J. Clairee Meeks
January 30, 1933 – October 30, 2021
You are invited to attend the memorial for Clairee Meeks on April 30th at noon. The service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church followed by a Celebration of A Life Worth Celebrating at the Sequim Elk’s Club at 1pm. Plan on wearing your favorite vacation attire. Clairee was a world traveler and would have loved seeing you all!
Dorothy Alice McCoy
September 26, 1947 – March 11, 2022
Beloved wife, mother, sister, auntie and grandma. Dorothy passed away from natural causes surrounded by family, March 11, 2022. Born in an apple orchard in Omak, WA to Donald and Alice Stevens.
She was the middle of nine siblings. In the early 50s, her father Don was a powder man and a rock driller. His work took them to Skykomish, Bothell, and Dry Creek, WA. The Stevens family settled in Bear Creek, WA in 1958. Dorothy adored her siblings and spoke of their many adventures. The antics of her daring and tough brothers, and the closeness and friendships of her sisters.
Dorothy graduated from Forks high school, then married her lifelong love Floyd Mccoy on June 19, 1965. They made their home in Tyee, where they remained for the rest of their lives together. They had two girls, Alissa and Kelsie. Additionally, Dorothy loved having her many nephews and nieces for extended periods of time. Dorothy worked in road construction as a flagger and laborer for a few years, and enjoyed her time at Coast to Coast Hardware.
An avid reader with a fondness for history, she loved to travel. She had many incredible experiences visiting America’s landmarks and admiring its beauty, she spoke highly of the Smithsonian. Dorothy was enamored with her travels to Costa Rica and Italy among many other places. Dorothy and Floyd spent many years with family and friends boating and water skiing. They enjoyed hunting and hiking. They were in a pinochle club together and enjoyed each other‘s company.
Dorothy never missed a chance to beat Floyd or anyone else at a card game. She loved taking the girls and their cousins camping. She was often seen gardening and landscaping.
She enjoyed cooking healthy, and then making sweet treats for her grandchildren. Dorothy treasured volunteering at the Forks food bank, having “lunch with the ladies” at Pacific pizza, and her days spent taking Pearle to shop with the dual purpose of visiting everyone in Outfitters.
Dorothy was strong and steadfast, with a loving and kind nature.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Jim and her sister-in-law Judy. Survived by her husband Floyd, children Alissa and Kelsie.
Her brothers Vern (Edie), Jack, Don (Marit), Tony, brother-in-law Gordon (Carole). Her sisters Jean, Judy, Diana, Susan (Johnny) sisters-in-law Wendy, Janet, Becky(Herman).
Her grandchildren Mitchell (Samantha), Ashlynn, Tyler, Reece, Elliahna, Dalton, Kaden and Wyatt. Great grandchildren Hudson, Harper and Aaliyah. Her nieces and nephews, that she adored.
You are cherished and missed Mama, Grandma, Auntie Dot and most of all – Floyd’s honey.
No service, at her request.
Denis Body
May 22, 1938
November 23, 2021
Denis died after being struck by a vehicle while out for an evening walk in his rural neighborhood. May all involved in this tragedy and all who knew Denis find peace in their hearts, joy in living and acceptance in not knowing.
Denis was a 12-year-old, boy scout, his entire life, filled with wonder, awe and curiosity. He was adventurous, playful and willing to be silly. He delighted in learning new information and thoroughly researched whatever tickled his fancy.
He had the intuitive ability to understand how mechanical things worked and could visualize them in 3D. Born in Highland Park, Michigan with club feet, he started life wearing leg braces made by his father.
At age 7, while Denis had cat scratch fever, his older brother died suddenly, shortly before his younger brother was born. Summer vacations included visits to his grandparent’s farm in Iowa and playing in the hay loft with his brother & cousins.
As a teenager, Denis delivered newspapers in his “Midget”, a hand built car made by his father from a Ford fender, with a Briggs & Stratton engine out of a lawn mower. Denis’ family moved to Whittier CA when he was a junior in high school, where he ran track. He drove his 1952 MG TD through the winding hills to Mt SAC community college.
Denis received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of California, Berkley and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Cincinnati. He went to work for the US Public Health Service as a mechanical engineer, eventually becoming part of the air pollution group which transferred to the EPA when it was first established.
Highlights of his career were; design & construction of a chamber to measure radon in people’s breath, building a plant growth chamber to assess the impact of air pollution in the field and his final assignment supervising building a new EPA marine research lab at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, OR.
Denis married his best friend, Kath and they became life partners. They shared adventures, dreams and learning as well as the work and difficulties. Always encouraging each other to be the best they could be. Their early life together included multi day whitewater river trips on the Rogue River in OR, Salmon & Selway Rivers in Idaho and 3-week trips down the Grand Canyon. They were exercise buddies and learned about the best foods for a healthy human body.
When they put their two households together, part of what Denis contributed were copies of ‘Diet for a Small Planet’ and ‘Laurel’s Kitchen A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition’. Also a membership in a Food Coop 50 miles away and his hand cranked grinder to make his own hot cereal recipe fondly called “gruel” by friends.
Denis made his own choices based on personal values, experiences, beliefs and science, often outside of popular or normal. He believed his health and wellness was his responsibility and worked on this his entire life. At age 49, Denis was diagnosed with a brain tumor that turned out to be a stroke.
He dealt with the 80% carotid artery blockage without surgery, using ‘Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease’ without drugs or surgery, a peer reviewed scientific study. Gradually, the blockage decreased to 0-15%. Over 30 years later, Dr Ornish’s program is now covered by Medicare, once you’ve had a heart attack! At 83 Denis was proud of needing no prescription drugs and having a total cholesterol of 150 and LDL of 70. Both of his parents died of heart disease.
After Denis retired he & Kath designed an energy efficient home on property in Blyn, WA that Denis had purchased in the 1970’s. Many vacations were spent in a nylon tent camping on the property before moving there full time in 1993.
Sailing become a lifelong passion after Denis took a PE class in college. After moving to Blyn, he and Kath bought a Tartan 37. They spent 22 years gunkholing, mostly along the BC coast, for 3-4 months each summer. A few years before selling “Thin Ice”, a Sprinter van was converted in a similar fashion to Denis’ old VW camper. Road trips became more like cruising. Wandering with a general direction in mind, no reservations, an openness to discovery and changing plans based on what was discovered along the way and the weather.
Denis built the shop of his dreams where he was a master at the disappearing art of fixing a broken item. Researching options, thoughtfully considering the use, then grabbing his teddy bear (shop safety supervisor) and heading out to his “body shop” to begin repairs. He often fixed it to work “better than new” and what couldn’t be fixed was saved for parts.
Denis was good at living his dreams. He enjoyed overnight cross country ski trips, building igloos, exploring on his Honda trail 90, loading his own ammo for target shooting, running whitewater rivers in open canoe, kayak and oared rafts, day hikes, backpacking, rowing his shell on Sequim Bay, flint & steel fire starting, casual bike rides, time trial cycling and peddling and grinning on his Scorpion trike.
He enjoyed every opportunity to talk with his neighbors, friends and people he didn’t know. Giving people his full attention even when he had other things to do. He initiated and was block captain for MYN, squad leader for CERT and a longtime volunteer with Peninsula Trails Coalition. A few years he volunteered with SPCUG tech shop and did several work parties for the New Dungeness Light House.
Denis was an active participant and eager learner in the Greater Diamond Point Net. He truly enjoyed learning more about ham radios at the Fire Station.
Denis last act of thoughtfulness was his requested funeral at Recompose, which offers Natural Oxygen Reduction, an accelerated human composting. A ceremony and celebration was held virtually Dec 22, 2021. His soil was transported to Bells Mt, a protected natural wilderness near Battle Ground, WA. managed by Remember Land, to be used in ecological restoration.
The times we shared together, things Denis made or fixed, his ideas and thoughts remain with us. Denis’ essence, his spirit, his energy, continues to be available to those of us open to it.
You can honor Denis by being kind to everyone and everything. Listen with curiosity. Learn new ideas and perspectives. Put the effort into creating something different and leave everyplace better than you find it.
Richard Lee Fleck
November 7, 1940 – January 20, 2022
Richard Lee Fleck was born in Ketchikan, AK to parents, Elmer and Gloria Fleck. From an early age, Richard loved sports. He played all through elementary school and supported in any way he could from coaching, to managing, to umpiring. He was inducted into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, honoring his coaching legacy.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and was a proud citizen of the United States. He was a proud life-long Republican and was involved both at the local level and the state level.
Richard was also a heavily involved member of the Kiwanis Club for 50 years in all of the places he had lived and became the Lt Governor of the State of Washington. Along with working at Boeing for 35 years, he was a pastor of several churches. He spent his life studying the Bible and loved to share his testimony with everyone.
He was married to Donna Fleck from the year 1973 to 2000 and later married Janice Teeter in June of 2020. He loved his family and encouraged and supported his sons in anything they participated in. Whether it be sports, plays, presentations, or award ceremonies, he almost never missed an event.
He is survived by his wife, Janice Fleck (Teeter); sons, Michael (Christa Jack) Fleck, and Derrick (Danielle) Fleck; and grandchildren, Lilly, Judah, Elijah, and Zoe.
He is predeceased by his mother, Gloria; father, Elmer; and sister, Karen.
His passion and drive in life is admired and will continue to inspire his friends and family.
A celebration of life will be held May 7th, 2022 at 10am at the Fairview Bible Church – 385 O Brien Rd, Port Angeles. A potluck at the church will follow the service.
