Larry Lee Ely

Services for former Sequim resident Larry Lee Ely were held Saturday, June 9, and inurnment was with full military honors at the Dallas Cemetery in Dallas, Ore. He died June 3, 2012, at the age of 73, in Monmouth, Ore.

He was born Aug. 1, 1938, in San Diego, Calif., but was raised through his junior year of high school in Sequim. 

He joined the Navy in 1957 and became a Seabee. In 1961, he transferred to the Air Force and finished out his 20-year career. He was on the maintenance squad to maintain Air Force One under Presidents Nixon and Ford. 

He married Sonja Guilliams in Newport in 1961 and their family moved to Dallas in 1975. He retired from the Dallas City Water Department after 20 years. 

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Sonja Ely, of Monmouth; and their daughters Valerie (Danny) Davis, and Rebecca Sana; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brothers Chuck Ely, of Vancouver, Wash., Jack Ely, of Eugene, Ore., and Bob Ely, of Pine Valley, Ore. 

Online condolences may be left at www.dallastribute.com.

 

 

Betty Jane Keyes

Services are Thursday, June 14, for Sequim resident Betty Jane Keyes, who died June 10, 2012, at the age of 85. She was born March 3, 1927, in St. Paul, Minn.

There will be a funeral service at 1 p.m. June 14 at Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel, 108 W. Alder St., with a graveside service at 2 p.m. at Sequim View Cemetery. 

A full obituary follows in a later edition.

 

 

Hellen Louise Poulson

Former Sequim resident Hellen Louise Poulson died June 8, 2012, at the age of 84.

She was born Hellen Vanbeber on June 21, 1927, in Beloit, Kan. 

She married Vern Poulson. The couple lived first in Forks and then for many years in Sequim.

She is survived by her sister Inez Hergett, of Maryland; and her son Randy Poulson, of Reno, Nev.

 

 

Elsa Katherine (Cabana) McBride

Elsa Katherine (Cabana) McBride was born in Brattleboro, VT on September 19, 1936 to Ralph J. and Alma (Vladish) Cabana.

After graduating from Greenfield (MA) High School in 1955 she worked for Lunt Silversmiths until her marriage to George D. McBride in Torrington, CT on March 10, 1979 where they lived.  She worked for the Hartford Courant Newspaper in Hartford, CT until taking early retirement on a buy-out on October 13, 1995.  The last eight years as senior secretary to the Sports Department.

She and her husband retired to Sequim in October 1995 arriving 10 days after her last day of work at the Courant.  She was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church where she enjoyed working with her church family in various areas, especially in the kitchen.  She was pre-deceased by her parents; grandparents Guy and Mabel Cabana; uncles Maynard Cabana and Vinal Vladish, aunt Florence (Wunsch) and husband Arthur Harding, her guardians from age nine.  Besides her husband she is survived by sister Cynthia Hamilton of Corona, CA, nieces Gwendolyn Carpenter and children Virginia and Ian of Virginia Beach, VA, nephew Brian Carpenter and wife Lisa of Milton, VT and numerous cousins.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Sequim, WA on Tuesday, June 19th at 1:00 pm

Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 N. 5th Ave., Sequim, WA 98382.

Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.sequimvalleychapel.com.

 

Harold (Hal) Keller

07/07/1927 – 06/05/2012

“Hall” Keller, age 84, died peacefully in his sleep on June 5th, surrounded by his family.

Born and raised in MD, Hall graduated from high school at 17, valedictorian of his class. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of MD, graduating with honors. He enlisted in the Merchant Marines from 1946 to 1948 serving in Korea and the South Pacific. From there, he followed his older brother into professional baseball where he worked in many capacities for 52 years.

In the early years, in the off-season, he taught high-school math, history, and science. In 1983 he was given the job as General Manager of the Seattle Mariners. He resigned in 1985 and returned to scouting which was his first love. He received the George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award in scouting from the Professional Baseball Scouts foundation in 2010.

A former member of Mensa, Hal loved puzzles of all kinds. He excelled at card games. Bridge was his favorite and he attained the national ranking of “Gold Life Master”. Ultimately, golf, bridge and the love of nature drew him to retire to Sequim in 1999. He LOVED the Sequim-Dungeness Valley.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, of 47 years, and their son William (Erin) of Fircrest, WA. In addition, he is survived by his first wife and their children, Harold Keller, JR, Joanne (William) Moody, Patricia (Glen) Carson, Jan (Dan) Coons – all of Pennsylvania. He helped raise his two step-children, Dorry Keene of Arlington, TX and Hank (Kim) Schwarz of Ferndale, WA. Hal leaves 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. His son, J. David Keller predeceased him in 1974.

Hal was an old-fashioned, highly-principled man of honor and integrity. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends.

There will be a brief, informal memorial service on July 7, 2012 at 11AM at the Masonic Temple, at 700 South Fifth Ave in Sequim followed by a commemorative Duplicate Bridge game at 1PM.

 

Ronald Willard Haabala

June 8, 1957 – May 29, 2012

Ronald (Ron) Haabala, loving husband and father, rose up and joined the Lord God at 2:43 p.m., Wednesday, May 29th. Our brave warrior lost his battle with Renal disease at the Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, WA. The Good Lord was in need of an awesome diesel mechanic and took him in his arms to heaven.

Ronald is survived by his loving wife, Linda (Sammons), and his dear children; son, Chase and daughter, Hope. He is also survived by his mother, Sylvia, mother-in-law, Connie Sammons, brothers, Phillip (Patricia), Wayne (Cindy), Adrian (Jean), sisters, Karen Johnson (Kevin), Susan Krig (Doug) and many, many nieces, great-nieces, nephews, and great-nephews, who loved him and he cherished them. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph, brother, Dale, father-in-law, Donald and brother-in-law, David.

A celebration of life will be held in Minnesota sometime in the next week. There will also be a gathering to celebrate his life in Port Angeles, WA some time in July. Dates, time and location will be announced in the newspaper or you may contact the family later in June.