with Rev. R. A. Hanson officiating. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Schnebly, Margaretta A. – Obituary

After a lingering illness, Mrs. Margaret A. Schnebly died last Saturday afternoon [February 9, 1907] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Davidson, at an advanced age. She had been an invalid for years and much of the time was a great sufferer. Mrs. Schnebly was one of the pioneer women of the valley and was widely known and much esteemed. She was a woman of strong personality and left an impression of her characteristics upon the community, with a strong influence for good. Besides her daughter, she leaves two sons, P. H. and C. P. Schnebly, and … Read more

Schnebly, Joseph Jay – Obituary

Joseph J. Schnebly, age 62, prominent Fairview District rancher and valley native son, was killed when a team he was driving to a hay rake on his farm bolted and threw him under the machine [June 27, 1947]. This was the second similar accident this week in the Kittitas Valley. Ira Johnson, driving a second team on a rake in the same field, was thrown from his machine and knocked unconscious when his team ran away after Schnebly’s horses bolted but he escaped serious injury. Schnebly was breaking in a young horse on the team on his rake. This horse … Read more

Pedersen, Maren Mikkelsen – Obituary

Mrs. Peder Pedersen, 70, widely known and respected Denmark District pioneer, died at her home Sunday afternoon [October 9, 1938]. Born Maren Mikkelsen near Aarhus, Denmark, November 23, 1867, Mrs. Pedersen has resided in the Denmark District 48 years. She came to America in June, 1888, and lived in Ohio until January, 1890, when she came to Ellensburg. She was married to Peder Pedersen here February 8, 1891, and had made her home in the Denmark District ever since. She is survived by her widower; eight children, Mrs. Clara Kay, Mrs. Anna Cleman and Arthur Pedersen of Ellensburg; Mrs. Ellenora … Read more

McEwen, Edward Jesse – Obituary

Ed McEwen, jockey killed in a race, former Ellensburg boy thrown by horse; was born here and parents were pioneers of the Kittitas Valley.. Walla Walla, June 5-Ed McEwen, Walla Walla, jockey for Geo. Drumheller, was killed during the annual Waitsburg racing matinee yesterday afternoon [June 4, 1920]. The fatal accident occurred during the three-eights mile handicap next to the last race, when his horse threw him from the saddle breaking his neck. Eddie McEwen, who was the son of Harvey McEwen, a well-known horseman of this valley, was a native of Ellensburg. His father and grandfather were pioneers of … Read more

McEwen, Cora Belle – Obituary

Cora B. McEwen, 95, retired Ellensburg school teacher, died Sunday [June 30, 1990] in Auburn where she had lived for the past four years. She attended Ellensburg Normal School and Central Washington College of Education. She worked for Dr. Pinckard for a number of years before beginning her 30-year teaching career. Following retirement she served as a private tutor in her home. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and was active in youth groups for more than 80 years. Survivors include three great nephews, Clair Schnebly of Kittitas, and Ted Schnebly and David Leickum, both of Renton. … Read more

Libke, Laura Louise Huss – Obituary

Funeral services for Laura Louise Libke, 73, native Ellensburg woman and well known laboratory technician, will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday in the Evenson Chapel. The Rev. Paul Nance will officiate and burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery. She died Monday [April 19, 1965] night at Bernath’s Nursing Home. Laura Huss, daughter of pioneer parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Huss was born in Ellensburg Sept. 18, 1891 and was married to Lloyd Libke here on Dec. 27, 1927. She graduated from a Portland school of nursing in 1915 and for 27 years was employed by Dr. W. … Read more

Cornwall, Hiram D. – Obituary

Pioneer man of Ellensburg dies. H. D. Cornwall, Civil War Veteran, succumbs. Funeral service will be held at the home. 707 South Pine Tuesday Afternoon. Hiram D. Cornwall, 82, Ellensburg pioneer and veteran of the Civil War, died at his home, 707 South Pine Street Saturday evening, following an illness of three months [died August 20, 1921]. Mr. Cornwall was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1839 and was married to Emily Eberle in 1883. In 1864 he enlisted in the 3rd Michigan Cavalry Co., and in the summer of 1889 moved to Ellensburg where he was engaged in farming until … Read more

Cooke, Emma Margaret Rader – Obituary

Mrs. George B. Cooke, widow of the late pioneer valley stockman, died yesterday at 1 o’clock at her home on East Eighth Street after an illness of several weeks [died November 26, 1926]. When only a small girl she moved to the Kittitas Valley with her parents, residing here the remainder of her life. [George died only five months earlier]. Mrs. Cooke was born October 22, 1869, in San Benito County, California, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Rader. She grew to womanhood in this valley and on December 18, 1884, was married to the late George B. … Read more