West Seattle, Washington
19 Saturday
Family and friends will gather December 28 to remember Clara R. Dempsey. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with her community:
Clara Dempsey
March 31, 1931 – September 10, 2022Clara Romola Dempsey passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 10th at Mt. Saint Vincent nursing home.
Born in Seattle March 1, 1931, to Norwegian immigrants Sigurd and Karen Thuen. Clara spent her entire life in Seattle, growing up in Madison Park and West Seattle, graduating from West Seattle High School in 1949
Clara married Robert (Bob) Dempsey on June 6, 1953, in Seattle, raising their three children in West Seattle. She worked in retail at Rhodes Department Store and Johnson’s Apparel and in the annuities department at Safeco Insurance, from which she retired to travel with Bob and enjoy her grandchildren. She spent many years fundraising as a member of the Seattle Children’s Hospital Fauntleroy Guild. She was a friend to many who appreciated her kind heart and sassiness.
Clara was a fan of the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners and enjoyed reading and crossword puzzles. She loved family gatherings, hosting many of them, and activities with her Seattle Police Family.
Clara was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband Robert Dempsey Sr. She is survived by her children: Kathie (Steve) Itter, Bob Jr. (Tobi), and Mike; four grandchildren: Sean (Kali) Dempsey, Hayley (Jared) Griffin, Katy (Chase) Itter, and Michaella Dempsey (Taylor Schulze); and five great-grandchildren: Ronan and Finnley Dempsey, Tyson, Ashe, and Landon Griffin.
A Celebration of Life is planned for 11:00 a.m. December 28th at Forest Lawn Funeral Home in West Seattle, followed by a reception at The Lodge at Camp Long. Remembrances may be made to Clara’s favorite charity, Seattle Children’s Hospital.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends are remembering Sandra Coryell Rudd, who lost her life after a collision last month. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with her community:
Sandra Lee Coryell Rudd passed away unexpectedly at the age of 83 in November.
Sandra was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a member of a multi-generation horticulture and landscaping family. After high school, she moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she met and married her beloved husband of over 50 years, Professor Dale Rudd. They raised their children, Karen and David, in Madison, Wisconsin, before she and Dale retired to West Seattle in 1997. Dale preceded her in death in 2018.
A longtime civil-rights activist with the League of Women Voters, she was a pioneer in Title IX gender-equity law in Wisconsin. She was a master gardener, propagating her own plants, and an active volunteer in West Seattle, focusing on feeding and clothing the local homeless and low-income residents. Last but not least, she was an animal lover and advocate and fundraiser for animal welfare.
An energetic, gregarious, and kind-hearted woman, she was loved by many and will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather Tuesday to remember Daniel L. Nitkey, and are sharing this remembrance with the community:
Daniel Leroy Nitkey was born August 29, 1944, in The Dalles, Oregon; the first child of John W. Nitkey and Frances L. Fagan Nitkey. Danny died in Everett on November 25, 2022, at the age of 78, surrounded by his family.
As a young boy he built go-carts and raced them down 39th Ave and Marine View Drive with his friends and was a master at playing marbles – he started with a small bag of marbles and ended up with a large jar of them. Danny learned to drive on the country roads in Harrison, Idaho when he was 13 years old. He graduated from Sealth High School in West Seattle in 1962. After graduation, Danny worked for Nitkey Construction, his father’s company, before joining the U.S. Army, serving from 1963 to 1965 during the Vietnam War.
His parents predeceased him. He is survived by his children Cheryl, Roy, and Michelle Nitkey; his siblings Joan Kocharhook (Steve), Susan Griffin, Frances Kahler (Rick), Kathy Hostenske, and Lawrence (Eliza). Danny has five grandchildren – Anthony (Kate) and Brittany Modica, Hannah Nitkey, Ryan Keller, and Charlie Stensel, and three great-grandchildren – Laila Flores, Nicole Nitkey, and Isaiah Feil, and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 on December 6 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 7000 35th Ave SW. Mass will be preceded by recitation of the Rosary at 10:30 am. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries, Idaho, near his grandfather Andrew Nitkey.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Providence Hospital in Everett and Hospice for their care of Danny. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the John W. and Frances (Fagan) Nitkey Endowed Scholarship at Gonzaga University, Gift Accounting, 502 E Boone Ave, Spokane, WA 99258-0098. Gifts can be made online or by phoning Gonzaga University at (509) 313-6142.
Live stream of Funeral Mass can be found at: olgseattle.org/livestreaming-at-olg
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Three months ago we published this remembrance of Clara S. Hattori. Now her Celebration of Life is scheduled – here’s the announcement:
Please join friends and family to celebrate 103 years of life well-lived by CLARA SASAKI HATTORI.
Share your memories and stories.
December 6th, Tuesday
4:30 to 6:30 pm
at C&P Coffee in West Seattle (5612 California SW)
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather tonight and tomorrow to remember Jose M. Martinez Jr. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with the community:
Our beloved, Jose Manuel Martinez Jr., was called home to heaven after a short, intense fight with cancer on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 1:40 PM.
Jose transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by his immediate family, who loves and misses him dearly, beyond measure.
Jose entered this world in April of 1949, the youngest child of ten, born to Aurora T. and Jose Manuel Martinez, Sr. Jose was born in Southern Texas and grew up in Sunnyside, Washington – the area that his family called home since relocating in the 1950s. He attended schools in Sunnyside and graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967, with accolades including State and District High School wrestling championships, and his place among WIAA All-State Wrestlers. These accolades allowed Jose to attend college in Seattle on an athletic scholarship. Later in life, Jose worked twenty years in the construction industry as a journey-level carpenter and worked as a custom upholsterer for a short time until transitioning to working as a letter carrier with the US Postal Service. Jose retired in 2021, after a thirty-two-year career. He carried mail out of Seattle’s Interbay Station and he made many friends both in the office and out along his route. He was a Union Steward for NALC Branch 79 and caused many of his supervisors much consternation with his skill in advocating for workers’ rights.
Jose was an athlete most of his life and a dedicated coach throughout his adult life; first as a player-coach, playing softball next to his favorite teammate, Evonne. Later, as his children grew old enough to play sports, he coached each one of them in a variety of sports depending on the season – baseball, softball, basketball, wrestling. In later years, he dedicated his life to coaching youth soccer. As his children became adults and ventured out into their own lives, he began coaching other youth. He coached at the premier, middle school, and high school levels and was a Nationally licensed soccer coach with additional advanced training, Although he could have continued to coach for premier teams or charged significantly for his training services, his focus was in providing high-level training opportunities to youth and families that would not have been able to afford it otherwise, especially within the Latino and immigrant community. He also loved to work with young people who were not given the same opportunities by other coaches because of their lack of skill or because of limited abilities that made it challenging for them to make progress in a linear fashion. His patience and great respect for each player and his focus on skill development and not on his teams’ winning was what eventually led to his players becoming very skilled and he often had championship level teams as a result. In addition to teaching his players soccer skills, he also stressed to players the importance of always doing their best in whatever they attempted, including academics and maintaining their familial relationships. He was not just a coach- he was a mentor, a confidant, an advocate, and his teams became more like extensions of families that he led as their respected elder.
He was excited and proud that he was able to coach his young grandsons as they recently began their soccer careers.
Family was extremely important to Jose. For decades, he organized family gatherings at the family property where he and many others grew up, in order to continue the connections, and share the family history with the younger generations. Family was more than a biological connection to Jose. The family gatherings became huge events where all those who had become family came to share in the relationships that he strove to maintain. He worked hard to clean up the property and tried to provide everything for the family to be able to gather and share each other’s company. Another way that he maintained and shared family tradition was through his preparation of a pit barbacoa. He would stay up all night tending to the fire to make sure it didn’t go out so that it would be ready for the main family meal the next day.
He was very proud of his father’s involvement in the Mexican Revolution as a member of Los Dorados, an elite team of marksmen for Pancho Villa. His father’s background contributed to Jose’s own involvement in social justice issues such as working on farmworker justice by picketing, boycotting, and performing in improvisational theater as a member of El Teatro del Piojo from the University of Washington in the ’70s. His later years were concentrated on increasing social justice for the youth he coached through his attempts to increase access to opportunities in a variety of areas especially for academic advancement utilizing, at times, their athletics to gain that access.
Jose joins many loved ones who have transitioned to heaven before him, including his oldest son, Regino, from his first marriage. He joins his parents, Manuel and Aurora, and his siblings, sister Manuela, and brothers Regino, Refugio, Andres, Enrique, and Samuel. He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Evonne, and their children, Quetzal (Anjila), Quiauhxochitl, Quauhtli (Megan), and Quipachtli. His grandsons, Xopil, Itzli, Acalli, and Teocalli, granddaughters, Audi, Kaelin, Alyssa, and great-grandchildren, Kyrie and Ajlina, and sisters, Aurora, Maria (Lucio), and Virginia. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and other extended family and friends that feel a great loss with his death.
Celebration of Life Services: Please note that the family requests that, out of respect and consideration for family members at high risk of illness, that masks be worn while inside and that you not attend if ill. Saturday service will be livestreamed if you are unable to attend in person.
Rosary vigil: Friday, November 25, 2022, 5:30 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 7000 35th Ave SW.
Celebration of Life Mass: Saturday, November 26, 2022, 11:00 AM, also at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
Reception after mass in the parish gym, 3410 SW Myrtle St. Seattle, WA 98126 – you are welcome to bring a dish to share if you would like.
Burial of ashes will be scheduled for next year per Jose’s wishes.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jose’s name to Beacon Hill Youth Soccer Club, 1719 South Lander, Seattle, WA 98144, https://beaconhillsoccerclub.org/donate-1
Please share memories, photos, & condolences with Jose’s Family on the Tribute Wall.
Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather one week from today to remember Mary F. Abernethy. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with her community:
Mary Frances Abernethy, 90, passed away on Monday, November 14, 2022. Mary was born on August 24, 1932 to Everett E. Herron and Mary Clark Herron on Beacon Hill, where she attended Catholic school. The family moved to West Seattle, where Mary attended Holy Rosary Catholic Girls High School until her graduation in 1950.
In 1955, Mary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Seattle University. On November 5 of the same year, Mary and James D. Abernethy were married.
Mary then stayed home to raise their four children. Once her youngest was in the fourth grade, Mary went to work at Schick Shadel hospital as a rehab nurse.
Upon retirement, Mary enjoyed sewing and attending classes and other social activities through the Seattle Parks Department. Mary and Jim enjoyed going on road trips in their camper van, as well as going on cruises.
Mary is survived by her husband Jim, her children Bob (Annelle) Abernethy, Carol (Steve) Heurion, Kathy Vincent, and Jim (Blanca) Abernethy, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her final years, Mary struggled with dementia. Her family would like to acknowledge her caregivers and thank them for their dedication, kindness, and compassion for her during her illness.
Funeral mass and reception to celebrate Mary’s life will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in West Seattle. (7000 35th Ave SW)
Please share memories, photos & condolences with Mary’s family on the Tribute Wall at emmickfunerals.com/obituary/Mary-Abernethy
Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends are remembering Charlie “Tuna” Fleming, and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Charles William Fleming
July 11, 1941 – October 3, 2022“Tuna” Fleming (AKA: Butch, Charlie, Chuck, “T”). Charlie was born in Seattle to David Peter Fleming and Grace (Knoff). Growing up along the Duwamish River, he was briefly raised there on a houseboat, which was moved close by to 12th Ave SW – near West Marginal Way – and expanded. He attended Highland Park, Denny, Chief Sealth (he was a sprinter and hurdler) and West Seattle H.S. As a boy he was adventurous and bright and often chose a divergent path: fishing the River, running the log booms, roaming the woods, rebuilding and racing boats. As a young man he embraced work and a life – rambunctious, diverse, wild, boisterous, combative, creative, FUN and funny (after his major heart attack twelve years ago, he awoke in the hospital the next morning: Nurse: “Were you a smoker?”, Charlie: “No, I quit.” Nurse: “How long ago?” Charlie: “When was I admitted?”)
His entire life he loved: Hydroplane races (CdA was historic); dirt-track motorcycle racing; Hot August Nights Car Shows in Reno; parties; road trips / sports cars; motorcycles; Sports (Track & Field, Mariners, Seahawks, Golf, High School Athletics). He devoured the Seattle Times front to back every day. He had a near-photographic memory and could amaze you with addresses, street names, phone numbers, etc. from jobs and locales long past.
Through it all, Tuna worked: creating fine things by his hand – mostly as a Boilermaker and primarily as a world-class welder in Puget Sound Shipyards, Hanford, and Shops from California to Canada. For many years he owned “Pro – Weld Fabricating” which showcased his unmatched creativity and craftsmanship. He welcomed small jobs for individuals often building artistic gates, stairs and railings, etc. But he also took on huge Industrial projects with insightful savvy.
He shared his generous heart, cherished his friends, family, and most dearly, his beloved wife of 40 years, Trina (Jones). Life with Trina was largely responsible for his tamed behavior in the second half of his journey.
He is survived by: brother Mike Fleming, step-daughters Barbie and Stephanie, nephews Eric and Ryan Fleming, Tony Johns; nieces Joanne Fleming and Becky Fleming.
Charlie was preceded in passing by his father David, his mother Grace, his sister Francis, brother David Lee, sister Patricia Lynn, stepmom Emily Wolbert-Fleming, and his beloved Trina.
Charlie preferred that no Memorial be held … but warm memories of him, we shall forever hold close. RIP Tuna!
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends are remembering Mark A. Vinson and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Mark Alan Vinson, of Shoreline, died on September 25, 2022, after a nearly 4-year battle with colon cancer.
Mark was born in Seattle on January 5, 1974. He was an extremely bright and funny child who graduated from Holy Rosary School in West Seattle, Kennedy High School, and Pepperdine University.
Post-graduation, Mark worked in the Molecular Epidemiology Program at Pacific NW Research Institute in Seattle. He co-authored five manuscripts in reputable cancer research journals and helped design grant proposals funded by the NCI and Superfund. Having a background in cancer research, Mark was appreciative of the excellent care and compassion he received from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance doctors, nurses, and staff throughout his cancer journey. Mark was brave and strong in his battle, taking care of himself until only a few weeks before he passed away.
Mark was a beloved friend to many. Reflecting on Mark’s passing, one of his closest friends, Toby Cheff, said, “Mark was a kind soul, very intelligent, widely talented, and genuinely cared about the plight of our planet, our country, and most of all his friends and family. It was through the toughest times that Mark showed his finest human qualities. Even through all of his suffering, Mark found a way to practice gratitude.”
Mark had many interests, including disc golf, drumming, music, art, and cooking. He loved to purchase items from area thrift stores to refurbish them for resale or thoughtful gifting to family and friends. He spent much of his time renovating stereo equipment – purchasing parts and repairing classic pieces. Mark’s apartment was like a museum – with treasures stashed in every nook and cranny and stories to tell about each of them.
Mark is survived by his parents, Alan Vinson, Jr. and Mary (Granquist) Vinson; sisters, Kristi (Mike), Jessie (Gerald), and Heather (Mike); nieces, Izzy and McKenna; and nephew, Jayden.
A funeral service is not planned at this time. Instead, donations may be made in Mark’s name to Hopelink or Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather November 4 to remember Terry M. Gangnes. They’re sharing this remembrance with the community:
Terry M. Gangnes, 75, passed away peacefully at home on September 22, 2022.
Born to Arnold and Ila Gangnes in Seattle, Terry grew up in West Seattle and graduated from WSHS in 1965. He attended Olympic Junior College, where he competed on the schools’ gymnastics team. In 1968, Terry joined the Navy, where he served as an air traffic controller at Glenview Naval Air Station in Great Lakes, Illinois. Following his service, Terry moved back to Seattle with his then-wife and newborn daughter. He worked for United Parcel Service (UPS) as a driver for 31 years, serving the downtown Burien business district. Terry was inducted into the UPS Circle of Honor for having a 30-year safe driving record. He retired from UPS in 2001.
Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Ila; sister Judy; and beloved four-legged companion Bogey. He is survived by his two children, Danielle (Megan), Tyler (Kaydee), and their mother Patty; his four grandchildren, Kya, Avery, Lola, and Harper; his two brothers, Ronald (Randy) and Rich (Janet); nieces Chani and Kamiana and nephew, Andrew.
Terry was an avid golfer, skier, fisherman, and Seahawks fan. He enjoyed gardening, bowling, hydroplane races, and photography. Terry was a 25+-year member of Maplewood Golf Course Men’s Club and served as a course marshal in retirement. He was honored with the club’s 2019 Hall of Fame award for his many years of participation and success in the club’s events, an award he was truly proud of. Terry was a member of Sahalie Ski Club since 1962, where he met many lifelong friends and enjoyed countless weekends skiing and socializing in true Sahalie fashion. He loved salmon fishing every summer in areas throughout Washington. A diehard Seahawks fan and season ticket holder since day one in 1976, Terry enjoyed attending games with family and friends. He will be greatly missed by many.
A celebration of Terry’s life will be held at Maplewood Golf Course in Renton on November 4th, 2022 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in the form of a donation in Terry’s name to the ASPCA or Special Olympics.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather November 5 to remember Bob Yeasting. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with his community:
Robert Owen (Bob) Yeasting died in his home on October 4, 2022, at the age of 89 years old.
Born in Los Angeles on August 16, 1933, to John O. and Ruth A. Yeasting. Bob moved to West Seattle at age two, where his father opened a national accounting office to manage the Boeing account. As a teenager, Bob was active in the Boy Scouts, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and in the Mountaineers, where he climbed many of the peaks in Washington State from Mount Rainier on down; and hiked and climbed with Northwest legends including the Whittakers, Ira Spring, and Pete Schoening. After graduating West Seattle High School in 1951, Bob attended the University of Washington and embarked on an expedition that made the first ascent of the 14,070-foot Mount Augusta in Alaska in 1952.
Graduating from the University of Washington School of Business in 1955, Bob commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy after completing NROTC, and married the love of his life, Rita Lucille Kramer. Bob and Rita moved to Long Beach, California, and he served as a navigator in the 7th Fleet and later, as a Lieutenant, joined the command staff of the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, where their daughter Susan was born in Cannes, France, in 1957.
After completing his naval service, Bob and Rita moved back to Seattle, where he began his business career and they began to grow their family with the birth of Linda in 1960, Bill in 1962, and John in 1970. After working for William P. Harper and Son, Bob joined investment banking firm Foster and Marshall in the late ’60s, where he ultimately led their municipal finance operations as their Sr. Exec VP working alongside Mike Foster. When Foster and Marshall was sold in the 1980s, Bob opened his own firm and continued to distinguish himself as a leader in the municipal finance sector for another 20-plus years. His legacy lives on in the countless infrastructure projects he financed throughout the Northwest, from water supply and sewer systems to stadiums and marinas.
As his family grew, Bob switched his recreational attentions from climbing to skiing and sailing, along with many family hiking adventures and station wagon road trips. In 1965, Bob found a perfect lot in West Seattle to build their dream home, which he designed himself, to raise their family and where he spent his last 57 years. In 1977, after just a couple years of sailing experience, Bob took his family on a 30-day circumnavigation of Vancouver Island in British Columbia on a 36-foot sailboat. After 20 years of family sailing trips, Bob and Rita shifted to a 45-foot trawler, where they made seven round trips to Southeast Alaska via the Inside Passage over the next 15 years. Family and friends had countless opportunities to join them on these and other journeys that directly inspired many to join the boating community of the Northwest.
Always active as a community booster from PTA carnivals and political campaigns of the ’70s, Bob invested ever more time in the West Seattle community as he entered retirement. After teasing Rita about her countless hours spent on the Arts West association, he joined their board and led their fundraising effort to build the Arts West Playhouse, which serves the community today. He also led the West Seattle High School Foundation, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fill funding shortfalls in music, arts, and sports programs, and served on an advisory board for the Genesee Hill school construction. Bob also became a deacon at West Side Presbyterian Church in his 70s.
Bob always enjoyed family time, whether hosting family gatherings or regularly traveling to visit. He enjoyed a good game night and could trash talk with the best of ‘em. As Alzheimer’s took more of his memory in his last few years, his personality and wit remained intact until the end, as he was winning games of Chinese checkers in his last days.
His richest legacy lives on in his surviving family, led by his wife of 67 years, Rita, and his twin sister, Judy Hughes of Orcas Island, four children: Susan ‘Suze’ (Frank Marcinko), Linda (Carrington Bailey), Bill (Julie Quist Yeasting), John (Susan Eastly) and their ten grandchildren, David (Kaila) Kroeker and Samantha Kroeker; Zach (Vera) Bailey and Carl (Jessica) Bailey; Kristin (Alex) Yeasting, Danielle (Sean) Gallagher and Alec Yeasting; Owen Yeasting, Victor Yeasting, and Olivia Owenby, along with seven great-grandchildren and counting! Bob was preceded in death by son-in-law Ken Kroeker and daughter-in-law Kerrie Manolovitz Yeasting.
His family fondly remembers him singing the Bing Crosby chorus: “Where the blue of the night, Meets the gold of the day, Someone waits for me,” as he would come to the dinner table. And his high compliment of a good dinner was “Just like downtown!”
A memorial service and celebration of life is planned for November 5, 2022, at 11 AM at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob’s memory to:
The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
mountaineers.org/donate
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather November 12th to remember Carolyn L. Overton and are sharing this remembrance with her community:
Carolyn L. Overton
5/2/1935 – 9/12/2022Carolyn Louise Overton passed away from natural causes on September 12, 2022. She was 87 years old.
Carolyn was born in Seattle on May 2, 1935. She was the cherished only child of Fred H. Heidrich and Dorothy E. Probstfeld, and lived her entire life on the same street as a third-generation West Seattleite. She attended West Seattle High School and graduated in the class of 1953.
To celebrate their graduation, Carolyn and her lifelong best friend, Phyllis High, took a trip to Alaska, where Carolyn met her future husband, Donald E. Overton, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force. After discharge from the service, Don moved to Seattle and they were married in 1955 at the Alki Congregational Church.
Carolyn and Don raised two sons, Greg and Dean. Carolyn was a dedicated mother: loving, supportive, and encouraging. She took great pride in her family and treasured her close relationships with her devoted sons.
In 1979, Carolyn was hired to manage the cafeteria at Alki Elementary School. She enjoyed working for the school district and she was adored by her many students for her kindness, generosity and caring. Many of her students and coworkers kept in touch with her throughout the remainder of her life.
When Carolyn retired from the school district in 1995, she began volunteering her time working for the Cancer Society’s Discovery Shop in West Seattle Junction. She made many friends through the Discovery Shop and enjoyed the reward of volunteering for a charity she believed in. For several years, she participated in a water aerobics class at the West Seattle YMCA and formed long-lasting friendships with several of the other members.
Carolyn had many gifts and honorable qualities; she was a beautiful letter writer, a talented ceramist, candy maker, and baker. She was famous among friends and family for her lasagna, canned peaches, applesauce, and deviled eggs. Carolyn was a progressive thinker, open minded, and accepting of all people. She had great empathy for others and even in her last days, she worried about friends and family who were going through difficulties.
Although Carolyn’s health and mobility declined in the last several years, she was grateful to be able to return to the house she grew up in and live independently in her home after her husband’s death in 2007. Carolyn was fortunate to be surrounded by many caring and thoughtful friends in her close-knit West Seattle neighborhood. The Overton family is thankful for the support of neighbors and friends who visited her, checked on her well being, shared meals, helped her with tasks, and brought her cheer, especially when she was housebound due to her health. We would also like to extend a special and heartfelt “thank you” to her very dedicated and loving caregiver, Maria Torentino, whose wonderful and compassionate assistance for so many years allowed Carolyn to remain in the home she dearly loved.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her loving husband and her parents. She is survived by her sons, Greg (Teresa) and Dean (Lisa), her special cousins: Sally Cruikshank, Jan Herzog, and Mar Hyde and their respective families, as well as her very best friend, Phyllis High. Carolyn was loved and will be deeply missed by her family and her many friends. “Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts”
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Chelan Cafe in West Seattle on November 12, 2022 @ 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Medic One Foundation, Providence Hospice of Seattle, or the American Cancer Society.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather October 29 to remember longtime West Seattle bakery owner Carl Blake. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing:
F. Carlton Blake – April 11, 1925-October 6, 2022
F. Carlton Blake slipped away peacefully to be present with the Lord in the early evening of October 6, 2022 at Ashley Gardens in Mount Vernon, at the early age of 97. His family is filled with blessings having been able to spend many happy days touring the Skagit Valley during his year-and-a-half stay.
Born in Seattle, Carl was the son of Fredrick and Lila Grace Bowen-Blake. Carl proudly served in the US Navy aboard the WWII Naval ship HMS Europa in 1945. After returning home from his service, he enjoyed a long, full, and interesting life.
In 1950 he purchased Blake’s Bakery in West Seattle from his father, who migrated from Beaconsfield, England. Blake’s Bakery originated in 1927 by his father Fredrick Blake in South Park, then moved to West Seattle in 1946. Carl operated the business for decades, becoming a well respected businessman in the community. Many family members and wonderful dedicated employees worked with Carl throughout the life of the bakery where his masterful skills produced many delectable treats. He enjoyed a long membership with the West Seattle Rotary Club.
After retirement in 1997, his years were spent on beautiful Camano Island. He and his wife Susan of 36 years built their lovely home together, combining their families together to make memories. Together, they enjoyed dear friends, the westerly views of the Olympic Mountains, passing watercraft, eagles, military flyovers, BBQ’s, and of course his beloved dog Izzy. There was time for traveling, participating in the annual Camano Chapel pilgrimage to Mexico, the Camano Rotary Club, reading, trimming his prized raspberries, tinkering in his shop, scenic drives, ice cream, a spoonful of honey in his coffee, napping on the deck, sunny days, and especially time with family.
We will miss you beyond measure, Dad…..”To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”
Carl is survived by his wife of 36 years; his children Daniel Blake, Robin Knight, Paul Blake, Sheryl Dierks, Nip Tucker, Sandra Tucker, and Mary Coller; his grandchildren JJ Knight, Zack Blake, Cori Lange, Gabe Blake, Jeffery Blake, Carlynn Rickels, Jennifer Blake-Rivera, Ezra Blake, Gus Dierks, Hailee Dierks, John Coller, Jason Coller, Trevor Caldwell, Levi Caldwell, Tait Tucker, Trew Tucker, and Trey Nyman; his great-grandchildren Jacob Lange, Colby Lange, Jaxon Knight, Hunter Toft, Conner Toft, Blake Rickels, Cooper Rickels, Mercedes Coller, and Jackson Coller.
Carl was preceded in death by his mother Lila Grace Bowen-Blake, father Fredrick Blake, aon Carlton Walter Blake, grandson Cole Carlton Dierks, great-grandson Oscar Daniel Blake-Rivera, siblings Rhea Mead, David Blake, and Betty Shooner.
Memorial Service: 1 pm October 29th, Camano Chapel, 867 West Camano, Camano Island.
In Lieu of Flowers – donation to: Camano Chapel Youth Program.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather October 29 to celebrate the life of West Niver, who died suddenly last month. They’re sharing this remembrance with his community:
With great sadness we announce the passing of West L. Niver.
Born November 8, 1958 in Albany, New York, died September 6, 2022 in Seattle.
West was first and foremost a man who wanted to help others, and couldn’t stand to not be useful somehow. An avid outdoorsman, he hiked across hundreds of miles of the Northwest and took great joy in the peacefulness of the forest.
He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1982, where he met his wife Cynthia, to whom he was married for 39 years. They lived together in Seattle, where West was a Financial Analyst at Group Health Cooperative/Kaiser Permanente for 30 years, retiring in 2019. West was also a fixture of the local Scouting community, spending many years leading young people into the wilderness, and training others to do the same. Also active in the West Seattle Kiwanis Club, he helped organize numerous community events and held several official positions in the club, including President. West Niver dedicated much of his time to serving others and touched countless lives in many ways, from events with hundreds of participants raising money and awareness for various causes, to passing conversations with people he had just met. His humor was quirky, but witty. He had a lifetime love of animals, and always enjoyed a spookily decorated house for Halloween. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his wife Cynthia and their two sons, Benjamin and Samuel (Amanda) Niver, his sister Geri (Larry) Niver Petkus, and his brother Drew (Debi) Niver. West also leaves behind his beloved cat Luke and grandpets Russell and Bodie. Donations can be made on his behalf to the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America or to the West Seattle Kiwanis Club.
His Celebration of Life is planned (corrected date) October 29 at Camp Schoenwald, 16030 Sylvester Rd SW, Burien. Event space opens at 2:00 PM with service beginning at 2:45 PM.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
We often publish remembrances of people who have died – and sometimes, on request, animal companions too. Here’s one, sent by Dr. Jean Nokes-Ghivizzani from West Seattle’s Falconridge Farm:
REMEMBERING CIELO
THE EQUINE QUEEN OF FALCONRIDGE FARM
1989-2022
For 24 of her 33 years, Cielo has graced Falconridge Farm. She was a Canadian Warmblood mare, a granddaughter of Swaps, the renowned Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year. He was the favorite mount of the famous jockey Willie Shoemaker and noted for his desire to please his rider at the most difficult times, a trait Cielo inherited.
Originally Cielo was a jumping horse in Canada with an enviable record, and her full brother, Spartacus, was on the Canadian National Team. When she came to Falconridge at age 9, she agreed to change careers and became a dressage horse, rising far beyond expectations, reaching International levels and allowing her rider to earn the US Dressage Federation Silver Medal.
Brave and kind and always seeking to please, Cielo made many friends. She seemed to understand English and would sometimes be asked to go comfort some person or horse, and would. She was videoed for a part in a movie to be made in Canada and was the favored mount of Luna, our three legged calico cat whose obituary was published here October 30, 2019.
Cielo did an advanced dressage presentation at her 32nd birthday party, well attended by her many fans. She then agreed to teach long-lining to some of her human friends. On that fateful sunny August 30th she began to stagger badly and her favorite and only veterinarian eased her out of our lives. In medieval fashion, she was covered with a tarp then flowers and herbs and branches. Her cremated remains rest beneath the apple tree behind the barn. Her unique ways to please her rider were so well known that messages have come from 4 countries and 5 states, celebrating her life. It’s nice to think of her in her afterlife with Luna nestled in the middle of her back.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather November 12th to remember Donald Arbow. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing now:
DONALD EDWARD ARBOW
July 26, 1958 – September 17, 2022It is with great sadness to write of the sudden passing of Donald E. Arbow of Ballard.
Don was the firstborn of Edward Donald Arbow and Norma Arbow. Don grew up in West Seattle, attended Holy Rosary Grade School, and then O’Dea High School. He received an IT degree from North Seattle Community College.
He enjoyed cooking, hiking, traveling, family, and friends and good food. He is survived by sisters Diana and Barbara (Chris) and brothers David (Deanna) and Chris, and his nieces – Daveanna (Keith), Sarah (Kavan), Audrey (Tyler) , Josslyn, Mariah and great-nephew and -nieces – Aubree, Ari, and Fen.
Memorial mass to be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, West Seattle, November 12, 2022. 11:00.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends are remembering Paul “Gerry” Maurer and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Paul Gerry Maurer
May 2, 1942 — September 25, 2022Paul “Gerry” Maurer died on September 25, 2022, at the age of 80 at Parkshore Senior Living in Seattle due to failing health from long Covid and pulmonary fibrosis. He was deeply loved by family and friends and is dearly missed.
Gerry was born on May 2, 1942, in Long Beach, CA, to parents Mary Josephine Cushing Maurer and Paul Bulger Maurer. Gerry was the second of three children, along with sisters Mary Jo and Tath. The trio grew up on an avocado ranch in the Hollywood Hills, and Gerry attended La Habra and Hollywood High (class of 1960), where he was a member of the cheer squad and track team. Gerry was an avid sailor from a young age, skippering boats in multiple Transpacific (California to Hawaii) races when he was still in high school. His love for sailboats continued throughout his life as he captained his beloved yachts Surprise (C&C 35) and Dirigo (K50) in myriad races and cruised the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and beyond. One of his most cherished honors was becoming Commodore of the Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) in 1992. Racing sailboats was Gerry’s North Star and he continued to race mini-12s with SYC after retiring his yachts and loved teaching others to sail, as he did with the US Navy cadets.
Gerry received his BA from Stanford University in 1964, where he met his first wife, Kathleen Kirkpatrick (Pierce), and was a proud member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and a coxswain on the crew team. He went on to get his MBA from Columbia University in 1966, after which he worked in management for American Airlines before attending Officer Candidate School and serving in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. In 1970, he was discharged and moved permanently to Seattle, WA where he worked for Airborne Air Freight before buying American Conserving Company (aka “the apple factory”) which processed Washington apples for pies and juice, with his business partner and fellow Navy Officer, Glenn Kalnasy. In 1985, he shifted gears to estate and business planning with Northwestern Mutual Financial Services, where he built his own advisory firm, fully retiring in 2021.
In 1987, Gerry married Barbara and moved to her home in West Seattle. They had a shared love of the sea; most of their spare time was spent racing or cruising sailboats. They spent many years sailing the West Coast as well as chartering boats in the Caribbean, Greece and Croatia and traveling with the Cruising Club of America. When not on boats, the pair loved to ski and take family winter ski trips, igniting a love for the mountains in their two sons.
Gerry and Barbara were also devoted Rotarians. Gerry was a member of the downtown Seattle Rotary Club and Barbara served as President of the Burien Rotary. Together they were deeply involved in Rotary International service with schools, orphanages, and water projects across the globe, including two visits to India.
Above all, Gerry and Barbara loved hosting friends and family at their home, whether it was for an international business delegation, a holiday meal, or their annual Christmas ship party. They loved to cook and garden together and spent their “retirement” years enjoying their beautiful Puget Sound views and prolific garden. Gerry in particular was dedicated to his blueberry and rose bushes and could often be found out in the garden pruning or harvesting them. They were both very proud of their children and especially their many grandchildren who they gathered often for meals on their deck or holiday celebrations.
Gerry was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Glee Maurer. He is survived by his two daughters, Kristina Maurer Montague (Tom) and Serena Dawn Maurer (Sam); his two stepsons, Karl Asmund Norsen (Michelle) and Curtis Clifton Norsen (Betsy); his seven grandchildren, Chapin, Max, Ella, Millie, Tao, Harper, and Tabitha; and his two sisters, Tath Hossfeld (Dennis) and Mary Jo Martin (Richard); as well as his nephews Chris, Craig, and Andy; nieces Cecily and Jenny and their families.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Rotary International Foundation Memorial plans will be forthcoming on his online obituary.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends are remembering Shanna Warren-Platt and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Shanna Warren-Platt, 63, of Seattle, passed away September 28th, 2022.
She was born in Amoret, MO on April 17th, 1959 to parents Lucille (née Warren) Platt and James Platt. A friendly and studious child, Shanna was known for her love of exploring and animals. Shortly after graduating Miami High School, Shanna moved to Washington state, where she would go on to summit Mt. Rainier.
Shanna graduated from Antioch University Seattle with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and then later a Certificate in Human Resources from the University of Washington, Seattle Campus. Shanna had a career as Manager of Cash Services, Seattle Branch for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Shanna was a natural leader, a good listener, and described by those who worked with her as a “force of nature.”
She had a passion for hiking, travel, cooking, her children, friends and pets. As a friend she was up for anything and loved to go on trips, especially around the state of Washington. Local travel could never be considered complete without her loyal dog companions. Her pets, aside from children, provided some of the greatest joy in her life. She once said she likes to be part of a pack.
She is survived by her children, Miles and Natasha Thornton, and her siblings, Elaine Eidson, Jim Platt, and Steven Platt. Most of all, Shanna leaves behind a legacy of generosity, honesty, and kindness. She was, truly, a gift to all who knew her.
To share condolences and memories, please visit: www.EmmickFunerals.com/obituary/Shanna-Warren-Platt
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather Saturday for a reception celebrating the life of Al Radelich. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with his community:
ALBERT ANTHONY RADELICH
1932-2022Al passed away July 23, 2022 at the age of 90.
He was born May 21, 1932 to John and Theresa Radelich in Tacoma. He started working hard at an early age. He was a commercial fisherman, owned his own cleaning business, and worked for The Gear Works for 46 years, retiring at the age of 71.
Al was in the US Army for 2 years during the Korean conflict. He got his draft notice on the day he got married to Jennie Morovich, a marriage that lasted 68 years. Al’s loves were his family, son Steve [Bonnie], daughter Dianna, grandchildren Mario [Katy], Tony, Gina, Nadya, and Layla, great-grandchildren Charlie, Scarlet, Hailey, Camille, and his one and only Jennie.
His favorite hobbies were fishing and taking care of his koi pond that he built in his backyard. Al loved the holidays, especially Christmas and putting lights up all around the house. He enjoyed songs from the ’40s and ’50s and was an amazing dancer. Al was famous for his barbecuing (even in the snow) with a good glass of Scotch. There was a private memorial for Al with his immediate family, done at Mutiny Bay on Whidbey Island, a place where they vacationed every year for 40 years.
We invite all friends and relatives to join us for a reception to celebrate Al's life at Our Lady Of Guadalupe hall, 7000 35th Ave SW, on October 8th at 12:30 pm. Remembrances may be made to Medic One, 11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310, Bellevue, WA 98005 or Seattle Children’s Hospital. Please visit his online obituary here.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather Saturday (September 24) to celebrate the life of Charles Van Valkenburg, and are sharing this remembrance with his community:
CHARLES VAN VALKENBURG
JANUARY 1930-AUGUST 2022Chuck was born in Oneonta, N.Y., to Oscar and Marguerite Van Valkenburg. Chuck spent most of his childhood in an orphanage, yet upon graduating high school in 1948, he spread his wings and joined the Army. His stories of traveling west are those that books are made of, enjoyable and exhilarating. Chuck proudly and honorably served our country until 1952 and fought in the Korean War, receiving many service awards. Chuck then went on to earn his B.S. in aeronautical engineering.
Chuck again went west to Colorado, where he worked for Lockheed/Martin and met his wife, Garnette (Lupien) of Helena, Montana. They married in November 1959 and moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where they had 2 of their 4 children. Chuck and Garnette returned to the Pacific Northwest, where he worked loyally for Boeing for the next 27 years in the commercial and wind-tunnel divisions. They settled in West Seattle, had 2 more children, and lived in the same house for 56 years.
Chuck had an amazing life full of laughter, love, and family. He had a brilliant mind and was always thirsty for knowledge and spent many, many hours at the local library, reading and researching. Chuck also enjoyed bike riding and tinkering around in the garage and taking on any intellectual challenge. Traveling was also a passion for Chuck. He would use planes, trains, and automobiles to visit odd and exciting destinations. Chuck’s main happiness came from his children, which he filled with so many great times and memories and the importance of compassion, benevolence, and gratitude.
Chuck is reunited with his loving wife Garnette (2019) of 59 years and leaves behind 4 children: Diane (Allan), Chuck, Debbie (Mike), and Donna; 6 grandchildren; Christopher, Michael (Gina), Patrick (Amanda), Courtney (Riley), Braydon, and Ashlin; and 2 great-grandchildren: Atticus, Grant, and a baby girl due in October. Chuck’s 92 years of life had meaning, purpose, and value, and we know that future generations will be better because of his time on this earth.
We will all miss him dearly. Rest in Peace and Run Dad Run!!
In lieu of flowers, please smile every day and pay it forward to someone less fortunate, something Chuck mastered throughout his generous life.
His memorial is at the West Seattle Library at 2306 42nd Ave. SW on Saturday, September 24th, from 1 pm to 3 pm.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather Friday (September 23rd) to remember Sandra L. Dahl. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with her community:
Sandra Lee Dahl was born on April 30, 1937, and remained a lifelong resident of West Seattle. She graduated from West Seattle High School in 1955, and enrolled at the University of Washington without any clarity regarding a career path. After prayer, she felt led to become a teacher. She struggled through, and hated, every minute of her studies, but, upon graduation from college in 1959, she felt immediately at home the moment she stepped into her first classroom.
Sandra lovingly taught for 39 years in the Seattle Public Schools, first at Frank B. Cooper Elementary School, then at Lowell Elementary School, and finally Lafayette Elementary School. Her classrooms included disabled, disadvantaged, and English-as-second-language students long before integration in the public schools was common. Third grade was her favorite.
Sandra’s teaching extended into her church life as well. An active member of West Side Presbyterian Church, she dedicated decades to teaching adult Sunday School classes, and in-home women’s Bible studies. In her retirement, she tended 2-year-olds in the nursery during Mothers of Preschoolers meetings, and even took the time to prepare simple lessons for the toddlers she would be watching.
Sandra was a faithful and gracious steward of what she had been given. She offered up her gifts and talents generously. An accomplished organist, she led worship for countless Sunday services, weddings, funerals, choir rehearsals, and for the children in Vacation Bible School each Summer. She was also a consummate hostess, opening her home to friends and family members, for missionaries on sabbatical, for baby and wedding showers, and for elaborate choir and holiday parties.
Sandra never married, nor had children, but she poured her heart into hundreds of children throughout the course of her life, be it her students, the kids at church, little ones belonging to family and friends, or the sponsored children whose pictures she kept on the refrigerator.
Sandra was preceded in death by her parents Roger and Mattie Dahl and her sister Sharon Bishop. She is survived and will be greatly missed by her nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends.
Sandra went on to receive her Heavenly reward on August 27, 2022 at 85 years old. Her gentle nature and resolute spirit served to magnify the Lord in all she did. She left the world a better place for having been here.
All are welcome to attend a memorial service celebrating Sandra’s life
Friday, September 23, 1:00 pm
West Side Presbyterian Church
3601 California Ave SW
Those unable to attend in person may watch the livestream on YouTube.Share your memories of Sandra here.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather Wednesday (September 21st) to remember Mike Madura. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Michael Dominic Madura passed away on May 14th, 2022, from heart failure; he was 68 years old.
Mike was born to Victor and Marjorie Madura in Fort Collins, Colorado on July 10th, 1953; Mike was the third of eight children. That same year, Vic and Marge moved their family to Seattle, where Vic, an Electrical Engineer, accepted a job at the Boeing Company. Mike, along with his siblings, attended Holy Family Catholic School in Seattle. After grade school, Mike attended Saint Edwards Seminary, in Kenmore, Washington; he later attended South Seattle Community College, completing an AAS in Electronics, and shortly thereafter, accepted a position at the Boeing Company.
Mike had a passion for electronics, restoring and repairing vintage tube radios and TVs, and installing an occasional car stereo, or two – Mike loved his electronic gadgetry. He also enjoyed decorating for the holidays, especially Halloween, creating motion activated spooky characters to entertain the trick-or-treaters; Mike had a wonderful sense of humor.
Mike was also a devout Catholic, always wishing he had completed his vocation at the Seminary so that he could’ve become a priest. He enjoyed long weekends on spiritual retreats, reconnecting with Christ, and the religion he so loved.
Mike is survived by six of his siblings: Frank Madura, Patricia Madura, Timothy Madura, Susan (Madura) Brown, John Madura, and Joseph Madura.
A funeral mass will be held for Mike at Holy Family Parish on Wednesday, September 21st, at 11:00 AM.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Family and friends will gather in November to celebrate the life of Sandra Lynne “Sandy” Adams. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with her community now:
Good things come in small packages, they say. And on freezing cold Wednesday, February 9, 1938, something especially good arrived. Sandra Lynne Chase entered the world in Butte, MT, and began 84 years of delighting, supporting and celebrating people.
Sandy loved West Seattle, and West Seattle loved her. It was her hometown, where she went to school, and where she would settle with her soul mate and husband, Jim Guenther.
Sandy loved people and people were inspired by it. She helped promote and manage innovations at Boeing, then working with Tom Forsythe of the King County Council, and as Deputy Director of King County Public Works. One example: she took an active role in transforming Johnson Pit 30, a former quarry, into a world-recognized art and recreation space.
West Seattle held her heart, and she served the community in many ways, including the West Seattle Chamber, leading the West Seattle Flower Show, and helping ArtsWest Theater become a nationally respected catalyst for new talent and stories.
Sandy was appreciated including recognition by Southwest Youth and Families and as Volunteer Extraordinaire of the theater. She shied away from credit , preferring that energies go into building community. She requested that any donations in her name go to the Resurgence Capital Program at ArtsWest.
She will especially be missed by her large family, including husband Jim Guenther, children Kurt (Deb), Kelly (Katie), and Gayla, and by her five grandchildren and also by the many interns she mentored over the years. Sandy’s smile will forever be missed around the family dinner table where she enjoyed so much life and love and playing Mexican Train.
Her Celebration of Life will be at 3 pm November 5th at ArtsWest.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
The family of Clara Sasaki Hattori is sharing this remembrance:
Clara Sasaki Hattori, a longtime West Seattle resident, passed away on August 28th, 2022 after a brief illness. She was 103.
Her parents, Kokichi and Asa Sasaki, were Japanese immigrants who had a citrus orchard in Rocklin, California, which is where Clara and her 3 siblings (Mildred Iida, Jay and Ernie Sasaki) were born. Clara attended business school in San Francisco and was excited to be employed at the 1939 World’s Fair. Clara’s young adult life was interrupted in 1942 when she and her family were relocated to the Tule Lake Internment Camp along with other Japanese Americans. In 1943, with the sponsorship of an eastern Washington farmer, Clara was allowed to leave the internment camp. Clara married and had two children and she helped farm the potato fields in Moses Lake. From Moses Lake, she ventured to Seattle and lived in West Seattle for the last 58 years.
For those lucky ones who were acquainted with Clara, she shared her bright light and her feisty and warm personality. After retiring as an Executive Assistant in Univar’s corporate office, she was well known at the West Seattle YMCA for greeting members at the front desk and for her daily swims. In fact, she swam well into her nineties.
Clara traveled extensively after retirement and she especially loved to be in the water, whether it was in Hawaii or Lake Chelan. Her zest for life and good humor were infectious. Many will remember her Halloween costumes when she rocked out as Tina Turner or tipped her hat as Charlie Chaplin. And she was famous for her scrumptious Xmas cookies. Clara touched many people and she will be fondly remembered as being a special friend, kind auntie, loving mom to Karen Bocz and Richard Hattori, and the best grandma to Ross Hattori.
Many thanks to Providence Mount Saint Vincent for taking good care of Clara. For those who wish to honor Clara Hattori with a donation, remembrances may be made to the Providence Mt. St. Vincent Foundation in West Seattle or the West Seattle YMCA.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
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