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Betty Atkinson
Betty Atkinson, helper of students and veterans, dies at 82
PORT TOWNSEND -- A woman who devoted 50 years of her life to helping veterans and local students, even after illness kept her house-bound, has died.
Betty Atkinson, who died at her home Monday at age 82, was the first member of an American Legion Ladies Auxiliary to receive a gold medal for meritorious service.
Last April, she received an award for 50 years of continuous service to her local auxiliary, No. 26.
``If you are a member of the American Legion or know someone who is -- or if you know a young person who has been helped through the scholarship programs, chances are you know Betty Atkinson, " said David Richmond, Ms. Atkinson's partner of 10 years.
Ms. Atkinson also nominated a neighbor's daughter, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Martha Krabill, for a state and national American Legion Auxiliary award, which Krabill won.
Krabill, a member of the U.S. Armed Forces Chorale in Washington, D.C., was in town last weekend to receive awards.
``Martha came over to visit on Thursday, when Betty was still with us, " Richmond said.
Born in Oregon
The daughter of Paul Boyd Jr. and Hazel Bradfield Boyd, Ms. Atkinson was born on Oct. 26, 1923, in Marshfield, Ore., now Coos Bay.
She came to Port Townsend in 1948 with her first husband, Bufford Boyd, an Army sergeant stationed at Fort Worden.
The couple and their two sons first lived in an apartment over what is now the Town Tavern, Richmond said, a short commute to her first job at the cannery.
She then worked as a nurse's aide at Sacred Heart Hospital, Richmond said.
In 1955, she joined the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, eventually filling every office and serving as president at the local and district level.
``Betty helped countless veterans find their way through mazes of red tape to get the benefits they needed and deserved, " Richmond said.
``She also served as the Girls State chairwoman to coordinate and oversee the granting of scholarships to Port Townsend High School senior girls going into nursing, and for junior girls, a week at a summer civics camp."
Ms. Atkinson divorced Boyd and married
Herschel Atkinson, a World War II veteran who served as post commander and district commander in the American Legion while she led the auxiliary at the local and district levels.
Ms. Atkinson also was her auxiliary's representative to the veterans home for 12 years, and served as auxiliary secretary of the past 10 years, even though confined to a wheelchair and no longer able to leave her home.
Annual poppy display
She also made a poppy display every year for the annual drive to support veterans' hospitals and homes.
``It takes roller skates to keep up with everything, " Ms. Atkinson told the women who presented her with the 50-year award in April.
A memorial service will be held at the American Legion Hall at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.
Her ashes will be interred with her second husband, Herschel, and her son, Thomas, in a private graveside service at Laurel Grove cemetery in Port Townsend.
In addition to Richmond, Ms. Atkinson is survived by three sons, David, Richard and Gerald Boyd, all of Port Townsend; two sisters, Hazel Markve of Lynnwood and Pauline Swan of Portland, Ore., 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Thomas and Kenneth. She was a member of St. Anselm's Anglican Catholic Church in Sequim.
Memorials can be sent to the American Legion Auxiliary Children's Fund, 209 Monroe St., Port Townsend, WA 98368.
James Schlinkmann
Feb. 13, 1956 -- Nov. 23, 2005
James ``Jim" Schlinkmann, 49, of Baker, Nev., died from injuries received in a sport-utility vehicle crash while returning from south Florida, where he had been part of a National Park Service Incident Management Team assisting with Hurricane Wilma recovery.
Mr. Schlinkmann was chief ranger at Great Basin National Park, Nev.
He was westbound on U.S. Highway 50 near the Utah-Nevada state line when the 1995 Honda Passport he was driving went off the left edge of the road, struck a culvert and an embankment and overturned, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Mr. Schlinkmann was born in Edwardsville, Ill., to Paul and Shirley (Ernst) Schlinkmann.
He began his 23-year career with the National Park Service as a seasonal ranger at Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming before becoming chief ranger, first at Devil's Tower then at Great Basin National Park. He also served at Denali, Joshua Tree and Rocky Mountain national parks.
Mr. Schlinkmann was an avid rock climber and made significant contributions to the National Park Service's technical rescue program, as well as serving as the lead instructor for the service's annual technical rescue training.
He also served on the Pacific West Ranger Advisory Committee and was plans section chief of the Pacific West Incident Management Team.
Survivors include his son, Bryan Schlinkmann, and his son's mother, Colette Schlinkmann, both of Port Angeles; his parents of Ajo, Ariz.; and sister and brother-in-law Judy and Scott Beard of Holly, N.J.
Services: Friday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m., memorial in Queen of Angels Catholic Church, 209 W. 11th St., Port Angeles.
National Park Service Pacific West Regional Director Jon Jarvis, the National Park Service Honor Guard, members of the Pacific West Incident Management Team and representatives of National Park Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., are expected to attend the Port Angeles memorial service, according to an Olympic National Park spokesperson.
Doris D. Adams
June 24, 1922 -- Nov. 21, 2005
Doris D. Adams died in Jefferson Healthcare hospital, Port Townsend, of a stroke. He was 83.
She was born in Joplin, Mo., to Frank and Ethel (Barr) Denton.
She and her husband, Gerald ``Bud" Adams, moved to Port Townsend 14 years ago.
Services: None. Kosec Funeral Home, Port Townsend, coordinated cremation arrangements.
George H. Bick
Sept. 23, 1914 -- Nov. 27, 2005
Port Angeles resident George H. Bick died at age 91 of complications from a fall.
He was born in Neptune, La., to John William and Mary Catherine (Schoenberger) Bick.
After graduating from Jesuit High School, New Orleans, in 1932, he received his bachelor's degree from Tulane University in 1936, his master's from Tulane in 1938, and doctorate from Cornell University in 1945.
During World War II, he served as a lieutenant commander with the Navy in the South Pacific, including Australia and New Guinea, and Ithaca, N.Y.
Dr. Bick married
Juanda Claire Bonck in New Orleans in 1945.
After the war, he was a professor of biology at Tulane University, Southwest Louisiana State University and St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Ind.
After retirement, he was a volunteer at the Arthropod Museum of the University of Florida.
He also authored more than 60 scientific articles, primarily about dragonflies (odonates) of the United States.
Dr. Bick had a lifelong interest in protecting the environment.
His memberships included Dragonfly Society of the Americas; Entomological Society of America; American Association of University Professors; and Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Port Angeles.
Survivors include daughters Dr. Suzann Bick of Port Angeles and Patricia Bick of Chittendew, Vt.; three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Dr. Bick's wife died Oct. 30, 1999. He was also preceded in death by brother John William Bick II and sister Marguerite Bick.
Services: Thursday, Dec. 1, 9 a.m. memorial Mass in Queen of Angels Catholic Church, 209 W. 11th St., Port Angeles. The Rev. Kurt Nagle will celebrate.
Inurnment will be beside his wife in Rutland, Vt.
Memorials: Donations in memory of George H. Bick to Defenders of Wildlife, 1130 17th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-4604. (Request notification of donation to daughter, Dr. Suzann Bick, 141 W. Columbus Ave., Port Angles, WA 98362).
CLEVE COLBERT ``RED" KETCHAM
December 12, 1924-November 24, 2005
Cleve Colbert ``Red" Ketcham died at the age of 80 on November 24, 2005 at his home in Sequim, Washington, with his wife of 57 years by his side.
Red was born the third of 11 children to Olga Knight Ketcham and Grover Cleveland Ketcham on a homestead near Clayton, New Mexico.
Red married
Katherine Vernelle Rouse in 1948 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
When he was in his teens he was a jockey, rode rodeo, and having grown up on a cattle ranch, he was also a real cowboy.
While attending Rice University, he took up boxing and was Texas State Champion in the Bantamweight Division in the 1940s.
A friend once described him as a little guy, only 5 feet 6 inches, but after being in a room with him 10 minutes, you thought he was 6 feet 5 inches.
Red was a Registered Professional Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor but would always describe himself as being ``just an ole cowboy."
During World War II, he was in the Navy. Red served aboard the aircraft carrier Saratoga and also on tugboats.
Red attended Rice University in Houston, Texas for two years. After his father was killed in an automobile accident, he transferred to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque to be near his family and received his BS in Civil Engineering in 1949. Red also took many postgraduate courses at various universities.
Red worked for the U.S. Forest Service in five different regions and the Washington, D.C., office for a total of 32 years. After retiring from the U.S. Forest Service where he was Director of Engineering in the Atlanta office, he did consulting work for USAID in several different foreign countries.
Red was an inactive member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and NARFE. Red also was a member of the Puget Sound Anglers and several different engineering organizations.
He enjoyed raising flowers, fishing and doing woodwork, especially building mailboxes to scale like friend's houses.
Red is survived by his wife, Katherine Vernelle; his son, Dennis Ketcham of Sequim; son and daughter-in-law Raymond and Diane Ketcham of Gardiner; grandsons Ryan Ketcham, Kade Ketcham, Pete Ketcham and Cosmo Ketcham; sisters Bernice Castle of Hemet, California, Syble Mortenson of Springfield, Missouri; Doris Jones of Hamilton, Montana, Joan Blakely of Aliso Vista, Calif., and Gaye Nelle Halverson of Algona, Iowa; and brothers Joe Ketcham of Bay City, Oregon, and Jim Ketcham of Midland, Texas.
Two sisters and one brother preceded him in death as did his parents.
Red is also survived by his dog, Pia, his fishing partner, Herb Kottler, and many friends.
At his request there will be no funeral or memorial.
Remembrances may be sent to Hospice of Clallam County, P.O. Box 2014, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
George Richardson
April 1, 1930 -- Nov. 25, 2005
Port Ludlow resident George Richardson died in Seattle of complications from pneumonia. He was 75.
He was born in Jersey City, N.J., to Henry and Sabina (Tanner) Richardson.
He worked for North American Aviation Inc. in Long Beach, Calif.
While living in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Port Ludlow, he was part owner and operator of A&G Import Auto Inc. with his brother, Tony.
Mr. Richardson was a past member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Townsend and Knights of Columbus.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling.
Survivors include brother and sister-in-law Tony and Susan Richardson of Port Ludlow; sister Jean of Seattle; and sister and brother-in-law Emily and Don Sommer of Houston.
He was preceded in death by brother Mel Richardson and sister Nancy Richardson.
Services: Saturday, Dec. 3, noon, Mass of Christian burial in St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 1335 Blaine St., Port Townsend. The Rev. John Topal, S.J., will celebrate.
After the service, there will be a reception at the family home.
Kosec Funeral Home and Crematory, Port Townsend, was in charge of inurnment.
Leda Margaret Roshon
March 12, 1918 -- Nov. 23, 2005
Sequim resident Leda Margaret Roshon, 87, died of age-related causes.
She was born to Harley and Mabel (Dougherty) Gray in Columbus, Ohio, where she married
Arthur Henry Roshon in 1933.
Mrs. Roshon lived in Columbus, Ohio, and San Diego before moving to Sequim in 1977.
While in San Diego, she trained and worked as a licensed vocational nurse.
Mrs. Roshon enjoyed artistic endeavors -- including painting, ceramics and sewing -- as well as traveling and playing canasta with close friends.
Survivors include sons Richard Allen and Arthur Herman Roshon; 10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Her husband died in 1995. She was also preceded in death by brother Ralph Gray and sister Pat.
Services: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m., memorial in Dungeness Community Church, 45 Eberle Lane, Sequim. Pastor Neal Smith will officiate.
Neptune Society, Lynnwood, is in charge of arrangements.
