Virginia A. Crumley
Donations may be made to the Sequim Library in memory of Sequim resident Virginia A. Crumley, who died April 1, 2012, at the age of 91.
She was born Nov. 15, 1920, in Eldorado, Kan., to Philip and Ethel Gliddon Newitt. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English from Oklahoma College for Women and was a teacher and administrative assistant.
She married Lewis Crumley on Aug. 21, 1943, in Easton, Pa.
She lived in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and Texas before moving to Sequim. She also lived abroad in Venezuela, Mexico and New Zealand.
She is survived by her son, Bruce Crumley, of Sharon, Conn., and Manila, The Philippines.


Tim Carlton Thatcher
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 18, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Pflugerville, Texas, for Sequim native Tim Carlton Thatcher, who died May 7, 2012, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 41.
He is survived by his parents Tom and Rita Thatcher, of Sequim, and brother Todd Thatcher, also of Sequim.
A full announcement will be published in a later addition.

 

Brigitta Strazdin
Brigitta was born in Germany, but she was a New Yorker at heart.  She was compassionate and kind and she brought joy to everyone that knew her.  The love Brigitta gave was endless.  She was a loving soulmate, mother and friend.  She loved her flowers and her garden and all the animals that visited her there.  She will be missed and cherished forever.  A service was held for Brigitta at St. Luke’s on Monday, May 14th 2012.  I lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the animal shelter in Port Angeles.


Kenneth Franklin Owens
Kenneth Franklin Owens was born in Menlo Park, Calif., on August 17, 1923, the fourth of five children of Gerald and Martha Owens. He passed away on May 10, 2010 from heart failure, a condition he had fought valiantly for many years.  He was a man of strong will and determination and it served him well.
Ken was known by many to be a man of simple needs; he enjoyed gathering with friends, and loved all the hours he spent with his large family.  He spent most of his free time reading and studying World War II, especially as he grew older, learning about different countries, traveling, enjoying old films and nature documentaries, and listening to his music. 
Ken enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served in the 149th Infantry Regiment in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign and the Philippine Liberation until February, 1946.  He returned to the S. F. Bay area, later marrying Muriel Owens in 1949.  They had three children: Kathleen Elizabeth (Nickolatos of Whidbey Island), Karen Georgina (Tempchin of Angwin, Calif.), and Michael Lee Owens of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
He was a loving and devoted father, and actively involved in his childrens’ lives and activities, both when they were young and through the present.  He loved them all unconditionally and through to the end of his life.  Kathleen and Karen brought Ken great joy with grandchildren Corin, Alexander, Anna, and Emily Nickolatos, and Benjamin and Hannah Tempchin.  When he passed away, he was happily awaiting his 8th, 9th and 10th great-grandchildren, and he was so proud of all these little ones.  Ken and 26 of his Owens family members were able to share two weeks together in Carlsbad, Calif. this past Christmas, so most everyone was able to gather together this one last time.
In February 1990, Ken married Kathleen Fitzpatrick, and she brought Ken a new daughter, Sara Fitzpatrick. Sara enjoyed 22 years with her Ken as her new, wonderful father.  Ken, Kathy and Sara moved to Sequim eventually in 1995, and they felt immediately that this community was a perfect match. Ken always said that, “The cream for his coffee and their bacon at The Oak Table Café was reason enough to move to Sequim!”
He enjoyed his first Sequim home, a huge house on Stampede with ponds and enough acreage for the occasional cattle and sheep; the second one on Woodcock with a gorgeous, plentiful orchard of 150 fruit trees; and his last home, a large condominium at Dominion Terrace.  Ever the builder, he fine-tuned each home to his and Kathy’s tastes and interests, and each home had a special Record Room to house his large collection of 9,000 LP records. Ken loved his music, and it gave him such pleasure to gather these and listen. His collection is being donated to KSQM 91.5FM, our local radio station.
In 1997 Sara added a seventh grandchild to Ken’s life when Molly Maleka Fitzpatrick was born.  Ken and Molly were indeed “best pals” and they adored each other.
On Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. (Armed Forces Day) Ken will be buried at Ocean View Cemetery in Port Angeles in a private graveside service.  As a veteran of World War II, he will receive military honors. 
We invite all his friends to join an informal memorial and lunch in the clubhouse of Dominion Terrace (take the Norman Street entrance off of Third Ave., Sequim) at 11:00 am.  Following the tradition set by several of his large birthday parties, we’ll celebrate this as “Ken Owens’ Eighty-Eight and Three-Quarters Birthday.” Please RSVP to 683-7736 or kathyandken@prodigy.net.
Ken Owens was a man with a patient and kind heart, a curious mind, a love of family and friends, and a quick wit. One more of “The Greatest Generation” leaves this earth, and we all owe them and all Veterans a world of gratitude.


Claude M. Purves
Claude M. Purves, 78, died Sunday, May 13, 2012 in Burlington, WA.  Born 4/21/1934 in Seattle, WA, the third son of Willard and Ruth Pruves, he spent his childhood in the Seattle Area.  He joined the army in 1957 which took him to Juneau, AK to work on the phone system.  It was in the Alaskan Territory that he met his wife, Addie Huerd, a phone operator in Juneau, AK who had also moved to the “Last Frontier” to work for the phone company.  Claude and Addie were married in 1959.  Their three children were born in Alaska and were raised enjoying the outdoors.  The favorite family pastimes were boating and camping. 

Claude spent his whole career in Juneau’s communications system, retiring from Alascom in 1992 when he retired to the Port Angeles – Sequim area in Washington.  He spent his retirement years enjoying time spent wit his family and friends.

Predeceased by his beloved wife, Addie, son Gregory, parents, Willard and Ruth, brothers, Milton, Willard and Miles Purves.  He is survived by his son, Chris Purves (Lisa) of Juneau, AK, his daughter, Tami Laschober of Bellevue, WA, grandchildren Will Corwin of Bellevue, WA, Zach Laschober of Cocoa, FL and Lauren Purves of Juneau, AK, sister, Rutheia Wyckoff (Rick) of Bow, WA, and many cousins, nieces/nephews, and in-laws from Whidbey Island to Yakima, WA.

A funeral service will be help at Noon on Friday, May 18th, Sequim Valley Chapel, 108 West Alder St, Sequim, WA 98382.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Alzheimer’s Association http://www.alz.org.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Visit www.Sequimvalleychapel.com