Richard "Dick" Stirton
A celebration of life will be held at the family home from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 1 for Richard "Dick" Stirton, who died May 24, 2008, after a year-long battle with leukemia.
Born in Kansas City, Mo., he and his family later moved to Pasadena, Calif., where he grew up as a teenager during the 1950s at Pasadena High School.
After duty in the Air Force, he worked for General Electric in Alaska.
In 1978, he started a real estate company in Visalia, Calif.
He was named Broker of the Year in 1982.
His real estate company was honored as Business of the Year in 1994. The company celebrated its 30th anniversary in March of this year.
He moved to Sequim to supposedly retire and play golf.
Known as the "Car Wash Guy," he owned Red Carpet Car Wash with his wife, Judy.
Always ready with a smile, he was very much involved with fostering rescue dogs for Welfare for Animals Guild and never met a dog he didn’t love or want to keep.
He is survived by his wife Judy; daughters Shana Stirton of Carson City, Nev.; Crystal Keyes of Harwich, Mass.; and Lisa Stefani of Naples, Fla.; and sister Cindy Woodward of Redding, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Welfare for Animals Guild, P.O. Box 3966, Sequim, WA 98382.
Robert H. Bergman
No service was reported for former Sequim resident Robert H. Bergman, who died May 18, 2008, at the age of 88.
He was born July 6, 1919, in Cereal, Alberta, Canada, to Walter "Dick" and Luella Steen Bergman.
He served in the United States Army from 1942-1945. He saw action in Italy, France and North Africa. He received many honors including the Combat Infantry Badge from Italy and the Purple Heart.
Before entering the Army, he was enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Washington. When he returned from the war, he completed his education, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from UW in 1949. Mr. Bergman worked for Pioneer Sand & Gravel while he completed his engineering studies.
In the fall of 1949, Westinghouse hired him as a service mechanic on a job at Grand Coulee Dam. His career with Westinghouse spanned more than 30 years. He worked on the construction and engineering of most of the hydroelectric dams in the United States. The numerous calls he received to repair and trouble-shoot hydro-electric problems across the country document his legacy as "the guy you wanted for the job."
He married Margaret "Maggie" A. Pettet on July 2, 1949, in Seattle.
Mr. Bergman retired in 1980. He and his wife moved to Sequim, where they lived for 26 years. He was a member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Seattle and a lifetime member of the Sequim Masonic Lodge.
The Bergmans were members of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where he served on the building committee. He made the cross atop the steeple at St. Luke’s by turning copper piping on his lathe. He was a great handyman who could repair or improvise just about anything, which his cousins affectionately referred to as "Bob-a-sizing."
With no children of their own, the Bergmans decided to establish scholarships at Quilcene High School and the Seattle Foundation to assist young people who wanted to further their education. The couple moved to Spokane in June 2006 to be close to family.
He is survived by several cousins in Canada and the United States.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Robert and Margaret Bergman Scholarship Fund, c/o Seattle Foundation, 1200 Fifth Ave. , Suite 1300, Seattle, WA 98101-31551.
Norma Jean Glaze
No service has been reported for Sequim resident Norma Jean Glaze, who died May 11, 2008, at the age of 87. Her request was that she be remembered with a round of golf or hosting a raucous party.
She was born Aug. 31, 1920, in Spokane to Dona Benjamin and Norma Jean Heil. She grew up in Spokane and attended the University of Washington, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She graduated with a degree in speech.
She married Robert Vernon Glaze on Dec. 17, 1944, in Sacramento, Calif. The family lived in Sacramento until 1956, then moved to Mercer Island. Mr. Glaze worked for Boeing and she raised the four Glaze children.
Many friendships developed from pursuing their favorite pastime of golf. She enjoyed her family, friends and all their activities on Mercer Island, especially at the Mercerwood Shore Club. She attended all her children’s swim meets, baseball and football games. The Glazes had a large circle of friends who traveled and played golf together. She and her husband retired to Sequim, where they lived near the sixth green of SunLand Golf Course for 20 years. Her true passion was painting and she always was working on a project.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Robert; four children and their spouses, Claudia Glaze of Seattle; Paul and Kristy Glaze of Mercer Island; Robert Jr. and Kristy Glaze of Bellevue; and Leslie Glaze of Longview; and two sisters, Bernice of Seattle and Barbara of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Flintoft’s Funeral Home and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.
Mary Joanne Wiitala
A private graveside service will be held for Sequim resident Mary Joanne Wiitala, who died May 24, 2008, at the age of 75.
She was born Dec. 30, 1932, in Montesano, to James and Ruth Northrup Hyndman and raised in Portland, Ore.
She married Mel Wiitala on Nov. 4, 1950, in Portland. He preceded her in death on April 24, 2004. She was a real estate agent and a librarian. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Milwaukie, Ore.
She is survived by her sons David Wiitala of Sequim and Mark Wiitala of Gresham, Ore.; daughters Emmylou Ketchum of Oregon City, Ore.; and Shelly Hanson of Oregon; brother Vern Gates of California; sister Willodeen Cavette of Portland, Ore.; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Stephen N. Humphrey
A private family service is planned for Sequim resident Stephen N. Humphrey, who died May 22, 2008, at 19, following a prolonged illness.
He was born July 19, 1988, in Seattle, to Karen L. Samels and James L. Humphrey II. The family lived in Bellevue and often visited Sequim, moving here in 2002. Stephen was a Sequim High School senior.
His lifelong difficulty with speech belied his intelligence, insight and sense of humor. He quickly learned ways to communicate nonverbally, skills enhanced by intensive work with speech therapists and others.
He loved water, playing in it, watching it flow, spraying it in the garden and at the family dog that chased the jet of water to his delight.
When younger, he loved running into the surf on Maui, laughing as the waves knocked him down, sitting for hours by a mountain stream mesmerized by the motion and sounds and wading in the bay at his paternal grandparents’ home on Marrowstone Island at any time of the year, staying in the water until his feet turned blue in the winter.
He enjoyed small groups of family and friends, spending hours watching favorite movies, especially with his father. He loved to have his mother read to him and particularly loved movies and books where the underdog overcame great obstacles and emerged victorious. He was fascinated by animals and never tired of trips to Olympic Game Farm where he laughed and giggled as he tossed bread to the animals.
As his physical limitations increased, he became more comfortable just cuddling with his family. When asleep and not in pain, his face expressed the innocence of an angel. His short life was strewn with obstacles and for the last four years he suffered a great deal of pain. Throughout, he demonstrated perseverance in the face of extreme difficulties, kindness and loving for his family and friends, and an inability to be mean to anyone.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by brother James L. Humphrey III, of Sequim.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, P.O. Box 2014, Port Angeles, WA, 98382.
Drennan & Ford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Fred E. Dickey
No services were reported for Sequim resident Fred E. Dickey, who died May 29, 2008, at the age of 86.
He was born Aug. 25, 1921, in Ames, Iowa, to Fred Eli and Helen Simpson Dickey.
He earned a degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State College and a master’s degree in economics and social science from Rensselaer Poly Tech in Troy, N.Y. He worked for General Electric for 17 years and retired, then went to Poly Tech where he was a professor of economics for eight years.
He retired in Sequim 45 years ago and was an avid duplicate bridge player. He enjoyed people and his dogs. He won many trophies as a marksman with the National Rifle Association. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church of Sequim and a life member of National Rifle Association.
He is survived by his niece, Jean Schulte of Sequim.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Martha Cordes.
Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Hoyt ‘Red’ Ashmore
Full military services will be held at a later date for Sequim resident Hoyt "Red" Ashmore, who died May 27, 2008, at the age of 85 of colon cancer.
He was born Oct. 31, 1922, in Carrollton, Ga., to Roy and Beulah Ashmore.
He married Dorothy Rose Brand on April 22, 1945, in Cirencester, England. She preceded him in death in February 1992.
He served in the United States Army, was in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded a Purple Heart. In his younger years, Mr. Ashmore owned his own plane and was an accomplished pilot.
He moved to Sequim in 1952. After his wife died, he became a wanderer, traveling back and forth across the United States. He was a life member of Clyde Rhodefer VFW Post 1024 and Voices for Veterans. For the past six years, he made his home with Mike and Venay Money and four dogs.
He is survived by his son, Charle Ashmore of Canada; daughters Ellen Ashmore of Colorado and Patty Ashmore of Canada; one sister; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he also was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Clyde Rhodefer VFW 1024 Relief Fund at Veteran’s Center, 216 S. Francis St., Port Angeles, WA 98362 or Voices for Veterans, P.O. Box 2810, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
Linde Family Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Carolyn Woods
A service was held for Sequim resident Carolyn Woods, who died May 31, 2008, at the age of 70.
She was born May 12, 1938, in Hotchkiss, Colo., to James and Vivian Hudson Madison.
She married Terry L. Woods on Aug. 9, 1959, in Hotchkiss.
An X-ray technician for Durango Orthopedics Group in Colorado, she retired in 1997.
Mrs. Woods was a member of Faith Baptist Church in
Sequim.
She is survived by her husband, Terry Woods of Sequim; son Brett Woods of Durango, Colo.; daughter and son-in-law Pamela and Mike Williams of Ballard and twin granddaughters.
Sequim Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
