Obituaries — July 6, 2022

Mary Louise Andrew

Mary Louise Andrew of Sequim died in October 2021. She was 94.

A memorial mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, July 9, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 121 E Maple St. A reception follows.

Andrew was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, William G. Andrew, and her son, William B. Andrew (Rebecca). Mary’s daughters know she is at peace in heaven: Donna (Jon) Harrison, Linda (Don) Steinberger, and Deborah (Ken) See, and 33 grand-, great-grand- and great-great-grandchildren, and several loving nieces and nephews.

Inurement follows at Ocean View Cemetery.

Phyllis Louise Meyer

Phyllis Louise Meyer of Sequim died of natural causes on June 18, 2022.

She was 71.

Meyer was born June 2, 1951.

David Lee Robbins

David Lee Robbins of Sequim died of age-related causes at Olympic Medical Center on June 24, 2022.

He was 84.

Robbins was born Feb. 21, 1938.

A gathering of friends and family is being planned and will be held at the family home at a later date, to be announced in an obituary in the Peninsula Daily News.

Sign an online guestbook for the family at drennanford.com.

Kelly Rene Rutt

Kelly Rene Rutt of Sequim died of ovarian cancer on June 26, 2022, at Sherwood Assisted Living.

She was 45.

Rutt was born Oct. 27, 1976.

A celebration of life was held July 2.

Sign an online guestbook for the family at drennanford.com.

Bonnie Collins

Bonnie Collins of Meridian, ID, died on June 25, 2022 at a local care facility.

Collins was 85.

Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian, ID.

John Stange

May 25, 1943 August 31, 2021

John was born May 25, 1943, in San Mateo, California, a third generation Californian. He graduated from California State University at Northridge with a major in history and a general secondary teaching credential allowing him to teach most subjects asked of him, which he did during his thirty-eight years of teaching at Bishop Union High School, Bishop, California. He loved what his chosen career brought him — many generations of students to interact with and valued colleagues with whom he shared the love of teaching.

John was a voracious reader whose interests were varied; Civil and Revolutionary War histories, mountain climbing, photography, and mineral and rock collecting were just a few entries in an extensive library. He liked to hike in the Sierra and San Jacinto mountains, fishing wherever possible, and taking pictures of the beauty he saw around him. His love of photography had him collecting cameras and working during the summer months over many years at the Camera House in Bishop. This brought him into contact with people from around the world, some of whom became life-long friends. He served on the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association and the Eastern Sierra Community Service boards.

He enjoyed his life and all it brought him, very much including retirement to a beautiful part of Washington State, Sequim, that he and family had visited over the years. He was a substitute teacher for a few years at Sequim High School and became active with COAST, beach monitoring, and hiking groups. During part of his fifteen years in Sequim, he and wife Gail had a winter home in Palm Desert, California, where he weekly participated in educational hikes as part of Friends of the Desert and was a member of The Living Desert.

Devoted to family, John was kind, easy to get along with, quick of smile and joke, and very patient, the best of attributes. After moving back to Bishop and family members, he passed away on 31 August 2021 after a lengthy illness, leaving behind his wife of fifty-five years, Gail, son Brian (Amy), grandchildren William and Brianna, brother Fred (Denny), and numerous nephews. He would want to extend his thank you to all who entered his life to make it meaningful, happy, and a great experience — a life worth living.

Desmond Ralph Sievers

July 10, 1947

June 8, 2022

Desmond Ralph Sievers of Washougal, WA formally of Port Angeles and Sequim, WA passed away on June 8th, 2022 at the age of 74 at a memory care facility in Port Orchard, WA.

He was born July 10th, 1947 in Vancouver Washington to Ralph Dudley Sievers and Marjorie Dora (Watt) Sievers. He attended schools in Camas, WA, St. Helens, OR as well as St. Francisville, LA. He graduated from Port Angeles High School, class of 1965 and Peninsula College in 1967.

He held a variety of jobs in the grocery industry but the majority of his working years were in sales. Locally he worked at Toggery, Town and Country, Sequim Home Furnishings and Jim’s Appliance.

On November 25th, 1967 he married Nancy Hulse. They divorced in 1989. He was later married and divorced from Diane Varner.

He was a strong supporter of the Sequim community. Des was very involved with the Sequim Irrigation Festival; designing and building the float for many years. He also served on the Sequim City Council as well as designed a brochure for the Peninsula College fisheries program.

He enjoyed camping, playing cribbage, attending class reunions for every school he attended, gardening and walks on the beach.

He served in many capacities with the Sequim Jaycees. He was awarded a Senatorship with Jaycees International and served as President of the Washington State Jaycees Senate.

He is survived by his Son Jeff (Diane) Sievers of Port Orchard, WA, Daughter Cari Gehring of Lakewood, WA, Sister Beverly (Robert) Reed, his Grandchildren – Megan and Ashley Bivins both of Tacoma WA, Justin Sievers of Port Orchard, WA, and Great Grandchildren Jayden and Aubrey Bivins of Tacoma, WA. Also surviving are Nephews Jon Barnes of Hacienda Heights, CA, Steve Ells of Kent, WA, Clifford Ells Jr. of Tacoma, WA and Niece Marjorie Brim of Washougal, WA.

He was preceded in death by his Parents Ralph and Marjorie Sievers and his Sister Marjorie Dawn Ells.

There will be a Celebration of Life for family and close friends on July 10th, 2022.

MedCure of Portland, OR is in charge of arrangements. His body was donated for Alzheimer’s research. Memorial contributions can be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org).

Elena Karr

March 10, 1943

June 14, 2022

Elena (Herbst) Serrano Karr of Sequim, Washington, died on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. She was born on March 10, 1943, in Panama City, Panama, to Raymond Herbst (originally of Pennsylvania) and Aurora Serrano Herbst of Corinto, Nicaragua. As a girl, she and her two sisters moved from Corinto to Baltimore, Maryland, to live with their aunt after the deaths of their parents. Elena later moved to California to finish high school and begin college. She then married Jim Pompon and gave birth to her son, Raymond Pompon. Elena and her family joined the Peace Corps and lived in (Western) Samoa in 1972–74, moving to Hawaii afterward. Elena completed a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and Master of Social Work at the University of Hawaii and worked as a social worker for the prison system on Oahu, where she was quickly promoted to lead social worker. This position was the first of several where Elena helped families facing challenges.

In 1984, Elena traveled to Costa Rica to attend language school, where she met biologist and university professor Jim Karr. The two married a few months later and lived in Panama where Elena worked for several years for the U.S. Army helping military families in crisis. When she and Jim relocated to Virginia in 1988, Elena was hired by New River Valley Community Services Board in Montgomery County. Among other roles, she was instrumental in adapting the Kids on the Block program and leading volunteers to promote diversity and inclusion in local communities. After another move, to Seattle, Washington, in 1991, Elena became a social worker for the King County family court system. Continuing her lifelong commitment to helping families in crisis, she was much sought after as a family advocate within the court system. After they both retired, Elena and Jim moved to Sequim, Washington, in 2006.

In addition to her career as a social worker, Elena loved movies, musicals and theater, gardening, cooking, and travel; she was also an expert seamstress. Elena and Jim traveled extensively both before and during their retirement. She was devoted to Mas Mariposas, an organization in Nicaragua that supports both local families and animals. In Sequim, Elena was a long-time volunteer with Olympic Theatre Arts, where she worked in costume design and many other roles. She also volunteered as a tutor for elementary school students and was active in a community garden and exercise programs at the present YMCA.

Elena is survived by her husband, Jim; her son, Ray and wife Rebecca; stepdaughter Beth and her husband John; stepson Eric and his wife Michelle; and beloved grandchildren—August, Theo, Erin, Ali, Nathaniel, and Michael.

In remembrance of Elena’s life, donations may be made to Olympic Theatre Arts (https://www.olympictheatrearts.org/donate) or Olympic Peninsula Boys & Girls Club (https://www.bgc-op.org/donate).

George Edward Antoline

February 9, 1954

November 30, 2021

George Edward Antoline was born on February 9, 1954, in Monaca, Pennsylvania as the youngest in the family of four siblings including Susanna, Patricia, Carol and Richard. A real brother to everyone, he was always busy, always funny, and always rebuilding something. At the age of 16, George drove cross-country with his sister in a 1969 Pontiac GTO, relocating to northern California. Where he attended Lemoore High School and then West Hills College where he received an Associate in Science degree in 1974.

Like so many he loved fishing, camping, shooting and especially his dogs. However, his true passion was hot rods. The first time he saw his Uncle Jimmy’s 1954 Ford pickup he was hooked. Which led to a lifetime of owning automotive repair shops, hand fabricating hundreds of hot rods, attending swap meets and participating in countless car shows. George lived for Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats attending 38 years straight. Often building a custom hot rod each year to make the annual pilgrimage to the iconic land speed racing venue. Always one to embrace the moment with a hearty laugh, often saying live well, love a lot and party always.

So, we invite everyone to come raise a glass to our good friend George Antoline on Friday July 8 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the banquet room at Traylor’s Restaurant located at 3256 East Highway 101 in Port Angeles, WA. This celebration is a lighthearted gathering with a spin-to-win wheel, legendary stories, hot rod pictures, t-shirt giveaways, along with appetizers and beverages. So please stop by on your way to the Ruddell’s 25th Annual Cruise-In Car Show, where several of George’s hot rods will be on display.

Treva Jeanne Wells

April 1934

June 2022

Sadly, on June 9th, 2022 our area lost a beloved woman. Treva Jeanne Wells, 88, aka Jeanne Wells, passed away peacefully at 11:50am at her home in Port Angeles with loving family and friends by her side. She had battled COPD and cancer for many years. The last 10 months of her life she was under Hospice care.

Jeanne was born in Dallas, Texas, April 1934 to Treva Inez Witherspoon and James Preston Witherspoon. She had a wonderful loving childhood even during the depression as the 2nd of 4 girls. She would always say she didn’t know they were poor because she was so loved in her family. She married Harold Byron Wells in 1954 in Texas and had 2 children, Pam and Larry. The family moved up to Washington in 1964 to Mercer Island for a few years, back down to Texas briefly and back up to Washington to settle in Issaquah until 1985 where they settled in Sequim.

One of the jobs Jeanne held was for Paramount Studios when she was just 18. She was unimpressed by the many stars she encountered. One fun memory is that she got to model Elizabeth Taylors iconic black gown worn in “A Place In The Sun” because no one else was small enough! She told everyone it was well padded, and she had an hourglass figure in it!

She went on to work for First National Bank for the president, Mr. Wooten. She was there for many years until she got pregnant with Pam. After Pam was born, she worked in downtown Dallas. It was there she was able to see President Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy drive by and turned the corner just before he was assassinated. Time went on, she raised her family then went to work for Steve Reynolds in his appraisal office in Kirkland, Washington. It was there that she went through school to become the first woman appraiser in Washington. After moving to Sequim, she partnered with Larry Kramer for many years to open their own appraisal company, and eventually opening Wells Appraisals which she passed to her son Larry when she retired. She would often speak of the houses she had appraised when driving around in the area and the challenge to follow paper maps in a rural area like Neah Bay when she was doing an appraisal. She came out of retirement in 2004 after the death of her husband Hal where they lived for 3 years in La Paz, Mexico. At that time, she moved to be closer to her sisters and nieces and nephews and worked her favorite job as a Senior Review Appraiser for WM Mortgage. She loved the travel and people that went along with the job. When her first great grandchild, Laci, was born, she moved back to Washington where she worked briefly in the office for Caregivers and Olympic Stationery before finally retiring.

Being idle was not for Jeanne, after retiring she threw herself into teaching Sunday School at New Life Open Bible, where she taught for over 10 years. She loved the Lord Christ with all her heart and wanted nothing more than to teach the young ones and pass on what she had learned. She was a researcher and would research to find answers to any of their questions. She was loved by her students as well. Her students still would keep in contact with her years later after they graduated from high school and college. She loved watching their progress.

In addition to teaching Sunday School, she loved to cook her whole adult life and would spoil those she loved with her baked goods. People say she is smiling in Heaven doing what she loved the most, cooking in her bakery for Jesus now.

She is survived by her daughter Pam Fries, grandchildren, Chris Fries, David Fries and Kelsy (Wells) Berg, and 7 great-grandchildren, Laci 14, Natalie 10, Tanner 9, Avery 7, Aria 4, Zeke 3, and Peyton 4 months. She was preceded in death by her husband Hal, son Larry and son-in-law Phil, and her youngest sister Linda.

There will be a Celebration of Life, July 23 at New Life Open Bible, 402 East 6th Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362 at 2 o’clock.

The family would like to thank Assured Hospice for their support and care in her last year, particularly her nurses and aids Angela, Cynthia, Missy, Ashley and Tracy.