Lopez Island resident Rick Van Eeckhout, 60, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Dec. 23, 2010. His wife of 24 years, Barbara, and sons Joseph and Nicolas survive him. Additionally, he is survived by brother, Raymond (Linda) of Lake Forest, Ill., and nephew JR. Locally, he is survived by his sister-in-law, Kathy (Kenny) Oberreit, and beloved nieces Marliese, Savannah, Rose and Hope.
Love Pearl Yates was born Nov. 14, 1931 in Dixon, Mo., and died Dec. 27, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. She was the oldest child of Gayle Thomas and Love B. Parker. She graduated as valedictorian of Dixon High School in 1949 and began teaching at the age of 19 in her hometown of Dixon. She was a member of Alpha Phi social sorority at Drury College in Springfield, Mo., and in 1976 graduated from Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, with a master’s degree in educational counseling. She completed her career as special education director at Northwest ISD, Justin, Texas, in 1988.
David E. Ross was born July 5, 1945 on Mercer Island, Wash. He passed away peacefully with Judie Ross at his side on Dec. 24, 2010 at University of Washington Hospital in Seattle. He developed Pulmonary Fibrosis several years ago and had a successful lung transplant on Oct. 6, 2010. Unfortunately, he was unable to win the fight against a virus.
It is nearly time to usher in the new year, and once again Island Rec is providing the opportunity to celebrate in style. The annual Community New Year’s Eve party, co-sponsored by the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition, is Friday, 7-9 p.m., at Mullis Community Senior Center. The party is alcohol-free and open to all ages.
During the holiday season, we are all encouraged to think of our neighbors and open the purse for good causes. Need on San Juan Island, however, is year-round. And the island hosts a great variety of ways to give back from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. The following are just a small selection of ways in which a little time and effort can make a difference.
Bernice Anita Mason, 95, of Friday Harbor, Wash., died Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010 at Life Care Center of the San Juan Islands. Grandma was a devoted wife and very loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was born on San Juan Island and lived here all her life. She loved the simple island life and being close to her family. Bernice was close to and loved her siblings: Mildred, Elaine, and brother, Walt.
Arctic Raven Gallery, which specializes in Northwest Coast Native art, is displaying a Sun Mask carved by noted Kwakwaka’wakw Nation carver Tom Hunt. The mask is more than 8 feet wide and just under 8 foot tall. Arctic Raven owner Lee Brooks could only guess on the weight, but said it took four people to pick it up and hang it.
I was in line at a store the other day and overheard the woman next to me say to her friend, “She doesn’t cook, so she’s really hard to buy gifts for.” “Well!” I thought to myself, “I don’t cook and I’m not so hard to buy gifts for. I’m a gardener!”
Sierra Fitts, 4, is the youngest winner of the People’s Choice Award at Gallery San Juan’s annual Kids Art Show, Dec. 7. All winners’ artwork will be framed by Gallery San Juan.
The truck eased forward, and the Adam Brown House was removed from the corner of West and First streets at about 3:30 p.m. Dec. 2, leaving soil there bare for the first time in 126 years.
Susan Osborn’s annual Christmas Concert is Dec. 12, 2 p.m., at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 760 Park St., Friday Harbor. Guest musicians: Carolyn Cruso, hammer dulcimer, flute, guitar and voice; and Ritambhara Tyson, cello and voice. Tickets are $15 at Griffin Bay Bookstore, 155 Spring St., Friday Harbor.
The lives of Roy Matsumoto and thousands of other Americans of Japanese ancestry were changed Dec. 7, 1941, when Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. Matsumoto, born in Los Angeles and a graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High School, was classified an enemy alien and sent to a concentration camp in Jerome, Ark. Eager to prove his loyalty to the country of his birth, he enlisted in the Army and became a war hero.
2010 was a prolific year for authors from the San Juan Islands. And history was the hot topic. Authors on San Juan and Lopez islands revisited the development of our local communities and the characters who added flavor to island life. Wolf Bauer, whose first job out of college was as an engineer at Roche Harbor Lime & Cement Co. in the late 1930s, wrote an entertaining autobiography about his experiences as a conservationist and outdoorsman. A book by Joseph R. Ornig chronicles the South American expedition of America’s greatest adventurer-president, whose legacy includes our system of national parks and wildlife refuges. There are more. Here’s a list of new local books worth curling up with during the holiday break – and worth considering as holiday gifts.
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