Stanwood Camano News

It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend, Josh King. He passed away with family at his side. Josh was the older son of Jerry and Rose King, and he grew up on Camano Island with his parents and younger brother Jason. He attended Stanwood schools where he developed many strong and enduring friendships. As a youth, Josh loved sports. He started playing soccer at a young age and competed for both his school and on select club teams. He ran cross-country for Stanwood High School and competed in the state finals. He enjoyed active sports: hiking, biking, snowboarding. His love for soccer continued as an adult, and he was...

John passed away at Skagit Regional Health on Saturday, 01/14/23. John was born to Knute and Gertrude (Rise) Mjoen, both Norwegian immigrants, in The Stanwood Hospital on 12/2/39. Graduated in 1958 from Twin City High School, he participated in sports, band, and FFA. He was a life long resident of Stanwood. He was raised in the Cedarhome area. John was an active participant in serving the Stanwood Community for many years. He was a volunteer fireman for 36 years. He received his "EMT IV-Airway Technician certification through Washington State. He received this certification through one of the first classes sponsored through Skagit Valley Hospital taught by Dr. Ron Richeson. He was a...

Rosalie Lawrence passed way on January 9, 2023 In Everett, WA. If there are any known family members to Rosalie, please contact Gilbertson Funeral Home at (360) 629-2101.

Geraldine (Geri) Marie (Schroeder) Marchand was born in Tacoma, WA to Max and Josephine Schroeder on September 22, 1931. The youngest of 7 children, Geri enjoyed a loving childhood with 5 sisters and 1 brother. The siblings attended St. Leo's Catholic school and resided in the Tacoma area for the entirety of Geri's youth. Her siblings remained a firm foundation of love and support for the duration of her life. Geri married the love of her life, George Marchand, on April 26, 1952. George had just joined the Navy and his first post was in Honolulu, HI. While the couple were on the islands, Geri gave birth to their first two children - a daughter, Ellen Marie and a son, Paul Joseph. Upon...

Thomas E. Shaughnessy, of Camano Island, was born in April 1933 in Tacoma, WA, to Zetta and John Shaughnessy. He passed away on December 30th surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Colletta, and his brother, John. Tom is survived by his five children: Tom (Jana), Pat, Pam (Mike), Dean and Gene (Jana), along with twelve grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Tom began his law enforcement career in Puyallup, and shortly thereafter the family moved to Camano, where they lived for many years. Upon retiring from the Washington State Patrol after 30 years, Tom was Assistant Director of Security in the Washington State Senate, where he oversaw the safety of state...

Gary Kenneth Bunney, 80, a long-time resident of Mt. Vernon, passed away on Friday, December 23rd, 2022. He was born in Seattle on January 22, 1942 to Robert and Mildred Bunney. He graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1960, and soon entered the Air Force and served in Vietnam during the war. Upon his return, he worked at Lockheed in Seattle, and in 1965 he met and married the love of his life, Jan. Gary often said that the 57 years of marriage with Jan were the best years of his life. Gary was well-known to the community as he spent 8 years at Blade Chevrolet and over 20 years at Barnett Implement as a salesman. Gary was a fan of the outdoors and some of his happiest times were when, on...

Melvin Lee Beauchamp, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, passed away Thursday, December 22, 2022, from complications of advanced Parkinson's disease. Mel, son of Clifford and Blanche Beauchamp, was born on September 25, 1933 on the family farm in Belleville, Kansas. He and younger brother Raymond, attended school in a one room schoolhouse, which had been built by their grandfather. During WWII, the family moved first to Tacoma before settling in Kennewick, where he was a Kennewick High School graduate, Class of 1951. During high school he played varsity baseball, was renown for his custom cars and played in a popular local band with his brother Raymond...

Genevieve Vivian Johnson, loving mother of Philip Ripley and beloved daughter of Ruth and Rob Johnson, passed away on December 16, 2022 after a two-year battle with cancer. She was born April 5, 1982 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle and grew up in Mount Vernon. She attended Centennial Elementary, LaVenture Middle School, Mount Vernon High School, and graduated from Independence High School in 2001. Genevieve worked several jobs in Seattle over the years, including Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. In 2011 she married Philip Ripley. Later that year they welcomed their son, Philip Carl Ripley, to the world and lived in Everett, WA. In 2014, when the marriage ended, Genevieve and her son...

Colleen Faye Tilley, 86, died December 4, 2022, at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington. She was born Colleen Faye Howes on January 9, 1936, in Ogden, Utah to Vera (Ross) Howes and Kenneth Victor Howes. She had an older brother, Ross, an older sister, Dona, a younger brother, Thomas, and a younger sister, Patricia. Colleen was born during the Great Depression to loving parents, an immigrant father from England and a second-generation Utah mother. As the country went from the paucity of the Depression to the restrictions of WWII, she quickly learned self-sufficiency and the rewards of hard work by taking care of the garden and the chickens and by helping her mom with...

Gary E. Anderson, age 80, passed away on November 30, 2022 on Camano Island, Washington. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, February 5, 1942, and raised in Butte, Montana, where much of his memories of childhood lived. Gary moved to Western Washington as a young man and enjoyed sailing, scuba diving, motor sports, skiing and camping in the Cascades. He graduated college from the University of Washington, and later opened his own business in Mount Vernon with his brother, Anderson Appliance, where he worked for 32 years. In 1986, Gary married his wife, partner and best friend, Terry, in Reno, Nevada. Gary is survived by his wife of 37 year; his brother Eric and his wife Laura; son Brett...

James Oliver Swanson, Lt. Col. USAF (ret), of Camano Island, Washington, passed away peacefully at Skagit Valley Hospital with family by his side on November 27th at age 89. Born in Seattle to Oliver and Daisy Swanson, Jim joined the Navy Reserve at age 17, graduated from Ballard High School, attended the University of Washington and was accepted into the US Air Force's Officer's Candidate School where he was commissioned as an Officer on completion of Cadet Flight Training in Laredo, Texas in 1955. Upon his commissioning he married the love of his life, LaWanna Fern Doty of Yakima, Washington and was stationed to Ramstein, Germany. He served as a frontline jet fighter pilot through the...

Kathleen Mary Nelson was born to Elizabeth and Gunard Nelson, July 19th, 1961. She went to her Heavenly Home on November 26th, 2022 after a long, bravely-fought battle with cancer. She was 61 years old. Kathleen grew up on the family farm on Camano Island and attended school in Stanwood, graduating in 1979. She was a keen Track competitor and for several years held the school record for running the mile. She attended Seattle Pacific University for one year, then was encouraged by her peers to try out for fashion-modeling. She enjoyed some success in this, traveling from Europe to the Far East. After this adventure, she attended Virginia Intermont College to pursue her life-long interest...

Nathan Precup tragically died in a small airplane accident on November 18th, 2022 in Snohomish Co. doing what he loved - working on a flight test airplane. Born in Seattle on June 10th, 1989, Nathan spent his formative years living in Sammamish, Washington. He earned a BSAA in 2011 and MSAA in 2018, both from the University of Washington. While earning his graduate degree, Nathan was employed by the University of Washington Kirsten Wind Tunnel as the operations manager. He later joined Quicksilver Aerospace company as an instrumentation engineer. He loved the diversity of work, as well as the closeness of his loving work family at Quicksilver. In the winter of 2018, he left Quicksilver to...

Stanton C. Rice, 75, of Camano Island, Wa. passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, October 30, 2022, surrounded by family. Stan is survived by his wife of 43 years, Illa Rae, his children Cindi, Rob, and Kris along with 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Stan is also survived by his brothers Jim and Steve and their wives. He also leaves behind many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Harlan (1997) and Virginia (1991), as well as grandsons A.J. (1995) and Levi (2016). Please join us in a celebration of life memorial service on Monday January 16th at 2PM at Gilbertson Funeral Home 27001 88th ave NW, Stanwood, WA. In lieu of flowers,...

June Jorgenson, 88, of Stanwood, WA peacefully passed away on Tuesday October 25, 2022. June was born on June 22, 1934 in rural Nobels County Minnesota, the sixth of nine children. She grew up near St. Hilare, MN and attended high school at Thief River Falls, MN. June married Raymond Wysoski on May 11, 1957. Ray died on January 28, 1958 of cancer. Paul, her first son, was born in February 1958. June married Kenneth Jorgenson on March 8, 1959. Sons Brian was born in November 1959 and Gary in November 1962. The family moved from Minnesota to North Dakota, then to Idaho, then to Washington by 1965. They lived in the Stanwood area starting in 1968. June worked as a homemaker, postal mail...

Mildred (June) Sundberg Landry passed away October 21st, 2022. She was born June 14th, 1922 in Cedarhome WA, to parents Alfred and Ruth Sundberg. June attended Cedarhome and Lincoln School. She worked at the Laundry in Stanwood for the Schmitt family, and also the Elgin Cafeteria until her marriage to Paul Landry of Stanwood in 1944. In 1954, June worked for both San Juan Fish and Packing Company and New England Fish and Packing Company until her retirement in 1980. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul Landry, her parents, Alfred and Ruth Sundberg, brothers Stanley, Chester, Vernon, and Earl and her sisters, Eleanor and Joyce. She leaves behind 8 nephews and nieces, Karen (Dexter)...

Susan Kay Holmes, 81, long time resident of Stanwood passed away Monday, October 10th, 2022. Susan was born June 3rd, 1941, to Axel and Myrtle Krogstad. Susan is survived by her husband, Leif S. Homes of 60 years. One of her most enjoyable activities was crafting a variety of birthday and seasonal cards for her family and friends. Susan is survived by her husband Leif S Holmes, children, Lisa Phenis, Linda Inions, Leif and Debra Holmes. Grandchildren, Alan Phenis (Jussi), Axel Phenis (Kaytlyn), Jennifer, Maegan, and Tommy Inions. Leif Jr. and Rane Holmes. Great grandchildren, Ruby and Ivan Phenis, Madison and Ellie Phenis. Susan is preceded in death by her brother Roger Krogstad. A...

Clara Louise Robinson Close was born January 21, 1923, in Seattle, WA. Her grandparents had come to the Northwest from the East coast in 1889, when Washington became a state, to be in the lumber business. She was educated at Lowell Public School, St Nicolas School, and graduated in June of 1944 from the University of Washington magna cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In September of 1944 she was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and served at the Bureau of Ships in our nation's capital, Washington,D.C. It was there that she met Lieutenant Rodman E. Close, U.S.N. They were married in 1945 at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland. After WW2 ended the couple moved to Southern...

F. Carlton Blake slipped away peacefully to be present with the Lord in the early evening of October 6, 2022 at Ashley Gardens in Mt. Vernon, at the early age of 97. His family is filled with blessings having been able to spend many happy days touring the Skagit Valley during his year and half stay. Born in Seattle, Carl was the son of Fredrick and Lila Grace Bowen-Blake. Carl proudly served in the US Navy aboard the WWII Naval ship HMS Europa in 1945. After returning home from his service he enjoyed a long, full, and interesting life. In 1950 he purchased Blake's Bakery in west Seattle from his father who migrated from Beaconsfield, England. Blake's Bakery originated in 1927 by his father...

Born on November 18, 1941 in Esmond, ND to Michael and Dorothy (Hager) Roerick, Ambrose passed away on October 1, 2022 in Bellingham, WA. Raised on the family farm in North Dakota, Ambrose learned the importance of hard work from a young age. After graduation from high school, he started a successful business servicing manufactured homes. He moved to Washington in 1979, continuing his business of installing and transporting mobile homes. He was married to Sandra on March 29, 1975 and they enjoyed many wonderful years together in Stanwood, WA. Ambrose was a hard worker and demonstrated a good work ethic throughout his life. He enjoyed trips back to gorgeous North Dakota whenever time...

Jack Ronald Wollin was born to Ben and Alice Wollin on November 8, 1941 in Spokane. He fell asleep in death on September 29, 2022, awaiting resurrection to Paradise Earth under God's Kingdom. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Leonard and Richard. Survived by his loving wife Artis of 53 years, son Tyler and wife Sirikit and son Tracey, and three grandchildren, Ben, Taize and Alex, along with brothers Robert, Allen and sister Diane. He will be missed by other family members and a host of friends. He moved to the Stanwood area in 1969 where he continued his successful business as a masonry contractor in the surrounding area. Jack was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, a member...