Obituaries

Apr 27, 2014

Yvonne I. Lee, 78, of Yakima died Sunday at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center. Mrs. Lee was born in West Branch, Mich., and lived in the Yakima Valley for many years. She was a home health aide. Survivors include a son, Eugene Lee of Port Orchard. At her request, there will be no services. Arrangements are by Valley Hills...

Apr 26, 2014

Myra Faye Mortensen Earl was born on January 10, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois. She passed peacefully, surrounded by her family, in her own home after a battle with cancer on April 26, 2014. She is survived by her husband, Robert and their three sons Wayne, John and Steven; their daughter-in-laws Judy, Taressa and Annie; and 12 grandchildren whom she loved...

Apr 25, 2014

Marilyn Letson, 67, of Selah died Friday in Yakima. Mrs. Letson was born in Independence, Iowa. She worked as a waitress. Survivors include three daughters, Tracy Reynolds of Kentucky, DeEtte Wood of Selah and Jackie Greer of Berlin, Wis.; her mother, Vera Bentley of Seattle; a brother, Larry Bentley of Seattle; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be at...

Apr 24, 2014

Mark Joseph Byrd passed away April 24, 2014 in Yakima, Washington. Mark was born March 2, 1957 in Martin City, Montana, moved with his family to Spokane, Washington in 1964 and then to Colfax, Washington several years later. He was the sixth child of a family of thirteen children born to Jody Byrd-Liotta. Mark was raised on the family farm...

Apr 23, 2014

Donald Orville Gragert, 80, of Yakima died Wednesday at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Mr. Gragert was born in Hastings, Neb., and served in the Air Force and Army. He had lived in Yakima for the past year. Before that he lived in Vancouver, Wash., where he worked as a meat packer/butcher for Armour Meats for 27 years. Survivors include his...

Apr 23, 2014

Gloria Benitez, 42, of Yakima died Wednesday at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Ms. Benitez was born in Coahuayutla, Mexico. She was a cashier and sold money orders and money transfers. Home viewing will be today through Monday. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Church. Arrangements are by Valley Hills Funeral Home of Yakima.

Apr 22, 2014

Mary Ann Carstens passed away April 22, 2014 at the age of 94. She was born December 11, 1919 in Omaha, Nebraska to Theresa and Joseph Pribyl and was the firstborn of seven siblings. During World War II she worked in Washington D.C. for the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department under Lend Lease. On August 28, 1943 she married...

Apr 21, 2014

Apr 19, 2014

Verland Elmer “Bill” Bishop, 94, passed away April 19th, in Sunnyside Hospital. Bill was born in Clark, South Dakota in 1920 and lived the majority of his life in the Yakima Valley and the Columbia Basin in Washington State. He was the 3rd born of 5 children in his family and is survived by his youngest sister Pauline Brownlee of...

Apr 19, 2014

Robb Andrew Davis, 48, of Yakima died Saturday at Cottage in the Meadow. Mr. Davis was born in Davison County, S.D. He worked as a mechanic and electrical journeyman for many years in Republic and Ephrata. Survivors include a daughter, Melissa Davis of Ocean Shores. Celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are by Valley Hills...

Apr 19, 2014

Roger G. Overbeck, 74, of Yakima died Saturday at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center. Mr. Overbeck was born in Seattle. He owned and operated Globe Tire Distributing for over 50 years. He was also a mounted sheriff for the King County Sheriff’s Department for 20 years. He served in the Air Force and lived in Seattle for 44 years,...

Apr 18, 2014

Joe Alfonso Bueno, 64, of Zillah died Friday. Mr. Bueno was born in Montana. He lived in Toppenish for many years and worked in food processing. Survivors include a daughter, Stella Bueno-Shephard of Tenino; and two sons, Alphonso Bueno and Jeremiah Bueno, both of California. Funeral services are pending. Arrangements are by Valley Hills Funeral Home, Zillah.

Apr 18, 2014

Wendell Scott “Scotty” Jennings, 53, was born on April 20, 1960 in Fort Lewis, Washington and passed away on April 18, 2014 in Yakima, Washington. He is survived by his mother, Cordelia Jennings, sister Julie (Jennings) Wood (Don), nieces Carley and Morgan Wood and nephew Kenny Wood, uncles Cliff (Doris) and Bob (Mary) Hagemeier and Auntie “Toots” (Tom) Wheeler, and...

Apr 17, 2014

Thelma Louise Case, 91, of Yakima died Thursday at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Case was born in Caldwell, Idaho. She was a homemaker. Survivors include her husband, Gerald Case of Yakima; two sons, Gerald Case Jr. of Sautee, Ga., and Gaylord Case of Yakima; a daughter, Patricia Vixie of Yakima; 15 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. A service will be...

Apr 17, 2014

Apr 17, 2014

Roger Brown, 65, of Zillah died Thursday in Toppenish. Mr. Brown was disabled. Survivors include his mother, Juanita Brown of Zillah. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Zillah Cemetery. Arrangements are by Valley Hills Funeral, Zillah.

Apr 16, 2014

Martin S. Schmidt, 84, of Yakima passed away suddenly, April 16th 2014 at home surrounded by his wife and three children. Martin suffered from a short term illness. Martin was born August 26th 1929 in Roscoe, South Dakota to Stanis and Katherine (Heintz-man) Schmidt. He worked on a family farm until joining the Army where he met and married Vera...

Apr 14, 2014

Ted J. Filer, 78, was born June 26, 1935 and passed away at home on April 14, 2014 after a determined battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife, Fran Filer, their two children Tim (& Angie) Filer and Jeanne (& Steve) Lunde, and six grandchildren: Nick, Matt, Joe, and John Filer and Kristen and Allen Lunde; Sisters Nadine...

Apr 14, 2014

Herman F. Menke, 94, of Yakima died Monday at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Mr. Menke was born in Reno, Nev. He was an entomologist and raised certified alfalfa seed in the West Wapato area. Survivors include five sons, Anthony Menke of Yakima, Errol Menke of Tampa, Fla., Darwin Menke of Paris, Douglas Menke of Beaverton, Ore., and Clifford Menke of...

Apr 13, 2014

Raymond Eugene Roderick, 76 passed away on April 13th, 2014, at Colonial House in Kennewick, WA. Born in Sunnyside WA to Harold and Doris Roderick, he was the oldest of five children. Raymond graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1956 and was a member of the First Brethren Church. As a young man he worked for the Valley Irrigation District...