Obituaries

Richard Lee VanDerschelden, DDS died peacefully at home on January 31,2019.  Dick was born in Omak on April 11,1934 to Joe and Goldie.  He graduated from Fife HS in 1951, then from UW Dental School in 1957.  He entered the US Navy, married Carol Ann Bull and served 2 years, obtaining rank of Lieutenant.  He practiced dentistry in South Park where he served the community for 44 years.  During this time, he was active with South Park Lions, Georgetown Comm.

Jerry Andresen, 74, Yakima, WA and formerly of West Seattle, WA, Minot and Lake Upsilon, ND died on Friday, February 15, 2019 in a Yakima, WA hospice home following a thirteen-month battle with brain cancer.

Jerry Buford Andresen was born on March 3, 1944 in Everett, WA to Arvid and Miriam (Weeks) Andresen. He was raised and educated in the West Seattle, WA area and graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA with a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Art. 

Bill passed away on January 18, 2019, at the far-too-young age of 55 surrounded by his friends. He died at Swedish Cherry Hill from complications relating to sepsis. Having survived a heart attack, several strokes, and staph infection in November, Bill was never able to fully fight off the blood infection.

Bill was born August 30, 1963, in Evanston, Illinois to James and Susan Peckham. He joined his proud brothers Charlie and Jimmy and lived his pre-college years at the family home in Wilmette, Illinois.

Alvin “Bud” Springer was born and raised in South Dakota.  He married his sweetheart Alvina Schlecht on April Fool’s Day, 1943.  They had three children:  Gerrie (Dick) Peterson, Penny (Frank) Savage, and Rick Springer.  

They moved to Seattle in 1945. Bud loved his family, spending much time with his children, 9 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.  

Bud also enjoyed traveling throughout 49 states, camping, fishing, hunting, playing pool, and dancing. For over 20 years, the couple spent half the year at their home in Arizona.

Dr. Douglas Hom, age 69, passed away Friday, January 25, 2019. He suffered a heart attack while skiing and, after a week-long struggle at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, died peacefully, surrounded by family. 

Ireda Cooper, born Iriada Alice Sasonoff in Seattle on December 5, 1936, passed away at the age of 82 on Sunday, January 13, 2019 in West Jordan, Utah following treatment for a heart condition. Ireda was raised in White Center's Highland Park neighborhood where her parents George and Alise emigrated from Russia through China in the mid-1920s. She was the baby of the family with two older brothers, Leon and Alexander, (West Seattle and Burien) and one older sister, Vera (Shlyapin) of Santa Rosa, CA.

Ruth Emily Vogel was an avid traveler, a devoted mother and a generous soul.  She was born in Walnut Creek, CA on October 5, 1954, and died in Seattle, WA on January 9, 2019.  Ruth graduated from UPS Law School in 1988, worked as deputy prosecutor in Lewis County, and later assisted many clients through her 22-year Ballard practice.  She was a strong advocate for personal estate planning.

Anita J. Lusk was born on June 10, 1921 to Herman and Lydia Brandt, in Marinette, WI.  On December 24, 2018, Anita was called home to be with Jesus, the ultimate Christmas gift!

Anita is survived by her daughter, Alexandra Austin (Richard); her son, Jay Lusk (Suzanne); grandchildren Michael Minnis (Aiqun), and Christin Lusk Olyano (Ruben).

Evalea Susan Proffitt Beck, age 86, passed away peacefully with friends and loved ones at her side on December 3, 2018.  She was born September 13, 1932 in Alden, Kansas and has been a resident of West Seattle since 1969.  Evalea was a registered nurse who received her training at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, Kansas.  Most of her career was spent in geriatric nursing, working at The Kenney in West Seattle.  She was a nurse at the Kenney, located just down the street from her Fauntleroy home, for 25 years.

Skidding in sideways laughing and enjoying every minute of life, Rudy has gone fishing one last time. Whether he was in Yakutat fishing for halibut, Puget Sound fishing for salmon, Cabo fishing for marlin, or San Diego fishing for blue fin or yellow tail tuna, fishing made Rudy happy.  Hunting was a close second.  Tromping through the trees for deer or elk with his son and friends, the “rat pack”, made Rudy happy.