Carolyn Faye Byers
A memorial service will be held in December for Port Angeles resident Carolyn Faye Byers, who died Oct. 28, 2011, at the age of 64.
She was born Nov. 20, 1946, in Walla Walla.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.       

 

Wanda Marjerle

A service will be held at a later date for Port Angeles resident Wanda Marjerle, who died Oct. 26, 2011, at the age of 85.
She was born Oct. 13, 1926.
A full obituary will appear at a later date.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

 

Helen Marie Bollen

A service will be held in Oak Harbor for former Sequim resident Helen Marie Bollen, who died Oct. 26, 2011, at the age of 77.
She was born May 21, 1934, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Raymond and Leonora Marie DeVincenzi Varnum.
A full obituary will appear in an upcoming edition of the Gazette.
Whidbey Memorial Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., was in charge of arrangements.

 

Jim Booth

Oct. 18, 1941 – Oct. 18, 2011

James Booth died in St. Peters Hospital in Olympia on October 18 at age 70 after a prolonged and hard-fought battle with cancer. Jim was born on October 18, 1941 in Sequim, WA and graduated from Sequim HS in 1959. He joined the Navy at age 17, serving 4+ years, and attended Western Washington University, graduating in 1968 with a degree in Economics. He was on the President’s Scholar list numerous times. He worked for several State Agencies in Olympia until he retired in 1995 on his first day of eligibility. He enjoyed staying active, and among his may interests were motorcycling and remote, long-distance river kayaking.

A son who died shortly after birth and his parents Fred and Mary Booth predeceased Jim. His wife Nancy survives him in Aberdeen. Nancy was his friend and soul mate; he died 2 days short of their 33rd anniversary. Other survivors are his daughters Jamie Parker and Jennifer Etheredge and four grandchildren, his brothers Tom and wife Gail in Olympia, Lonnie and wife Kathy in Sequim, cousin Barbara Booth in Sequim, and numerous nieces and nephews.

At Jim’s request there will be no services or memorials, but please visit the website: www.dignitymemorial.com and sign his guest book. Always of dry wit and appreciative of irony, he recently came across a decal he had put on his river kayak some 1000 river miles ago: “He who dies with the most toys still dies.” Those who knew and loved him will miss him.

Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer research. 

 

 

Capt. Donald James Aites
March 15, 1938
October 11, 2011
Captain Donald J. Aites , USCG ret., known as DJ to friends and family, passed away at home October 11, 2011.  A memorial service was held Friday, October 21, at the Sequim Elks Lodge, followed by his interment at Holyrood Cemetery in Edmonds on Saturday. 

DJ was born March 15, 1938 in Oil City, Pennsylvania to Charles and Mary (Schreckengost) Aites.  He graduated from Oil City High School in 1955, enlisting in the US Coast Guard soon after graduation. 

DJ married Barbara Carel-Schilling on January 15, 1971 in Traverse City, Michigan.  Together they lived in Traverse City (MI), Clinton (MD), Clear Lake (TX), and finally, Westminster (CA).  Barb preceded DJ in death in 1981.  

He served in the US Coast Guard for 30 years, ending his military career as Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard base in Los Angeles, followed by service as the Coast Guard Liaison to Hollywood.   A Vietnam Veteran, he coauthored “Operation Tight Reign, the Story of the Strategic Loran C Chain in Southeast Asia (1965-1966).” He was highly decorated during his service and very proud of his military career accomplishments.  He officially retired April 1, 1985. 

DJ earned a Bachelors Degree from the George Washington University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from the Southwestern University College of Law, completing both while he was full-time Coast Guard, husband and father.  He was also a graduate of the NTSB Aircraft Accident Investigation School.  After retiring from the Coast Guard, he practiced law in California until moving to Sequim in 1988.  DJ then obtained his Brokers Real Estate license just for the challenge of it.

He loved to camp, hunt and fish on the West End, especially along the Hoh River. He owned a boat for salt water fishing and always enjoyed spending time on the water.  He also loved to golf and once made a hole-in-one at Dungeness Golf Course.  He was an avid reader and puzzle solver, doing MENSA challenges to keep himself sharp.

Capt. Aites was very service minded, and belonged to several local and national organizations including the BPOE (Elks), VFW (lifetime member),  the California State Bar, the Naval Aviation Foundation, The Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl (lifetime member), MOAA (Military Officers Association of America), the International Footprint Assn. and the Foundation for Coast Guard History (lifetime member).  He was a long time supporter of the Elks’ Coats for Kids program, helping to supply coats and shoes to local residents in need.

He was predeceased by his mother, father, his wife Barbara, his sons Boyd and Eric, his sister Mary and her husband Norm Nuhfer, his brother Charles (Chuck) Aites and Chuck’s wife Virginia.

He is survived by his sister Dorothy Pearl Myers and brother-in-law James A. Myers (Rouseville, PA), daughter Laurie Rivers (Sequim, WA),  daughter Julie Williams and son-in-law Doug Williams (Saugus, CA), his grandchildren Matthew, Emily, Zoe, Samantha and Clarice, as well as numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

DJ’s memorial service was very well attended and both daughters, as well as many friends, shared stories and memories of this great man.  The opening prayer was lead by Captain Tony Hahn of the Port Angeles station. He was paid honors during the service by the Elks, the Footprinters, and the VFW.  The Coast Guard provided an honor guard and flag folding ceremony, the gun salute, and ended the memorial with taps and a helicopter flyover. 

Loved by his family and friends, an asset to his community and country, DJ will be greatly missed by all who knew him.