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Beverley Dorr Brant
Beverley Dorr Brant passed away March 29 in Burns, Ore.
She was born in Tacoma on May 9, 1914, attended Stadium High School and graduated from the University of Washington.
For 30 years, Beverley and Bill operated the Brant Photographers Studio in Bellevue, where she was active in community affairs. She was an accomplished photographer and a recognized portrait painter.
Beverley had been a member of the San Juan Island Golf Club and a charter member of the San Juan Island Yacht Club. She loved boating, especially the innumerable summer trips north in Canadian waters on their cruiser, "Starduster."
Survivors, in addition to Bill, are daughter Becky Shull of Burns, Ore.; grandson John Workman of Friday Harbor; and great-grandson Shade Noble Workman, age 18 months.
Service is April 9 in Burns, Ore., with private interment in San Juan Valley cemetery.
E. Palmer Meredith
On March 27, 2001, E. Palmer Meredith passed on in his sleep after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease.
His family is planning a memorial service. Date and location will be announced.
Alfred B. Ellis
Alfred B. Ellis, 82, of Friday Harbor, Wash., died Saturday, July 7, 2001, in his home in Friday Harbor.
He was born May 28, 1919, in Butte, Neb., the son of Jesse J. and Bernice (Arno) Ellis. His parents were deceased prior to Al turning 16.
Al completed his high school education in Butte, Neb. He joined the U.S. Navy at age 18, upon which time he served aboard the USS Oklahoma. In 1939, he received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy from the naval fleet. He graduated with the Class of 1943.
Al served aboard the USS Massachusetts and entered flight training and received his wings in 1945. He served as a lieutenant commander until 1956, at which time he joined Hughes Aircraft in Culver City, Calif., where he worked for 30 years. At the time of retirement, Al moved to Friday Harbor, Wash., where he resided for the past eight years.
He was very active at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church in La Mirada, Calif., where he helped produce two records of the local church choir. Al remained active in singing with the Island Chordsmen.
He had been active in sports, placing in the NCAA Eastern Collegiate Championship in gymnastics. He was an avid sports supporter for all the children and young adults on the island.
He was a member of St. Francis Parish, Naval Academy Alumni Association, Tailhook, and Island Chordsmen. Al was the best friend a person could ever ask for, the greatest husband a woman would desire, the greatest dad a child could ever ask for, as well as the best grandfather.
He is survived by his wife, Sheila A. Ellis of Friday Harbor, Wash.; four daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Bob Ayotte of San Dimas, Calif., Cynthia and Dale Johnson of Castana, Iowa., Robin and Tim Garcia of Friday Harbor, Wash., Michele and Lucas Melborne of Friday Harbor, Wash.; son and daughter-in-law, David and Kathy Ellis of Casa Grande, Ariz.; 14 grandchildren, Eli, Katrina, Jennifer, Joshua, David, Jason, Amber, Summer, Joseph, James, Tara, Frank, Michael, Jean; two great-grandchildren, Victor and Cheyanne; brothers and sisters, Leo Ellis of Newhall, Iowa, Grace Halbur of Milwaukee, Wis., Dale Ellis of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Della Reiser of Homosassa, Fla., and Rose Coe of Homosassa, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his sisters, Florence and Sylvia, and brother, George Ellis.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, July 14, 2001, 11 a.m., in St. Francis Catholic Church in Friday Harbor with burial at St. Francis cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Francis Caring & Sharing, P.O. Box 1489, Friday Harbor, WA. 98250.
Daren Lane Arend
Daren Lane Arend died June 8, 2001 in Spokane, Wash. He was born in Friday Harbor on Aug. 3, 1922 and attended Friday Harbor schools. Prior to World War II, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines.
He married
Joyce Distell of North Platte, Neb., where he had three children. Upon her death he moved back to the Northwest and worked in Anacortes. He later married
Agnes Anderson of Spokane and raised their five children in Bellevue, where he owned a car sales business. After retirement he made his home in Arizona and while returning from Arizona to the Northwest for the summer he had a fatal stroke.
He was the son of Walt and Edythe Arend, lifelong residents of Friday Harbor, both many years deceased. He is survived by his wife, Agnes Arend, of Florence Ariz.; his three children, Walter Arend of Kirkland, Mike Arend of Bellevue, and Linda Gail Virdell of Bothell; his two stepchildren, Cheryl and Connie; his sister, Sonya Flaherty of Mount Vernon; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial service is July 28, 3 p.m., in Kirkland at Green's Funeral Parlor. Burial to be in San Juan cemetery.
Jan Jameson, co-author of island book, dies at 51
Jan Jameson, co-author of the book, You Know Youre An Islander When ..., died Sept. 13. She was 51.
Her family announced her death Monday. Cause of death was not released, but Jameson had reportedly been in poor health.
Childhood friend Jeanie Rouleau Garrett said she and Jameson came up with the idea for You Know Youre An Islander When ... while reminiscing and talking about the uniqueness of island living.
They began collecting thoughts their own and friends and familys such as You know youre an islander when youve driven every single road on the island, and you still havent gone anywhere.
When they collected 110, they recruited noted artist Sam Connery to illustrate and self-published the book in 1999.
She was devoted to the history of the islands, said Carla Higginson, like Rouleau and Jameson a descendant of early pioneers.
Despite poor health, She always had a positive attitude, Higginson said. She was no Pollyanna, but she believed God had something better planned for her.
Higginson said Jameson was also a devoted mother. Her son came first.
Jameson was born Feb. 1, 1950, a descendant of Native Americans that lived on Shaw Island. Her ancestors are buried in a family cemetery on Shaw Islands Blind Bay.
Jameson wrote her own obituary, family members said, because she was a writer and she didnt want it done wrong.
Jameson wrote:
Told you I wrote my own obituary. Its not such a horrible task, actually, kind of like looking upon your days work as the sun sets and saying I did that, whatever that may be.
As I look back upon the panorama of my life I see many good friends, a whole bunch of dumb on my part, but a whole bunch of fun too.
O.K., lets get down to the facts: I was 60 inches tall (I always wanted to be in the double digits) and I had a few medical problems, but nothing I couldnt handle. Well, I guess I didnt handle them very well, did I, or you wouldnt be reading.
I was this countys first female deputy, a painter of signs, cab driver, cook, flagger; I basically did whatever it took.
My greatest pride, the very center of this panorama I am imagining is my son, Darren, the best thing to ever happen to me.
Basically, what can a person say? You came, you saw, you did whatever. You are, will forever be, a mote of dust in the great bank balance, it is your kids, they are the future of this planet. How you raise them, treat them, affects every generation they will lead.
We as parents, probably have the biggest challenge of all: trying to benefit Mother Earth and teaching our sons and daughters the same values. Ive no doubt got a bunch of explaining to do to The Big Guy, but I think youll all take comfort in knowing I died with pride and dignity. The only reason I know I did this is because I threatened to come back if anyone didnt allow it!
I never strayed very far from home because I loved this island, my playground for 50+ years, and my friends who meant so much, the memory of many deceased. I thank you all for so many good years. You can bet Ill be waiting with a cold beer for ya!
Jameson is survived by her brothers, Charles, Gerald and Brian Jameson; and by her only son, Darren Jameson.
Dick Laurse
Growing old is a blessing and a curse - a blessing if you have your health and your loved ones about you in your golden years, but a curse as you watch your friends of many years pass away before you, leaving you to grieve.
Such was the case March 2 on Shaw Island when, in my capacity as a special Sheriff's deputy, I was sent to the Richard Laursen residence to investigate the unexpected death of my old friend, Dick Laursen.
My wife Lotte and I have known Dick for more than 40 years and were very close to him and his first wife, Harriet.
The four of us were in Paine Field Squadron of Civil Air Patrol and active in Washington Wing activities. Dick and I flew on many searches together, sometimes in our Luscombe and at other times in a Civil Air Patrol aircraft, such as a Stinson L-5.
For many years, Dick had a WWII twin-engine U-C 78 - dubbed the "Bamboo Bomber" by the military. Unfortunately, that plane was lost a few years ago in a hangar fire at the Arlington airport. He last had a four-place Aero Commander.
When we first met them, they had seven children and were members of the Green Lake Methodist Church a few blocks from our home on Green Lake in Seattle.
Before World War II, Dick was working at Boeing in the tool and die shop. He and Harriet were married
while he was there and in 1940 they had their first son, Richard Gene Laursen. Then in 1942 a second son, Gary, was born. A daughter, Jane (Aanrud), came along in 1946.
A few years after the war, Dick quit Boeing to start up his own cabinet shop, making and installing church furniture and custom cabinetry for homes. He called the company "Naturwood Cabinets."
Starting in the Fremont District, he later moved to Westlake, and eventually located in Ballard near the ship canal.
In 1947, another daughter, Anne (Rockholt) came along, then in 1950 another son, Del, was born, then came John in 1953. In 1955, their last daughter was born, Laurie Laursen-Hinkley.
Around 1953, they learned of a 10-acre place to be had on Shaw Island. They came up to take a look at it and fell in love with the place and bought it. There was a small house (shack) on the place that for years was used to house the family when they came up for summers and weekends.
After having been involved with airplanes for most of his life, it figured that maybe his boys might follow in his footsteps.
Tragedy struck in 1968 when their son Richard was killed in an airplane crash in inclement weather while returning from a flight to eastern Washington. He was buried here on Shaw Island in our small cemetery.
A couple of years later, in September 1970, after more than 27 years of marriage, Dick and Harriet split up, dividing the Shaw Island property down the middle.
In 1977, Dick married
Donna Marie Raplee and, in 1981, he and "Rap" had a son, Richard Carl Laursen, commonly known as Rick.
They have had their home and shop here since 1992, when he closed his shop in Ballard and moved his machinery and tools to a shop on Shaw to continue making custom cabinets.
Active in the group that regularly meets at the Shaw Island Community Building for church services, Dick was always cheerful and helpful to his many friends on the islands. Personally, I don't know what I'm going to do without his help in the ongoing construction of our home.
Dick was also active in the San Juan County Republican Party and for years was the elected Republican committeeman.
Born in Tacoma on July 16, 1920, he attended schools in Tacoma and the University of Washington.
At the time of his passing, Dick was 80.
An interment and private ceremony is planned for March 10 at Shaw Island cemetery, followed by a public Celebration of Life at the Community Building at 3 p.m.
- Al Wilding is a correspondent for The Journal and sanjuanjournal.com. Contact him at wilding@rockisland.com.
This article was originally published in the March 7 Journal of the San Juan Islands.
Mark Felber
Flags flew at half-staff March 5 for San Juan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Felber.
Felber died in his patrol car at 6:58 p.m. March 3 after suffering a heart attack outside Islandale Market on Lopez Island. He was 50.
At the request of Sheriff Bill Cumming, flags at the courthouse were lowered in Felber's honor.
Cumming, sheriff for 15 years, said Felber is the first on-duty deputy to die since he became sheriff.
Felber radioed for medical assistance from the grocery store parking lot complaining of severe chest pain, Cumming said. Paramedics and a local doctor were unable to revive Felber despite CPR efforts and quick response to the emergency, he said.
"This truly is sad for us all, " Cumming said. "Law enforcement is like a family. The situations we face are so unique it binds us together in a special way, especially in a small department."
Felber joined the Sheriff's Department in 1992 after he moved from San Francisco, Calif., following 10 years on the city police force. He graduated from Los Gatos High School in 1968.
Felber chose Lopez Island for a new home and a change of pace. And he found love between its shores. He met Carina. The couple married
and had two children, 6-year-old Logan and 4-year-old Fiora.
"Like this entire community, he was totally in love with those two little babies, " said Mike Jennings, county juvenile parole officer on Lopez.
Professionally, he and Felber had frequent contact and developed a friendship, Jennings said.
"He certainly will be missed, " Jennings said.
As deputy sheriff, Felber participated in criminal investigations, traffic patrol and search-and-rescue. Cumming said Felber and the Lopez community were a perfect fit.
"I remember Mark saying once that he felt like a small-town cop in the big city while walking the neighborhood beats in San Francisco, " he said.
Felber cultivated an appreciation of theater, opera and the classics in San Francisco. His quiet and reserved nature belied an extended knowledge and affection for the arts, colleagues said.
"He was a walking and talking encyclopedia of the arts, " Jennings said. "He was a man of great depth but not at a want to flaunt it unless he got to know you."
At the thought of Felber's love for the arts and the opera, Cumming beamed. "Those who came in contact with him knew that they were in the presence of a man of culture, " he said.
Memorial service plans are yet undetermined by Felber's relatives. The police officers guild is expected to make donations to his family or possibly set up a fund in Felber's name, Cumming said.
Felber is survived by his wife and children, his father on Orcas Island, a brother on Lopez Island, and his mother who lives on Vancouver Island.
- This article was originally published in the March 7 Journal of the San Juan Islands.
Virginia E. Glenn
Former Orcas Island resident Virginia E. Glenn passed away March 2, 2001, in Bothell. She was 86.
She was born June 22, 1914 in Seattle, the daughter of Robert and Laura (Balthis) Jarvis.
Virginia was a University of Washington graduate who lived in Kirkland for about 27 years before moving to Orcas Island, where she lived for 25 years. Virginia spent the past five years in Bothell.
She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Virginia is survived by her husband, George R. Glenn; sons, Steven Glenn and his wife Joyce, and Christopher Glenn and his wife Dorothy; daughters, Judith Hoyman and her husband Richard, and Laura Wagstaffe and her husband Robert; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial service is March 10, 2 p.m., in the Bothell Funeral Home, 18224 103rd Ave. N.E., Bothell.
Remembrances may be made to the Alzheimer's Treatment and Research Center, (800) 229-2872.
Arrangements by Bothell Funeral Home.
