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t •
Robert 'Bob' Eken
to R°bert "Bob" Eken, 72, of Shel-
died Tuesday, February 2, at
his home.
,he A full obituary will appear in
JOUrnal next week.
l.ba'rangements are by McComb
aaeral Home in Shelton.
h Knight
Kenneth L. Knight, 60, of Shel-
died Tuesday, February 2, at
full obituary will appear in
Journal next week.
A memorial service will be held
;a later date. Contact the family
information about that.
are by Forest
Home in Shelton.
:e Whitlock
V. (Larsen) Whitlock,
longtime Shelton resi-
Friday, January 29, in
Iowa. She was 97.
She was born May 26, 1901, in
City, Missouri, and was a
Shelton resident until
to Iowa in 1986.
88he had been a member of the
helton Moose Lodge and enjoyed
ltg and gardening. She was a
eV0ted and loving wife and
m°ther, her family said.
]he Was preceded in death by
Gene Snell.
is survived by daughters
Polson of Keokuk, Iowa,
Vinzant of Tacoma,
and 10 great-
graveside service will be held
February 10, at Shel-
ial Park.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
00eather
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUllllllllllllllil
Eugene Thomas
Eugene G. Thomas, a hard-
working man who worked until
he was 83 years old, died of natu-
ral causes Thursday, January 28,
at Fir Lane Health and Rehabili-
tation Center in Shelton. He was
98 and had been a resident of Ma-
son County for nine years.
He was born November 27,
1900, to John and Frankie (Van-
diver) Thomas at Asher, Arkan-
sas.
He married Ollie Marie Melton
of Bradleyville, Missouri, on Au-
gust 26, 1925, in Yakima. She
preceded him in death on June 1,
1995.
Mr. Thomas was employed by
Condon Orchards in Yakima for
50 years. He retired at the age of
83, when he and his wife moved
to Tokeland to be near their
daughter. They then moved to
Shelton with her family in 1990.
He was an avid fisherman, tak-
ing his family on many hunting
and fishing trips during the child-
ren's youth. He also enjoyed trav-
eling with his wife on short trips
to visit friends and see the coun-
tryside.
He is survived by sons Vernon
Thomas and his wife Sylvia of
West Richland, and Barry Tho-
mas and his wife Judee of Taco-
ma; daughters Pauline Kennedy
and her husband Pete of Shelton,
and Maxine Yeager and her hus-
band Howard of Othello; 16
grandchildren, 39 great-
grandchildren; eight great-great
grandchildren and numerous
nieces and nephews.
The second of 14 children, he is
survived by sisters Virginia How-
ard of Claremore, Oklahoma and
Freda Deisz of Sun City, Arizona;
and brothers Andrew Thomas of
Sun City, Arizona, Cecil Thomas
of Lexena, Kansas, and Theodore
Thomas of Lithonia, Georgia.
Funeral services were held
Monday, February 1, at the First
Presbyterian Church of Yakima.
Burial was at West Hills Memori-
al Park in Yakima.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
High Low Precip.
Fahrenheit (In.)
41 31 .43
47 33 2.42
29 48 42 1.51
30 42 33 .20
31 44 34 .29
44 33 .80
49 35 2.01
ts for the previ-
hours are recorded for the
Weather Service at 4
day at Olympic Air at
Field.
ists with the Na-
Service predict
of rain, heavy at times,
weekend (Sound famil-
what they said last
too.) Snowfall may be
in the mountains; near
Vel nightly temperatures
35 to 40 with day-
around 45.
LUary, while not as far
as November and
was a damp one. At
Field, the month's to-
14.52 well above the 67-
of 10.41 inches for
nally the wettest
the year.
.oad resident Allan Bar-
has recorded rainfall
Past five years, noted that
January was wetter than
lr's wet January. He
15.30 inches this year
.40 inches last year. At
on Field, it was the re-
st year's reading was
there.
en noted that since No-
1, 51 inches of rain fell at
"Quite a contrast," he
lone inch he recorded
Une 27 to October 3. At
Field, the total rain-
November, December
was 53.06 inches.
Nita Heikes
Nita Heikes, a resident of Shel-
ton, died Thursday, January 28,
at Saint Peter Hospital in Olym-
pia. She was 79 years old.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Everett G. Swank
Everett G. Swank, a resident of
Hoodsport for 19 years, died Mon-
day, February 1, at Fir Lane
Health and Rehabilitation Center
in Shelton. He was 83, and had
been a Tacoma resident for 30
years before moving to the local
area.
He was born June 14, 1915, in
Billings, Montana, to Otto and
Selma (Johnson) Swank.
He married Jeanne Christen-
sen on July 14, 1943.
Mr. Swank served in the Army
from 1942 to 1945 and was a first
lieutenant at the time he was dis-
charged.
He worked as an auditor for
the Washington State Employ-
ment Security Department's tax
division and retired in 1980.
He was a member of the Amer-
ican Legion in Tacoma. His fami-
ly said he was a great bargain
hunter and an avid baseball fan,
and he enjoyed trips to Reno.
He is survived by his wife,
Jeanne Swank of Hoodsport; son
Bradley Swank of Tokeland;
daughter Sandra Sheeley of Seat-
tle; and three grandchildren.
There will be no service. Me-
morial donations may be made to
the donor's charity of choice.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Vivian Buechel
Vivian D. Buechel, a resident
of the Shelton area for the past 82
years, died at Mason General
Hospital following a traffic acci-
dent Monday, February 1. She
was 88.
She was born November 15,
1910, in Seattle to Ernest and
Henrietta (Schmidt) Fox.
Mrs. Buechel was a homemak-
er. She served on the Mason
County Elections Board for many
years. She enjoyed reading and
gardening.
She was preceded in death by
her husband, Fritz Buechel, in
1992 and by son Joseph Buechel
in 1994.
She is survived by sons Thom-
as Buechel of Olympia and Peter
Buechel of Monterey, California;
brother Richard Fox of Onalaska;
sister Ernetta Boren of Issaquah;
and numerous grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be held at
11 a.m. Friday, February 5, at
Saint Edward's Catholic Church
in Shelton.
Memorial donations may be
made to Saint Edward's Catholic
Church Building Fund, P.O. Box
758, Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Marissa Wolf-Doyle
Marissa Sue Wolf-Doyle, an in-
fant who was 28 days old, died
Thursday, January 28, at Tacoma
General Hospital.
She was born January 1 in Ta-
coma to Mark Alton Doyle and
Jennifer Renee Wolf of Shelton.
Also surviving are grandpar-
ents Jim and Sue Wolf, and Ray
and Sue Doyle, all of Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Mary McFarland
Mary L. McFarland, a resident
of Shelton for 23 years, died of
heart failure Monday, February
1, at Evergreen Nursing and Re-
habilitation in Olympia. She was
80.
She was born May 29, 1918, in
Havre, Montana, to Frank and
Goldie (Hungerford) Kiehn. She
was raised in Montana and the
Everett area. She also lived in
Bremerton for 24 years.
She married Thomas E. Mc-
Farland on February 27, 1937, in
Snohomish. He preceded her in
death in 1987.
Mrs. McFarland was a home-
maker. She enjoyed gardening,
travel (especially to Reno), read-
ing, playing cards and her family.
She is survived by sons
Michael McFarland of Olympia
and Albert McFarland of Bremer-
ton; daughter Gloria Stuart of
Seabeck; brother Bill Kiehn of Ar-
lington; sister-in-law Cleo Kiehn
of Machias; four grandchildren,
three great-grandchildren and
numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be no service. In lieu
of flowers, memorial donations
may be made to the American
Heart Association, Washington
Affiliate, Southwest Area Office,
16 Tacoma Avenue N., Tacoma
98403, or the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center, 1124
Columbia Street, Seattle 98104-
2092.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Frank W. Byars
Frank W. Byars
Frank W. Byars, a resident of
Union for 15 years, died of cere-
bral bleeding Thursday, January
28, at Madigan Army Medical
Center near Tacoma. He was 59.
He was born February 25,
1939, in Austin, Texas, to Frank
Byars Sr. and Evelyn (Broaddus)
Byars. He was raised by his
grandmother, Willie Mae Broad-
dus.
He married Jean (Gaspard)
Byars in November of 1959.
He served in the Navy from
January 31, 1957 to August 20,
1975, and had achieved an E-6
rank at the time of his discharge.
He worked as a pipefitter at
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in
Bremerton.
Mr. Byars was a member of the
Fraternal Order of Eagles. He
loved to fish and hunt, was wild
about rodeos and loved spending
time with his family. He was a
patient and unselfish man, his
family said.
He is survived by his wife,
Jean Byars of Union; son Jay
Byars of Everett; daughters
Theresia Burgess of San Diego,
California, Mary Byars of Shelton
and Billie Byars of Shelton;
sisters Edna Byars and Mary
Byars, both of California; and
eight grandchildren.
A graveside service was held
Wednesday, February 3, at Shel-
ton Memorial Park. A memorial
service will be held at a later
date.
Arrangements are by Forest
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Mary L. Johnson
Mary L. Johnson, a resident of
Tacoma for the past four years
and a former Grapeview resident,
died Wednesday, January 27. She
was 64.
She was a retired phone opera-
tor at Ben March6.
Mrs. Johnson is survived by
her husband, Emmett Johnson of
Tacoma; daughters Judith Wi-
loughby and her husband Dick of
Florida and Laurie Kroll of Taco-
ma; son Dan McGrady of Hoods-
port; grandchildren Jonathan La-
Sauce, Matthew Kroll, Danny
Kroll and Lana McGrady; broth-
ers Louie Schiemer of Cle Elum
and Bob Schiemer of Federal
Way; and sister Vicky Hudspeth
of Texas.
Memorial services were held
Tuesday, February 2, at Haven of
Rest Chapel in Gig Harbor. In-
urnment was at Haven of Rest
Memorial Park.
Arrangements are by Haven of
Rest in Gig Harbor.
WE
WANT
lq empty space.
e rben Iooke) c)own upon The earth ant) saw Vou
"rlle/:ace. He put His anas aRount you ah MASON COUNTY FIRE DISTRICTS NEED VOLUNTEER
tiffed) you w ResT. FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS (EMTs)
OOs qac)en mUST be [eauTiFU[. He only Takes BENEFITS: Help others • Serve your community
" esr. He knew That you were suFFeRznq, am) • Education • Hands on training ° Reduces
oz e, Inew you were zn pain. He knew That you tax and insurance costs • Other benefits
@T leve lieT well on eanTb aqaln. He saw The If you are interested or have questions, contact
oa iv "
. as qeTTlnq Rouqh, am) biLLs were ba) TO Flrecom at 426-5533.
ctlmk So He cLoset) your weary eyeLu)s am) They can refer you to the fire district you live in.
wbispeec) ...
"Peace Be Throe" Sponsored by Mason County Fire Chiefs Association
I IIIII
Alvena Johnson
Alvena Richert Johnson, a Sko-
komish Valley resident for 93
years, died Thursday, January
21, at her home in the valley. She
was 99.
She was born April 18, 1899, in
an area of Russia that is today
part of Poland. Her parents were
Teofil and Helena (Schelling)
Richert.
At the age of 2, she emigrated
to the United States with her par-
ents and two sisters and settled
in the Skokomish Valley, where
she lived all but four of her 97
years in America. Her father pur-
chased 40 acres in the fertile val-
ley in 1901 at a price of $10 an
acre, Mrs. Johnson told a Journal
reporter in 1981.
She graduated from Shelton's
Irene S. Reed High School in
1919, working for her room and
board at the Mark E. Reed home
in Shelton. The arrangement was
necessary because of a lack of
transportation between the valley
and Shelton.
She married another valley
pioneer, Arvid Johnson, in 1923.
They moved into a two-story
farmhouse built for them by Ar-
vid Johnson's father and broth-
ers. He preceded her in death in
1981.
She was converted to Chris-
tianity at age 16, and spent her
life living her faith, serving her
family, neighbors and many
Christian causes that came to her
attention, family members said.
Her daily prayers and efforts
were focused on the spiritual and
physical well-being of neighbors,
friends and all strangers who
crossed her path, her family said.
Among the monuments to her
faith is the Skokomish Valley
Community Church and Mason
County Christian School for
which she worked and prayed for
many years, according to her fam-
ily.
Friends and neighbors called
her "Mrs. Hospitality" since her
home was always open to visiting
pastors, teachers, missionaries
and vacation Bible school workers
as well as all of her children's
friends and any needy person she
met, members of the Johnson
family said. People enjoyed her
fried chicken and homemade
bread.
She was known for her beauti-
ful flower and vegetable gardens
and seven-foot-tall raspberry
bushes. All proceeds from her
garden, raspberries, fruit trees
and other items were given to
what she called the "work of the
Lord."
Mrs. Johnson devoted many
years as prayer chairperson of the
Christian Women's Club of Shel-
ton. Her influence touched many
lives within the community, her
family said. "Through her minis-
try to youth, a number of young
people devoted their lives to
Christian service," said a family
member.
She is survived by sons Wesley
and Haldane Johnson of the Sko-
komish Valley, and Stanley John-
son of Toppenish; daughters
Evangeline Miller of Edmonds,
Edith Johnson of Shelton,
Alvena R. Johnson
Frances King of Selah and Esther
Cunningham of Grapeview; sister
Neta Olsen of Forbestown, Cali-
fornia; and 19 grandchildren and
39 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held
on Saturday, January 23, at the
Skokomish Valley Community
Church. The Reverend Carl J.
King (Mrs. Johnson's son-in-law),
the Reverend Howard Spear and
the Reverend Wesley Johnson
(Mrs. Johnson's grandson) offi-
ciated. Burial was at Shelton Me-
morial Park.
Memorial donations can be
made to the Skokomish Valley
Community Church or to the Ma-
son County Christian School at
470 East Eagle Ridge Drive in
Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Ann M. Perkins
Ann M. Perkins, a lifelong resi-
dent of Shelton, died of cancer
Monday, January 25, at her
sister's home in Olympia. She
was 74.
She was born July 5, 1924, in
Tacoma to Richard and Ada
(Satterquist) Matthews.
She married David L. Perkins
on November 21, 1976. Previous-
ly, she was married to Samuel G.
McKee. He preceded her in death.
Mrs. Perkins was a homemak-
er. From 1966 to 1971, she was
co-manager of the Sherman Clay
music store in Olympia.
Mrs. Perkins loved to take car
trips and enjoyed movies, cross-
word puzzles and trips to the
beach.
She is survived by husband
David L. Perkins of Shelton; son
George McKee of Chehalis;
daughters Joan (McKee) Best-Fox
of Arlington; Karen (McKee) Bad-
er of Olympia and Allison
(McKee) McGuire of Tacoma;
sister Georgia Cousins of Olym-
pia; and seven grandchildren.
No services were scheduled.
Arrangements are by American
Memorial Funeral Directors of
Olympia.
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Sat. 8:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Roberta Flansburgh
Former Skokomish Valley Res-
ident Roberta E. Flansburgh died
Friday, January 29, at the Othel-
lo Community Hospital. She was
74 and a resident of Mesa.
She was born June 23, 1924, in
Sunnyside to Orvel B. and Letha
L.M. (Orsborn) Cavanaugh. She
was raised in the Yakima Valley
and moved to Kent in 1942, grad-
uating from Kent High School.
She then attended Northwest
Christian College in Eugene, Ore-
gon.
She married Elmo W. Flans-
burgh on September 14, 1946, in
Kent. The couple moved to the
Skokomish Valley where they
lived for 10 years. In 1960, they
moved to the Columbia Basin,
settling near Basin City.
Mrs. Flansburgh was a mem-
ber of the First Baptist Church of
Othello. She taught Sunday
school for 50 years, was inw)lved
in the Women's Missionary Fel-
lowship and touched many liw,,s,
her family said. Her family was
very important to her and she
was called a dedicated daughter,
wife, daughter-in-law, mother
and grandmother.
She is survived by husband
Ehno Flansburgh of Mesa; son
Russell Flansburgh and his wifb
Sherrie of Shelton; and daughters
Letha "Lee" Unruh and her hus-
band Don of Yakima, Mary A.
Mitchell of Richland, and Christy
J. Kent and her husband Rick of
Connell.
Also surviving are her mother,
Letha L.M. Cavanaugh of Kent;
brother Virgil Cavanaugh and his
wife Della of Renton; sister La-
Vera Cavanaugh and her hus-
band Ray of Kent; and grandchil-
dren Jan Alexander, Jason Alex-
ander and his wife Lori, Beckie
Flansburgh, Troy Unruh, Amber
Henyan and her husband Note,
Amy Thompson, Randy Kent and
Jared Kent.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, February 2, at the First
Baptist Church of Othello. Vault
interment was at Bess Hampton
Memorial Gardens in Othello.
Arrangements are by Stevens
Funeral Chapel in Othello.
by Bill & Leslee McComb
PRAYERFUL
THOUGHTS
There are now scientific data
that support what many have
long known -- that prayer and
positive thinking have a catm-
ing effect upon the mind and a
healthful effect upon the body.
Those who take time out from
their busy schedules to pray or
meditate will be blessed with
richer rewards. The paths to
their goals will become clearer.
Their relationships with others
will grow deeper. And, most im-
portantly, their sense of them-
selves will become enlightened.
As the Roman philosopher Sen-
eca noted: "The mind is never
right but when it is at peace
within itself; the soul is in heaven
even while it is in the flesh, if it
be purged of its natural corrup-
tions, and taken up with divine
thoughts and contemplations."
Life is meant to be a celebra-
tion. How special and wise are
those who find a reason to make
every day a special one. At
McCOMB FUNERAL HOME,
703 Railroad Avenue West, we
believe a funeral is not so much
about mourning a loss as it is
about celebrating the life of
someone we love. For profes-
sional assistance, call 426-
4803. Grief counseling is avail-
able. We can also help with so-
cial security and veteran's pa-
pers.
QUOTE: "Prayer is the wing
wherewith the soul flies to
heaven, and meditation the eye
wherewith we see God."
Ambrose of Milan
I ii I i ii i i
Thursday, February 4, 1999 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 9
IIII
t •
Robert 'Bob' Eken
to R°bert "Bob" Eken, 72, of Shel-
died Tuesday, February 2, at
his home.
,he A full obituary will appear in
JOUrnal next week.
l.ba'rangements are by McComb
aaeral Home in Shelton.
h Knight
Kenneth L. Knight, 60, of Shel-
died Tuesday, February 2, at
full obituary will appear in
Journal next week.
A memorial service will be held
;a later date. Contact the family
information about that.
are by Forest
Home in Shelton.
:e Whitlock
V. (Larsen) Whitlock,
longtime Shelton resi-
Friday, January 29, in
Iowa. She was 97.
She was born May 26, 1901, in
City, Missouri, and was a
Shelton resident until
to Iowa in 1986.
88he had been a member of the
helton Moose Lodge and enjoyed
ltg and gardening. She was a
eV0ted and loving wife and
m°ther, her family said.
]he Was preceded in death by
Gene Snell.
is survived by daughters
Polson of Keokuk, Iowa,
Vinzant of Tacoma,
and 10 great-
graveside service will be held
February 10, at Shel-
ial Park.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
00eather
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUllllllllllllllil
Eugene Thomas
Eugene G. Thomas, a hard-
working man who worked until
he was 83 years old, died of natu-
ral causes Thursday, January 28,
at Fir Lane Health and Rehabili-
tation Center in Shelton. He was
98 and had been a resident of Ma-
son County for nine years.
He was born November 27,
1900, to John and Frankie (Van-
diver) Thomas at Asher, Arkan-
sas.
He married Ollie Marie Melton
of Bradleyville, Missouri, on Au-
gust 26, 1925, in Yakima. She
preceded him in death on June 1,
1995.
Mr. Thomas was employed by
Condon Orchards in Yakima for
50 years. He retired at the age of
83, when he and his wife moved
to Tokeland to be near their
daughter. They then moved to
Shelton with her family in 1990.
He was an avid fisherman, tak-
ing his family on many hunting
and fishing trips during the child-
ren's youth. He also enjoyed trav-
eling with his wife on short trips
to visit friends and see the coun-
tryside.
He is survived by sons Vernon
Thomas and his wife Sylvia of
West Richland, and Barry Tho-
mas and his wife Judee of Taco-
ma; daughters Pauline Kennedy
and her husband Pete of Shelton,
and Maxine Yeager and her hus-
band Howard of Othello; 16
grandchildren, 39 great-
grandchildren; eight great-great
grandchildren and numerous
nieces and nephews.
The second of 14 children, he is
survived by sisters Virginia How-
ard of Claremore, Oklahoma and
Freda Deisz of Sun City, Arizona;
and brothers Andrew Thomas of
Sun City, Arizona, Cecil Thomas
of Lexena, Kansas, and Theodore
Thomas of Lithonia, Georgia.
Funeral services were held
Monday, February 1, at the First
Presbyterian Church of Yakima.
Burial was at West Hills Memori-
al Park in Yakima.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
High Low Precip.
Fahrenheit (In.)
41 31 .43
47 33 2.42
29 48 42 1.51
30 42 33 .20
31 44 34 .29
44 33 .80
49 35 2.01
ts for the previ-
hours are recorded for the
Weather Service at 4
day at Olympic Air at
Field.
ists with the Na-
Service predict
of rain, heavy at times,
weekend (Sound famil-
what they said last
too.) Snowfall may be
in the mountains; near
Vel nightly temperatures
35 to 40 with day-
around 45.
LUary, while not as far
as November and
was a damp one. At
Field, the month's to-
14.52 well above the 67-
of 10.41 inches for
nally the wettest
the year.
.oad resident Allan Bar-
has recorded rainfall
Past five years, noted that
January was wetter than
lr's wet January. He
15.30 inches this year
.40 inches last year. At
on Field, it was the re-
st year's reading was
there.
en noted that since No-
1, 51 inches of rain fell at
"Quite a contrast," he
lone inch he recorded
Une 27 to October 3. At
Field, the total rain-
November, December
was 53.06 inches.
Nita Heikes
Nita Heikes, a resident of Shel-
ton, died Thursday, January 28,
at Saint Peter Hospital in Olym-
pia. She was 79 years old.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Everett G. Swank
Everett G. Swank, a resident of
Hoodsport for 19 years, died Mon-
day, February 1, at Fir Lane
Health and Rehabilitation Center
in Shelton. He was 83, and had
been a Tacoma resident for 30
years before moving to the local
area.
He was born June 14, 1915, in
Billings, Montana, to Otto and
Selma (Johnson) Swank.
He married Jeanne Christen-
sen on July 14, 1943.
Mr. Swank served in the Army
from 1942 to 1945 and was a first
lieutenant at the time he was dis-
charged.
He worked as an auditor for
the Washington State Employ-
ment Security Department's tax
division and retired in 1980.
He was a member of the Amer-
ican Legion in Tacoma. His fami-
ly said he was a great bargain
hunter and an avid baseball fan,
and he enjoyed trips to Reno.
He is survived by his wife,
Jeanne Swank of Hoodsport; son
Bradley Swank of Tokeland;
daughter Sandra Sheeley of Seat-
tle; and three grandchildren.
There will be no service. Me-
morial donations may be made to
the donor's charity of choice.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Vivian Buechel
Vivian D. Buechel, a resident
of the Shelton area for the past 82
years, died at Mason General
Hospital following a traffic acci-
dent Monday, February 1. She
was 88.
She was born November 15,
1910, in Seattle to Ernest and
Henrietta (Schmidt) Fox.
Mrs. Buechel was a homemak-
er. She served on the Mason
County Elections Board for many
years. She enjoyed reading and
gardening.
She was preceded in death by
her husband, Fritz Buechel, in
1992 and by son Joseph Buechel
in 1994.
She is survived by sons Thom-
as Buechel of Olympia and Peter
Buechel of Monterey, California;
brother Richard Fox of Onalaska;
sister Ernetta Boren of Issaquah;
and numerous grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be held at
11 a.m. Friday, February 5, at
Saint Edward's Catholic Church
in Shelton.
Memorial donations may be
made to Saint Edward's Catholic
Church Building Fund, P.O. Box
758, Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Marissa Wolf-Doyle
Marissa Sue Wolf-Doyle, an in-
fant who was 28 days old, died
Thursday, January 28, at Tacoma
General Hospital.
She was born January 1 in Ta-
coma to Mark Alton Doyle and
Jennifer Renee Wolf of Shelton.
Also surviving are grandpar-
ents Jim and Sue Wolf, and Ray
and Sue Doyle, all of Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Mary McFarland
Mary L. McFarland, a resident
of Shelton for 23 years, died of
heart failure Monday, February
1, at Evergreen Nursing and Re-
habilitation in Olympia. She was
80.
She was born May 29, 1918, in
Havre, Montana, to Frank and
Goldie (Hungerford) Kiehn. She
was raised in Montana and the
Everett area. She also lived in
Bremerton for 24 years.
She married Thomas E. Mc-
Farland on February 27, 1937, in
Snohomish. He preceded her in
death in 1987.
Mrs. McFarland was a home-
maker. She enjoyed gardening,
travel (especially to Reno), read-
ing, playing cards and her family.
She is survived by sons
Michael McFarland of Olympia
and Albert McFarland of Bremer-
ton; daughter Gloria Stuart of
Seabeck; brother Bill Kiehn of Ar-
lington; sister-in-law Cleo Kiehn
of Machias; four grandchildren,
three great-grandchildren and
numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be no service. In lieu
of flowers, memorial donations
may be made to the American
Heart Association, Washington
Affiliate, Southwest Area Office,
16 Tacoma Avenue N., Tacoma
98403, or the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center, 1124
Columbia Street, Seattle 98104-
2092.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Frank W. Byars
Frank W. Byars
Frank W. Byars, a resident of
Union for 15 years, died of cere-
bral bleeding Thursday, January
28, at Madigan Army Medical
Center near Tacoma. He was 59.
He was born February 25,
1939, in Austin, Texas, to Frank
Byars Sr. and Evelyn (Broaddus)
Byars. He was raised by his
grandmother, Willie Mae Broad-
dus.
He married Jean (Gaspard)
Byars in November of 1959.
He served in the Navy from
January 31, 1957 to August 20,
1975, and had achieved an E-6
rank at the time of his discharge.
He worked as a pipefitter at
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in
Bremerton.
Mr. Byars was a member of the
Fraternal Order of Eagles. He
loved to fish and hunt, was wild
about rodeos and loved spending
time with his family. He was a
patient and unselfish man, his
family said.
He is survived by his wife,
Jean Byars of Union; son Jay
Byars of Everett; daughters
Theresia Burgess of San Diego,
California, Mary Byars of Shelton
and Billie Byars of Shelton;
sisters Edna Byars and Mary
Byars, both of California; and
eight grandchildren.
A graveside service was held
Wednesday, February 3, at Shel-
ton Memorial Park. A memorial
service will be held at a later
date.
Arrangements are by Forest
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Mary L. Johnson
Mary L. Johnson, a resident of
Tacoma for the past four years
and a former Grapeview resident,
died Wednesday, January 27. She
was 64.
She was a retired phone opera-
tor at Ben March6.
Mrs. Johnson is survived by
her husband, Emmett Johnson of
Tacoma; daughters Judith Wi-
loughby and her husband Dick of
Florida and Laurie Kroll of Taco-
ma; son Dan McGrady of Hoods-
port; grandchildren Jonathan La-
Sauce, Matthew Kroll, Danny
Kroll and Lana McGrady; broth-
ers Louie Schiemer of Cle Elum
and Bob Schiemer of Federal
Way; and sister Vicky Hudspeth
of Texas.
Memorial services were held
Tuesday, February 2, at Haven of
Rest Chapel in Gig Harbor. In-
urnment was at Haven of Rest
Memorial Park.
Arrangements are by Haven of
Rest in Gig Harbor.
WE
WANT
lq empty space.
e rben Iooke) c)own upon The earth ant) saw Vou
"rlle/:ace. He put His anas aRount you ah MASON COUNTY FIRE DISTRICTS NEED VOLUNTEER
tiffed) you w ResT. FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS (EMTs)
OOs qac)en mUST be [eauTiFU[. He only Takes BENEFITS: Help others • Serve your community
" esr. He knew That you were suFFeRznq, am) • Education • Hands on training ° Reduces
oz e, Inew you were zn pain. He knew That you tax and insurance costs • Other benefits
@T leve lieT well on eanTb aqaln. He saw The If you are interested or have questions, contact
oa iv "
. as qeTTlnq Rouqh, am) biLLs were ba) TO Flrecom at 426-5533.
ctlmk So He cLoset) your weary eyeLu)s am) They can refer you to the fire district you live in.
wbispeec) ...
"Peace Be Throe" Sponsored by Mason County Fire Chiefs Association
I IIIII
Alvena Johnson
Alvena Richert Johnson, a Sko-
komish Valley resident for 93
years, died Thursday, January
21, at her home in the valley. She
was 99.
She was born April 18, 1899, in
an area of Russia that is today
part of Poland. Her parents were
Teofil and Helena (Schelling)
Richert.
At the age of 2, she emigrated
to the United States with her par-
ents and two sisters and settled
in the Skokomish Valley, where
she lived all but four of her 97
years in America. Her father pur-
chased 40 acres in the fertile val-
ley in 1901 at a price of $10 an
acre, Mrs. Johnson told a Journal
reporter in 1981.
She graduated from Shelton's
Irene S. Reed High School in
1919, working for her room and
board at the Mark E. Reed home
in Shelton. The arrangement was
necessary because of a lack of
transportation between the valley
and Shelton.
She married another valley
pioneer, Arvid Johnson, in 1923.
They moved into a two-story
farmhouse built for them by Ar-
vid Johnson's father and broth-
ers. He preceded her in death in
1981.
She was converted to Chris-
tianity at age 16, and spent her
life living her faith, serving her
family, neighbors and many
Christian causes that came to her
attention, family members said.
Her daily prayers and efforts
were focused on the spiritual and
physical well-being of neighbors,
friends and all strangers who
crossed her path, her family said.
Among the monuments to her
faith is the Skokomish Valley
Community Church and Mason
County Christian School for
which she worked and prayed for
many years, according to her fam-
ily.
Friends and neighbors called
her "Mrs. Hospitality" since her
home was always open to visiting
pastors, teachers, missionaries
and vacation Bible school workers
as well as all of her children's
friends and any needy person she
met, members of the Johnson
family said. People enjoyed her
fried chicken and homemade
bread.
She was known for her beauti-
ful flower and vegetable gardens
and seven-foot-tall raspberry
bushes. All proceeds from her
garden, raspberries, fruit trees
and other items were given to
what she called the "work of the
Lord."
Mrs. Johnson devoted many
years as prayer chairperson of the
Christian Women's Club of Shel-
ton. Her influence touched many
lives within the community, her
family said. "Through her minis-
try to youth, a number of young
people devoted their lives to
Christian service," said a family
member.
She is survived by sons Wesley
and Haldane Johnson of the Sko-
komish Valley, and Stanley John-
son of Toppenish; daughters
Evangeline Miller of Edmonds,
Edith Johnson of Shelton,
Alvena R. Johnson
Frances King of Selah and Esther
Cunningham of Grapeview; sister
Neta Olsen of Forbestown, Cali-
fornia; and 19 grandchildren and
39 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held
on Saturday, January 23, at the
Skokomish Valley Community
Church. The Reverend Carl J.
King (Mrs. Johnson's son-in-law),
the Reverend Howard Spear and
the Reverend Wesley Johnson
(Mrs. Johnson's grandson) offi-
ciated. Burial was at Shelton Me-
morial Park.
Memorial donations can be
made to the Skokomish Valley
Community Church or to the Ma-
son County Christian School at
470 East Eagle Ridge Drive in
Shelton.
Arrangements are by McComb
Funeral Home in Shelton.
Ann M. Perkins
Ann M. Perkins, a lifelong resi-
dent of Shelton, died of cancer
Monday, January 25, at her
sister's home in Olympia. She
was 74.
She was born July 5, 1924, in
Tacoma to Richard and Ada
(Satterquist) Matthews.
She married David L. Perkins
on November 21, 1976. Previous-
ly, she was married to Samuel G.
McKee. He preceded her in death.
Mrs. Perkins was a homemak-
er. From 1966 to 1971, she was
co-manager of the Sherman Clay
music store in Olympia.
Mrs. Perkins loved to take car
trips and enjoyed movies, cross-
word puzzles and trips to the
beach.
She is survived by husband
David L. Perkins of Shelton; son
George McKee of Chehalis;
daughters Joan (McKee) Best-Fox
of Arlington; Karen (McKee) Bad-
er of Olympia and Allison
(McKee) McGuire of Tacoma;
sister Georgia Cousins of Olym-
pia; and seven grandchildren.
No services were scheduled.
Arrangements are by American
Memorial Funeral Directors of
Olympia.
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Roberta Flansburgh
Former Skokomish Valley Res-
ident Roberta E. Flansburgh died
Friday, January 29, at the Othel-
lo Community Hospital. She was
74 and a resident of Mesa.
She was born June 23, 1924, in
Sunnyside to Orvel B. and Letha
L.M. (Orsborn) Cavanaugh. She
was raised in the Yakima Valley
and moved to Kent in 1942, grad-
uating from Kent High School.
She then attended Northwest
Christian College in Eugene, Ore-
gon.
She married Elmo W. Flans-
burgh on September 14, 1946, in
Kent. The couple moved to the
Skokomish Valley where they
lived for 10 years. In 1960, they
moved to the Columbia Basin,
settling near Basin City.
Mrs. Flansburgh was a mem-
ber of the First Baptist Church of
Othello. She taught Sunday
school for 50 years, was inw)lved
in the Women's Missionary Fel-
lowship and touched many liw,,s,
her family said. Her family was
very important to her and she
was called a dedicated daughter,
wife, daughter-in-law, mother
and grandmother.
She is survived by husband
Ehno Flansburgh of Mesa; son
Russell Flansburgh and his wifb
Sherrie of Shelton; and daughters
Letha "Lee" Unruh and her hus-
band Don of Yakima, Mary A.
Mitchell of Richland, and Christy
J. Kent and her husband Rick of
Connell.
Also surviving are her mother,
Letha L.M. Cavanaugh of Kent;
brother Virgil Cavanaugh and his
wife Della of Renton; sister La-
Vera Cavanaugh and her hus-
band Ray of Kent; and grandchil-
dren Jan Alexander, Jason Alex-
ander and his wife Lori, Beckie
Flansburgh, Troy Unruh, Amber
Henyan and her husband Note,
Amy Thompson, Randy Kent and
Jared Kent.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, February 2, at the First
Baptist Church of Othello. Vault
interment was at Bess Hampton
Memorial Gardens in Othello.
Arrangements are by Stevens
Funeral Chapel in Othello.
by Bill & Leslee McComb
PRAYERFUL
THOUGHTS
There are now scientific data
that support what many have
long known -- that prayer and
positive thinking have a catm-
ing effect upon the mind and a
healthful effect upon the body.
Those who take time out from
their busy schedules to pray or
meditate will be blessed with
richer rewards. The paths to
their goals will become clearer.
Their relationships with others
will grow deeper. And, most im-
portantly, their sense of them-
selves will become enlightened.
As the Roman philosopher Sen-
eca noted: "The mind is never
right but when it is at peace
within itself; the soul is in heaven
even while it is in the flesh, if it
be purged of its natural corrup-
tions, and taken up with divine
thoughts and contemplations."
Life is meant to be a celebra-
tion. How special and wise are
those who find a reason to make
every day a special one. At
McCOMB FUNERAL HOME,
703 Railroad Avenue West, we
believe a funeral is not so much
about mourning a loss as it is
about celebrating the life of
someone we love. For profes-
sional assistance, call 426-
4803. Grief counseling is avail-
able. We can also help with so-
cial security and veteran's pa-
pers.
QUOTE: "Prayer is the wing
wherewith the soul flies to
heaven, and meditation the eye
wherewith we see God."
Ambrose of Milan
I ii I i ii i i
Thursday, February 4, 1999 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 9
IIII