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Skagit River Journal

of History & Folklore
600 of 700 total Free Home Page Stories & Photos
(Also see our Subscribers Magazine Sample)
The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit
Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness
Noel V. Bourasaw, editor (bullet) 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284
Home of the Tarheel Stomp (bullet) Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug
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Biographies and obituaries of Skagit county
Pioneers and their descendants: H

Continually updated, last time: June 26, 2011
See the Alert below re: the Jameson family we are researching
      You will find the type of story in brackets [ ] behind the file link. [Bio] indicates a Journal story link. [Obit] leads to an obituary on this page. If you have suggestions for people you want to read about, please email us and we will add them to the list. Meanwhile, just click on the link and it will take you to the obit for each person, along with our notes, if we have more information, or a link to another page that will tell you more about him or her. Please note that if a woman was the descendant of a pioneer family, her link will be listed under the first letter of both her maiden name and her married name at the time of her death. And please email us if you have family memories or copies of documents or photos you would like us to include. We never ask for your originals.
Glenn Karl Hall, Prairie and Sedro-Woolley
(Glenn Hall)
Glenn Hall in the 1930s
      Glenn Karl Hall died February 14th at the age of 98. Born and raised in Thornwood, Washington, he was the fifth of ten children born to Lyman and Elena (Kalloch) Hall.
      He attended Sedro-Woolley schools and graduated from Sedro- Woolley high school in 1927. He graduated from Washington State University in 1931 and began teaching in the Sedro-Woolley school district in 1934. He taught physics and chemistry and served as the senior class advisor and stage manager. He retired in 1970.
      He married Winnifred Irene Steward Hall, another Sedro-Woolley school teacher, in 1942 and they were married 58 years when she died in 1998.
      He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Sedro-Woolley and Trinity United Presbyterian Church over 65 years. He was active in the Sedro-Woolley Lions Club and had recently been awarded a pin for 70 years of service. In 2004 he was inducted into the Sedro Woolley School District, Hall of Fame. In retirement he traveled widely in Europe, Asia and Africa. He was an avid gardener and kept up with old students by attending class reunions.
      He was preceded in death by his parents and his nine brothers and sisters: Harvey, Lewis, Kal, Nada, Bill, Walter, Mary, Elsie and Myrtle. He is survived by his two sons and daughters-in-law Robert and Sharon Hall of Woodside, California and Larry and Sandra Hall of Sedro-Woolley, and many nieces and nephews.
      A memorial service will be held at the United Trinity Presbyterian Church on Monday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m. Donations in his memory may be made to Sedro-Woolley Lions Club, SWHS Alumni Association or the charity of your choice.
      Journal ed. note: Pastor Wendy Tingley reminded us at Glenn's memorial service that Glenn Hall touched hundreds of lives here in his home town, where he lived for all but about four of his 98 years. We might go even further and assert that Glenn touched more lives than just about anyone who has lived here. Many attested to his influence as a teacher, as a mentor to students and young people in general, his strawberry patch where two generations of local folks worked and his 70 years of service to the Lions Club, an amazing record all by itself. We interviewed Glenn over a period of 15 years and he helped us so much in sorting out the many people and places in the Prairie district where he grew up near Cranberry Lake. In the future we will profile his extended family, especially his mother's side of the Kalloch family. In that group, Amariah Kalloch dug out the genesis of Hwy. 9, which was called Kalloch Road in the mud and dirt days. And Isaac S. Kalloch was one of the most famous San Francisco mayors 120 years ago, after starting his career in Boston as an abolitionist preacher. We welcome readers' memories and photos of this fine man.
Woodbury K. Hall, Prairie
Mount Vernon Herald, Dec. 31, 1938
      Woodbury K. Hall, 81, a resident of this district for the past 54 years, died at his farm home at Thornwood, just north of this city, on [Dec. 29]. Mr. Hall, who was born in Maine on Oct. 24, 1857, came here in 1884.
      Funeral services will be held in the Lemley chapel [on December 27] with the Rev. Mr. E.E. Beckman in charge.
(Ira Hamilton family)
Ira and Martha Hamilton family
Ira Hamilton, Hamilton and Idaho
The Caldwell News Tribune, November 6, 1930
      Ira Hamilton, Father of Mrs. Richard Beatty of Caldwell, and an early pioneer of the West and Idaho, died on Wednesday morning after a lingering illness, at a local hospital. Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the Dunkard church of Nampa with Dr. Grayvill in charge. Burial will be in the Koherlawn Cemetery.
      Mr. Hamilton was born June 3, 1855, in Kentucky. When 16 years of age he went to Texas, where he experienced the thrills of buffalo hunting for three years. He came west to Wyoming in 1875 and was foreman of an ox train outfit that hauled freight from Rawlings, Wyo. to Meeker, Colo.
      He married Martha Jane Belcher of Meeker, Colo. in 1884. They started west on their honeymoon that spring, coming all the way to Idaho Territory on horseback, making their home on the lower Owyhee river for a period. In 1891 they moved to Nampa where they lived for 15 years. Deceased was a Deputy sheriff under Taylor - in 1899 and 1900. For the past 20 years he resided in Owyhee county where he was a rancher and road supervisor.
      Surviving him are his widow and seven children, Ames and George Hamilton of Owyhee county, Mrs. Viola De Grace and Mrs. Irene Naff of Seattle, Mrs. Lee Gowling of Portland, Mrs Walter Adams of Homedale and Mrs. Dick Beatty of Caldwell.
      Ed. note: Ira Hamilton was the son of William Hamilton, founder of Hamilton.
Maude [maiden Cannon] Hamilton, Hamilton and Burlington
Probably Skagit Valley Herald, Undated from November 1969
      Maude Hamilton, 96, a former resident of Hamilton, died Nov. 26 [1969] at the United General Hospital. She ws born Jan. 28, 1873, at Dillsboro, North Carolina. She had been a resident of Hamilton for 50 years, prior to moving to Burlington 14 years ago. Her marriage to Motz Hamilton [son of Hamilton founder William Hamilton] took place in Mount Vernon on Dec. 26, 1905. [From family records we find that she was born Malle Maud, or Maude, Cannon.] She was a member of the Burlington Methodist Church. Survivors include two daughters, Amanda Cramer of Burlington and Daisy Staveness of Hoopa, Calif.; a sister, Lena Tatham of Hamilton; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Nov. 29 at 1:30 p.m. from the Lemley Chapel with Pastor Howard Buck of Burlington officiating. Casket bearers were Louis Tatham, R.E. Thomas, Paul Wagner, Orville .J. Mast, Axel Jensen and Martin Steen. Interment followed in the Hamilton Cemetery.
Emerson Hammer, Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, March 7, 1940
      Judge Emerson Hammer, a former Lincoln resident, who died at the Sedro-Woolley hospital late at night, Wednesday, March 6, aged 83 years. His death was attributed to influenza. Funeral services were held at 2 o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday, March 9, in the Lemley chapel, with Sedro-Woolley Masons in charge and burial was made in the Union cemetery. The community has lost another of its valued pioneers.
      Mr. Hammer, as state senator, pioneer lumberman and merchant of this city, had a long and useful life. He was born in Montpelier, Ind., Aug. 12, 1856, and received his education there. At an early age he engaged in business in Indiana, later moving to Kansas, where he served as postmaster of Lincoln, and later joined George Green in a mercantile firm in that city. They sold out in 1889 and came to Clear Lake, Wash.
(Emerson Hammer, state senate)
Emerson Hammer, state senate, circa 1900
      Soon after his arrival here, Mr. Hammer was employed in the Mortimer Cook store at Sterling, and later ran a logging camp in partnership with Frank Bradsbury. In 1891, Mr. Hammer established a store in Burlington where he remained until 1897 when he moved to Sedro-Woolley to enter the mercantile and shingle business. In 1903, the Union Mercantile Co. was established with Mr. Hammer as president.
      Judge Hammer was elected state senator from the 32nd senatorial district in 1898, and in 1902 was re-elected for the term ending in January 1906. During his first term in the senate, he was chairman of the important appropriations committee and served on this same committee in 1903.
      Mr Hammer also served the City of Sedro-Woolley in many capacities as mayor, as a member of the school board, and as police judge, and Skagit county as treasurer, for several years.
      Mr. Hammer will long be remembered for his kindly nature, wise counsel and broad outlook. His long life was one of service until the last. He is survived by his wife, Isabelle; a son George, prominent local businessman; two daughters, Mrs. Rupert (Mary) Gale of Mercer Island, and Mrs. John (Joyce) Ruel of Forks, Wash.; and seven grandchildren: William, Arthur and Jack Gale of Mercer Island; George Emerson Hammer of Hawaii; Winifred Hammer, San Francisco; Margaret Hammer, University of Washington student; and Wyman Hammer, Sedro-Woolley high school student."
Wyman Kirby Hammer, Sedro-Woolley and Oregon
Eugene, Oregon, newspaper, April 2002
      The funeral Mass will be held April 5 for Wyman Kirby Hammer of Eugene, who died April 2, 2002, of cancer. He was 79. Hammer was born Aug. 23, 1922, in Sedro Woolley, Wash., to George and Winnifred McDonald Hammer. He married Mary Elizabeth Foss in Eugene on Jan. 22, 1943. He moved to Eugene from Sedro Woolley in 1942. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
      Hammer attended Mt. Vernon Junior College and the University of Washington, and he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon. He founded Hammer Lumber Company in Eugene and served as the chairman of the board until 2002.
      His interests included traveling, golfing, watching UO sports, hunting and playing bridge. Hammer was a member of the Western Building Materials Association, Kappa Sigma and the Elks. He served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement from 1960 to 1968. Hammer also served on the board of directors of the Lane Humane Society from 1966 until 1974 and served as a leader with the Oregon Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America from 1966 until 1968.
      Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Sara Hammer of Eugene; two sons, John and Paul, both of Eugene; and two grandchildren, Max and Oliver Hammer. A son, David, died previously. Friday's Mass will be held at 12:15 p.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Eugene. Inurnment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Eugene. Musgrove Family Mortuary in Eugene is in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Sacred Heart.
      Ed. note: Wyman Hammer was the grandson of Emerson Hammer, who settled in Skagit Valley in 1889 and was later one of Sedro-Woolley's most important retailers, a judge and state senator. He was the great-grandson of George Green, founder of Lincoln, Kansas, in 1870, and the organizer of both retail companies and sawmills throughout the Skagit valley after moving here in 1891. He was also my very good friend and he contributed the property that led to the construction of the Hammer Heritage Square park in downtown Sedro-Woolley.
(Charles Harmon)
Charles Harmon while Skagit county sheriff, early 20th century
Charles T. Harmon, Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon Herald, unknown date 1943
      Services for Charles T. Harmon will be held from the Coy Kern funeral home at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon. Rev. Henry Jacobs, pastor of the Davis Memorial Baptist church, will officiate and rites will be conducted by the I.O.O.F. lodge, of which Mr. Harmon was a member. Cremation at Bellingham will follow.
      Mr. Harmon, who was 88 years old, came to Mount Vernon in 1880 and was very active in early day lumbering operations here. He was one time owner of Mount Vernon's first hotel, the Washington hotel, and also served as Skagit county sheriff.
      He was born at Hadley Lake in Maine and was the last surviving member of a family of fifteen children. He was united in marriage to Miss Ollie M. Carter in Seattle on Oct. 28, 1887, and to this union three children were born.
      Following an active career in public life, Mr. Harmon turned to farming in 1909 and ten years later retired, settling at his home in West Mount Vernon. He was very active in I.O.O.F. work and received his fifty-year pin 1934.
      Surviving are his widow, one daughter, Miss Abbla Harmon, who is deputy county auditor, and two sons, Ray of Wapato and Don of Olympia. Six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren also survive.
      Alert! Journal Ed. note: we are preparing a profile of Sheriff Harmon along with the dominant early logger of Skagit county, Winfield Scott Jameson. Harmon was a cousin of Winfield's wife, Elizabeth Harmon Jameson, and they were all members of a large clan from Maine. They were introduced to the Northwest when her father came to Port Gamble in 1853 as a crew member of the Pringle, the ship that brought the first workers for the Pope & Talbot mill that would soon become the strongest timber company in Washington territory. Harmon came to Port Gamble in 1877 to work for P&T and then moved to the Skagit river two years later to manage a logging camp for Jameson near Sterling, probably on the property of Sedro pioneers David Batey and Joseph Hart.
Lawrence E. Hansen, Samish River, Chuckanut, Belfast
Skagit Valley Herald, May 8, 2011
      Lawrence E. Hansen, age 91, a native pioneer of Skagit County, passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family at his side on May 3, 2011. He was born to Walter and Nellie Watkinson Hansen October 3, 1919 at Belfast, Washington.
      His first schooling began in Belfast with a total school enrollment of 30. In March 1926, the family moved to Allen where he also attended school in a two-room school house. At his graduation in 1937 from Burlington High School he was very embarrassed to be called up, along with four girls, for a perfect attendance award.
      Lawrence spent his early years in Belfast fishing Friday Creek. At the age of 5, his family moved to Allen. He rode on the wagon as their cattle were driven down the Sam Bell Road and then down the Allen West Road to their new farm. From there he fished the Samish River. Of course, being born with the fishing bug he eventually fished rivers and lakes from Alaska to British Columbia and Washington. His biggest fish was a 20 foot long shark that was caught on a hook that he talked the machinist on his sub chaser into making for him; a steak (bait) that he got from the ships cook; then used the ships winch and boom as a rod and reel.
      He was working at the Carnation Plant in Mount Vernon when the war broke out. He joined the Navy as an apprentice seaman right after Pearl Harbor. He was a signalman on a sub chaser in the South Pacific. He earned enough money in the Navy playing poker to buy his beloved property on Bow Hill where his son Don and wife Mary currently live. He was discharged out of the Navy in January 1946.
      After the war, he went back to work at the Carnation Plant and also took over the family farming operations at home. He also was a part-time milk truck driver for the Darigold Plant in Burlington for 14 can routes.
      For most of his career, he hauled livestock from the local dairy farmers to the Marysville Livestock yard as well as the sale barn in Snohomish. He retired from that when he was 62.
      He was always an entrepreneur and also did a lot of logging as well as becoming a real estate agent selling lots at the Samish River Park.
      He loved to hunt as well as fish. He taught his children well, and thanks to him, we are passing the love of fishing, hunting, and love of the outdoors on to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
      He had his last deer hunt at the age of 87. We dropped him off in the woods, told him to shoot a buck and that we will go make camp and be back in about an hour. Upon our return he had a nice 2 point buck all dressed and ready for skinning. We could not have been happier or prouder of our dad. At the time he was with a son, grandson, great-grandson and a great-granddaughter.
      He moved from the Allen West Road farm in 1967 to the Ershig Road and fulfilled a dream of living on the Samish River. He greatly enjoyed all the activities living on a river could bring. He watched the many species of birds that came to eat and drink; the mink and beaver; the salmon in the fall; and of course, steelhead and cutthroat fishing. He even had a visit by a four point buck. In the winter it became flood watch as the Samish surrounded the house and rushed by.
      He was a self published author with his books, Samishgold Memoirs and Western Wildlife Wanderings. He also wrote articles for the Washington Fishing Holes and Salmon Trout Steelhead magazines.
      Lawrence's parents instilled in him an intense lover of all nature. He truly was an outdoor enthusiast.
      Lawrence was married to the "girl across the street" Bernice Aase Wahlgren for 55 years. She preceded him in death in 2006. He was also preceded by his brother, Floyd Hansen, and sisters, Vernice Brown and Margery Farnsworth-Swanson
      Lawrence is survived by sons, Burt (Linda) Wahlgren of Marysville, Don (Mary) Wahlgren of Bow, Marvin (Connie) Wahlgren of Bow, daughters, Colleen (Rick) Buckley of Maple Valley, Marlene (Doyle) McCalib of Burlington, his brother, Ronald (Angie) Hansen of Agassiz, BC, his sister, Mildred Stratton of Anacortes, sister-in-law, Ruth Sexton, brother-in-law, Walter Deming, and 15 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews
      The family extends heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Sedro-Woolley Life Care Center for their special care and concern during his time there.
Daniel Lee Harris, Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Jan. 28, 2009
      Daniel Lee Harris, age 82, passed away, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon.
      He was born Feb. 25, 1926, in Sylva, N.C., to Columbus Oudus and Lillie Mae (Sheppard) Harris. Daniel grew up in North Carolina and came to Sedro-Woolley in 1948. He worked as a shake sawyer at Superior Shake Mill in Birdsview for many years. He was proud that he had all of his fingers after more than 40 years working in shake mills. Daniel was married to Ardella Caulkins in 1951 in Sedro-Woolley and that marriage ended in divorce. He later married Lillie Whaley on Feb. 18, 1977, in Mount Vernon and she preceded him in death in August of 2000.
      After his retirement, Daniel was an active volunteer for over 20 years at the Helping Hands Food Bank. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and will be remembered for his story telling. Daniel is survived by his four sons, Jerry Harris and his wife Valerie of Mount Vernon, Richard Harris and his wife Diane of Sedro-Woolley, Steve Harris and his wife Tern of Acme and Fritz Bentz and his wife Diane of Gresham, Ore.; eight grandchildren, Melinda Knap and her husband Todd of Birdsview, Michael Harris of Bow, Jeremy Harris and his wife Decoyia of Tacoma, Anna Lynn Frank and her husband Joe of Concrete, Richard Harris and his wife Kelli of Boise, Idaho, Ryan Harris and his wife Melissa of Bow, Courtney Faria and her husband Tao of Gresham, Eric Bentz of the US Navy; three great-grandchildren and one on the way; his sister, Margaret Harris of Waynesville, N.C.; numerous nieces and nephews; and close friends, Joyce Daves and Jeanette Elliott.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Will and Henry; and a sister, Ruth Wltmore. Graveside services were Friday, Jan. 23, 2009 at 1 p.m. at the Van Zandt Cemetery with Jerry Harris, Dan's son officiating. A potluck reception followed the services at the Samish Grange. Memorials are suggested to Helping Hands Food Bank or the American Diabetes Association. Arrangements and Services under the care of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley. Please share your memories of Daniel and sign the online guestbook at www. lemleychapel.com
      Journal Ed. note: It would be impossible to count the number of ladies who worked at the Food Bank or the customers who fell in love with Dan over the years. You could hear his laugh all the way from his perch at the end of the line, handing out bread and muffins and a wink for the girls. Dan, we all miss you already.
Emma F. Hart, Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, April 22, 1954,
and Mount Vernon Daily Herald, April 22, 1954
      Miss Emma Florence Hart, pioneer resident of route 3, Sedro-Woolley, who suffered a stroke at her home April 8, died on April 19 at the Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 20, [1890], in Seattle and was only a year old when she was brought to Sedro-Woolley by her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hart.
      Her father and David Batey, who had been friends in England, were the first white men to settle in this area, coming here as bachelors in 1878. They owned and operated a mill together for many years. Miss Hart had lived in this area all her life and had operated the family farm near the Skagit river bridge south of Sedro-Woolley since 1926 [the old Third street bridge to Clear Lake].
      Funeral services were held April 22 in the chapel of the Lemley mortuary with Rev. Harold Bolm, pastor of the Bethlehem Lutheran church officiating. Interment was in the Sedro-Woolley cemetery. Miss Hart was a member of the Clear Lake Rebekah lodge and of the Sedro-Woolley Territorial Daughters. She is survived by a sister, Mrs. Walter Young of Clear Lake; a niece, Mrs. Frank Janicki of Burlington, and a number of cousins.
Louisa [widow of Joseph] Anderson Hart, Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, April 8, 1948
      Mrs. Louisa Anderson Hart, Skagit county pioneer, who came to Sedro-Woolley in 186, died April 6, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Young of this city. Funeral services are to be held at 1 p.m. April 10, at Lemley Mortuary with the Rev. Philip Warmanen officiating. Burial is to be in Sedro-Woolley cemetery.
      Born Feb. 22, 1863, in Sweden, Louisa Anderson come to this country while quite young and first lived in the Sedro-Woolley district in 1886. She married Joseph Hart, Dec. 20, 1887, in Seattle and the couple came to the this community to live in 1890. Mr. Hart was a mill man in the early days and later engaged in farming.
      In 1926 the family retired from the farm and built an apartment house in Everett. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Hart returned to Sedro-Woolley in 1941 to live with her daughter, Mrs. Dora Young, [wife of Walter Young] in Clear Lake.
      Mrs. Hart was a charter member of the Lutheran church here. She was also a member of Territorial Daughters of Sedro-Woolley and the Elderbloom Club of Everett. Surviving are two daughters, Dora and Miss Emma Hart; a granddaughter, Rose Marie Young, all of Sedro-Woolley, and several nephews and nieces.
      Out of town friends and relatives for the funeral were: Miss. Amy Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Anderson of Olympia; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wickstrom and Mrs. Paul Wickstrom of Tacoma; Arthur Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Wickstrom and Mrs. E. Granstrom of Seattle; Robert Anderson and Mrs. Hilda Walters of Everett; Frank Hedberg, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lacey of Bellingham; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keepers of Oak Harbor and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Nylund of Anacortes.
Patricia Hegg Brown, Sedro-Woolley, Portola Valley, California
(Pat obit photo)
The Almanac, Menlo Park, Jan. 6, 2007
      Patricia "Pat" Brown, who with her husband, the late Robert V. "Bob" Brown, helped shape the community of Portola Valley, died Dec. 26 at her home in Westridge. She was 78.
      For more than 50 years, Pat and Bob Brown lived in Portola Valley, where they raised their four children. The couple was active in town affairs throughout the years. They were involved in the incorporation of Portola Valley in 1964 and local government for more than 25 years. Mr. Brown was a member of the first Town Council and mayor three times.
      Ms. Brown was born on April 19, 1929, in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, where she spent her childhood. Her parents, Earl and Pearl Hegg, were members of a pioneer family in the community. She graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in education in 1951. While at Stanford, she met her future husband, Bob Brown. They were married in 1952 and built their house in Westridge.
      An avid storyteller and puppeteer, Ms. Brown is remembered by many school children for her puppet shows and story hours at local schools and libraries. She was a member of the Palo Alto Storytellers Guild.
      The Browns were supporters of the Friends of the Portola Valley Library and were among the major donors to the library's children's section in 1969. They took the lead in securing a home for the library in the restored classroom building of the former Portola Valley School.
      Ms. Brown was president of the Friends of the Portola Valley Library from 1983 to 1989, and retired from the board in 1995.
      Pat and Bob Brown traveled widely throughout Europe and to many corners of the world, say family members. They were active and dedicated conservationists and environmentalists. Locally, they gave generously to the Peninsula Open Space Trust and Sempervirens Fund, and joined and supported many other local organizations.
      Elsewhere, they supported the Big Sur Land Trust (Monterey Peninsula), the Sierra Club, Yosemite Fund, as well as the Skagit Land Trust and Whatcom Land Trust in Ms. Brown's home state of Washington.
      Ms. Brown enjoyed story-telling, reading, gardening, beachcombing, hiking and theater, especially on the Monterey Peninsula, where the couple had their second home after retirement. Her lifelong traits of generosity and kindness touched all who knew her, say family members.
      Ms. Brown is survived by her children, Kristin Brown of San Diego, Loren Brown of Palo Alto, Susan Brown of Potsdam, Germany, and Brian Brown of Portola Valley; and five grandchildren. Her husband, Robert V. Brown, died in 2005.
      No services will be held. The family prefers that memorials be made to the Sempervirens Fund, Drawer BE, Los Altos, CA 94023; phone 968-4509.
      [Journal ed. note: Pat Hegg Brown was a dear friend who lived for 50 years in the area where the editor used to work for the Country Almanac. Her devotion to community work was legendary as was her participation in the Sempervirens Fund, a non-profit land conservancy, whose long-time leader, Tony Look, died a year before Pat. The Fund's work was focused on conserving patches of land from Davis through Portola Valley and other areas of California. We always smiled when we saw another package from Pat in the mail, which included clippings for Sedro-Woolley area newspapers from 60 and 70 years ago. You can read here the obituary of her father, Earl, "Fuzz" Hegg" and her own personal eulogy and memory of him.]
Frederick A. Hegg, Oct. 26, 1925-Nov. 28, 2007, Sedro-Woolley, Port Angeles
Peninsula Daily News
      Former Port Angeles resident and businessman Frederick A. "Fred" Hegg died in Lynnwood after a long illness. He was 82.
      He was born to Earl and Pearl Hegg in Sedro-Woolley, where he attended school. After serving in the Army Air Corps, he graduated from the University of Washington School of Economics and Business in 1948. In 1952, he graduated from Western Washington University.
      He married Donah Lee Hougher of Prescott in 1952; they divorced in 1985. In Port Angeles, he teamed with cousins Wayne Hegg and Leonard Schroeder and opened Hegg and Hegg Smoked Salmon Inc. Their company came to become known worldwide during the 1980s and 1990s with three retail and mail-order outlets in Port Angeles and a branch in Seattle at Pier 52. Due to health problems, the company was sold in 2002
      Mr. Hegg was a life member of Elks Naval Lodge in Port Angeles. He also served on the board of Peninsula Golf Club and was chairman of the board of Northwestern National Bank. In college, he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. He is survived by sister Patricia Brown of Portola Valley, Calif., and many nieces and nephews. Services: Drennan-Ford Funeral Home, Port Angeles, is in charge of arrangements.
Nevia S. Henry, Utopia district
Skagit Valley Herald, July 14, 2004
      Nevia S. Henry, 81, a longtime resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away on Friday July, 9, 2004 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon. She was born on November 28, 1922 in Royal, Nebraska, one of eight children of Allen and Anna Powers Mitchell.
      She was raised and attended school in Nebraska until coming to Sedro-Woolley in 1939 with her family. She attended and graduated from Sedro- Woolley High School. She was united in marriage to Orrin "Cyler" Henry in Mount Vernon, WA on July 4, 1942 and they made their home in Sedro-Woolley. They operated a farm east of town where they raised cattle and grew strawberries. She & Cyler where instrumental in the hiring of patients from Northern State Hospital, giving them outside work experience, to help harvest the fields.
      Nevia was a well organized person, keeping meticulous records for everything. She was also a private person who enjoyed family activities and flower gardening, and her favorite activity was pulling weeds. She & Cyler were life members of the International Order of Foresters, Court 549. He preceded her in death in 1986.
      She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Amy Henry of Sedro-Woolley, and her daughter and son-in-law, Sherry & Don Ammons of Concrete; five granddaughters, Debbie Ewing, Donna Padgett, Stacey Parker, Carmen Stallcup and Angela Kutac and ten great-grandchildren; 2 sisters-in-law, Charlotte Mitchell of Bellingham and Martha Henry of Sedro-Woolley and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides her husband she was also preceded in death by six brothers and one sister. The family suggests memorials be made to a charity of your choice. Funeral services for Nevia will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2004 at 11:30 AM at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Mr. Keith Fisher officiating. Interment will follow at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, July 15th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lemley Chapel.
      [Journal ed. note: this is a very personal note for me. From the time I was 3-18, we lived east of the Henry family, with a stumpranch between us, and later, Cy and Nevia's strawberry field. My cat Bootsie had her prodigious litters of kittens in those monster cedar stumps that another neighbor, Donny Atwell, yanked out with his Ford "Cub" tractor, a heavy steel chain and a lot of curses from Cy, my dad and other neighbors. Nevia used to serve us lemonade on hot days when we picked our quota of strawberries. Their son Larry and I were in 4-H together from about age 8-16. Cy used to cut my hair. I visited Nevia just weeks before she died and she looked so tiny, but thanked me for visiting. Larry moved his family back home to their property, building a home on the acreage near Cy's old Christmas tree lot, but he and his wife plan to retire in her home country of the Philippines. R.I.P.]
Mrs. Wilhelmina Jarvamaki Hill, Sedro-Woolley, age 106
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Sept. 26, 1940
      Sedro-Woolley's oldest citizen, Mrs. Wilhelmina Jarvamaki Hill, died at her home north of the city on last Thursday at the advanced age of 106 years. Mrs. Hill, as she was known, had lived in this country for almost thirty years. She was born in Finland, May 25, 1835. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Lemley chapel with Rev. Nelson in charge.
      Mrs. Hill is survived by two sons, Nestor Hill and Oscar Hill, with whom she made her home on Route 2. She was the mother of ten children, six girls and four boys, and besides her surviving two sons, has twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. for many years she has had an annual birthday party, until last year, when she was unable to have her usual party.
Mary Helen [maiden Pound] Holbrook, Clear Lake
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times , Aug. 19, 1954
      Mary Helen [maiden Pound] Holbrook was born in Hokah, Minnesota on March 8, 1872, and died in her home at Clear Lake August 14, 1954. Her parents were Helen and Samuel Pound. When a small child she, with her parents and two younger sisters traveled by covered wagon to Dakota territory where they made their home not far from Valley City. Due to the influence of her great grandfather, William Chapman, the family united with the Seventh Day Adventist church.
      Mary attended the Battle Creek College and worked to help pay expenses in the famous old Battle Creek Sanitarium of Battle Creek, Michigan. After one year of teaching school in Minnesota, she was united in marriage with Alexander Young. To this union were born five children, G. Harold Young of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, Marie L. Dopp of Bellingham, Walter A. Young of Clear Lake, Evelyn Finner of Mount Veron and Edyth Young Cotterill [blurred] of Clear Lake. Earl Young, son of Mr. Young by a previous marriage, whom she mothered from the age of seven, preceded her in death seven years ago.
      In 1910 the family moved to Clear Lake where some of the members have resided continuously since. Mr. Young was laid to rest in 1926. In 1930 Mrs. Young was united in marriage with elder J.A. Holbrook who precded her in death nearly five years ago.
      In addition to the five surviving children, with their companions, there are 17 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren and two stepsons with their families, Dr. C. Ray Holbrook of Bakersfield, California and Dr. Paul Holbrook of Tuscon, Arizona. Grandchildren residing in the area are Mrs. John Stephens and Mrs. Jesse Turner of Clear Lake and Mrs. Frank [Dora Young] Janicki of Burlington.
      Mrs. Holbrook was a member of the WCTU [Women's Christian Temperance Union], the Ladies Improvement Club of Clear Lake and the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Sedro-Woolley. Funeral services were conducted by her grandson William E. Dopp, pastor of the Auburn Seventh Day Adventist Church, assisted by her brother-in-law R.S. Dexter of Spokane and Elder F.W. Rudde. Funeral Services in the Lemley Mortuary were followed by interment in the Mount Vernon IOOF Odd Fellows cemetery.
George Holtcamp, Sterling
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Jan. 22, 1948
      Funeral services for George Holtcamp, Acme resident who died January 15 of a heart attack, were held January 20 in the Acme Presbyterian Church with Rev. V.C. Shafer, Sedro-Woolley, officiating.
      Born at Sterling, a neighborhood community near Sedro-Woolley 61 years ago. Mr. Holtcamp had lived since that time in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Surviving him are his wife, Lettie, at Acme; a daughter, Mrs. Arnold Bennett, Sedro-Woolley; three sons, Joe and Dale in Seattle, and Leonard in Portland, Ore. and two grandchildren. Gillies Funeral Home of Sumas had charge of funeral arrangements.
      Ed. note: Bill Holtcamp is the grandson of Heinrich Holtkamp, who came to the Skagit river area in about 1878, logging first near Hamilton, and then working as a blacksmith for logging camps near Sterling, where he homesteaded in 1884. Bill has written a fine book about his family and Sterling, and you can read it at the Sedro-Woolley Museum. Bill tells us that a widow named Anna Reichel Schlogle moved from Chicago to Lyman with her two-year-old son to help her sister and husband named Cull run a boarding house in Lyman. Henry Holtcamp soon met her and they were married in Portland on March 21, 1889, the year that Washington became a state and ten years after Henry told his mother in a letter that he needed a wife. At some point Holtkamp Americanized his name to Henry Holtcamp. Anna's son was named George; Henry and Anna soon changed his last name to Holtcamp. The Holtcamps had a son they named William in 1890, who was Bill's father.
Wayne S. "Jack" Hoover, Concrete
(Jack Hoover)
Skagit Valley Herald, Feb. 9, 2009
      Wayne S. "Jack" Hoover, age 86, a lifetime resident of Concrete, Washington passed away Friday, February 6, 2009, with his loving family by his side at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, Washington. He was born October 3, 1922 in Mount Vernon, Washington to Hargus and Grace (Morris) Hoover.
      Jack grew up in Concrete attending school, graduating from Concrete High School in 1941. He worked for Boeing in Seattle until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII, serving on the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. Bunker Hill in the South Pacific for 3 years. After his discharge from the Navy, Jack returned to Concrete and was married to Barbara De Bay on April 26, 1948 in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and they celebrated 60 years together last April.
      Jack worked as an operator for Puget Power on the lower Baker Dam for several years and he later worked as the Public Works Supervisor for the City of Concrete for many years. Jack built the family home 57 years ago; he also built the Hoover's Food Center, which he operated with his dad and brother. The building now houses the town post office. He and Barbara operated the the town liquor store from 1971 until retiring in 1990.
      Jack was dedicated to his community, serving as Mayor from 1952-1960, Public Works Supervisor, and Fire Chief for 14 years of his 20 year service to the Concrete Fire Department. Jack was a member of the Elks, a 63 year member of American Legion Post #132 in Concrete, a member of WWII U.S.S. Bunker Hill Survivors Association, and a great supporter of the Concrete Heritage Museum. He enjoyed traveling to Yuma, Arizona as snowbirds, participating in many reunions of the U.S.S. Bunker Hill Survivors Association and watching and supporting his grandchildren in their activities.
      Jack will be remembered for his many years of service to his community as he has been honored as Grand Marshal of the Cascade Days Parade and most recently the newly installed Wastewater Treatment Plan was dedicated in his honor.Jack is survived by his wife, Barbara Hoover of the family home in Concrete; three sons, Larry Hoover of Concrete, Lee Hoover and his wife Maggi of Edmonds and Les Hoover and his wife Becki of Concrete; four grandchildren, Karissa Sokol and her husband Brad of Mount Vernon, Brianna Jacobs and her husband Dane of Mount Vernon, Brandon Hoover of Concrete and Mason Hoover of Edmonds; two great grandchildren, Kaden Sokol and Dylan Jacobs of Mount Vernon; his father-in-law, Joe Nemo of Sedro-Woolley; and a special WWII friend, Mel Warren of Mount Vernon. Also numerous nieces and nephews.
      Jack was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Henry and Jerry Hoover. Special thanks to the medical staff from United General Hospital, Skagit Valley Hospital and Mira Vista Care Center. Your kindness and words of encouragement were of great help to us at this difficult time.
      Graveside Inurnment Services will be held Monday, February 16, 2009 at 1:00 PM at the Forest Park Cemetery in Concrete with Pastor Marcus Stroud of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church officiating. Military Honors will be provided by members of N.A.S. Whidbey Island and members of American Legion Post #132.
      Memorials are suggested to the Concrete Museum PO Box 445 Concrete, WA 98237 or Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church PO Box 567 Concrete, WA 98237. Arrangements and services under the care of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley. Please share your memories of Jack and sign the online guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com
      Journal Ed. note: When I was a boy, my parents loaded us up in the car at least once a month so that Dad and Jack could share friendship at the Concrete American Legion Hall; it was the social center in both their lives. And I owe so much to Jack for teaching me as an adult about upriver history and to Barb for her hospitality and warmth.
(Ray Hoyt)
Ray Hoyt in his WWII Canadian uniform
Ray Hoyt, Clear Lake
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, December 1961
      The entire community was shocked Wednesday by the sudden death of Ray Hoyt in a Bellingham hospital following surgery [Dec. 11, 1961]. He had been in Honolulu for the past year as trainer for the Hawaiian baseball team of the [Pacific] Coast League [Triple-A]. He had previously served as trainer for the Tri-City and Portland ball clubs and for hockey teams.
      Ray Hoyt had lived most of his life in Prairie and Sedro-Woolley and had a host of friends in the community. Funeral services are being arranged by the Lemley Mortuary, pending hearing from a son and daughter, who are living in Texas.
      Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hoyt have made their home for some time at 311 Talcott street. Mrs. Hoyt spent a month with him in Honolulu this summer. Besides his widow, Irene Hoyt, he is survived by two sons, Dick Hoyt of Monroe and Lt. Joe Hoyt who is stationed in Texas; and by two daughters, Mrs. Russell Snell of this city and Mrs. Herb Allen, who lives in Texas. A brother, Bob Hoyt, lives here at 536 Jameson avenue.
Delmore "Del" Leslie Huggins, Skagit county and Forks
Peninsula Daily News, July 17, 2003
      Born on May 26, 1915, in Grants Pass, Oregon, to May Evans and Theron Huggins, Del passed away on July 11, 2003, as a result of a tractor accident. He was 88 years old. As a young boy, he lived with his parents on a wheat farm in Alberta, Canada. Later, while attending grade school, he lived on a chicken farm in Clear Lake, Washington. He graduated from high school in Sedro-Woolley.
      He married Muriel Coward on Nov. 2, 1935. The had a son, Jerold Delmore, who preceded Del's death, and a daughter, Judith Huggins Hall, who resides in Forks. There were nine grandchildren, one of whom preceded him in death, and 15 great-grandchildren.
      The Huggins family moved to Forks in September 1941. Del worked as a logger for various logging companies. In 1948, Del and Muriel purchased a five-and-dime store, where Muriel had been employed as a store clerk. Del continued work in the woods for a few more years while Muriel took care of the store. Their store now houses a Mexican mercantile in the Odd Fellows building.
      A vacant lot was later purchased at the corner of Highway 101 and East Division street. The building was built by Del. The five-and-dime was moved into the building during the summer of 1954 and the U.S. Post Office occupied part of the rear of it. The new business sold shoes, clothing, toys, housewares and hardware. It is now known as the the Huggins Building and is occupied by Chinook Pharmacy.
      Christmas was a very special time for Del and Muriel, as well as much of the town. Every year, Santa was flown into the Forks airport and he was escorted by one of the Forks Fire Department trucks to the Forks Department and Variety Store. Every year, Del greeted Santa at the store entrance and escorted him into the store, where dozens and dozens of children were waiting to sit on Santa's lap.
      Both Del and Muriel worked hard every day to make their new business a success and successful it was. In 1956, Del built a new home on East Division, where they had earlier purchased several acres of farmland. The farm was named Mur-Del Acres after the two of them. In the mid-1950s, property was purchased on Spartan Avenue and Del began the construction of another building. The U.S. Post Office was moved into the new structure from the back of the Huggins Building [and it remains in the new building] today.
      Del was a self-taught carpenter and everything he built was built to last. Del loved to fish and hunt and he went on several safaris out of the country. He was a pilot who owned his own plane and he was a commercial fisherman for several years.
      On Jan. 1, 1974, Del and Muriel, after selling their store business, retired to the farm, where Del continued doing the things he loved most. These things were farming and raising cattle, hunting and fishing, and enjoying time with his grandchildren. He was a teacher, scholar, father and friend to all of his family, and all who knew him respected him. At Del's request, there was cremation. A celebration of life will be held July 19 in the Congregational Church Fellowship Hall in Forks. Arrangements entrusted to Harper-Ridgeview Funeral Chapel, Port Angeles.
Tom Huntley, Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, March 17, 1926
      Tom Huntley, who was well known to old timers here, died this week at his home in California. Huntley some 25 or 30 years ago was the station manager at the union depot here for the Seattle & International and the Seattle & Northern railroads. His father ran a jewelry store in Sedro in the early days and the family was well known here. A brother, Andy Huntley, worked for some time at the Bingham bank here. Huntley was about 55 years old.
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