Claire Ellyn Thompson
February 21, 2012
Claire Thompson
Jan. 15, 1992 – Feb. 12, 2012
Claire Ellyn Thompson was born to Diane (nee McKeand) and Lee Thompson on Jan. 15, 1992, in Austin, Texas. She passed away Feb. 12, 2012, in Redmond.
Claire attended Eastlake High School and graduated in 2010. She was attending Seattle Central Community College and planned to transfer to the University of Hawaii to study nursing.
Claire loved concerts and get-togethers, and had a real passion for music and dancing. She truly enjoyed spending time with her friends. Throughout her junior high and high school years, Claire spent time with and mentored special education students, which ignited her desire to pursue a nursing career.
Claire was a unique and wonderful young lady as evidenced by her beautiful smile, warm heart, and dedicated love for cats and nature.
Verna Joann McKay
February 21, 2012
Former Snoqualmie Valley resident Verna J. McKay, 79, passed away Feb. 10, 2012, in Missoula, Mont.
Verna retired from the Montana Department of Transportation, where she was a truck scale officer.
Her passion for horses brought her much joy. Whenever she was on a horse, all her troubles went away.
She enjoyed designing costumes, and riding in parades and horse shows. She was a founding member of the Raging River Riders Horse Club of Fall City. Verna sewed costumes for Fall City’s Passion Play and a multitude of doll clothes.
Services are at 2 p.m. Feb. 25 at Fall City Cemetery.
Christine Lee Semon Burnett
February 21, 2012
Christine Lee Semon Burnett
Christine Lee Semon Burnett passed away peacefully Feb. 15 at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue.
Chris was born in September 1952 in Tacoma. She grew up in Bellevue, graduating from Sammamish High School in 1969. She went to Central Washington College, where she received her teaching degree. She taught in Roseburg, Ore., while she was working on her Master’s of Education. Chris returned to Washington and began teaching in the Issaquah School district.
Chris and her family are active members of Issaquah Christian Church.
Chris is survived by her husband of 27 years, Frank; children Norie, Taylor, Nikki and Marcus; and stepchildren Jimmy English and Crystal English. She is also survived by her father Don Semon, of Port Orchard; her sister Cathi (husband Jerry) Rogerson, of Port Orchard; two brothers, Doug Semon, of Valrico, Fla., and Pete (wife Lisa) Semon, of Enumclaw.
She will also be missed by her aunts Evelyn (husband Don) Townsend, of Bozeman, Mont., and Doris Semon, of San Francisco, Calif.; uncles John (wife Maude) Gosnell, Dick (wife Margy) Semon, of Tacoma, and Tom (wife Pat) Semon, of Gig Harbor; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.
John Edward Honnold
February 21, 2012
John Honnold
John Edward Honnold died Oct. 1, 2011, in Reno, Nev.
Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m. at the Sallal Grange in North Bend.
John was born March 5, 1957, in Seattle and raised in Issaquah.
John will be forever remembered by his daughters Melissa Borbridge and Rachael Ferrell; his six treasured grandchildren Jeremy, Derek, Audrey, Corey, Thomas and Madison; his mother Viola; and his brothers Richard and Thomas Honnold; and girlfriend Barbra Hampton.
John was preceded in death by his father Royal Honnold and brother Harry Honnold.
Beverly Jean McLean
February 21, 2012
Beverly Jean McLean, 73, passed away Feb. 11, 2012, at her home with family.
She was born Oct. 25, 1938, to Raymond and Haroldene Regula in Walla Walla.
She is survived by her brother Robert; children Michael, Donald, Gregory, Maryjean and Heather; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Beverly was an accountant and a member of the Issaquah Eagles 3054.
Family and friends are invited to attend memorial services at Raging River Community Church, 31104 S.E. 86th St., Preston, on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m., followed by a celebration of life hosted by Issaquah Eagles 3054, 175 Front St., Issaquah.
Robert Lamar Heidler
February 14, 2012
Robert Heidler
Robert Lamar Heidler, of Issaquah, passed away Feb. 8 of natural causes.
Robert was born in Pennsburg, Pa., on April 11, 1927. After graduating from East Greenville High School, he served in the United States Army during World War II. He retired from U.S. Gauge, a division of Ametek, where he was employed in sales and as a machinist.
Robert loved regaling his children and grandchildren with tales of growing up during the Depression, his exploits in post-war France and Germany, and anecdotes about being a hot air balloon chaser. He was a man of varied interests and read everything. He soaked up facts and could point out the constellations, recall every Indy 500 winner by year, which Civil War general presided at any battle, what to do for mites on shrubs, how many times Sugar Ray Robinson stepped into the ring or who said, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” He was a very sought-after Trivial Pursuit partner!
Cleta Tafon Lapsansky
February 14, 2012
Cleta Lapsansky
Cleta Tafon Lapsansky, of Bothell, passed away Feb. 7, 2012. She was 87 years of age.
Cleta was born Nov. 7, 1924, in Cushing, Okla., the ninth child of Fred and Mary Campbell, along with four sisters and five brothers. Cleta raised her three children in Issaquah, and drove a school bus for the Issaquah School District until retirement.
Throughout her years as a school bus driver, she witnessed several generations of children grow up in the Issaquah area. After retirement, she assisted families by providing day care for their children, and remained close with the women school bus drivers. She married into the Lapsansky family, who were among the founding families of the city of Issaquah, where she and her husband John E. Lapsansky raised a family.
Cleta was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John E. Lapsansky; and daughters Dorothy and Terry Lapsansky. Survivors include a son, John R. Lapsansky; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Maxine; one companion, Everett Price; and many nieces and nephews.
Lavern Clifford Keir
February 14, 2012
Lavern Keir
Lavern Clifford Keir, Father of our late sister Diana, Jodie, Linda and Doug; Grandpa to Laurie, Frances, Lisa and Casey; Great-Grandpa to Ryan, Willow, Cara, Travis, Levi, Burt, Eric and Ariel; and Great-Great-Grandpa to Aleta and Slade; and uncle to Errol, Sandy and Honey.
Lavern was born near Chester, Mont., July 18, 1913, and passed peacefully away at his home in Issaquah on Jan. 30, 2012.
Raised in the Midwest, his mother died when he was very young and his dad struggled to raise him and his younger brother Earl in a hard world.
He apprenticed as a machinist to the railroad, doing a man’s work at 17, and learned the trade he would cherish the rest of his life. He moved to Washington to help the war effort in 1942.
He was married three times — to Lucille, Helen and Sue. Sue was his true lifemate and they were together for 50 years.
Timothy Steven Williamson
February 14, 2012
Timothy Williamson
Timothy Steven Williamson, of Sammamish, died Feb. 4, 2012. He was 21.
Tim lived life much like he skied mountains, with intensity, grace and conviction. As a child, he would point his skis downhill, bomb the mountain and fly into powdery snowdrifts, always emerging with a joyful grin. As he grew older, Tim carved the slopes more purposefully and with undeniable grace.
A graduate of Eastlake High School, Tim was a budding philosopher, with a wisdom and brilliance beyond his years. He endlessly questioned conventional principles, seeking truth and purity in his life.
Tim had a heart of gold. He reached out to help those in need — once securing medical attention for a complete stranger, a homeless man he found in distress. But he reached far more people with his irresistible smile and charm.
Nelda Nadine Stephens
February 14, 2012
Nelda Stephens
Nelda Nadine Stephens, 83, passed from this life on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, at Providence Marianwood nursing home in Issaquah.
Nelda was born May 5, 1927, in Winnfield, La., to Ocie Warner and Audie (Waller) Warner.
Nelda was raised in Winnfield, and graduated from high school and an accounting program there. She married Robert Terrell Stephens of Lindsay, Okla., on Aug. 26, 1946, in Winnfield. Nelda and Terrell were residents of Lindsay until Terrell’s passing 50 years later.
Nelda remained in Lindsay until she moved in 2003 to the Providence Point retirement community in Issaquah to be near her son. In 2010, Nelda moved nearby to the Providence Marianwood nursing home following an illness.
