Maud Gilman Krom
November 21, 1933 – November 21, 2021
Maud Gilman Krom passed away at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, Washington on Sunday morning, November 21, 2021, on her 88th birthday,
Maud was born November 21, 1933 in Milwaukee, WI to Charles and Mary (Dackow) Gilman.
She was the third child out of five. (John, Winthrop, Maud, Marcia, Jeffrey). The Gilman family moved to Oconomowoc, WI when Maud was 5 years old, ultimately settling in a large Victorian residence on the shores of Lac La Belle.
Growing up in the idyllic lake area and rural countryside of Wisconsin proved an inspiring setting for Maud to develop her lifelong love of nature and passion for artistic endeavors.
Maud graduated from Milwaukee-Downer Seminary High School in 1950. She subsequently attended the University of Wisconsin for two years and later
graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Psychology.
Maud married James Smith of Milwaukee on September 5, 1953 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. James entered the Navy, during which time he and Maud lived in Guam and Honolulu, where their first child (Scott) was born in 1956.
The couple returned to Wisconsin after Jim’s naval service and settled on a farm in Stone Bank, near Oconomowoc. Maud had two more children, Melissa (1958) and Michael (1959) and Jim ran his father’s pharmacy in Milwaukee.
The family moved to the milder climate of Arizona in 1962. Maud worked closely with an architect on the contemporary design of their new home In Paradise Valley, in the natural desert environment near Phoenix. Maud and Jim divorced in 1972, and Maud remarried later that year to David Krom, a Phoenix attorney.
Maud and David moved to Roads End, in Lincoln City, Oregon in 1978 near daughter Melissa and lived in a custom home she helped design, perched on a green hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean coastline. Maud was inspired by the wild beauty of the Oregon Coast and created unique works of art that reflected her love of the region. Her prolific art projects included wood carving, painting, sketching and textiles. She spent countless hours exploring the beaches, enjoying the dramatic natural beauty and searching the ocean’s offerings for driftwood and agates, which she incorporated into her artwork. Maud loved tending her gardens and feeding the ever-present seagulls and crows, as well as hosting festive dinner parties with other Roads End friends. Maud was also deeply committed to maintaining public beach access to the Roads End beaches and was active in the local planning and zoning commission.
Above all, Maud was dedicated to her children and grandson Cole, whom she enjoyed many visits with in Colorado and Oregon. Maud and David divorced in 2007 and Maud relocated to Sequim, Washington to be near daughter Melissa, who had a successful veterinary practice there.
She is survived by her brother Jeff Gilman (Kris Bareis) of Marco Island, FL, two children, Scott Smith (Karen Green) of Port Townsend, WA and Melissa Smith of Sequim, WA and grandson Cole Greensmith (Tara) of Carbondale, CO and many nieces and nephews.
All who knew and loved Maud will remember her as a person of strong character, sharp wit, and compassion for all living things. She spoke her mind and possessed a free spirit, which is no doubt now ‘…soaring in unbounded freedom…in comfort and in peace’.
Billy Ray Williams
Billy Ray Williams of Sequim died of age-related causes on Dec. 11, 2021 at Olympic Medical Center.
He was 91.
Williams was born Nov. 24, 1930.
No services are planned.
George J. Beier Sr.
October 24, 1935 – December 8, 2021
Dad died on December 8th, 2021, in Sequim, Washington, from a blood infection after a six month battle with lung cancer. He had a successful surgery to remove the cancer infested lung, but never recovered his strength and succumbed quickly to the infection.
Dad was the second youngest of sixteen children born to George Joseph Beier and Catherine Melchior in Topeka, Kansas. All of his siblings predeceased him. George Beier and Catherine Melchior were among the many Germans that immigrated to America from the German Catholic village of Kamenka, which is in the Provence of Saratov, Russia. Dad grew up working on a farm owned by his parents in North Topeka. We grew up hearing his stories of falling asleep amongst the rows of crops, just to get picked up and tossed in the back of the truck as his older siblings headed out of the field after a long day of hard work.
Dad volunteered for the Army at the age of 17 and served during the final years of the Korean War. After his honorable discharge from the Army and with the assistance of the G.I. Bill, Dad enrolled at the University of Kansas. He met our mother, Judith Ann Smith, in Lawrence and they married on January 24, 1959. Our eldest brother Thaddeus, was born a year later. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at KU, Dad and his small family moved to Seattle, Washington, so he could continue his studies in economics. Prior to Dad graduating from the University of Washington with a PhD in Economics, Ruth, Roberta, George, and John were born. In 1966, the (much larger) family moved to the Washington, D.C. area where Dad began a successful career as a World Bank Economist. Dad retired from the World Bank in 1990 after spending his entire career traveling around the world analyzing the potential economic impact of various World Bank projects. Shortly after retiring, Mom and Dad moved to Point Arena, California, where they lived for a few years before settling into their retirement home of Sequim, Washington. In 2003, Mom died after her own six-month-long battle with lung cancer.
A few years later, in 2006, Dad married Kay Carson in Cottonwood, California. They lived there for a couple of years before moving back to Sequim, Washington, which is where Dad spent his remaining years. Dad’s agricultural roots were never left behind. Dad and Kay cleared all of the trees from their one acre yard. They covered the entire yard in over a foot of mulch so that Dad would eventually have viable soil for planting. Walking through his yard last summer was like walking through a disordered botanical garden, the variety and beauty of the plants in his yard was astonishing, even if the placement of such plants seemed random. Dad loved to garden until the very end of his life.
Dad was survived by his wife, Kay Beier; his five children, Thad, Ruth, Roberta, George, and John; his seven grandchildren; and his three great granddaughters. One of the great joys in his final year of life was watching his great granddaughters play during our weekly family video calls. You were our Dad, our Grandpa, and our Great Grandpa. You were Uncle George to many. You will be missed by us all.
George Beier’s children will have a remembrance celebration in his honor on June 25th, 2022, in Platte, City, Missouri. Send emails to robertambeier@gmail.com for details.
J. Clairée Meeks (January 30, 1933 - October 30, 2021)
J. Clairée Meeks
January 30, 1933 – October 30, 2021
Our Mom, Clairée, passed away peacefully, in Sequim, October 30, 2021 at the young age of 88. She was surrounded by her loving family and was thrilled to be joining the love of her life, Tom, in heaven after being separated from him for over 10 years.
She was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada , but considered Vancouver, B.C. her home. For many that knew her, she was quick-witted, spunky, positive, fair, and most of the time straight to the point. Her personality as we all grew accustomed, was completely different from the shy girl she was as a child.
She became adventurous in her early twenties which led her to San Diego and a 52-year marriage to Tom Meeks in 1959. His Navy uniform along with his “charming and debonair” personality (as Pop would say) mesmerized her immediately!
They adopted their three children in Alaska in the 1960’s. Nothing could stop her, even the 1,400-mile-long Al-Can highway (driven multiple times) with 3 kids and pets! Dad made his career as a lineman and they both loved Alaska very much but moved to Sequim in 1972 to be closer to family and medical facilities for the kids. They made many sacrifices for their children which resulted in a long-distance marriage for eighteen years!
Some of the best qualities of Mom’s personality were her sense of humor, love for life, love for learning, and especially her love for her children. She never did anything on a small scale. She tackled everything she did at full throttle, be it a job or hobby. Mom was an avid reader, singer, piano player, music enthusiast, wedding cake designer, gourmet cook, baker, seamstress, quilter, tourist/adventurer, Seahawk fan, and most of all a true Patriot. Her desire to constantly learn was more than inspiring!
Her most impressive quality… Dare Devil! She enjoyed driving fast, riding roller coasters, and skydiving!
She started skydiving at the age of 80. She promised Dad that she wouldn’t do anything risky while he was alive. She jumped and soared tandem 7 times before her stroke in 2018. Luckily her grandson, Connor, and daughter, Darcy, were able to experience that feeling a couple of times that she craved!
Clairée is survived by her son, Jeff Meeks; daughter Michelle Meeks; daughter Darcy Lamb (Steve) and two grandchildren Amber and Connor Lamb along with many nieces and nephews and lifelong friends that she considered and introduced as her “other daughters”. Mom was always warm and welcoming but at the same time spunky and direct! You really knew when you were accepted when she flew the bird in your direction or offered you a good stiff drink! Mom’s “Hi Honey,” laughter, and bright smile will be missed beyond words. Oh, and let us not forget her famous “eh!” She was one special lady!
A Celebration of Life will be announced in the spring during the blooming of the lilac trees. In lieu of flowers… a donation to Greywolf Elementary’s Library would be perfect!
