Obituaries

Maybelle Helen Wagner passed away at her West Seattle home September 10, 2019. Maybelle was born to Scottish immigrant parents on January 12, 1917 in Miles City, MT. Maybelle and Joseph D. (J.D.) Wagner moved to Seattle in 1956, where they made their home in West Seattle, and where she lived until her passing. J.D. preceded her in death in 1986. She served as a nurse at West Seattle General Hospital and furthered her studies through the University of Washington in order to work with cancer patients at Harborview Medical Center. She will be forever remembered and deeply missed.

Gloria Stella Blanco passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family.  She was a cherished wife, mother and grandmother.

Kenneth Duane Field passed away on October 16th, 2019.  He was born in Wenatchee, WA on August 6, 1935 to William E. Field and Herdis S. Field. He is preceded by his brothers, Robert, John, and Darrell. He was dearly loved by all his family. Ken is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Field. They were married for 62 years and had seven children, thirteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He will be missed by all.

On Thursday, September 26, 2019, Burrita Gongwer Perry, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at home from complications of Alzheimer’s, with her beloved husband, Dr. Robert L. Perry, at her side.

Jack Bernet Coffin, age 79 of Seattle, Washington passed away September 20, 2019 in his forever home, which his wife Merri lovingly designed. Jack was born on September 14, 1940 in Leavenworth, Washington to Eugene “Shag” Coffin and Margaret Coffin. 

Tom Taylor, Jr. passed away in Des Moines, Washington on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the age of 75 after a long illness.

Tom was born in Portland, Oregon the second of three children of Edna and Thomas E. Taylor.  He graduated from Cleveland High School in Portland and Portland State University with a degree in marketing and minoring in law. He married Mary Lou Hensley Easterly and raised her son, Scott, as his own. Mary Lou preceded him in death. He had many friends who stayed in contact from grade school, high school and college.

Ed was born September 25, 1937, in Bellingham, WA to Edward Horace Smith and Myrtle Orpha Smith. He died August 14, 2019 at Highline Hospital.

John (Jack) Gabler passed away July 30, 2019.  Born February 6, 1935 on a farm near Eagle Bend, Minnesota, he was the third son of Louis and Louise Gabler   When he was two years old, his family moved to Chicago.  He began his education in Oak Lawn, Illinois, attending school there for three years.  In 1943 the family moved back to Minnesota on a small farm near Long Prairie.  There he attended a one-room country school for five years before entering Long Prairie High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball (although not very well, according to him).  He was an honor stude

Doris Richards Cole (née Christensen), a woman entrepreneur ahead of her time and whose history in West Seattle included time with the West Seattle Herald as well as decades of service to the community, passed away the morning of Saturday, August 10, 2019 at age 89 (born December 1929 in Seattle, WA).

John L. Bailey, Jr. passed away peacefully on July 12, 2019, surrounded by family. He was born in Wheatland, Wyoming, graduating from Wheatland High School in 1937.  He had a passion for aircraft and flying and went on to serve in the Army Air Force in WWII.  He then returned to study mechanical engineering and graduate from the University of Wyoming. In 1950, he was hired by the Boeing Company to work on designing aircraft instrument panels, circuits, cargo loading systems, and many other projects over his career there.