Parker, Johnnie Lee
Johnnie Lee Parker, age 60, of Vancouver, former Oak Harbor resident, died at Southwest Washington Memorial Hospital in Vancouver Monday, June 23, 2003, following a massive heart attack.
Mr. Parker was born in Perry, Fla., March 19, 1943, to Leonard Parker and Alma (Arneson) Parker. He was stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station from 1972 until he retired from the U.S. Navy in December 1981. John and his wife Marlene Jones Parker continued to live on Whidbey Island until 1993, when he accepted a job at Boeing which lasted until April 2000. John then accepted a job at Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) in Portland as a Facilities Management and Construction Refrigeration Technician.
He was a lifetime member of the VFW and a member of the American Legion. John enjoyed playing pool, fishing, hunting and long drives.
All of John's friends and coworkers would agree that he was well-liked and respected and will be missed.
John is survived by his "wifey" Marlene and four children, Johnnie Lee Parker, Jr. of Smyrna, Ga.; Jackie Parker Privett and Jennifer Parker Scott, both of Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Joseph Parker Lydic of Spanaway; nine grandchildren; his five brothers, Lewis A., Ralph K., Joe William, Robert and Bill and his sister Imogene, all of Perry, Fla.; also, numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Friday, June 27, 2003, from noon until 5 p.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel. A funeral service will be Saturday, June 28, 2003, at 2 p.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel, Pastor Harold Veldman officiating. Interment
will follow at Maple Leaf Cemetery, with full military honors under the auspices of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Honor Guard. A memorial service will be held at a later date at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Arrangements under direction of Burley Funeral Chapel.
Reuble, Gustave C.
Gustave C. 'Gus' Reuble, 95, lifetime Coupeville resident, died at Careage of Whidbey Sunday, June 22, 2003.
Mr. Reuble was born in Coupeville in the old Fort Casey Lighthouse Jan. 17, 1908, to Gustave Reuble and Regina (Oexle) Reuble. His father had been the blacksmith at Fort Casey during World War I. Gus graduated from Coupeville High School. He was a farmer in Coupeville for many years.
Gus married Marie Tesch on Oct. 19, 1932. She preceded him in death Sept. 10, 1975. He married Betty Park Mayer July 25, 1976. Gus was a member of the Oak Harbor Seventh-Day Adventist Church, having been baptized on April 10, 1935, in Cranberry Lake. He had a passion for horses.
Gus is survived by his wife Betty, at home; his three sons, Ray Reuble and his wife Dora of Burlington, Karl Reuble and his wife Sandy of Oak Harbor and Jerry Reuble of Ellensburg; three step-children, Beverly Read and husband Glen and Marcia Dunham and husband Bill, all of Portland, Ore., and Jerry Mayer and wife Linda of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and five step-great grandchildren; two brothers, Fred Reuble of Mount Vernon and Tom Reuble of Blaine; one sister, Millie Gorski of Redmond; also, numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his first wife Marie, he was preceded in death by his sister Mary, his brother Lawrence and his parents.
A memorial service will be Thursday, June 26, at 1 p.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel, Pastor Joe Barnes and Pastor Kim Berg co-officiating. Private inurnment will take place at Sunnyside Cemetery. Arrangements and cremation by Burley Funeral Chapel.
Anderson, Suellen
Suellen Anderson, 58, went to be with the Lord at Whidbey General Hospital in Coupeville, Sunday, June 22, 2003, following a battle with liver cancer.
A graveside service will be Wednesday, June 25, at 2 p.m. at Sunnyside Cemetery. There will be a celebration of her life at Coupeville Community Bible Church, 502 NE Otis St., Pastor Ozell Jackson and Pastor Rick Karjaleinen co-officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Coupeville Community Bible Church. Arrangements by Burley Funeral Chapel.
Harrell, David Vernon
David Vernon Harrell, 47, died suddenly in Portland, Ore., Thursday, June 19, 2003.
Mr. Harrell was born Nov. 30, 1955, in Douglas, Ga., to Vernon Harrell (of Coffee County, Ga.) and Dora Lee (Johnson) Harrell (of St. Paul, N.C.) David is survived by his wife Rebecca Harrell (born in Scharans, Switzerland) and son Dustin Harrell (born in Key West, Fla.), both of Oak Harbor; also, by his mother, Dora Lee Harrell of New Orleans; his brothers Jim and John Harrell and his sister Jill Corbitt, all of Georgia.
David and his family moved to Whidbey Island in 1984, where he retired from the US Navy in 1993. David made his first career change graduating from Western Washington University. He worked in the human services field as a drug and alcohol counselor, touching the lives of many youths and adults. Inspired by the Sept. 11 tragedy, David answered his call to serve and returned to sea with the Military Sealift Command. David died while serving as a chief radio electronics technician aboard the USS Rappahannock.
We are deeply grateful for the brief lifetime we were able to share with David.
A memorial service will be Saturday, June 28, at 12 p.m., at Rocky Point, with Cmdr. Michael Colson, CHC, USN, officiating and full military honors under the auspices of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station honor guard. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 4414 Woodland Park Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103. Arrangements and cremation by Burley Funeral Chapel.
Knudsen, Opal Ruth
Opal Ruth Knudsen died June 17, 2003, at Ridgefield; she was 72. She was born Sept. 18, 1930, in Bloomington, Ind.
Mrs. Knudsen lived in the Oak Harbor area for more than 30 years before moving to Ridgefield 10 months ago. She was a member and past president of Emblem Club in Oak Harbor and was a past president of Navy Wives Club in Okinawa, Japan. She enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and playing bingo.
Mrs. Knudsen is survived by her husband of 43 years, Levi Knudsen, at home in Ridgefield; two daughters, Sonya Patterson of Ridgefield and Rayma Johnson of Fallon, Nev.; one sister, Carolyn Lincicome of Bloomington, Ind.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
No services will be held. Layne's Funeral Home in Battle Ground is handling arrangements.
Svien, Marlo
Marlo Svien, 63, of Oak Harbor, passed away suddenly June 16, 2003, in Coupeville. Marlo was born in Fergus Falls, Minn., Oct. 13, 1939, to Elmer and Berdell Svien. He grew up in eastern Montana. Marlo graduated from Missoula County High School in 1958. Marlo met and married his loving wife Jeanne in Tillamook, Ore., Oct. 25, 1969. They had one son, David, and one daughter, Sarah. Later in his life, Marlo had great joy with his only grandson, Ford Svien.
Marlo, Jeanne and family have lived in Oak Harbor since 1989.
For the last 32 years, he had owned and operated Sviens Window Cleaning.
He is survived by his wife Jeanne Svien and son David Svien, both of Oak Harbor; daughter Sarah Svien and grandson Ford Svien.
Marlo was a faithful servant as one of Jehovah's Witnesses for 40 years.
Services will be held Saturday, June 21, 2003, at 2 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 301 NE Ronhaar St., Oak Harbor.
Love, Raymond H.
Raymond Howard Love, 86, 23-year resident of Oak Harbor, died at Whidbey Island Manor Sunday, June 15, 2003.
Mr. Love was born in Avilla, Mo., April 18, 1917, to Walter Roy Love and Elva May (Bogue) Love. He was raised in Kansas, where he attended schools. Following high school, he joined the US Army, and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. He was employed as an accountant for the Wayne County, Mich., hospital for more than 25 years. Ray was married to Hilda Maxine Shaver on June 10, 1972, in LaMirada, Calif. They moved to Oak Harbor in October 1980 from Whittier, Calif. Ray was a member of First Reformed Church. He enjoyed fishing as a hobby.
Ray is survived by his wife, Hilda Maxine Love at home; three children, Howard Wayne Love of Howell, Mich., Cheryl Oxley of Tecumseh, Mich. and Dennis Love, also of Michigan; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two sisters, Gladys Currie of Wayne, Mich., and Velma Webster of Peoria, Ill.; also, numerous other relatives. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Kenneth and Estel Love.
A memorial graveside service will be Friday, June 20, at 10a.m., at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Pastor Tad Southard officiating. Memorials may be made to a favorite charity. Arrangements and cremation under direction of Burley Funeral Chapel.
O' Grady Howe, Jeannette Sayles
Jeannette Sayles O' Grady Howe, 86, died June 15, 2003, at Panorama City in Lacey.
She was born Nov. 19, 1916, in Seattle, to Roy and Nancy Sayles and was a graduate of Roosevelt High School. Jeannette met her first husband while serving an adventurous life with the American Red Cross during wartime.
She settled in Chicago until the death of her husband Frank Joseph O'Grady.
She then moved with her three children to Coupeville where she was a loving and devoted mother who put raising her children above everything. Mrs. Jeannette O'Grady was employed as a secretary to the superintendent of schools in Coupeville until she retired in 1976.
Her love of playing bridge and golf introduced her to her second husband, retired commander Elmer C. Howe. For more than 26 years they enjoyed their residence in Oak Harbor.
Together they enjoyed not only bridge and golf but gardening and extensive travel.
Jeannette served countless hours at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Coupeville as a volunteer and was an active member with the Ladies Guild of St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Oak Harbor.
Jeannette was preceded in death by her sister, Betty Williams and brother George Sayles.
She is survived by her husband Elmer Howe; daughter Katy O'Grady of Renton, son John Joseph O'Grady and wife Debbie of East Wenatchee, and son Frank Patrick O'Grady and his wife Frenda of Redmond. Jeannette also leaves behind grandsons Jeremy and Matthew O'Grady and granddaughters Kelley and Shannon O'Grady as well as her nephews Joe and David Williams.
Family services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, July 3, at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.
Wardell, Robert Douglas
Robert Douglas Wardell, chief petty officer, USN (Ret.), 88, 30-year resident of Oak Harbor, died at Providence Hospital, Pacific Campus, in Everett, Sunday, June 15, 2003.
Mr. Wardell was born in Seattle Dec. 6, 1914, to Charles Chester Wardell and Agnes (Ton) Wardell. He moved with his family to Santa Monica, Calif., as a young boy. He attended schools in that area. On Oct. 16, 1938, Robert married Mary Jensen in Oxnard, Calif. Enlisting in the US Navy, Mr. Wardell served 26 years, and retired as a chief petty officer. His duty stations included Saudi Arabia, Asia, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Hawaii and Chula Vista, Calif. He moved from Chula Vista to Oak Harbor in 1976. Robert had been a custodian for the Chula Vista School District for seven years.
Robert had been a lifeguard in Hawaii. At the Vanderzicht Pool in Oak Harbor, he started a fund-raiser for a free swim day. He was a volunteer at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station hospital; was a member of VFW Post No. 7392 and was involved in local parades with the organization; he was a member of the CPO Club; was a member of the Whidby Chapter No. 15 F&AM and the Masonic Lodge in Chula Vista. He was an ardent swimmer; he also enjoyed RV'ing and snowbirding.
Robert is survived by his wife Mary, in Oak Harbor; his two daughters, Karen Wardell of Encinitas, Calif. and Janet Parra and husband David of Imperial Beach, Calif.; one granddaughter, Jennifer Marie Parra, of Imperial Beach, Calif.; two sisters-in-law, Joan Wardell of Fresno, Calif., and Agnes Mahron of El Cajon, Calif.; four nieces, Georgeanne Barre and husband David of Ukiah, Calif., Mary Wight and husband Bill of Alta Loma, Calif., Stacy Levy of El Cajon, Calif., and Janice Gifford of San Diego; also, one nephew, Kenneth Mahron of El Cajon, Calif. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Frederick and William.
A memorial service will be Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel, Rev. Fred Renfroe, CRC, USN (Ret.), officiating. Full military honors will be under the auspices of the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station honor guard. Arrangements by Burley Funeral Chapel.
Sharp, Ethel Mae
Ethel Mae Sharp, 96, died June 14, 2003 at Josephine Sunset Home in Stanwood. She was born in Windsor (Henry County) Ind., Aug. 4, 1906, to John Wesley and Harriet Eveline (Brown) King; Ethel's mother was one-half Cherokee Indian. Ethel was raised in Marion, Ind. She was one of five children abandoned by her parents.
Ethel and her two brothers and two sisters were raised in a variety of foster homes. Ethel grew up on a stock farm, working in a milk house. She quit school after the eighth grade and attended night school, where she learned shorthand and dictation.
Ethel found work in a grocery story for a time and then worked as an inspector at a glove factory, making one dollar per day and working six days a week. While at the factory, she was reunited with her brother Howard King. She later obtained a job as a ticket agent for the bus company. While working at the bus depot, she met a stranded passenger, Jesse Sharp, who was on leave from the U. S. Navy. Jesse returned to the Navy and at the end of his four-year enlistment, returned to Indiana.
Ethel and Jesse were married in Marion, Ind., Nov. 14, 1923. Jesse was employed at the bus depot garage and Ethel worked in the office. Ethel quit her job to raise three children: Duris, Floyd and Twila.
In 1929, the Sharp's lost their home and their work to the Great Depression. Jesse's parents moved in with Ethel and Jesse. Son Duris developed a lung disease and the doctors said he should move to a warm, dry climate. The family moved to Los Angeles. Jesse eventually returned to the Navy and was stationed at San Diego. Jesse's parents moved in with them and the family was transferred to Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and several trips to California.
The Sharp family first arrived at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in 1943. They were sent on to Alaska, Florida, California and back to Oak Harbor. Following Jesse's retirement, the Sharps spent five years traveling.
Ethel spent a few years, following Jesse's death, living outside Phoenix, Ariz., where Ethel collected turquoise for son Floyd's jewelry making. She was a licensed facial massage helper at a beauty shop for two years. For several years, the Sharp's lived in LaConner and finally settled in Oak Harbor. Over the years, Ethel worked as a seamstress, label maker for a coffee company, factory worker, steel mill worker, chicken restaurant owner, photographer and bookkeeper.
Ethel is survived by seven grandchildren: Donna (Walter) McKinney of Marysville; Jay (Marci) Norton of Anacortes; Randy (Linda) Sharp of Randle; Charles "Chic" (Dawna) Sharp of Revelstoke, B.C.; and Todd (Barb) Sharp of Bellingham; Glenda Sharp Waterman and Ronald Sharp, both of Ypsilanti, Mich., 13 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Private family graveside services will be held at Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Memorial services for Ethel Sharp will be held at Burley Funeral Chapel, at 11 a.m. Friday, June 20. Chaplain Mark Powers of Providence Hospice of Snohomish County will officiate.
The family wishes to express special thanks to Providence Hospice of Snohomish County and Dr. Lee Roof for their exceptional kindness to Ethel.
Arrangements are under the direction of Burley Funeral Chapel. This obituary is on-line at http://burley.plan4ever.com
