James ‘Jim’ Henry McCourt
A graveside service for former Sequim resident James “Jim” Henry McCourt will be held at 1:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, June 18, at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St., Kent. Mr. McCourt died June 10 at the age of 87.
He was born March 20, 1921, in Sequim to Clinton and Jessie McCourt. He was raised in Sequim and graduated from Port Angeles High School. Following high school, he furthered his education, earning a degree in banking.
He entered the United States Navy on April 7, 1942. He served throughout World War II and was discharged in January 1947. After the war, he returned to Sequim where he worked for the Bank of Sequim, eventually becoming bank manager.
On July 14, 1943, he married Evelyn Grenz in Port Angeles.
In the mid-1950s, he and his wife also operated McCourt’s in Sequim, a successful gas and grocery station. In 1960, he and his family moved to Grandview, where he managed Security Bank of Grandview. In 1968, he went to work for the Bank of Seattle in Lake City, as bank manager. In 1974, the family moved back to the peninsula, where he managed the Port Angeles Bank. In 1980, he and his wife retired from banking and moved to Bellevue, where he started a second career as a real estate agent and property manager. He retired again in the early 1990s.
He enjoyed driving, golf, tinkering with drums, music, dancing, travel and spending time with his family.
His family remembers him as a loving and compassionate husband and father who possessed a warm personality and wonderful smile and was always a snappy dresser.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn of Bellevue; children Janice Pennington of Port Angeles, Barbara Stone of Sequim, and Teresa Bjornson of Kent; sister June Kane of Bellevue; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Flintoff’s Issaquah Funeral Home and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.
Donald L. Cole
A memorial service with military honors for Sequim resident Donald L. Cole will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Sequim Community Church, 950 N. Fifth Ave., Sequim. Dr. Scott Koenigsaecker will preside.
Mr. Cole died June 10, 2008, at the age of 79.
He was born Dec. 13, 1928, in Livermore, Calif., to Loren and May Christine Madsen Cole.
A graduate of Livermore Union High School in Livermore, he attended his class’ 61st reunion last September.
He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, stationed in Japan.
Mr. Cole worked as an electrician in Livermore. He later lived in Grants Pass, Ore. He was retired for 14 years in Sequim.
His family describes him as an outdoorsman who loved spending time in his garden and who cherished his family and pets.
He was a member of Lucky Loafers RV Club, Suncatchers RV Club and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
He is survived by his wife, LoRayne Cole of Sequim; sons and daughters-in-law John and Sara Cole, Kari and Donald Cole Jr. and Bart and Julie Cole, all of Washington; daughters and son-in-law Terry Cole, and Sherry and Art Barnes, all of Washington; brothers and sisters-in-law Ken and JoAnn Cole of Bandon, Ore., and James and Carole Cole of Bountiful, Utah; sister and brother-in-law Nancy and Jim Rodrigues of Union City, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by sister Lorna Cole Johnson.
Memorial contributions may be sent to John Wayne Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 1779, Newport Beach, CA 92659-0139.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ken Buchanan
A memorial gathering will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at the home of Ken Buchanan, who died June 8 at the age of 66 of a pulmonary-related cause.
He was born June 27, 1941, in Fresno, Calif., to Hulen and Christine Poole Buchanan.
He served in the United States Army as a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne.
He worked as an environmental service director.
Mr. Buchanan was a member of Sequim Community Church.
He is survived by his daughter Christine Buchanan of Sequim and two grandchildren.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Maurice Patrick Hanvey
No service has been reported for Sequim resident Maurice Patrick Hanvey, who died June 8, 2008, at the age of 87.
He was born Dec. 17, 1920, in Ludd, Palestine, to Patrick and Patricia Rielly Hanvey.
He married July Mitchel on Sept. 26, 2001, in Diamond Point. A previous marriage to Muriel Harris in 1941 ended in divorce.
He served in the Royal Air Force from 1939-1945 as a wireless operator.
He earned a degree in engineering from University of Southampton.
Mr. Hanvey worked as a field liaison for Boeing, traveling to all areas of the world.
In addition to traveling, he loved flying and had his own planes. He also loved scuba diving and writing. He had his writing published.
He was a member of The Elks Lodge in Seattle and North West Underwater Research Group-Diving.
He is survived by his wife, July Mitchel of Sequim; sons and daughters-in-law Lynn and Kathy of Kenmore; Terry and Penny of San Diego, Calif.; Ian and Faye of Woodinville; and Mike and Debbie of Everett; daughter Patricia Kilminster of England; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Wayman Bailey ‘Toad’ Rettig
No service has been reported for former Sequim resident Wayman Bailey “Toad” Rettig, who died March 24, 2008, at the age of 84.
He was born April 24, 1923, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Nellie Fetter and Wayman Rettig. He grew up in Oahu, Hawaii, and Pacific Grove, Calif. Upon graduation in 1941, he joined the Navy, beginning a 31-year career that began with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and spanned three wars. He proudly served on the battleship USS Tennessee during World War II. Rising to the rank of CWO-4, he formed close friendships throughout his distinguished career and enjoyed many USS Tennessee reunions after his retirement in 1972.
By then a widower, he met Donna Lewis in Fallbrook, Calif. They were married on May 1, 1983, in Camp Pendleton’s historic Ranch House Chapel.
He enjoyed fishing, golfing and hunting, especially duck hunting with his brother Corky.
He and his wife’s travels included a memorable visit in Germany with another brother, Bailey.
A Shriner, he belonged to the Masonic Lodge in Fallbrook.
In 1988, the couple moved to Sequim where he is remembered for his work on the Irrigation Festival and the Ditchwalkers’ parade floats. They moved to Whidbey Island in 1998.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by stepchildren Scott and Tracy Lewis of North Carolina, Steve and Tatiana Lewis of Washington, and Spencer and Hilary Lewis of North Carolina; and five step-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Alzheimer’s Association, 12721 30th Ave. NE, No. 101, Seattle, WA 98125.
Leigh A. Niblock
No service has been reported for Port Angeles resident Leigh A. Niblock, who died June 9, 2008, at the age of 72 of cancer.
He was born Feb. 25, 1936, in Bellingham to Alexander and Donna Chandler Niblock.
He served as a staff sergeant in the Teritorial National Guard in 1955.
He married Marla J. Larsen in Kodiak, Alaska.
He retired after 23 years of service with the Alaska Highway Department in Kodiak before moving to Port Angeles.
Mr. Niblock loved people and visiting. He had a gift of wit that kept his family in stitches all the time. He was very kind and generous and was described as having a “heart of gold.” He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
He is survived by his wife, Marla Niblock of Port Angeles; son Richard Niblock of Port Angeles; brother Lynn Wanzak of Palmer, Alaska; sisters and brother-in-law Lissa Coffelt of Custer and Betty and Abner Nelson of Port Lions, Alaska; and three grandchildren.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Emma Jane Olsen
No service has been reported for Sequim resident Emma Jane Olsen, who died June 13, 2008, at the age of 94. Mrs. Olsen lived on the peninsula since 1955.
She was born Nov. 21, 1913, in Picher, Okla., to Ralph Dean and Grace Adair Robitaille Goodrich. She was a member of the Wyandotte Tribe.
She married Alvin “Ike” Olsen. He preceded her in death in December 1999. She had earlier married Herbert Brown, who died in October 1966.
She worked in the cafeteria at Port Angeles Bowl and at Montgomery Ward.
The Olsens were snowbirds for 17 years, spending winters in Wickenberg, Ariz.
She was a great seamstress and loved crocheting and gardening.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Kent and Susan Olsen of Oregon; daughters and sons-in-law Helen Birkland of Port Angeles, Grace Irvin of Sequim, Judy and Dan Volkman of Port Angeles, Kay and Quinten Daniels of Bremerton, and Peggy Hansen of Lynnwood; brother Arthur Goodrich of California; sister Edna Kuhen of Port Hadlock; six grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by brother Charles Goodrich.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Richard ‘Dick’ Dean Taylor
Memorial arrangements are pending for Sequim resident Richard “Dick” Dean Taylor, who died June 9, 2008, at the age of 93.
He was born Sept. 2, 1914, in Webster Grove, Mo., to Charles and Mary Meeker Taylor.
He married Mavis Irene Clark on Sept. 18, 1992, at Sequim Bible Church.
He married Anifred Evelyn Farup on Oct. 21, 1934, at Alkai Lutheran Church in Seattle. She preceded him in death in February 1991 in Port Angeles.
They owned and operated The Monogram Printing Shop in Estes Park, Colo. He later organized and operated the printing plant for Gordon-Conwell College and Seminary in Massachusetts and was sales manager for Olympic Printers in Port Angeles.
During World War II, he served as an electrician at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard, where he installed radar systems for ships.
He lived in Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts and Washington.
A lifetime learner with knowledge in many areas of science and art, one of his notable accomplishments was to design and build his family’s home in Oregon.
He is survived by his wife, Mavis Taylor; daughters and sons-in-law Marilyn and Cliff Benzel of California; Janice and Jim Forbes of South Dakota; and Ruthanne and David Laabs of Vancouver, Wash.; sister Charlotte Wells of Pennsylvania; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Sequim Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
