Obituaries

May 5, 2014

Arthur Sigurd Jonassen, a long time resident of Yakima, passed away Friday, May 2, 2014. He was 83 years old. He was born in Aberdeen, Wa May 4, 1930. Arthur served in the Air Force and was stationed in Guam. He retired from the State of Washington as a probation/parole officer. He belonged to the Sons of Norway in Yakima....

May 5, 2014

Paulino “Tavo” Gutierrez passed away on May 5, 2014 in Sunnyside. He was born to Jose and Rosalia Gutierrez on August 18, 1935 in McAllen Texas. “Tavo” enjoyed spending time with his sister (Santos) and his children barbequing and listening to Tex-Mex music. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and pulling pranks. “Tavo” was surrounded by many friends and family...

May 4, 2014

Thomas J. Deason, 92, of Yakima died Sunday at Crescent Healthcare. Mr. Deason was born in Rushing, Ark., and served in the Navy aboard the USS Cecil. He was a Yakima Valley resident for most of his life. He owned and operated Thomas Deason’s Painting and Taping. Survivors include his wife, Betty Deason of Yakima; a daughter, Karen Schmidt of...

May 4, 2014

Robert F. “Bob” Small, 73, of Yakima, WA went to his rest Sunday, May 4, 2014 after an extended illness. His family would like to express their appreciation to the staff of Yakima Memorial Hospital. Bob was born in Sheridan, Wyoming to Robert A. and Katherine Small on March 7, 1941. Bob grew up on a 6,000 acre cattle ranch...

May 2, 2014

Kevin Patrick Sammler aka “Animal” of Oakland, California rode into the wind Friday, May 2, 2014. Kevin was born April 13, 1956 and was the son of Frederick Elmer Sammler and Alice Lois Murphy Sammler. He is survived by his sister Joan Lee Stall and two children, Jacob Q Sammler and Lauren Lancial, as well as his grandchildren Carson Blake...

May 1, 2014

SEATTLE - Our loving son, brother, uncle and friend passed away May 1, 2014 at NorthWest Hospital in Seattle from a massive heart attack and blood clot in the lung. He is now with his maker. He was born June 9, 1970 in Yakima, Washington to parents Dale and Carla Smith Sr. He grew up in the Gleed area, and...

Apr 30, 2014

Guadalupe Trevino Ortiz passed away at the age of 86 years old. Guadalupe was born in Donna, Texas on November 21, 1927. She was born to Julio Trevino and Paula Martinez. Our loving mother was called to Heaven on April 30, 2014. Guadalupe migrated with her husband Fernando and children from Texas to Washington. They settled in the Satus area...

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...