Whatcom County, Washington Obituary Collection

GenealogyBuff.com - Whatcom County, Washington Obituary Collection - 12

Posted By: GenealogyBuff.com
Date: Tuesday, 5 December 2017, at 2:17 p.m.

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Johnnie A. Strube
12/6/1953 - 11/26/2004

Johnnie A. Strube, age 50 of Bellingham
passed away on Friday,
December 3, 2004 at Alderwood Park
Convalescent, where she resided for the
past 5 years. She was death by her
husband, Ralph Wilkerson; and sons, Ron
Reeder, Jackie Leone Shafer, David Lee
Shafer, and Robert Eugene Shafer. She
is survived by daughters; Lisa
Zaragosa, Judi Wilson, and Jenny Lee
Dennis, all of Bellingham; and sons;
Jerry W. Reeder of Sacramento, CA, Jim
Dennis of Ceres, CA, and Wayne Shafer
of Arcola, IL. Also survived by 5
grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Veterans
Women Auxiliary.

James Wesley Nelson
11/28/1909 - 12/6/2004

James W. Nelson born in
Ferndale, WA in 1909 to Hans and Annie
(Dahlberg) Nelson. He held many jobs
in the county in his early years. He
was a coalminer and worked in the mines
under Bellingham until he discovered
gill net fishing. A neighbor had a
skiff and a gill net and Jim borrowed
it, caught some fish and decided that
fishing had better opportunities than
coalmining, so he threw away his hard
hat, his lunch pail and took up
fishing. Fishing became his passion,
second only to talking about the fish
he caught. His first trip to Alaska
when he crewed with Andrew Zuanich on
the "Crusader," opened up his eyes to
the great possibilities of fishing
around Kodiak Island, Alaska. The next
year he took his own boat leased from
Pacific American Fisheries and fished
in Kodiak, Alaska. This began his long
career of fishing on Kodiak Island.
Many stores are told about his creative
fishing techniques during this time
period. The nickname "Gunnysack
Nelson" was originated from this
fishery. He gillnetted in False Pass
and Bristol Bay, Alaska. In Puget
Sound he fished his boat,
the "Noslen." Jim's summer time
passion for fishing was exciting to
hear about and was retold over many
winter time card games. These card
games became legends as he won and lost
things like the Ferndale Hardware Store
and small herds of cattle. He started
selling fishing gear out of a small
building at Squalicum Harbor. He liked
selling nets, but basically it just
gave him the opportunity to tell
fishing stories. This original fishing
supply company was then developed by
his oldest son, Gary Nelson and grew to
be Lummi Fisheries Supply Incorporated
now located in the Nelson Harbor
Building. Jim and his wife, Vi, spent
the last twenty years enjoying picnics
and steelhead fishing on the Skagit and
Nooksack Rivers.
He death by his brother Leroy and two
sisters, Arlene Potvin and Lillian
Davison.
Private family burial will be held at
Enterprise died
Friday, Nov. 26, 2004 in Bellingham.
Bill was death by his
parents. Bill is survived by his
daughter Nancy and her daughters Sara
and Erica all of Portland, son Chad
Ayers of Bellingham, sister Marlyn of
Sequim, WA and sister Jane of Seattle.
Memorials may be made to Whatcom
Hospice. A Celebration of Bill’s Life
will be held at Westford Funeral Home
Chapel at 1 PM on Monday, Dec. 6, 2004
with Rev. Pam Schmaling officiating. A
reception will follow across the street
at Westford’s Broadway Hall, 1300
Broadway.

James Francis Van Horn
8/4/1922 - 11/20/2004

Pastor James Van Horn, age 82, of
Bellingham, Washington went peacefully
to sleep Saturday evening, November 20,
in the hope of the soon second coming
of Christ, to end all pre-emptive wars!
He made an amazing recovery from
Hospice care and survived 3 more years
and celebrated by buying a new car and
born son Marvin with
his lovely Australian wife Sue. There
is the independent and determined chef
Rhonda of Boulder, Colorado; the highly
educated and dedicated Dr. Rita of
Angwin, California, and finally the
amazing home child instructor (x3)
Denise with her husband Dean Rottacker
who took refugee in Canada years ago
before the recent election made it
fashionable. In addition there are 4
grandchildren (3 in Canada, and 1 in
South Korea) plus one great grandchild
with Kiwi genes in the oven.
Jim was Cemetery in Kent, WA on
Monday, November 29th at 1:30 pm.

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