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NELL M. WILLS
Nell (Fortin) Wills Born Nellie Mae Hansted on March 9, 1916, in a farmhouse at Whitney Station, Skagit County, the daughter of Nellie Mae Gates and Sivert Hansted, she was proud to trace her family history back to that of two pioneer settling families of Fir Island and Mount Vernon. When her mother married Laurence Fortin in 1936. They had four children: Randi, Karen, Tom, and Elizabeth. Nell and Larry lived in Stanwood for more than 20 years, after which they moved to Burlington. After Larry's married W.D. Wills in 1983, and they continued to live in the Burlington area.
Throughout her life, she was the loving and active center of her large immediate and extended family. She also loved being actively involved in her Lydia Circle at church. She greatly enjoyed her golfing and social years with Larry and W.D. at the Skagit Golf and Country Club as well.
She is survived by: W.D. Wills; daughter Randi Zabel (Dick) daughter Karen Edwards (Nick Gayeski); son Tom Fortin (Sharon); daughter Elizabeth Taylor; son Loren Wills (Bev); son Roger Wills; grandchildren Mike, Tony, and Jann Zabel; Christopher Edwards; Holly Burrill; Michelle Brock; Todd and Kent Fortin; Rob Taylor; Jennifer Haury; April, Lisa, Bryce, Christy, Carmene, and Jarred Wills; great-grandchildren Cydne, Natasha, Lauren, Lindsey, Alexander, Rebecca, Wyatt, Ben, Zachary, Marley, Rose, Jayson, Noelle, Torrin, Carissa, and Cameron; and many dearly loved nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Services were held Aug. 23 at Fir-Conway Lutheran died Aug. 12, 2003, in a Bellevue care facility following an illness. He was death by his father, Wilhelm (William) Koch, and mother, Sophie Koch. He leaves his brother, Carl; three sisters, Marna Fitch, Inga Pearson and Edith Ellis; two sons, David and wife Melissa of Arlington, and Ken and wife Dawn of Burien; daughter, Laurie Wittich and husband Karl of Baker City, OR; nine grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Mon., Aug. 18 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Lake Stevens, with Pastor Lewis Benson officiating. A reception followed in the fellowship hall. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Children's Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle.
Arrangements under the care of Solie Funeral Home, Everett.
JACQUELINE GILLIAM
"As the bird, freed of its cage seeks new heights, so the Christian soul in born June 11, 1926, in Waterloo, IA to Pearl and Ralph Canode. Jackie's journey began on Aug. 23, 2003, surrounded by friends and family. She is survived by her son, Steve Gilliam and his wife, Sam, of San Antonio, TX; her daughter, Robin Ringland and her husband, Peter, of Camano Island; and her daughter Laura Gilliam-Kazda and her husband, Bryon, of Camano Island. She also has six grandchildren, Rafael Gilliam, Monica Gilliam, Kristina Ringland, Roger Reisman, Patrick Ringland and Robert Kazda.
A requiem mass will be held at St. Philips Episcopal Church, 4312 - 84th St. NE, Marysville, WA 98270, 1 p.m. Sat., Aug. 30. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to St. Philips Episcopal Church. Her vibrant spirit touched so many, many lives, and we will miss her.
ETHEL A. PETERSON
Ethel Axeline Peterson, a resident of Aberdeen for the last three years, born in Ketchikan, AK on Dec. 16, 1907 to Axel V. and Abbie (Price) Osberg. She was raised in Ketchikan and attended high school there. She died May 22, 1987. Mrs. Peterson had lived in the Grays Harbor area before moving to Camano Island in the late 1970s. She returned to Aberdeen in the year 2000. While in Ketchikan, she worked at a cannery and a florist shop. While first living in Grays Harbor she had worked at the Little Comer Store in Cosmopolis.
She was a member of the Pioneers of Alaska and the Humane Society. Mrs. Peterson loved flowers and gardening, animals, especially her cat Snoopy. She enjoyed the sounds of the ocean, lighthouses and fishing in Alaska. A great joy was being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her former son-in-law, Wayne Marbut and his wife Pat (who took care of Ethel in their home in Aberdeen for the last three years); six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. A daughter, Yvonne "Babe" Marbut preceded her in death.
Visitation will be held at Camano Chapel, 867 N. West Camano Dr., Camano Island, one hour prior to the service, which begins at 11 a.m. The graveside service will follow at the Camano Lutheran died Aug. 19, 2003 following a short illness. Alex was born June 4, 1923, in Langford, SD. Doris and her sisters and mother moved to Seattle in 1942, where she met and death from
cancer on July 30, 2003.
God looked around his garden,
And found an empty place,
He then looked down upon the earth,
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you,
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never,
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough,
And the hills were hard to climb,
So he closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered, Peace Be Thine.
It broke my heart to lose you,
But you did not go alone,
For part of me went with you.
The day God called you home.
Doris and Art had two children, Gary and Connie. Art married. Doris is the last of her brothers and sisters. There were five of them altogether, Doris being the middle child. During her years on Camano Island, she was involved in the garden club and an investment club at their Camano Island home, not far from Camano Chapel. She helped neighbors and was generous and thoughtful.
Doris is survived by her son, Gary; daughter, Connie; Connie's two sons (her grandsons, of course); Gregory and David Michael Cook, aka, Miguel Toltec Quetzel Salazar. She also had two great-grandchildren, DeMundo DeLeon and Deja Keane Adori Cook.
Memorial services were held Thurs., Aug. 7, at Camano Chapel, Camano Island.
DONALD HANSEN
In loving memory of Donald Hansen, beloved husband, father and brother who left us on Aug. 13, 2003, peacefully in his sleep. He was 71.
He leaves behind his wife Jo at the family home; a son Donny and daughter-in-law Dawn Secontine-Hansen, Blaine, WA; a daughter Tawnya Hansen, Mount Vernon and a daughter Dreena Hansen of Phoenix, AZ; a sister LaVern Jackson, Sedro-Woolley; two grandsons and a number of nieces and nephews; best friend and neighbor, Lea.
He served with pride in the Korean War. He was preceded in born in Richmond, Virginia on March 28, 1958. Debbie is survived by her mother, Dianne Sawyer Nielsen, and her mother’s husband, Kenneth; two sisters Dianne Sawyer Mckee of Fredericksburg and Catherine Mckee McCaffrey of Richmond; brother Dr. Thomas Atwood Mckee Jr. of Virginia Beach.
She is also survived by her devoted canine companion and best friend, "River, " who was with her to the end. Her father Thomas Atwood Mckee preceded her in death, " she said near the end. "It’s just that the ego can’t conceive of not existing anymore." So it is with us. Life is inconceivable without this passionate, hardheaded, charismatic woman. Expressions of sympathy can be made to Bon Secoure Hospice, 8580 Magellan Pky., Bldg. IV, Richmond, VI 23227; or the American Cancer Society Restricted to Breast Cancer Research at 1-800-227-2345. For local friends a celebration of Debbie’s life will be held in Seattle on Sun., Sept. 7. For further details please email to dennisnr @comcast.net, or call Dennis at (206) 329-9804.
WILLIAM W. BROKAW
1921-2003
William Whitfield Brokaw, age 81, born Sept. 27, 1921, in Stanwood, son of Clyde and Nettie Brokaw. Bill lived most of his life in Stanwood and the Skagit Valley area before moving to Arizona. His passions were his family, his friends, boating, baseball and golf. Bill spent many summers, along with his wife Doris and their four children, exploring Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, British Columbia and the Alaskan waters on extensive boat trips. He taught his children the love of boating, the respect for the sea, and the wonders of nature.
He was a member of the Everett Yacht Club; commodore of the Swinomish Yacht Club; a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and instructor of boating safety classes; was the recipient of several boating rescue awards and received the distinguished Boating Family of the Year Award from the Swinomish Yacht Club.
Bill also loved baseball. He was a pitcher at Stanwood High School, graduating in 1939. He also played baseball for the Seattle Rainiers while pursuing his post-high school education.
He attended Culver Military Academy in Culver City, IN, and upon graduating, went to Stanford University where he was the starting pitcher for two years prior to his induction into the Army. He spent four years in the army, stationed in the Pacific between the Philippines and Japan, earning the rank of first lieutenant. Bill was among the first U.S. troops to land in Japan after the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where he spent a year following the war.
He returned to Stanwood, met and married his life-long friend, Doris Jurgerson, and returned to Stanford University and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating in 1948.
He began his career in banking in 1948, working for Seattle 1st National Bank, then joining the Bank of Stanwood, where he succeeded his grandfather, Whitfield C. Brokaw and his father, Clyde W. Brokaw, as president and chairman of the board, until his retirement in 1986. Bill also succeeded his grandfather and father as co-owner of the Stanwood Water Co., along with the family of Stan Olsen, before it was sold to the City of Stanwood in 1986.
In recent years, Bill became an avid golfer, as a member of the Skagit Golf and Country Club in Burlington and Palmbrook Country Club in Sun City, AZ. He and Doris became "snowbirds, " traveling to Arizona during the winter months, and then ultimately making their permanent residence in Arizona. Bill was active in many organizations. He was a board member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Stanwood, member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mt. Vernon and American Lutheran Church of Sun City; board member of the Washington Bankers Association; board member of the Josephine Sunset Home, board member of Twin City Foods, board member of Shelter Bay, a member of the Mt. Vernon Elks Club, and life-time member of the American Legion.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Doris; his four children, Bob (Lisa), Jani, Susan and Warren (Jeri Jo); 10 grandchildren, Megan, Mark, Aphrah, Robson, William, Joey, Jamie, Will, Loren and Leslie; his cousin Barbara (Bill) Cox of Vancouver, BC; and many close friends.
A memorial service will be held at the American Lutheran Church of Sun City, AZ Fri., Aug. 29, 1 p.m., to be followed by a private internment at Sunland Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Josephine Sunset Home in Stanwood, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Stanwood, Heritage House in Stanwood, the American Lutheran Church in Sun City, AZ, or the charity of your choice. Dad, it’s been an honor... Bob, Jani, Susie and Warren
