Charlene O’Leary was born May 19, 1950 in Washington State to Mable Alta Dyment of Wenatchee who was one of seven children, and to Lloyd Luke of Snohomish County. Charlene grew up with her brother, Ronald Milton Luke, “Ronnie,” in Snohomish County.  Charlene was a loving mother, sister-in-law, daughter, auntie, best friend, and grandmother.  Words cannot express the loss we have experienced. If you ever knew Charlene you would know she never said an unkind word and was always down for a party.  Char could care less where you came from and her favorite saying to new people was, “What’s your story?”, making you an instant friend. Charlene worked at Fred Meyer for 41 years and our family's running joke was...

Jack Ronald Clark, age 88 of Cashmere, went home to be with his Lord on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. Jack was born in Mitchell, South Dakota on November 24, 1932. He graduated from Cleveland High School in Seattle and was a United States Navy veteran. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona. He married Joyce Virginia Smith in 1952 and they were married for 61 years. Joyce preceded him in death on August 21, 2013. Jack worked as an electrical engineer for the Chelan County PUD for 28 years and retired in 1994. He loved his children and taught them at an early age of the love that Jesus Christ had for...

Wenatchee lost one of its kindest, funniest, and most enthusiastic musicians on March 31, when his big heart refused to beat any longer. Chuck taught music in the Eastmont School District from 1968, until age 55. His love for music could be seen in the numerous community groups to which he participated, and led. He also helped organize and played in: the Big Band, the British Brass Band, and Musikkapelle Leavenworth. He directed church choirs, sang in a few Bach festes, sang in Amahland and The Night Visitors under Dick Lapo. He played French Horn in the Wenatchee Valley Symphony. His main instrument was the trumpet, though he played all brass instruments plus many others. The first clue to his dedication to all kinds...

Neomah was born in 1932, during the Great Depression, in the segregated city of Little Rock, Arkansas.  She learned early on what it meant to survive.  She graduated from Scipio A. Jones High School and received a diploma and certificate of merit from Johnson Business College in 1949.  Two years later she became a part of the Great Migraton, a period when millions of African Americans left the South looking for freedom and better lives. She landed in Los Angeles where she found work as a secretary.  Not long after she moved to L.A., she joined the NAACP Youth Council where she became active working for civil rights.  Thurgood Marshall was the Chief Counsel for the NAACP at the time...

Steven is survived by his parents, Lawrence and Phyllis Martin of Union Gap, WA, wife Mahala Martin of Leavenworth, WA, daughters Kaleena (Tyler) Amelia, Fiona, & Scarlett Smith of Bothell, WA, Amanda (Richard) Louis, & Ruby Ngo, of San Diego, CA, and Caitlin Leahy, & Mahala of Auburn,WA; brothers Gregory and Charles Martin and their families, aunt, Dolores Prickett of Union Gap, and numerous cousins. Steven spent over 31 exemplary years on the Seattle Police Dept. beginning as an officer and later promoted to Sergeant and Detective Sergeant.  He was a champion to those needing aid, with compassion for those whose lives had been fraught with adversity. He was blessed with many talents including his beautiful singing voice that he used...

Linda Grace Mineard (Bailey), 74, passed away Sunday, March 7, 2021, with her family by her side. She was born to Haskell & Peggy Bailey on February 22, 1947, in Portland, OR. In second grade, her family moved to Adna, WA, where she stayed until graduating as Valedictorian of her class in 1965. She then attended Peterson Business College in Seattle, WA. Linda moved to Olympia and started her family which grew to three daughters. She married her soulmate in 1983 and the family moved to Eastern Washington. Linda is survived by her husband of 38 years, Gerald of Wenatchee, WA; Sister Teri Haynes of Lacey, WA; Brother Larry Bailey (Elaine) of Napavine, WA; Sister-in-law Karen (Tom) Garrison of Yakima,...

J. Arden Zimmerman passed away February 22, 2021 after a long illness.  He was born July 21, 1924 to Jess C. and Nina Davis Zimmerman and was the grandson of the late Eli Zimmerman who had homesteaded in the Squilchuck area where Arden spent his early life. He was a 1942 Graduate of Wenatchee High School, attending Wenatchee Junior College and Washington State College and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Arden served his county in the U.S. Army and spent time in Osaka, Japan and the Philippines. He married Tressie Ensley and they had three sons: Steve, Doug and Ken. Arden spent several years as a partner with his father in the fruit industry until his father’s death. He went to...

James Samuel “Jim” Vorderbrueggen, 78, a resident of Dryden since 1987, went home to be with his Lord on Monday, September 7, 2020.  He was born on May 13, 1942 in Lacrosse, Washington. Jim had a thirty-nine year long career as a Signal Maintainer with the Great Northern Railroad which eventually became the BNSF Railroad. He was a longtime resident of Skykomish, Washington where he was very involved in his community.  Among his many activities he served on the School Board, volunteered with the Fire Department as a Fireman, EMT and 1st Responder, and served as the Town Marshal. Jim moved to Dryden in 1987.  He married Barbara Anne Howard in 1989.  Barbara and Jim square danced with the Appleland Promenaders...

John Agar Scaman III passed away in a Seattle hospital from injuries sustained in  a bicycle accident in East Wenatchee on May 27th.  Born April 12, 1944, John was a proud member of the pioneering Scaman and Capt. Alexander Griggs families who settled in the Wenatchee Valley in the late 1890’s. Following graduation from East Wenatchee High School, John attended Wenatchee Valley College and then worked for the Forest Service.  He moved to Seattle where he spent the rest of his career working for Puget Sound Engergy.  In the early 2000’s, John and his partner of 27 years, Mary Tomchek, moved back to East Wenatchee to enjoy their time at Lake Chelan and their love of bicycling.  Mary passed...

John Spoelstra, 90, a longtime Wenatchee resident passed away on Thursday, September 10, 2020 at Highgate Senior Living. He was born May 30, 1930 in Everett, WA., to Samuel and Alice Spoelstra. He was the youngest of ten children. At the age of two his mother, being five months pregnant at the time, passed away due to pneumonia. His older siblings helped their father raise him. He attended Everett Christian School, North Junior High and Everett High School. In March 1951 he was inducted into the U.S. Army and served until March 1953, when he transferred to the U.S. Army Reserves. On November 20, 1953 he married Beryl Yvonne Pearson and they resided in Everett, WA while he served...