ge A-22 - Mason County JOurnal - Thursday, May 22, 2014
Will
Our dear sweet mother Ruth Walker Willard
went to be with her LORD and Savior Jesus
on April 16. Born in 1911 in Spokane, she was
102 years old. She attended Logan Elemen-
tary School and North (entral High School.
(When her daughters tool her to west Spokane
to visit her childhood ho ,e, she marvelled that
the streets were paved!! 'INo more dirt!" How
things have changed! I) She remembered legend-
ary teacher Elsa Pinkham ondly.
A tough competitor, Ruth Walker was an athlete
as a young woman, running hurdles, playing ten-
nis competitively, and swir0ming. She graduated
from Washington State Uversity with a degree
in Physical Education. Sh was a member of the
Chi Omega sorority. She narried husband Frank
Sw " " -- "
ede Wfllard, a Tacoma natwe who she met
at WSU, in 1934. (He grlduated from Pacific
Lutheran University.) The night they were mar-
fled, Frank drove her to
Park where he was a mot
to work putting up ladder
to the top of the mountain t
er they climbed Rainier in
made it to the top that yea
them.)
Ruth and Frank eventually,
WA where he taught scho
ketball. They then moved t
yet close knit little logging
Olympia where they both 1
and they had many adventu
lives there. (Frank, who cc
ketball and football team,
away in 1995.) Ruth livec
70 years. Ruth and Frank
their daughters, traveling
U.S., Canada and Mexico.
in Hawaii and Australia. R
with friends to Alaska, the
rope.
Ruth was advisor for Scm
Clubs, and coached variou
at Shelton High School, ai
won the state Girls Tennis q
was a member of GQ PEO
and in Spokane a member c
publican Womens' Club ar
Women's Association. She
younger than her!! (She sl
crocheting with Jacob's
was a loving, loyal, generc
mother to her two daughter,
potocky (husband John--5
Senator Betsy Willard Clos
She is also survived by her
€lt. Rainier National
ntain guide--he had
and chopping steps
he next day! Togeth-
1934. (Two women
r .... Ruthwas one of
vent tO live in Tieton,
al and coached bas-
) the sometimes wild
town of Shelton near
aught in the schools
res during their long
ached baseball, bas-
in Shelton, passed
in Shelton for over
oved trailering with
dl over the western
?hey also vacationed
=th enjoyed her trips
Carribean and Eu-
et "S" and G.A.A.
; girls' tennis teams
td in 1968 her girls
2hampionship. Ruth
chapter in Shelton,
f the Ponderosa Re-
d Spokane College
had many friends
lared a passion for
ife Natasha.) Ruth
us friend, wife and
, Cindy Willard Za-
pokane) and State
e (Chris--Oregon).
grandchildren Who
she loved dearly: Jacob Close (wife Natasha
an '
d Ruth s new great grand daughter Gwenlth
Ruth); Abi Jablonski (Ben),osiah Close (Sara);
and Matthew; and Alan, Briim , Chris and Daniel
Zapotocky. |
A Memorial Luncheon cele rating Ruth's long
life will be held in Shelton at The Pavillion in
June. A second Memorial Lu
in Spokane in July. Email CJ
mation at waconco@gmail.,
534-5707. Ruth's family no
Shelton Garden Club memb,
lessly with other awesome
Shelton. She was a skilled
flowers and trees, and they re
a tree or a rose bush in your
yard of someone you love
memory.
~ PAID OBITUARYJ
Call 426-4412 fo:
your obituary
ncheon will be held
ndy for more infor-
:om or phone 509-
:es that Ruth was a
;r who worked tire-
women to beautify
;ardener, and loved
quest that you plant
own yard, or in the
his summer in her
rOTICE ~
help with
leeds.
Richard Lacy
Richard Clair Lacy,
58, a resident of Shelton,
died May 14, 2014.
He was born May 22,
1955, to Robert Lacy and
Elizabeth Lewis (Harter)
in Seattle.
Richard married Dian
Lacy on July 12, 1976,
in Agate. He worked in
the road construction
industry for nearly 40
years. He began his ca-
reer washing machinery
and finished as a project
manager in highway
heavy construction.
He enjoyed spending
time with family and
friends, hosting gather-
ings and working on
home improvement proj-
ects.
Richard is survived
by wife Dian Lacey of
Shelton; mother Eliza-
beth Lewis of Shelton;
brother David Lacy of
Shelton; sister Mary
Lacy of Shelton; sons
Dupree Lacey, Bill
Lacy and Chris Lacy of
Shelton; daughter-in-
laws Jennifer Lacy of
Shelton, Sarah Lacy of
Shelton and Julie Lacy
of Shelton; and grand-
children Gable, Quinn,
Olivia, Ty, Allison,
Shawna and William of
Shelton.
Arrangements are
by McComb & Wagner
Funeral Home and
Crematory in Shelton.
Memorial donations can
be made to the American
Cancer Society.
David Pierson
David Dean Pierson,
64, died Feb. 6, 2014.
He was born July 16,
1949, to Marion Rose
(Hinderman) Pierson
and Rudolph Elias Pier-
son in Bremerton.
David moved to
Shelton in 1953 and at-
tended school. He played
football at Irene S. Reed
High School. He moved
to Olympia, where he be-
came an auto mechanic
-- his favorites were the
classic type.
He was a devoted
Christian and active
in Bible studies and
youth activities. He was
awarded for his many
years of service with
Awana youth.
He is survived by
brother Kelly Pierson
(Kimberly); and sisters
Sharon Baldwin (Mi-
chael); Linda Carter
(Gene) and Deborah Ko-
eppen (Dennis).
He was preceded in
death by his pareats;
and brothers Richard
and Donald.
A memorial service
will be at 1 p.m. on May
31 at the Westwood Bap-
tist Church, 333 Kaiser
Road, Olympia.
Betty Johnson
Betty Lou Harvey
Johnson, 89, a 45-year
resident of Shelton, died
May 6, 2014, at Shelton
Health and Rehabilita-
tion.
She was born Dec. 28,
1924, to Bill and Sylvia
(Oyen) Harvey in Fergus
Falls, Minnesota.
Betty married Calmer
Johnson on May 20,
1944, in San Diego.
She worked as an
electronic assembler for
15 years in San Diego,
at the Holiday Park
from 1975 to 1983 and at
Shelton's Evergreen El-
ementary School in the
mid-1980s.
Betty loved to sing
and garden.
She is survived by
son Larry Johnson of
Shelton; daughter Kay
Hoopes of San Diego;
granddaughters Tammy
McCowan of Olympia,
Asia Hoopes of Shelton,
Jillian Johnson of Olym-
pia and Kelsey Johnson
of Olympia; grandsons
Jason Johnson of Shel-
ton, Dylan Hoopes of
Olympia and Logan
Johnson of Olympia; and
10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded
in death by husband
Calmer Johnson and son
James S. Johnson.
A memorial and
graveside service will
begin at 6 p.m. May 27
at Shelton's Faith Lu-
theran Church.
She will be inurned at
3 p.m. May 28 at Shel-
ton Memorial Park.
Arrangements are by
Kay Hoopes.
Jana Larson
Jana (Simmons) Lar-
son, 60, a resident of
Auburn, died April 22,
2014, in Seattle.
She was born July 1,
1953, in Newport, Ore-
gon, to George Simmons
and Ruth (Richards)
Pryor.
The family of six chil-
dren moved in 1964 from
Oregon to Union. The
daughter of a logger, Jan
grew up learning how to
embrace the great out-
doors -- hunting, fish-
ing, hiking, harvesting
clams and oysters from
their beach on Hood
Canal. All knowledge
she would pass on to
her three sons: Chris,
Joe and Erik. She had
a small "funny farm"
in Matlock where she
raised her boys with her
first husband, Bruce
Larson. Jan was in
charge of the petting zoo
at the local Old Timer's
Fair. Out of all of her
animals, chickens were
her favorite; she valued
their intelligence and
was fond of collecting
chicken knickknacks.
An avid reader, Jan also
had a deep interest in
learning about plants
and herbs for their me-
dicinal properties. Jan
spent the last 10-plus
years with the love of
her life, Jeff Sorini, in
Auburn. They enjoyed
fishing and spending
their summers in the lo-
cal community garden.
Jan is survived by
her partner, Jeff Sorini
of Auburn; mother Ruth
(Richards) Pryor of
Shelton; brothers Bill
Simmons and Mike (Rae-
gene) Simmons of Union;
sister Terri Wheeler of
Shelton; sons Chris Sim-
mons, Joe (Lori) Larson
and Erik (Paulina) Lar-
son of Shelton; grandchil-
dren Reid Simmons, and
Sophia and Max Larson;
and many nieces and
nephews, cousins and
friends.
She was preceded
in death by her father,
George Simmons; step-
father John Pryor; sister
Kay Simmons; brother
George "Chip" Simmons
Jr.; and sister-in-law An-
nette (Geist) Simmons.
A memorial service
will take place at 1 p.m.
on June 14 at New Com-
munity Church of Union.
It will be officiated by
Terry Oliver.
Arrangements are
under the direction of
Lori Larson. Memorial
donations can be made
to your favorite commu-
see OB/TUARIES, page A-23
