Roger G. Sklors
No services were reported for Port Angeles resident Roger G. Sklors, who died Sept. 17, 2011, at the age of 61 of cancer.
He was born Nov. 3, 1949, in Hibbing, Minn., to Louis and Thalia Phelps Sklors.
He served in the Navy as a Seabee and married Pat Nier-mann Sklors on Sept. 23, 1972, in Owatonna, Minn. He retired after 30 years working for the federal government as a construction contract manager.
He lived in Sequim for 32 years before he moved to Agnew.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, bird-watching, camping and hiking.
He is survived by his wife, Pat; daughters and sons-in-law Rachel Sklors and John Anderson of Port Angeles; Nicole Sklors and Charles Chapman, Ellensburg; sisters and brother-in-law Mary Ellen Boone of Hibbing, Minn. and T.J. and Tom Foreman of Port Orchard; brother and sister-in-law Michael and Lori Sklors of Side Lake, Minn.; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Volunteer Hospice at 540 E. Eighth St., Port Angeles, 98362.

 

 

William H. Taylor
Sequim resident William H. Taylor died Sept. 12, 2011, at the age of 85. He was born June 17, 1926, in East St. Louis, Ill., to John and Helen Houston Taylor.  
At his request, there will be no service.    

 

 

Roberta B. Gertlar
Services will be held at a later date for Sequim resident Roberta B. Gertlar, who died Sept. 15, 2011, at the age of 79 of lung cancer. She was born Nov. 13, 1931.

 

 

Russell E. Jaynes
Services will be held at a later date for Sequim resident Russell E. Jaynes, who died Sept. 15, 2011, at the age of 82.
He was born Oct. 4, 1928.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.    

 

 

Vernon L. Towery
December 29, 1929 - August 30, 2011

    Vernon L. Towery was born in Stigler, OK. He passed away August 30, 2011 at his home in Sequim, WA after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
    He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jonnie, son, Rick, 3 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren all in southern California. He was preceded in death by his son Ron. He is also survived by 2 brothers, Darrell and Jerry.
    Vernon was a WWII veteran serving his country for 2 years in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. When he got home he married the love of his life - Jonnie Allman. He and Jonnie moved to Sequim 35 years ago.
    He loved Sequim and the Olympic Mountains.
    At his request there will not be a service but his ashes will be scattered.

 

Ruby Marie (Allen) Cervinski

Ruby Marie (Allen) Cervinski passed away at the wise, old age of 96 on Thursday, September 8, 2011 in the care of her daughter and wonderful staff at Sherwood Assisted Living.  Ruby was a first generation Swede born in Churches Ferry, ND into a family of 13 children.  After high school Ruby attended Business College in Minot and moved to Bismarck, ND where she met and married Ervin Paul in 1942.  They took a train to Seattle for their honeymoon where they put down roots happy to escape the North Dakota winters.  Ruby was a fine homemaker and she took pride in the house they saved up to buy in 1960.  In order to pay for her children’s schooling she took a job she loved doing market research door to door for J.D. Powers.
In 1973 after her husband passed away she became involved with the Widows and Widowers Club of Seattle and spent her time socializing, traveling, playing cards and her favorite pastime dancing.  In 2000 she moved to Sequim to be near her grandchildren.  Ruby picked up where she left off, making new friends and joining in local social activities.   Even in her last months Ruby could be seen dancing down the hall behind her walker ... cracking jokes and giving people “grief.”
Ruby was preceded in death by her husband Ervin (1911-1973) and son Robert Paul (1945-1996).  She is survived by her brother Lloyd Pershing Allen of San Diego; her daughter and son in law Chrysalis and Jeff Carter and grandchildren Sophia Grace Carter,
Gabriel Lake Carter and Donna Barker.
A private family memorial is planned. Burial at Gethsemane Catholic Cemetery in Fife, WA. The Carter family wants to acknowledge the excellent, loving care provided by the staff at Sherwood Assisted Living.  Giant thanks goes out to the consistent comfort and companionship given by Dick and Diane Holdren of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. We’ll miss you and love you Grahamcracker! 
Keep on dancing … 

 

Frank Paul Brancato, PhD 

Frank’s battle against bladder cancer came to an end with his family by his side on 14 September 2011, just days after his 96th birthday.  Much loved husband, father and friend – he so enriched our lives.  Frank spent his last days at home with a view of his beloved Olympic mountains and one of many bird feeders he loved to watch and keep well-stocked, listening to his son’s piano playing and reminiscing with his family.  Frank’s life began in New Haven, CT – as Francesco Paolo, the third son of nine brothers and sisters born to Italian immigrants.  As a baby, Frank was stricken by the flu epidemic, as a youth with polio and scarlet fever.   As a teenager during the Depression, Frank worked at several jobs to help his family make ends meet, most memorably the YMCA.  After high school he continued working by day at the YMCA, going to college by night.  In 1942 he was drafted into the army.  He would not carry a gun so the army chaplain arranged to have him serve in the medical corps.  He served as a medic in WWII in the North African and European campaigns.  While in Africa he was afflicted with malaria – which prompted his interest in microbiology, soon to become a passion and career.  Building on the medical knowledge he gained as a medic, Frank continued studying science after the war at Long Island University and at Boston University where he earned his Masters degree in Microbiology.  It is at this point that his life took a left (westward) turn when he enrolled at Washington State University to earn his PhD in Microbiology, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Phi Kappa Phi.
Most of Frank’s professional life was spent as Chief of Clinical Microbiology at the US Public Health Services (USPHS) hospital in Seattle, WA, where he worked for almost 30 years.  It is here that he developed the “direct smear” technique that enabled him to diagnose illnesses much faster than other techniques used at the time.  While at USPHS hospital he attained the rank of Captain (Navy rank) and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding achievements and service to the US.  Frank was also an associate professor at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University – teaching medical interns and residents.
In 1955 Frank married Dorothy Tindolph and 2 years later they had a son, Theodore, and 2 years after that, a daughter, Mary Suzanne.  As a family they partook in many recreational activities, such as skiing, bowling, camping and hiking.  Frank also loved to play tennis, golf and fish.  It was during WWII that he learned how to play cribbage – a game he took great joy in playing for the rest of his life.  He was an avid reader.  He loved gardening.  He loved his family and friends.  He loved his job.  He was a member of Sequim Prairie Grange.  He took joy in simple pleasures – especially nature and all of its critters. His love of life was apparent to the end.  He rejoiced in the sunset and moon rise, and his generous, gregarious and humble (except in cribbage!) nature remained true.
Frank is survived by his wife of 56 years, Dorothy, son Ted and his wife Faith, and daughter Mary Sue and her husband Ed Bowlby.
Remembrances can be made to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, the Humane Society, the Salvation Army, or to your favorite charity.  A celebration of Frank’s life will be held in Seattle on 15 April 2012 at the Botanic Gardens, Center for Urban Horticulture, and in Sequim, WA on 21 April 2012 at The Cutting Garden.

 

 

Joy Cisler Meyer
December 5, 1934 – August 19, 2011

Joy Cisler Meyer was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia on December 5, 1934.  She passed away on August 19, 2011 in the home she shared with her husband in Sequim, Washington, where they resided for 17 years.
Joy matriculated at and graduated from Marietta College in Ohio with a major in English.  She was a lover of the written word, enjoying poetry, nursery rhymes and quotations.  Her son, Michael, recollects that his mother had a better knowledge of nursery rhymes than anyone he had ever known.
Joy taught in the Head Start Program in Cleveland, Ohio, and taught in the San Diego Unified School District.  Joy and her husband, Dick, were married in San Diego and lived throughout the United States during their 38 years of marriage.  Dick’s career as a naval officer and his work as Project Manager for Electronics and Weapons Systems at Naval Electronics Systems Engineering Center in San Diego took Joy and Dick to various spots throughout the country.  Her son, Chick, reflects that his mother raised her sons in the nomadic but rich life of a military family.
Joy was a member of Sequim Arts and The Red Hat Society.  She was a teacher, an artist who strongly supported the arts, theater and symphony, an adventurous cook, a devoted wife and mother who loved her family and created fun traditions for them.  She loved her gardens, animals and especially the birds that gathered at her feeders.  She had an uncanny way of usually spotting a four-leaf clover on her walking expeditions.  She was a good neighbor and a good friend.
Joy is survived by her husband, Richard J. Meyer, sons Michael E. Markley and wife Denise of Redmond, Washington, and Charles W. Markley (Chick) and wife Nicole, of Berkeley, California, six grandchildren, and her sister, Carol Cisler of Marietta, Ohio.
Friends and neighbors of Joy and Dick reflect on the loss of their dear friend who they say had a wonderful sense of humor and encouraged those around her to stop and smell the roses.  All agree that she was elegant, sharp, fun and down to earth.
In lieu of flowers and gifts, please make donations to The Peninsula College Foundation, for boys and girls enrolled in the arts, 1502 East Lauridsen Boulevard, Port Angeles, WA 98362.