Huge Marriages Search Engine
Wesley Allan Garton “Lumpy”
WAPATO – Wesley Allan Garton “Lumpy”, passed away Saturday, April 19, 2008 in Wapato.
Allan was born October 23, 1949 in Yakima to Wesley L. and Esther (Balzer) Garton. He was raised in the Wapato area, then worked for Marley Orchards. He later worked for Washington Fruit for 25 years. Allan moved to Selah in 2004. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, collecting cars and long drives.
He is survived by: his father, Welsey L. Garton of Yakima; and two brothers, Bobby and Danny Garton, both of Yakima. He was preceded in death by his mother, a sister, Violet Price and a brother, Darwin Garton.
Viewing will be held Friday, April 25 from 1 until 5 p.m. at the Yakima Chapel of Valley Hills Funeral Home. Graveside Services will be held Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at Terrace Heights Memorial Park in Yakima.
James L. Powell
SUNNYSIDE - James L. Powell, 46 of Sunnyside, passed away Friday, April 18, 2008 at home.
James was born in Portland, OR and worked as a chef until he became disabled.
He is survived by his mother, Yvonne Jean Sodine of Toppenish; a twin brother, John Sodine of Toppenish; and a sister, Angela Johnson of Vancouver, WA. No formal services will be held.
Mabel Thornton
YAKIMA - Mabel Algarene Thornton (Jean) passed away quietly Thursday evening June 28, 2007 at the Garden Village in Yakima. Jean was born February 12, 1924 to Gabe and Lucy Roberts in Olvey, Arkansas.
Jean grew up on a small farm with her parents, two sisters and a brother. She attended school at Olvey where she excelled in academics and graduated Salutatorian of her High School Class in 1942.
She married her lifelong sweetheart and companion John Thornton on July 12, 1944. Jean and "Red" Thornton and their first two children, Harold and Marilyn, moved to Yakima, Washington in 1948. Jean had three more children, a daughter, Karen and two boys, Robert and Rick.
Jean raised her kids lovingly, caringly and with as much grit as necessary with a brood of five. The Thornton home in Wiley City was always full of life and laughter and plenty of other kids who thought of Jean as their second Mom. Besides raising her kids she worked several years in the fruit industry of Yakima Valley and many years as a nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Memorial Hospital and the West Valley Nursing Home. She worked as a survey taker as well.
Jean was hard-working, dependable and steady as a rock. She served as an officer of the American Legion Auxiliary for several years as well. Jean was a friend and confidante to many. If you needed an opinion, she had one. If you needed the unvarnished truth, you got it. If you simply needed a hug or a smile, you got those too. Whatever she set out to accomplish, Jean did. As one of her sons is fond of saying: "There is no quit in her".
Jean was preceded in death by her parents; Lucy & Gabe Roberts, her brother, Gordon Roberts, her sister, Buna Bryant, all of Olvey Arkansas, her sister, Lorene Purdom and her daughter, Marilyn Elledge of Yakima. Jean is survived by her son Harold Thornton (Berniece) of Granger, daughter Karen Ward of Spokane, son Robert Thornton (Teresa) of Yakima, son Rick Thornton (Korinne) of Yakima, 19 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends and loved ones.
Memorial service will be held Tuesday, July 3, 2007 at 1: 00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 9 South 8th Ave. Yakima, WA.
Harry Wayne Martin
Harry Wayne Martin, 76, of Sunnyside passed away Thursday, June 28, 2007 at Hillcrest Manor, surrounded by his loving family.
Harry was born June 14, 1931 in Racine, Missouri to Harry Leroy and Pauline Grace (Sparlin) Martin. He moved with his family to Prosser as a child, and attended Prosser schools. He graduated from Prosser High School in 1949. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1950 and served in the Pacific Theatre until 1954 when he returned to Washington. He married Shirley McDonell November 10, 1953 in Sunnyside.
Harry returned to his work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a job he had prior to joining the navy. He continued to work at Hanford until his retirement in 1994. While working at Hanford, Harry resided in Richland and Sunnyside, living in Sunnyside for over 47 years.
A charter member and the first president of Northwest Steelheaders of Sunnyside, Harry was an avid fisherman. He served the Boy Scouts in Sunnyside and after many years, he was awarded the Order of the Silver Spade for volunteerism. He was a friend of Bill W., enjoying 25 years of sobriety. He was a loving father to his daughters and a fun and loving grandfather and great-grandfather. Harry was a good and loyal friend, as well as a distinguished citizen, having loved serving as a juror.
Shirley and Harry traveled to Alaska several times, and Harry loved the wild outdoors. He enjoyed fishing with his friend, Vic Maling, and hunting with his friend, Bob Layne. His favorite trip to Alaska was a cruise with his wife and two daughters.
Survivors include his loving wife of 53 years, Shirley of Sunnyside; two daughters, Kim Rodgers & husband David of Port Charlotte, FL and Kelly Martin-Carter & husband Terry of Granger; seven grandchildren, Lisa (Brian) Shaffer, Josh Perrault, Sarah (Terrill) Wood, Kelsey (Jeremy) Foss, Tom (Danielle) Martin, Ashley (Nick) Harvey, & Terran Travis; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Gerrilee (Victor) Cruz of Pasco; a son-of-the-heart, Steve (Carolyn) Schlax; and three nephews.
Viewing will be held Saturday, June 30 from 1 until 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 1 from 1 until 7 p.m. at Valley Hills Funeral Home, Sunnyside. Recitation of the Rosary will be Sunday, July 1 at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, July 2, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sunnyside. Interment will follow in the East Prosser Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eden House at Hillcrest Manor or the Granger School Dist. for the Kelly Martin-Carter After School Science Program.
Burl Louis Ruth
Burl Louis Ruth, 85, of Yakima died Thursday, June 28 at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Ruth was born in Gravelly, Ark., and served in the Army during World War II. He moved to Yakima in 1967 and owned and operated apartments on Fair Avenue. He previously owned the Plaza Hotel.
Survivors include two sons, Albert Ruth and Robert Ruth of Oregon; two daughters, Debbie Stollery of Yakima and Linda Ruth of Portland; numerous grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Calvary Cemetery.
Valley Hills Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Vera Esther Widmyer
TOPPENISH - Vera Esther Widmyer of Satus passed away Wednesday, June 27th at Toppenish Hospital one week before her 99th birthday. She was born on the 4th of July, 1908 in White, So. Dakota to Otto and Anna "Berndt" Liesinger. Her family moved to Brook Park, Minnesota where after graduating High School she married William Jefferson "Pete" Widmyer on August 26, 1925.
In 1942 she and Pete moved their family to the Satus where they farmed and raised a large and loving family.
Vera was a gracious multi-talented lady with a loving heart that binds her children closely together to this day. She cooked huge meals fit for a king and always had an open door for her children's friends and neighbors. With cakes for every day, not just birthdays and home made pancakes and maple syrup that drew them back home whenever possible. She made mincemeat from scratch for cakes even her daughters have trouble replicating.
She had a work ethic that kept her busy nonstop whether crocheting, making quilts, growing beautiful flowers & vegetables in her garden or just pulling weeds at 5 AM into her eighties.
Her sense of humor, thoughtfulness and kindness were instilled in all of her surviving children Virginia (Milo) Hicks of Yakima, Grace Zecchino of Granger, Buzz Widmyer of Yakima, Ida Mae Hendrickson (Willard) of Mt. Vernon, Janice (Doc) Merrick of Gold Beach, Ore., Dennis (Kay) Widmyer of Toppenish, Donna (Bob) Park of Sedro Wooley, WA, Don (Vickie) Widmyer of Toppenish, and Candice Widmyer of Toppenish. She is preceded in death by her husband William in 1985 and two sons, William and Peter. She also leaves 32 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and 26 great-great grandchildren.
We are having a celebration of Vera's life at the home of Don & Vickie Widmyer on Saturday, June 30th at noon. Family & friends are welcome to attend.
