Robert William Schneider
Sequim resident Robert William Schneider died Sept. 13, 2012, at the age of 85.
He was born Oct. 17, 1926, to William and Hazel Gallagher Schneider.
He married Joyce Davis on March 7, 1953.
He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was an aircraft structural engineer at Boeing for 30 years, working on 747s and B-2 bombers.
He is survived by his sons Jeffrey Schneider, of Olivehurst, Calif.; and Jerry Schneider, of Auburn; daughter Joanne Schneider, of Brookeville, Md; and four grandchildren.
Sequim Valley Chapel was in charge of arrangements.


Kenneth Scott Elieff
Sequim High School graduate Kenneth Scott Elieff died Sept. 18, 2012, of cancer at the age of 55 in Kenmore.
He was born in March 1957 in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Arnold and Hulda Elieff.
After graduating from Sequim High School in 1974, he attended Western Washington University and later graduated magna cum laude from Strayer University with a Bachelor of Science degree in database technology. He was employed as a consultant to Microsoft, government and private industry.
He is survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law Steve and Cindy Elieff of DuPont; and Jim and Mary Ann Elieff of Fairbanks, Alaska; eight nieces and nephews; and 14 grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

In honor of his request, no service was held. A private remembrance was held at his home in Kenmore.

 

Anthony Joseph
(Tony) Schimelfening
Anthony Joseph (Tony) Schimelfening, 87 of Kennewick, WA passed away peacefully at his home September 1st, 2012. Tony’s wife Dorothy passed away 2 years earlier. They would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this year.
Tony was born in Detroit, Michigan. Soon after high school, he enlisted in the Army and was shipped overseas to Germany, where he fought in WWII at the Battle of the Huertgen Forest. When Tony returned home, he was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service.
He went on to work at the General Motors Tech Center in Warren Michigan and worked there 40 years. In his spare time, he maintained a lovely yard and a very large and fruitful vegetable garden. Both he and Dorothy also loved exploring for antiques on the weekends.
After retirement, he and Dorothy moved to Washington state to be near their three daughters: Susan Phillips of Kennewick, WA, Sandy Schimelfening of Renton WA, and Donna Prater of Quilcene, WA. He also had one grandchild Anthony Joseph Prater (A.J.) his namesake. During retirement he enjoyed volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Sequim Washington where he taught the kids Ping Pong as he was a certified teacher of the game.
He will be remembered for his gentleness and kindness, always thinking of others first. In lieu of flowers, simply make a toast to a great man, “Nostrovia Tony!”

 

Roger G. Laube

Roger G. Laube, a Sequim resident since 1990, passed away in Seattle on September 15, 2012 at the age of 91. 
Roger was born and raised in Chicago.  He received his higher education at Roosevelt University and John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
 He entered the US Army during World War II, serving in the Signal Corp first as an enlisted man, and later as an officer.  While stationed at Truax field, near Madison, WI, Roger met Irene, who was a university student there.  They were married in 1946.
In that year, the army sent them to Ft. Richardson, Alaska where Roger served as Asst. Judge Advocate, and where, in 1948, their first son, David was born.  After being discharged he and Irene moved back to Chicago for 2 years, where their second son, Philip was born.  But the call of Alaska was too strong, and in 1950, they put all their possessions in a car and trailer, and proceeded up the rugged Alaska highway to their newly adopted home state.  Their third son, Steven, was born there in 1958.
Roger worked at the National Bank of Alaska, the largest bank in the state. After working in various areas of the bank, he utilized his legal training to establish the first bank trust department in the state, helping the legislature prepare the laws, and then leading that function as one of the senior officers of the bank. He also established the first Estate Planning Council in the state. He was very active in community affairs including the boards of the Anchorage Community Chorus, the Anchorage Symphony, the advisory board of the Salvation Army, and leadership in the Gideons.
After 25 years in Alaska, Roger and Irene moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where Roger became Senior Trust Officer of the Bishop Trust Company.  He developed new business both in Hawaii and Pacific islands as far away as Guam and Saipan. Following 10 years in Hawaii, they moved to Arizona, where Roger established a financial and estate planning firm. 
In 1990, he retired and moved to Sequim, settling in Sunland.  He was director of music at First Baptist Church of Sequim for eight years, an active member of the Olympic Peninsula chapter of Gideons International, and a member of the Sunland Golf and Country Club. He moved to Seattle in 2011 to be closer to other family members.
For over 50 years, Roger was music director of churches in Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona and Washington.  Although holding a full time job, he still developed significant music programs in each church he attended, the largest being 4 choirs and handbell choir at the First Baptist Church of Anchorage. He was also known as a handbell soloist.
He is survived by his wife, Irene, his brother Daniel, sons David, Philip and Steven, 8 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 2:00pm at Haller Lake Baptist Church, 14054 Wallingford Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133.

Memorial contributions may be made to:
The Gideons International
Olympic Peninsula Camp
PO Box 1695
Sequim, WA 98382

For more information about Roger, visit the web site at http://bit.ly/S1cOyd  Click on “more pictures” to see photos depicting events in his life.

 

 

Coral Ione Buntin

Coral Ione Buntin, 91, died September 14, 2012 following a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer.  A Washington native – born in Tacoma and a resident of Snohomish County for most of her life – she had made her home in Sequim since 2001.
She is survived by her son, George Sullivan and wife, Susan, of Parrish, Florida; grandson, Sean Sullivan and wife, Kristin, of Medford, Massachusetts; and a great-granddaughter, Clara Sullivan, also of Medford.  She was predeceased by her husbands, George Sullivan in 1959 and Richard Buntin in 2003; by her daughter, Terry Duranceau in 1997; and her grandson Brian Sullivan in 2005.
Buntin was lovingly assisted in her daily life activities for the past six years by Sequim caregivers Kathy Doros and Gini Knorowski, and by neighbors, Terri and Eric Bower.  She was a resident of Sequim Health and Rehab for the last four months of life, receiving skilled nursing care and life enrichment.
At her request, no public services are planned.  She will be interned at the Marysville Cemetery with her late husband, George Sullivan.  In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be directed to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.

 

Lawrence James Literal
Jan. 12, 1925 - Sept. 11, 2012
Lawrence was born in  the farm country of Dayton, WA to Lester and Cecelia Hanson Literal. His mother died when he was just 5 years old, so his paternal grandparents and two uncles, who were immigrants from Sweden, helped raise him. As expected, Lawrence was given the nickname of “Swede”, and was known by that for many years. As a young man, he worked on the family farm, and enjoyed hunting and exploring the hills of Eastern Washington. He attended school in Dayton, and graduated with the class of 1943.
Soon after graduation, he was inducted in the US Army, and after basic training in Camp Roberts, CA, he was shipped out to England in preparation for D-Day. While in England, “Swede” (as he was known in his Army days), borrowed his Sergeant’s bicycle for trip into town, but forgot that “The Limies drove on the wrong side of the road!” and collided with another bicycle, breaking his shoulder. After it healed, he served as a forward observer radio operator with the 945th Field Artillery of the 3rd Army under General Patton. Later, while in Paris he was in a Jeep accident and broke his shoulder again. After being transported to the hospital, much to his surprise, he ended up having the same “mean nurse” that had previously treated him in England! He then served throughout the European theater during and after WWII, and returned home to Dayon in 1945.
After returning home, he married Elveta Bushong on August 18, 1948 at the Church of Christ in Walla Walla. They recently celebrated their 64th anniversary. They welcomed a daughter, Laneta, in 1949.
Lawrence was employed at the Columbia County Farm Bureau in Dayton, and also was a Deputy Tax Assessor for Columbia County. In 1958, he moved to Sequim to assume the General Manager position at the Clallam County Cooperative Association. Over the next 25 years, he brought the Clallam Co-op out of debt and into profitability, while supporting many local farms on the Olympic Peninsula. He also earned trips to Japan and Hawaii for accomplishing farm equipment sales records.
After retiring in 1983, Lawrence and Elveta enjoyed traveling to New Zealand and spending many winters in Arizona. He also enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, clam digging, huckleberry picking, and traveling to many destinations in the RV.
He is survived by his wife, Elveta; daughter Laneta Jean Defoe (Dan) of Port Angeles; grandsons Chris (Lori) Dafoe of Port Orchard, Cary (Jamie) Dafoe of Boise, ID, and Mike (Delaina) Dafoe of Poulsbo; great-granddaughters Natalie, Phoebe, and Maizie; a great-grandson due in 4 weeks; a sister, Lorraine (Harry) Rainwater of Longview, WA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Kennard Literal; and sisters Helen Kinder, Bernice McCauley, and Marjorie Budig.
He was a member of the Port Angeles Church of Christ and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
A graveside service was held at the Mount Angeles Memorial Park in Port Angeles on Monday, September 17th at 1:30 p.m., with a reception following at the Clasen Cove Estates clubhouse off 5th Ave. North in Sequim. Donations may be made to the Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.

 

Doris Jean Sollitt
Sept. 24, 1918 - Sept. 17, 2012

Sequim resident Doris Sollitt passed away September 17, 2012 at the age of 93. She was born November 24, 1918 to Leona and Lowell Russell in Seattle, WA and lived there her entire life before moving to Sequim. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Seattle.
July 3, 1941, she married James Sollitt. Her working years were as a bookkeeper and after her husband retired in 1974, they moved to Sequim and enjoyed hiking, camping, sailing and square dancing. She was a life member of Peninsula Driftwood Artists. Doris was a member of several community groups in Sequim including Canasta Club, Museum & Arts Center and enjoyed the Sequim Senior Activity Center.
Survivors include daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Bob Schmall of Surprise, AZ and son and daughter-in-law Douglas Sollitt and Virginia Padden-Sollitt of Kirkland, WA; two grandsons, Curtis Calhoun of Spokane and Conrad Sollitt of Beverly Hills, CA; and two great-grandchildren, Caitlyn and Jacob Calhoun.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Sollitt and sister Betty McNally.
There will be no services at her request. Memorials can be made to your charity of choice.