Elizabeth Kley
A memorial service for former Sequim resident Elizabeth Kley will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19, at Faith Reformed Church in Lynden. Mrs. Kley died Jan. 11, 2008, at the age of 92.
She was born Sept. 15, 1915, in Chicago, Ill., to Claude and Josephine Montgomery.
She attended Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing and Hygiene, where she received her nursing degree and served tea to Henry Ford.
She worked for more than 50 years in the nursing profession in hospitals, supervising student nurses, as a private duty nurse, as a school nurse, in public health nursing, as a visiting nurse and in nursing homes.
Her hobbies included reading, stamp collecting, choral singing, photography, puzzles, cats, cross stitch, crocheting, sewing, garage sales and bird watching.
She married Karl Kley on Sept. 1, 1948, in Bellingham. They made their home on a farm in Birch Bay, where they raised their family. Upon Mr. Kley’s retirement, they moved to Sequim.
After his death, she returned to Lynden where she lived until moving to Stafholt Good Samaritan Center in 2006.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Robert and Gina Kley; daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Dan DeMent; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband and by son William Kley.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Stafholt Good Samaritan Center, 456 C St., Blaine, WA.
Jerns Funeral Chapel in Bellingham was in charge of arrangements.
Jeanne Cyphers
No service was reported for Sequim resident Jeanne Cyphers, who died of lung cancer on Jan. 5, 2008, at the age of 77.
She was born Jan. 20, 1930, in Antioch, Calif.
She married Jack Cyphers on Sept. 19, 1997, in Sequim.
Mrs. Cyphers was a member of PEO of Sequim.
She is survived by her husband, Jack Cyphers; sons Mark Newens and Ryan Newens of California; and brother Jim Coalter of Calif.
She was preceded in death by husband Bob Miller, in 1995.
Memorial contributions may be sent to cystic fibrosis charities.
Harper Ridgeview of Port Angeles was in charge of arrangements.
Ruth Belle Thomson
A private service is planned for Sequim resident Ruth Belle Thomson, who died Jan. 4, 2008, at the age of 95.
She was born Sept. 16, 1912, in Portland, Ore., to George and Mabel Maclean Stone.
She graduated from Washington High School in Portland and Oregon State College. At Oregon State, she joined Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
She married Stuart Thomson on May 29, 1936, in Portland. He preceded her in death on Feb. 27, 2005.
Mrs. Thomson was a homemaker in Portland; Lewiston, Idaho, and Sequim.
She was a PTA president. Youth group leadership, gardening and baking were lifelong activities. She enjoyed golf, picnics, Mariners games and trips to Pismo Beach. Active into her later years, she formed a walking group. She also was a member of Actors’ Guild, Charming Chimers and Garden Group.
She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Jean and George Harrison of Astoria, Ore., and Jane and Bill Kern of San Diego, Calif.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, 400 W. Fir St., Sequim, WA or the Olympic Game Farm, 1423 Ward Road, Sequim, WA, 98382.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
John Jacob Van Zanten
No service was reported for Sequim resident John Jacob Van Zanten, who died Jan. 9, 2008, at the age of 92.
He was born July 30, 1915, in Ballard and lived in Alaska from age 2. He graduated from Anchorage High School.
He married Margaret Maloney in Juneau, Alaska. He previously was married to Kathleen Kepler.
Mr. Van Zanten served in the Army Infantry in Alaska and India during World War II, from1941-1946. He was a civil engineer, locating most of the roads in south central Alaska.
He moved from Alaska to Sequim when he was 76.
He was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars in Alaska; Pioneers of Alaska; and Alaska Yukon Pioneers of Seattle.
Mr. Van Zanten is survived by his wife, Margaret Van Zanten; sons and daughter-in-law David and Mary Van Zanten and Tom Van Zanten of Homer, Alaska; and Terry Joe Van Zanten of Talkeetna, Alaska; daughters and sons-in-law Jacqueline and Mike Richardson of Turkey; Kathleen Twitchell of Sequim; Marlyn and Steve Twitchell-Kallick of Seattle; sister Dorothy Secondi of Ephrata; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by daughter Beth Van Zanten and sisters Helen Gilbert and Bertha Porter.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Dungeness Courte Alzheimer’s Community, 651 Garry Oaks Drive, Sequim, WA, 98382.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Paul W. Wright Jr.
Service plans for Port Angeles resident Paul W. Wright Jr. will be announced at a later date. Mr. Wright died Dec. 30, 2007, at the age of 55.
He was born Oct. 20, 1952, in Port Townsend to Paul William and Myrtle Amelia Gilbert Wright. As an adult, he lived in the Port Angeles/Joyce areas.
He completed a telephone switchboard operator projectionist course and worked as a cook at Kentucky Fried Chicken and other restaurants. He also worked in construction.
He served in the United States Army from March 25, 1970, to May 11, 1973, serving in Vietnam from March 11, 1971 to Dec. 20, 1971.
He is survived by son Jacob William Wright; mother Myrtle Gilbert Grinnell; brothers James Ruzicka; Wayne Allen Wright and Morris Lee Wright; and sister Myrtle Basha.
He was preceded in death by brothers Stanley Ruzicka, John Ruzicka and Basil Arthur Wright; sisters Linda Marie Wright and Christine Louise Wright; and his father, Paul William Wright.
An online memorial guestbook for the family is available at www.drennanford.com.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Claude Samuel Crocker
A memorial celebration will be held at a later date for Sequim resident Claude Samuel Crocker, who died of cancer Jan. 2, 2008, at the age of 93.
The youngest child of Claude Merril and Janetta Anise Capwell Crocker, he was born Sept. 4, 1914, in a log cabin on his maternal grandfather’s homestead near the Clearwater River, a few miles from Kooskia, Idaho.
He spent most of his childhood moving from place to place with his parents and three siblings in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Texas and Denver, Colo.
Mr. Crocker first came to the Sequim area in 1936. Unable to find steady work, he returned to Idaho where he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps in a bridge construction project.
In 1939, he married Leonetta Thornton. They had one son, Earl, and three daughters, Marie, Irene and Phoebe. Phoebe, the youngest, died shortly after birth. The couple divorced in 1948.
He returned to the Olympic Peninsula in 1948, when he helped build the first Olympic National Park campground at Kalaloch.
In the fall of 1950, he met Laura Flatau at a dance at the Dry Creek Grange. On Aug. 18, 1951, they married at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Port Angeles. She preceded him in death in 1975, at the age of 51, of heart failure. Their son, Samuel, was born in January 1953 and died a few hours after birth. In 1957 and 1959, they had two daughters, Bonny and Minnie.
From 1951 until the mill closed in 1971, Mr. Crocker worked at the fiberboard paper mill in Port Angeles. After the mill closed, he worked part time as a handyman for the Indian Valley Motel and Restaurant on U.S. Highway 101 and as a carpet installer for Gunter Richter.
In 1973, he began working for the Port Angeles School District as a custodian at Port Angeles High School.
In 1978, he met MayBelle Rhodefer Bowling. They were married April 12, 1979, in Port Angeles.
He retired in January 1979. Due to illness, in May 2001 he moved back to Sequim to be closer to family.
He enjoyed fishing, crabbing, hiking, camping and picking Olympic Peninsula berries to make into jelly and pie. He also sewed quilts and clothing and designed board games. Many hours were spent with family playing one of Mr. Crocker’s board games.
A self-taught musician, he played the violin, accordion, melodica and keyboard, but he was best known for playing old bluegrass and folk tunes on his mandolin and harmonica.
He is survived by his wife, MayBelle Crocker of Sequim; son Earl Stanton of Lewiston, Idaho; daughters Marie Block and Irene Miller of Kamiah, Idaho; Bonny Dunker of Forks; and Minnie Deese of Tacoma; 17 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and 19 great-great-grandchildren.
Neptune Society was in charge of cremation.
Col. Evelyn R. Houdyshell, USAF (Ret.)
In accordance with her wishes, no service is planned for Sequim resident Col. Evelyn R. Houdyshell, USAF (Ret.), who died of COPD complications on Jan 8, 2008.
She was born Aug. 6, 1925, in San Francisco, Calif., to Ida Mary and Robert R. Houdyshell.
She graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and continued to further her education at Drake University as well as during her 20-plus years as an officer in the Air Force.
Retiring in 1973, she established residences in Washington, D.C., and in Florida before making Sequim her permanent home in 1990.
She made lasting friendships throughout her life.
Until her death, she was a participating member of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity.
Albert Visconti
Services for Sequim resident Albert Visconti will be held at a later date, in California. Mr. Visconti died Jan. 8, 2008, at the age of 83.
He was born May 18, 1924, in Los Banos, Calif., to Dominic and Rosa DeCesare Visconti.
He married Ruth Weese in Sequim in 1996.
He served in the United States Marine Corps.
Mr. Visconti retired from the Federal Bureau of Reclamation.
He enjoyed traveling.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Weese of Sequim; daughter and son-in-law Gena and Daniel Law of Madera, Calif.; sister Evelyn Bergland of Los Banos, Calif.; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to a charity of choice.
An online memorial guestbook for the family is available at www.drennanford.com.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
