Phil Hoon

Phil Julian Hoon was a Yakima Valley guy. Born in Buena in 1929 he spent the early years of his life living among family and friends. He pursued fishing, hunting and sometimes working in fruit orchards to earn money. He graduated from Grandview High School in 1947. Phil played trumpet and stand-up bass in the Bill Davison Band at various Yakima Valley venues. He loved music. As a young man Phil worked as a printer at the Hanford Reservation. In 1951 he met and married LaDonna Bjerke. They soon started their family which grew to four children, Teresa, Gary, Guy and Chris over 10 years. In 1950 Phil followed a lifelong friend, Bert Wells to Alaska for a work opportunity and an adventure. Phil and Donna moved their young family to Fairbanks, Alaska where they lived for 10 years. Phil enjoyed employment with Jessen’s Weekly and the Daily News Miner as a photographer and reporter. He and Donna also had a private portrait photography studio. Donna helped with paperwork and hand colored many portraits. Phil freelanced for Black Star, a New York photo and story agency. Through Black Star Phil has credits in Life Magazine and others. His assignments often took him into the villages of northernmost Alaska where he photographed the daily life of Eskimos and other Alaskans in the years 1950-1960. Phil loved Alaska and developed many lasting friendships and a great appreciation for the many colorful people he met and worked with. Life in Alaska was challenging for this young family and Phil soon realized a dream to move back to the Yakima Valley to reconnect with extended family and get warm again. In 1961 Phil began working for the Toppenish Review as editor. He later became employed with the Yakima Herald Republic and concurrently bought a small fruit acreage near Zillah, Washington. It wasn’t long before the demands of the ranch required quitting his day job and he became a full-time fruit rancher for 45 years raising apples, cherries, pears, prunes and apricots. The entire family was involved in orchard work, including planting, thinning, pruning, picking, irrigating, mowing and spraying. In the early years much of the work was done from the bed of a 10-foot flatbed trailer pulled behind a tractor accompanied by the family dogs running alongside. Phil extolled the virtues of farm life, especially as an environment for raising children. He was particularly satisfied when he could provide jobs for local students, friends of his children, other family members and new friends who approached him looking for work. This life allowed him the time and flexibility to pursue hobbies including building and flying model airplanes, working in his photo darkroom, and hunting and fishing in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Phil always claimed one of the highlights of his life were the Hoon Family Reunions, many based at his ranch. Potluck meals, cider pressing, tractor rides and visiting with family and friends punctuated with lots and lots of laughter created memorable events for everyone. Phil recently confided that his only lifelong goal was to be married and have a family. He didn’t travel the world or earn a lot of money. He wasn’t famous or a highly accomplished professional. But he surrounded himself with family including sisters Peggy McGrew(deceased) and Julie McBroom (deceased), Sue Kelly and Sally Baldwin and brother Pat. He was so proud of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved seeing cousins, nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts who traveled or reside in the Yakima Valley. Many friends and neighbors he considered extended and treasured family. Phil accomplished his lifelong goal many times over and died a happy man while living at Emerald Care in Wapato, WA on December 26, 2018. He was 89 years old. An informal gathering of friends and family to remember Phil Hoon will be held at Bonair Winery in Zillah, Washington, on Sunday, June 2, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. All are invited. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Phil Hoon, please visit our flower store.