Memorials

Local musician, teacher, activist, and humanitarian, Jerry Sommerseth, passed away April 23, 2019 after a long illness. He was 83 years of age. He taught in the Sedro-Woolley School District for many years, as well as teaching private music in the county.  Additionally, Jerry’s deep commitment to social justice and environmental causes endeared him to […]

Ruby Rae Buchanan, 88, a longtime Clear Lake community resident, passed away on April 21, 2019 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon. Ruby was born on March 17, 1931 in Black Springs, Arkansas, the oldest of six children of Raymond & Ruby Jewel (Cook) Willis.  As a young girl her family moved to Washington, […]

Steven Wayne Curbow, 67, passed away at his home in Hamilton on April 18, 2019.  He was born March 12, 1952 at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane Washington. Steve worked for Jim’s Hauling (Draper Valley) from 1976 until he retired in 2016.  He enjoyed watching the Seahawks and NASCAR. Steve is survived by his […]

Melvin Gibbs, age 83, passed away on April 7, 2019 after battling cancer.  He was born August 13, 1935 to James and Frankie (Creasman) Gibbs in Sylva, North Carolina. Melvin served in the Army for 21 years.  He completed time in Germany after WWII, served two terms in Vietnam and two terms in Korea, retiring […]

Thomas L. ‘Tom’ Torgerson, Jr., 66, a lifelong Sedro-Woolley resident, passed away at his home on Sunday, April 7, 2019. Tom was born on July 4, 1952 in Sedro-Woolley, the son of Esther (Holmquist) and Thomas Torgerson, Sr.  Tom was raised and attended school in Sedro-Woolley, graduating from Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of […]

Pauline Marie (Polly) Patterson Born January 9, 1931 – Died April 7, 2019 Polly was born in Port Angeles, Washington to L.R. (Spud) and Lenore Hartman.  They moved to Everett when mom was four, where she lived for most of the rest of her life.  Mom attended Washington Elementary (now Washington Oakes) for one year, […]

Hazel Ellen Huff, 85, a lifelong Sedro-Woolley resident passed away unexpectedly in her home, that was loved by all, on April 7, 2019. Hazel was born in Sedro-Woolley on March 8, 1934 to Forest and Clela (Gillis) Terwillegar.  She was raised and attended school in Sedro-Woolley. Everyone knows that Hazel was given a set of […]

William ‘Bill’ Howard Higgins, age 82, of Concrete, passed away April 8, 2019.  He was born July 26, 1936 in Lake City, Iowa, to Richard and Mary (Cole) Higgins. Bill served in the U. S. Air Force.  He loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He was a logger all over the state of Washington for […]

Jim (James Edward) Miller It is with great sadness that we share that our much loved brother, family member, and friend, Jim Miller, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 31, 2019, at his home in Sedro-Woolley. He was 54. Those who knew Jim will know what a kind soul he was. He will be greatly […]

June Queen, 69, a longtime Skagit Valley resident passed away on Monday, April 1, 2019 in Coupeville, Washington. June was born on November 7, 1949 in Waynesville, NC the daughter of Pastor Chester & Marie (King) Mitchell. In 1961 the Mitchell family moved to Hamilton where June attended grade school and she graduated from Sedro-Woolley […]

Vicki Jo Cooper, 69, a longtime Skagit Valley resident passed away on April 3, 2019 at Providence Hospital in Everett. Vicki was born on January 3, 1950 in Port Angeles, WA, the daughter of Alfred & JoAnn (Olson) Messersmith.  She was raised and attended school in several communities on the Olympic Peninsula. In 1972 Vicki […]

Jan Franklin Young, 73, a resident of the Shelter Bay community in La Conner, passed away at his home on March 22, 2019. Jan was born on January 2, 1946 in Great Falls, Montana, the son of Jess & Louise (Quinlan) Young.  He was raised and attended school in Great Falls, graduating from Great Falls […]

Jerry Ashley passed away March 24, 2019 at the age 76 in Sedro-Woolley. He was born to Poley Ashley and Barbara Kidd Ashley in Walled Lake, Michigan. He married Karen Dawson Ashley and they had two children, Carrie and Jason Ashley who grew up in Clear Lake. He had two grandchildren, Mercadi Mejia and Marshall […]

Carol Ann Anthony, 56, a longtime Skagit Valley resident, passed away March 19, 2019 at St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham. Born in the Skagit Valley on November 15, 1962 to Richard and Sharon (Armey) Anthony, she was raised in Sedro-Woolley and graduated from SWHS in 1981 where she’d been  active as a cheerleader. Carol also […]

Judith St. John passed away March 15, 2019 at home surrounded by family in Mount Vernon, Washington. She was born November 28, 1939 to Harold and Flora Rector in Aurora, Illinois and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1958. While playing tennis with a friend from high school, she had a chance encounter with the […]

Gregory John Postma, 55, passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, after fighting diabetes most of his life. He was born on October 10, 1963 in Bellflower, CA, the son of John and Betty Postma. The family moved to Sedro-Woolley, WA the following year. Greg attended Mount Vernon Christian School and Lynden Christian High School. […]

Burrell James Cook, 79, a longtime Skagit County resident, passed away at his home surrounded by his family on March 19, 2019. Burrell was born in Darrington, WA on October 20, 1939, the son of Eula & Letha (Hoxit) Cook.   The family later moved to Skagit County and Burrell attended school in Hamilton and Sedro-Woolley. […]

Hays Gray Huey, our beloved husband and father, passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2019, in Burlington, Washington. Hays was born in Amagon, Arkansas, September 8, 1933, to Adolfus ‘AD’ and Maude Jane (Carter) Huey.  He was the youngest of eleven children, nine boys and two girls. Hays and Geraldine “Geri” Cash were married August 31, […]

Dorothy Elba Embery, age 92, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2019 in Auburn, Washington.  She was born July 20, 1926 in Pipestone, Minnesota to Walter and Susan (Walker) Boelter. Dorothy attended school in California, graduating San Diego High School in 1944.  She worked as a bookkeeper in banking.  She and Ken Embery were married in […]

     Mary Marie (Ellis) Manion, 91, a longtime Skagit Valley resident, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 10, 2019 at her home in Sedro-Woolley. Mary was born on May 26, 1927, the daughter of John & Mary (Ferguson) Ellis in the Eastern Washington community of Malaga, there she […]

Gladys Annie ‘Maud’ Claybo (Pressley) passed away on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Skagit Valley Life Care Center in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. She was born February 27, 1921 in Cullowhee, North Carolina the daughter of Charles and Nancy (Mills) Pressley. She was married to Grady Merritt Claybo Sr. on December 22, 1937. Maude was a lifetime resident […]

Raymond L. ‘Ray’ Allen, 80, a longtime Sedro-Woolley resident, passed away at his home surrounded by his loving family on March 6, 2019. Ray was born on October 13, 1938 in Clear Lake, WA, the son of Lee & Clara Allen.  He was raised and attended grade school there, graduating from Sedro-Woolley High School with […]