JAN. 2, 2008

Edna Anderson
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 2 at the home of Marguerite Snell, 2315 E. Third Ave., Port Angeles, for Port Angeles resident Edna Anderson, who died of uterine cancer on Dec. 27, 2007, at the age of 69.
Dave Ashwell is the officiant.
She was born Nov. 2, 1938, in Fleetwood, U.K. to Edward James and Hannah Chambers Cook. She married Richard Anderson in Sydney, Australia, in 1975. Mrs. Anderson was a pharmaceutical assistant. She enjoyed water aerobics, friendships, and dogs. She adored her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband Richard Anderson; daughter and son-in-law Julie and Doug Mantle; brother and sister-in-law Allan and Christine Cook; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and nephews and nieces.
Linde Family Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.


Christian William Watson
A celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 12 at Sequim Community Church, 950 N. Fifth Ave., Sequim, for Sequim resident Christian William Watson, who died Dec. 18, 2007, at the age of 10 of cerebral palsy.
He was born Nov. 6, 1997, in Seattle to Steve Gaither and Vivian Watson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christian Watson Memorial Handicapped Riding Scholarship Fund, c/o Native Horsemanship, 396 Taylor Cut-Off Road, Sequim, WA 98382.
Checks may be made out to Basic Native Horsemanship and taken to Bank of America, with “Christian Watson Memorial Fund” in the memo line. Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Lillian Estelle McGinty
A Mass will be read at 11 a.m. Jan. 12 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 121 W. Maple St., Sequim, for Sequim resident Lillian Estelle McGinty, who died Dec. 17, 2007, at the age of 91.
The Rev. Dick Ward presides. A reception follows.
She was born Oct. 12, 1916, in Chicago, Ill., to Joseph and Kazimiera Kraska and baptized in the Catholic Church.
She received her education in Chicago.
At age 21, she left Chicago for health reasons and traveled to Long Beach, Calif.
There she met and married Lloyd Edgar McGinty in June 1940 and moved to Bellflower, Calif. They lived there for 19½ years. In 1959, they moved to Sonora, Calif., where Mrs. McGinty worked as a licensed vocational nurse and Mr. McGinty worked as a licensed building contractor. They moved to Sequim in 1971.  She lived in Sequim for 29 years before moving to Groveland, Calif., in 2000 and returned to Sequim in February 2007. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, baking, and canning food from her garden, growing flowers, reading, church activities and friends.
She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Roger and Carolyn McGinty of Sequim; daughters and sons-in-law Diane and Dennis Isaac of Sequim; Patricia and James Van Gerpen of Groveland; and Marilyn and Anthony Roesch of Sylmar, Calif.; brother Zigmund Kraska of Palatine, Ill.; sister and brother-in-law Sophie and William Bielawski of Sun City, Ariz.; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd McGinty in September 1988. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.


Roger W. Johnson
No service was reported for former Sequim resident Roger W. Johnson, who died Dec. 22, 2007, at the age of 90.
He was born Aug. 2, 1917, in Portland, Ore., to Nels Peter and Ethel Mae Johnson. He graduated from Beaverton High School. He attended Oregon State University before and after World War II and graduated in 1946.
Mr. Johnson worked for various agricultural and food processing companies, ending his career as a county supervisor for the United States Department of Agriculture. He and Louise, his wife of 61 years, lived in Sequim from 1985-2005.
He is survived by his wife Louise; daughters and sons-in-law Patricia and David Larsen of Portland, Ore.; Linda and Bob Steele of East Wenatchee; and Ronda and Ron Branham of Menlo; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.


Marie L. Larsen
A service was held for former Sequim resident Marie L. Larsen, who died Nov. 26, 2007, at the age of 78 after a 2½ year battle with cancer.
She was born March 3, 1929, in Ballard to Randolf and Irene Larsen. Ms. Larsen graduated from Renton High School in 1947. She earned a teaching degree from the University of Washington in 1951. Her first teaching job was in Sequim, where she taught for four years. She returned to Renton to teach for Renton School District for 17 years. She then worked for the King County Courthouse.
Her happiest achievement was volunteering for the Renton Police Department for 18 years.
She was a Husky fan. An avid Volksport walker for 13 years, she did approximately 458 walks. She also was a member of Seattle Hockey Club from 1953-2003. She was a charter member of Renton Lutheran Church, being baptized in 1941. Proud of her Norwegian heritage, she enjoyed baking Krum kaka and lefsa for family and friends and taught her young nieces how to bake them. Her greatest passion was working her flower and vegetable gardens and in her yard.
She is survived by her sisters and brothers-in-law Jean and Leonard Schwab and Rosie and Thomas Jay; five nephews and nieces; eight great-nephews and nieces; and many cousins.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Ralph G. Larsen; nephew Randy Jay; and many uncles and aunts.
An online guestbook is available at www.mem.com. The family asks that people volunteer their time to help someone in memory of her.


Melba Frances Reinke
No service was reported for Sequim resident Melba Frances Reinke, who died Dec. 23, 2007, at the age of 82.
She was born Feb. 24, 1925, in Halifax, N.C., to Paul Edward and Flossie Pierce Harris. . She graduated high school in North Carolina and attended business college in Port Angeles. She married Darryl H. Reinke on Sept. 1, 1945, in Charlottesville, N.C. He preceded her in death on March 2, 2007. She lived in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. and Sequim. She enjoyed family, crafts, archery, crossword puzzles, and camping.
She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law Bill and Ann Reinke of Port Angeles; Larry Reinke of Port Angeles; and Alan and Roxanne Reinke of Columbia Falls, Mont.; daughters Penny Reinke of Sequim and Karyl “Casey” Newton of Sequim; brothers Paul Harris and Jimmy Harris both of North Carolina; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to American Diabetes Association, 1730 Minor Ave., Suite 920, Seattle, WA 98101 or American Heart Association, 710 Second Ave., Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98104. Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Cheryl Marie Gershon
A funeral was held for Port Angeles resident Cheryl Marie Gershon, who died Dec. 18, 2007, at the age of 46 of breast cancer.
She was born March 8, 1961, in Seattle to James Clinton Parker and Dona Leah Torcaso.
She married Otto K. Gershon on Sept. 18, 2005, in Puyallup. She earned an associate of arts degree in linguistics. She worked at Mount Rainier National Park and was a certified sign language interpreter independently and at various school districts. She lived in Fairbanks/North Pole, Alaska, for 12 years and also Eatonville and Puyallup before moving to Port Angeles in 2006. She enjoyed horses, hiking, fishing, camping, the outdoors, Bible study and worship. She was a member of the Hebraic Assembly of Port Angeles and various sign language associations.
She is survived by her husband Otto Gershon and sons Caleb and Joshua Gershon, all of Port Angeles; mother Dona Parker of Eatonville; brothers Steve Parker of Graham; and Mike Parker of Chandler, Ariz.; and sister Sandy Sturm of Everett.
An online memorial guestbook for the family is available at www.drennanford.com. Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.


Lois Fern Benson
A memorial service was held for Sequim resident Lois Fern Benson, who died Dec. 25, 2007, at the age of 72.
She was born March 21, 1935, in Wray, Colo., to Robert Giles and Fern Ella Bateman McComber. She earned a bachelor of science degree in education and graduated cum laude from Nebraska State Teachers College on May 25, 1959. She married Franklin Donohue Benson on Dec. 29, 1964, in Boise, Idaho. Mrs. Benson was a high school home economics teacher and guidance counselor. She lived in Mountain Home, Idaho; Honolulu, Hawaii; Los Angeles, Calif.; Barrington, Ill.; Apple Valley, Minn.; Bellevue and Sequim. She was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Sequim Arts, Port Angeles Yacht Club and North Olympic Sail and Power Squadron.
She is survived by her husband Franklin Benson of Sequim; son and daughter-in-law Mons and Jennifer Benson of Lewisville, Texas; daughter and son-in-law Laura and Todd Adamson of Clive, Iowa; brothers and sisters-in-law Don and Marilyn McComber of Centennial, Colo.; and Ray and Nancy McComber of Pagosa Springs, Colo.; sister Betty Levi of Brighton, Colo.; and two grandchildren.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Lowell Duane Fink
A service will be held at a later date for Sequim resident Lowell Duane Fink, who died Dec. 26, 2007, at the age of 86 from complications of cancer.
He was born May 22, 1921, in Freeport, Ill., to Willard Bright and Neva Marie Garrison Fink.
He married Gladys Ada Scott on July 17, 1941, in Freeport. She preceded him in death on March 16, 2003. He was a postmaster in Cypress, Calif., and Sequim.
He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law Jerold and Margaret Fink of Sequim; James and Cathy Fink of Yuma, Ariz.; and Steve Fink of Flagstaff, Ariz.; daughter and son-in-law Barbara and Karl Klaasseen of Houston, Texas; sister Charlotte McClure of Silverdale; 11 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, P.O. Box 2014, Port Angeles, WA, 98362. Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Mabel May Nelson
A service was held for Sequim resident Mabel May Nelson, who died Dec. 22, 2007, at the age of 103.
She was born Sept. 19, 1904, in Ionia, Mich., to Harry and Mary Loomis Harter. She married Ernest Nelson in 1925. A homemaker, she was a former resident of Southgate, Calif. Mrs. Nelson liked to travel, fish, sew, crochet, and knit.
She is survived by two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Maryetta Owen.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Kenneth P. Alexander
A service was held for former Sequim resident Kenneth P. Alexander, who died Dec. 23, 2007, at the age of 92.
He was born June 6, 1915, in Joplin, Mo. At the age of 4, he took the train with his 8-year-old sister to live with relatives in Seattle. He spent his formative years there and left school to work at his brother’s company during the Great Depression. He then moved to Skagway, Alaska, to work for the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. He married Sylvia Baker of Skagway on Sept. 1, 1939. Their 68-year marriage was a source of inspiration to their family and friends. The Alexanders moved to New York City, where he had a career of nearly 30 years with Pan American Airways. He managed flight itineraries in Alaska, Washington, California, New York, and Thailand.
While at Pan Am, the Alexanders traveled frequently and lived for a time in Thailand. They retired first to Carlsbad, Calif., then to Sequim, where they lived for more than 20 years. Recently, they moved to Bellingham to be closer to family.
Mr. Alexander’s active retirement included taking college courses, participating in investment clubs and attending reunions of the Alaska Yukon Pioneers. The Alexanders were members of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sequim.
He is survived by his wife Sylvia; brother-in-law and sister Ben and Sally Baker; a cousin, a nephew, a niece and their spouses; and many great-nieces, great-nephews and friends.