Eleanor Deardorf

Eleanor M. Deardorf passed away peacefully Friday morning May 29th, 2009 on Mercer Island.  Eleanor (Elly) was born September 3, 1925 in West Seattle, the second daughter of Robert and Elsie Bone.

Elly attended West Seattle High School and enjoyed reuniting with classmates over the years.  She was introduced to her true love Paul through her father and they were married in Seattle three months later – a marriage that would last 57 years and serve as a marvelous example to all who knew them.  Soon after being married, she and Paul moved to southern California where they began their family.  The family returned to the Seattle area in 1968, settling on the Eastside.  During the ‘90s she and Paul enjoyed spending winters in Desert Hot Springs, CA with friends from the Northwest.

Her life was characterized by commitment and service to God, family and friends.  She served in many capacities at Newport Covenant Church, the most notable being 20 years as coordinator of the women’s prayer chain.  She delighted in her husband, her boys and their families.  She made every family event special from picnics to birthdays to holidays.  Elly made deep and lasting friendships, always having time to listen and comfort others in need.  She touched many lives and was a blessing to all who knew her.

Elly is survived by her husband Paul, sister Virginia, sons Doug and wife Rachel (Dallas, TX) and Bob (Bellevue) and grandchildren Joel and Jessica (Norman, OK) and Nolan (Bellevue), nephew David Robbins (Fullerton, CA) and niece Joann Beecher (Mechanicsburg, PA).

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday June 13th at 2:00 at Newport Covenant Church, 12800 SE Coal Creek Pkwy Bellevue, WA 98006 .  A small service will also be held Sunday, June 14 at 2.00p.m. for the residence of Covenant Shores.

The family requests those wishing to recognize her passing to be with our Lord consider a gift to either the Gideon’s International @ www.gideons.org or Newport Covenant Church @  www.newportcov.org  in lieu of flowers.

George Uchida, 85, passed away on May 27, 2009.  

Geroge Uchida

He owned and operated an apartment house in downtown Seattle where he handled all the carpentry, plumbing, heating, painting, electrical and flooring jobs.  He spent many years working at Tsubota Steel and Pipe Company. 

A man of many talents, George had a one-man show of his photography at the Seattle Worlds’ Fair.  He loved the outdoors, from mountain climbing, to hiking and in his later years, gardening.

George was preceded in death by his wife,

Kimie, his parents, brother Jack Uchida, and sister Kinu Tsubota.  He is survived by his son, Jay Uchida (Fran); daughter, Robin Lange (Dave); grandchildren Karim (Alice); Hilary (Shane); Whitney (Walker); Griffin (Jordan); Brady and Kimie and three great-grandchildren Ella, Delaney and Jack, and many other family and friends.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to support Camp Sheppard of the Boy Scouts of America:

Max Eckenburg Trust
821 Laurel Way
Edmonds, WA  98020

Jean Zweibel

Jean (Betty) McDonald Zwiebel, a  granddaughter of Seattle pioneers, was born in Seattle on August 29, 1916 and passed away on May 3, 2009 at age 92 surrounded by her loving family.

Jean’s grandfather helped rebuild Seattle after his arrival the day after the Seattle fire in 1899.  Jean attended Queen Anne High School and graduated from the University of Washington in 1936, where she was a Kappa Alpha Theta sorority member, gaining many lifelong friends.

Jean was always active in outdoor activities from an early age.   She learned to figure skate when she was in high school and choreographed and danced with her ice skating partner for many years in local skating shows.   She was also an avid skier and hiker, enjoying both Mount Rainier and Mount Baker.  She and friends used to hike up to Mount Rainier’s Paradise Inn often,  where she had a cabin nearby.  They would often have to tunnel in to it as there was so much snow.  Then they would ski down to Narada Falls and hike back up on skins.    She also used  to row from the Seward Park area to a little family cabin on the banks of wooded Mercer Island for short vacations.  She married the love of her life, Gordon in 1940 after he set out to capture her heart by building a sailboat and becoming a charter member of Seattle Yacht Club.  They enjoyed many years sailing the San Juans and intercoastal waters up North and on the Mediterranean aboard the Alotola.  They loved to travel the world, and entertain family and their many friends with their films and stories.    They passed on their love of skiing and boating to their children with family ski trips and by spending summers on the water at their Indianola cabin and later Whidbey Island.  She and Gordie celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Sun Valley together with all their family.  He passed away shortly after their 61st in 2001.

Mom and Dad at Taj Mahal

Mom on Sailboat 1942

After Gordon’s death, Jean continued to live in Redmond’s Emerald Heights Retirement community where they had lived after they sold their Windermere home in 1994. She continued to play golf in her mid-80’s at Broadmoor, and enjoy the family beach place she and Gordon built on Whidbey Island.  She was active for many years in her Children’s Orthopedic Guild (Charles B. Ford), her Theta sorority, Bridge Club, Garden Club, Women’s University Club, Ancient Skiers and the U of W. Alumni Club.

Jean’s family was very dear to her and she will be sorely missed.  She was preceded in death by her husband Gordon in 2001 and her son Richard in 1996. She is survived by two sons Donald and wife Marylynne, Robert and wife Sharon Nichols and daughter Susan and husband Joe Wishcamper, seven grandchildren: Jennifer Zwiebel-Henninger and husband Erich, Robert and wife Lydia, Brian and wife Rebecca, Andrew and wife Katie, and Kelsey and Stephanie Zwiebel, and Jonathan Wishcamper.  She has 3 great-grandchildren Camaryn & Griffin Zwiebel-Henninger (Jennifer), Madeleine  Zwiebel  (Brian), and another on the way(Andrew ).  She also leaves her cousin Margaret Pontius who currently lives in Tennessee.

At her request, a private family service will be held.  Remembrances may be made to: Children’s Hospital Foundation, PO Box 50020/S200, Seattle, WA 98145-5020 or to Evergreen Hospice,c/o Evergreen Healthcare Foundation,  12040 NE 128th St., MS#5,  Kirkland, WA  98034-3013

John Edwards

John Edwards passed on April 28, 2009 after a massive heart attack.  Lynda, his wife of 25 years, and his beloved dog Sandy, invite you to a celebration of John’s life to be held May 30th, 4:00 – about 7:00 p.m. at the home of Phil and Pat Anderson.  Directions are below.  A light buffet will be served.

Please bring any photographs and memorabilia you may wish to share. There will be time for stories and memories of Rusty John’s life.   We hope you will join us.

Please forward this e-mail to others who you feel may wish to join in this celebration of John’s life. 

Directions:

305 122nd Place N.E, Bellevue, WA 98005     425-451-0549
East on NE Eighth (past the Alano club), South on 124th to 3rd Place.  West on 3rd Place (you can only turn one direction) to the end of the street.  305 is the end townhouse on the West side of 122nd Place – directly at the end of 3rd Place.

Gordon F. Peak

October 19, 1922  –  April 27, 2009

Gordon Peak

Gordon was born in Portland Oregon.  His parents divorced when he was very young, and he grew up near Woodland Park in Seattle, where his mother owned and operated a beauty shop.

He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1941, and soon after enjoyed a dangerous and adventurous job as a deck hand on boats that traveled the Alaska coast, supplyinig necessities to native villages.

In 1942 he joined the US Army Signal Corps, Alaska Communications System, assigned to the Alean Highway project.  He was honorably discharged in 1946.

After WWII Gordon built and sold several homes in Seattle’s north end.  Later he began a long career as a finish carpenter, well known for his fine work.  He detailed offices in many of Seattle’s high rise office buildings, and was in-house carpenter for Frederick and Nelson, and later the Bon Marche for many years.  His crowning glory was the elaborate wine cellar he constructed for prominent Seattle businessman, Thomas Gleed.

Gordon was well-known for his sense of humor, love of salmon fishing, no matter what the weather, and his readiness to give a helping hand wherever needed.  He always fished with “Finnish Herring”, a nod to his half Finnish heritage.

He leaves his wife Marilynn, son, Randall (Patty) Peak, daughter Alana (Rick) Rich, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Gordon wants no services.

Craig Bruce Claar (Huckleberry), age 60, passed away on April 24, 2009.

Craig Bruce Claar

He was born August 23, 1948 in San Diego, California.  The son of George Claar and Maggie Quinby Claar, both deceased.  Craig graduated from Felix High School in 1966. He lived his youth in San Diego and most of his adult life in Spokane, Washington.

He enlisted in the US Navy at eighteen and spent four years in Vietnam as a BT Boilerman, who was in charge of 100 other young men.  After the Navy, he worked at Washington Water Power as a Steam Engineer for thirteen years.  During his duration at WWP, he owned/operated Country Auto Rebuilders.  Soon after WWP, Craig moved onto sales as a Snap-On Tools Dealer.  Craig spent the last 15 years of his life as a General Contractor in Washington.

He was passionate about life, family & friends.  Craig was known for his happy personality, honesty and integrity.  Craig’s trademark was his Huckleberry handshake, and his motto when asked how he was,

                   “Happy, healthy, mean, rotten, ornery, and ugly.”

Craig was gifted with the creative ability to play music “by ear”, draw, build and create anything he wanted.  Motorcycles were his life.  He loved to ride, whether it was dirt or street, curvy or straight, coast to coast.  Craig’s love of fast cars allowed him to appreciate the symphony of a well built and finely tuned engine.

Craig is survived by Janet, wife of twenty-five years, children, Jade Claar, Dawn Gregg, Kelly Claar and Jason Claar;  eight grandchildren, his siblings, Connie Flagg, Judy Perez and Todd Claar.

Craig was preceded in death by his son, Christopher Paul Claar, 1988.

Craig will be interned,  with full Military Honors, in the Spokane National Cemetery in June 2010, when the cemetery is completed.

Esther Pearson

ESTHER PEARSON

Esther Pearson passed away on April 21, 2009 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.  She was born in La Conner, WA on May 2, 1919, the youngest of five children, to Swedish immigrant parents Carl and Agnes Hultman, and grew up with a love of gardening.  After attending WSU, she settled in Seattle and worked in the Dorothy Neighbors Department at the Seattle Times.  In 1942 she married Arnold C. Pearson, a Boeing aeronautical engineer and accomplished photographer.  She established her own landscape design business and won acclaim with her work, which featured native plant material that highly complemented the best of Pacific Northwest modern architecture.  Always a passionate learner and doer, she continued to take classes at the UW and SCC in art, history and creative writing.  In 1980 she combined her interest in immigrant history and love of travel with Arnold’s stunning photography and the two of them co-authored Early Churches of Washington State, published by University of Washington Press.     

During their 56 year loving marriage Esther and Arnold had two children, Carl and Sina, grandchildren Carin, Eric and Matthew and great-granddaughter Elena.   She is also survived by her nieces, Robin Bajus and Joanne Long; nephews Carl and Wendell Hultman and Jim Hallead; and numerous grand nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by Arnold in 1999, and her brothers Norman, Paul and George Hultman and sister Louise Bettner.   

Esther loved to travel with Arnold and found in every trip to Europe, Japan, New York or throughout the Pacific Northwest a way to reconnect with family, meet new people and establish lifelong friendships.  She welcomed all to her comforting home and lush garden.  She also made time to volunteer at the Seattle Art Museum and at the University Unitarian Church.  Her stunning chancel arrangements for UUC were legendary. 

Esther’s talents and generosity were immeasurable.  Along with Arnold, she lived a life filled with art, photography, music, great food and gardening, and more than anything, love of family and friends.  She will serve as an inspiration to all that knew and loved her.

A memorial service and celebration of Esther’s life will be held on June 27, 2009 11AM at University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave. NE, Seattle 98115.  In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland, Alzheimer’s Association, or Evergreen Hospice, or to a charity of choice.

Friends are encouraged to share memories in the family’s online guestbook below.

THEODORE HAROLD SCRIVANICH

Ted was born May 24, 1929 in Brookfield, WA. to Mateo Scrivanich and Zena Tarabochia.  He passed away April 9, 2009 in Edmonds, WA.  He was the youngest of six children, a sister dying in infancy.  In 1930 his family moved to Seattle.

He joined the Marine Corps in 1946.  In 1952 he married Beverley J. O’Neal and together they had three children, Janet (Bob) Miller, Teresa Costle, and Paul (Olivia) Scrivanich.  He always wanted to be a fireman and had many friends at the station off of Dravus St. on Queen Anne who mentored him.  He gave up that dream to care for his family and became a warehouseman working for Eyres Transfer and eventually working at the Safeway Distribution Center in the meat department.  In 1990 he had a brain aneurysm and was disabled.

He loved camping and showed us where Brookfield used to be on the Columbia River.  He loved picking wild blackberries and blueberries.  He helped Janet and Terry pick berries to sell so we could go to the summer District Assemblies.  We also spent countless hours fishing, though we rarely caught anything.  His biggest catch was an octopus that grabbed hold of the boat he and George Knierim were in.  Ted also loved baseball.  His cousins always talked about how they would play down in Interbay.  He was a big fan of the Seattle Pilots and later of the Seattle Mariners.  He often took the grandkids to games, loading up on candy and snacks before they went.  Later, as he lay in a coma at Harborview we would turn on the Mariner games so that he could hear them.  When he came home, Bev, Janet and Bob started taking him to the games and also became fans of the Mariners.  Even as he became bed-ridden, he always watched the games and we could always tell how he thought they were playing by the noises he made.

Ted loved his family and his grandchildren, Gretchen (Dave) Wailes, Cynthia, Garrett and Ashley Miller.  He saw his family expand with the addition of three great-grandchildren, Madison Maez, Jacob and Savanna Wailes.  He was predeceased in death by his parents, his brothers Tony, Joe, and Mike and his sister Catherine.  Several nieces and nephews survive. 

He will be greatly missed, but we know that he now sleeps in death awaiting the resurrection on a peaceful new earth.  We will miss you dad and we’ll do our best to look after mom who gave so much of herself caring for you.

Private burial was held at Tahoma National Cemetery.  A memorial will be held at 2:00 pm., Saturday, May 9, 2009 at the Aurora Village Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses  2960 NE 200^th.,  Shoreline,Wa.

Geneva Gwendolyn Quinn passed away at Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, Washington on April 28, 2009 at the age of 86.  Proceeded in death by her husband Dan, brothers Roy and Troy and sisters Cleta and Juanita.  She is survived by her brother Russell and sisters Mary, Lorene and Loretta, her children Alan, Marilyn, JoAnn and Dan, grandchildren Ryan, Mary Jo, Shannon, Casey, Ricki, Colby and Kyle, great grandchildren, Will, Cameron and Ruby.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Northwest Parkinson Foundation
                                                                400 Mercer St, #401
                                                                Seattle, WA  98109
                                                                1-877-980-7500

Gary Lanksbury died on April 18th from complications caused by the disease, Amyloidosis. He was born in Seattle in 1932, raised in Kirkland and graduated from Lake Washington High School in 1950.  He lived most of his life in the Greater Seattle area. In the 50s he served four years in the US Navy and achieved the rank of Yeoman 1st class. During most of that tour of service he was stationed in the Mediterranean.  He spent most of his career as a computer programmer, working for a time for Standard Oil in SanFrancisco and then Bekins Moving and Storage in Seattle. Gary had many hobbies and many friends. One achievement he was proud of was finishing quilts for The Ronald McDonald House. His hobbies included traveling, quilting, gardening, making teddy bears, collecting Heisey crystal, sewing and needlepoint, photography, cooking, pottery, art and antique collecting, being part of the Kirkland Heritage Society and many more. In 1992, Gary met Wayne and they built a home together in Bellevue. He is survived by his domestic partner, Wayne Bitterman and their cat, Tessie. Remembrances can be given to the Bailey-Boushay House, The Pride Foundation, or Lifelong AIDS Alliance and specify The Chicken Soup Brigade. Gary also loved tea and instead of a memorial service, people are asked to hold a tea party in his honor. Groups like his quilting, needlepoint and Heisey groups could get together. Even a single person could toast Gary with a cup of tea. Then send short notes of remembrance and photos to Wayne Bitterman at lanksbury@comcast.com. I’ll then create a memorial web site that will be a tribute to our wonderful friend. The site URL will be–
 http://home.comcast.net/~lanksbury/

“BJ” Flanary

Billie Joe “BJ” Flanary was born January 16, 1944 in Mt. Airy, MD.  He was the fifth of eight children.  As a  young boy, BJ grew to love horses while working on a Thoroughbred farm in Frederick, MD.  As a young man, he was an air policeman in the USAF and received the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.  BJ loved to entertain us all with stories about his horses, Jubilee, Amanda, Sweet Baby, Rocky, Dusty and Sox, and especially his three Beagles, Toby, Tyler and Trueman.  Everyone enjoyed BJ’s stories – over and over again – but that’s one of the many things we all loved about him.  BJ was an extremely compassionate and very giving person.  If you asked him for a favor, or even if you didn’t, he was right there to help.  BJ is survived by his daughter, Kimberly Ann Squires, and his wife of 24 years, Cindy.  We will all miss him terribly.  A Celebration of BJ’s Life will be held on May 9, from 12 – 4 p.m. at the Columbia Crest Winery in Woodinville.  Details will follow.  Thank you.

“BJ” Flanary

Doris D. Elliott (ne Doris Virginia Dunkel), age 90, of Edmonds, Washington, passed away on April 19, 2009, at Stevens Hospital, with her loving family by her side. Born on a farm in Clark County, Ohio, December 23, 1918, to Gladdys and Howard Dunkel, she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Western Hills High School and then Western College for Women (now Miami University in Oxford, Ohio) and the University of Cincinnati, and majoring in English literature.  Her only sibling, a brother born in 1926 with Down’s Syndrome, died in 1947.

In 1941, she married Roger Hancock Elliott, a mechanical engineer from Purdue and they moved to College Station, Texas, where he taught a year at Texas A&M.  Doris became the first woman on the all-male campus to ever perform skits on their local radio station, WTAW.  From College Station, she and Roger moved to Kansas City, where he took a job with Bendix Aviation Corporation and Doris assumed the role of raising their three children, Roger, Jr., Barbara (Machin) and Ken.

During the twenty-seven years residing in Kansas City, first in Mission, Kansas and then Overland Park, Kansas, Doris became deeply involved in politics, chairing the Women’s Republican Party of Northeast Johnson County in the 1960’s.  She also worked for a short time as the Executive Secretary for the Prairie Village, Kansas, Shopping Center.

In 1970, Bendix transferred Roger to Sedro Woolley, Washington, and they built a home overlooking Puget Sound on Samish Island.  Doris loved living in the semi-wilderness despite her urban upbringing and hated to leave in 1974, after Roger suffered a major stroke.  They first moved to Edmonds to be closer to medical care, but then moved to Dayton, Ohio, to be closer to family, and from there to Corpus Christi, Texas to be near her oldest son, Roger Jr.  After her husband’s death in 1979, she moved back to the Northwest, which she had come to love, and settled in Edmonds for the remainder of her life.

Next to her children and grandchildren, Doris’ second love was to travel, which she did extensively.  She could proudly boast of having visited 46 of the 50 states, pre-Castor Cuba and Mexico.  She cruised to Alaska while Ken, her youngest, lived there and made three trips to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates while Roger Jr., her oldest, lived there.  On one of her journeys, she visited Egypt, cruised down the Nile and went wadi bashing in Oman.  She saw the Hawaiian Island of Oahu when Ken was married there and toured Peru, including Cuzco and Machu Pichuu, when Roger Jr. lived there.

Doris’ third love was her dogs, all dachshunds except for her last companion, Nacho, a long-haired chihuahua she inherited from a friend.  She had the ability to calm and train even the most difficult breeds. 

Doris is survived by two of her three children, Ken (Elena) and Barbara (Peter Andrew Mechin), five grandchildren, Michael Elliott (Nicki), Scott Elliott, Rhonda Elliott, Venice Harris (John) and one great grandson, Cole Harris.  A memorial service will be held at Maplewood Presbyterian.  There will be no visitation.  The family requests that memorial tributes be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Robert Allen Bell

1928-2009

Robert “Bob” Bell was called into heaven on the evening of Easter Sunday. He was surrounded by his family whom he always placed first in his life.

Bob Bell was true blue Seattleite. He was born here, attended Lincoln High School, studied engineering at Seattle University and later met his beloved wife of 56 years, Nancy Criez, while skating at Bitter Lake. He only left his city to serve his country in the US Navy in the waters off of Korea in the early Fifties.

Under Bob’s decades of leadership he grew the family run business, Skyline Electric, into a highly respected and successful electrical manufacturing company. Bob was known as a resourceful and inventive engineer. He also paved the way for the continued success and leadership of Skyline within the family.

Bob had an easy going love of life which was felt immediately with his broad smile and infectious good nature. His enthusiasm for the simple pleasures was also extensive including a talent for music whether it was playing the ukulele or the stand up bass. He was a regular musician with the Edmonds Senior Swingers. In his younger years he was happiest skiing and teaching skiing at Stevens Pass with the Lake City Elks and in his later years he spent countless days with his wife and family at their favored retreat on Camano Island. There is also a mint condition Model A in his garage that he beautifully restored but reserved only for special occasion outings. Many hours were also devoted to his outdoor interests of fishing and hunting and to his indoor hideaway global Ham radio communications.

Robert A Bell is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, two sisters, Shirley and Bonnie, his son Michael, his daughter Deborah, and a daughter who preceded him in death, Jeanene. He has six wonderful grandchildren, Greg, Kelsea, Steven, Hanna, Brenna and Jack. He was also always surrounded by loving friends.

The family would like to also acknowledge the special and compassionate care Bob received during his medical challenges: the staff of Northwest Hospital, the Puget Sound Cancer Care Centers and the staff at Harborview Medical Center.

 A Memorial Service will be held at 6:00 PM Monday, April 20^th, at St Matthew Church in North Seattle honoring his life.  Reception to follow.

Donations in Bob’s honor may be sent to the American Cancer Society

728 134^th St. SW        

Suite 101

Everett, WA 98204-1140

1-800-227-2345

 Robert Allen Bell

1928-2009

Robert “Bob” Bell was called into heaven on the evening of Easter Sunday. He was surrounded by his family whom he always placed first in his life.

Bob Bell was true blue Seattleite. He was born here, attended Lincoln High School, studied engineering at Seattle University and later met his beloved wife of 56 years, Nancy Criez, while skating at Bitter Lake. He only left his city to serve his country in the US Navy in the waters off of Korea in the early Fifties.

Under Bob’s decades of leadership he grew the family run business, Skyline Electric, into a highly respected and successful electrical manufacturing company. Bob was known as a resourceful and inventive engineer. He also paved the way for the continued success and leadership of Skyline within the family.

Bob had an easy going love of life which was felt immediately with his broad smile and infectious good nature. His enthusiasm for the simple pleasures was also extensive including a talent for music whether it was playing the ukulele or the stand up bass. He was a regular musician with the Edmonds Senior Swingers. In his younger years he was happiest skiing and teaching skiing at Stevens Pass with the Lake City Elks and in his later years he spent countless days with his wife and family at their favored retreat on Camano Island. There is also a mint condition Model A in his garage that he beautifully restored but reserved only for special occasion outings. Many hours were also devoted to his outdoor interests of fishing and hunting and to his indoor hideaway global Ham radio communications.

Robert A Bell is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, two sisters, Shirley and Bonnie, his son Michael, his daughter Deborah, and a daughter who preceded him in death, Jeanene. He has six wonderful grandchildren, Greg, Kelsea, Steven, Hanna, Brenna and Jack. He was also always surrounded by loving friends.

The family would like to also acknowledge the special and compassionate care Bob received during his medical challenges: the staff of Northwest Hospital, the Puget Sound Cancer Care Centers and the staff at Harborview Medical Center.

 A Memorial Service will be held at 6:00 PM Monday, April 20^th, at St Matthew Church in North Seattle honoring his life.  Reception to follow.

Donations in Bob’s honor may be sent to the American Cancer Society

728 134^th St. SW        

Suite 101

Everett, WA 98204-1140

1-800-227-2345