PIONEER PORTRAITS

Fifteen Years Ago

October 20, 2011

[Photo Caption] WP's middle school runner Emily Adams, no. 1442, gives a tough finishing kick recently at an invitational in Richland.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 18, 2001

Probably 99% of Waitsburg residents never met Dave Hansen. He was 63 when he died in his sleep on September 17, a retiree from the feed and seed business in the Mt. Vernon – Burlington area. Two years ago, Hansen was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease). To Barbara Abbey, Waitsburg farmer and owner of L&B Kitchens, he was Uncle Dave. And that's how the people of Waitsburg got involved. Beth Abbey and her friend Katy Pearson formed "Team Hansen" in 2000 to ride bikes for ALS. Last year, Beth and her aunt Fran raised about $12,000, the highest among the 70 who rode and raised almost $46,000. This year, they were joined by Barb and Bruce Abbey on an 80-mile ride through the Skagit Valley of NW Washington, and raised $6,000 for ALS.

Fifty Years Ago

October 14, 1976

Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Webber will observe their 60th wedding anniversary at a reception to be held Saturday afternoon, Oct. 16, between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. in the Dorcas Room of the First Christian Church. Hosting the affair will be their children and their families: Elaine Yager, Seattle; Hubert and Mary Webber, Napa, California.; Robert and Beth Webber, Vancouver, Wash.; Thelma Webber, Janice John, Don and Ethel Wills, Cecil and Betty Webber, Richard and Vera Webber, all of Waitsburg. The couple also have 24 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Randolph Webber and Iris Brooks were married in Walla Walla on Sept. 28, 1916.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

October 19, 1951

The "Silver Spurs" teenage western dance group of Spokane will appear here at the high school under the auspices of the PTA.

Construction of a new sewage disposal plant and improvements of hot water distribution system within the City of Waitsburg were voted by the Council at the regular meeting on Wednesday night.

Mrs. J. W. Carson entertained at a Sunday afternoon tea for the 4-H girls, their mothers, and Mrs. Louella Condon, county extension agent.

One Hundred Years Ago

October 22, 1926

Highest honors in the high school for the first six weeks got Tennys Teeter, who averaged 97 percent. Edna Berkey comes second with 94-1/5 with five subjects. Others on the honor roll are Kathryn Williams, Marion Bailiey, Margaret Cutting and Betty Schmitt.

The Waitsburg Mercantile Co is making extensive preparations for their Second Annual Halloween Frolic on Saturday evening of next week.

The Christian Church is installing a new heating plant this week at the cost of something more than $1,000.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 25, 1901

G. W. Loundagin is having a handsome and substantial fence, as well as new sidewalks, built around his residence on the corner of Coppei Avenue and Eighth Street.

All the members of old Co. K., 1st Washington-Vol. in this city received their share of the $17,000 recently received by Gov. Rogers to pay the men who were accepted by the government from the time they left their homes until they were mustered into the U.S. service. The boys expected to get paid at the rate of $1.50 a day for 12 days but rather received checks for $21.00 and are now wondering what the extra $3 is for.

You can get a bath at the Owl Barber Shop any hour in the day and any day in the week. Come in and try our new, clean porcelain tub.