Molly Joellen Sandwith (Capron) (Liebman) | Passages

April 8, 1939 – May 23, 2026

Molly JoEllen Sandwith, born April 8, 1939, in Bellingham, Washington, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2026. She was the daughter of Oliver Sandwith and Virginia Reed Sandwith, and her life was deeply rooted in the history, community, and landscapes of the Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington.

Molly came from families who were pioneers and early settler in the San Juan Islands. Her paternal grandparents, Joseph and Ellen Petersen Sandwith, owned the historic Sweet Pea Dairy, which was later sold to the Boyce family in the late 1940s. Her great-great-grandparents, Joseph and Hanna Sandwith, settled on the south end of San Juan Island in the early 1800s. Their son, Isaac Sandwith, laid claim in 1875 to a 160-acre homestead near English Camp, where he raised crops and planted a historic fruit orchard. A portion of the Sandwith Homestead and Orchard is now preserved as a protected historical site and cultural landscape within the English Camp unit of San Juan Island National Historical Park.

On her mother’s side, Molly was the granddaughter of Dr. Connor Reed, a U.S. Army Medical Corps physician and Lieutenant Colonel who was among the early doctors practicing in the San Juan Islands in the early 1900s. Dr. Reed moved to San Juan County in 1906 and practiced there until 1917. After his military service, he and his family settled in Whatcom County, where he became a prominent physician in the community.

Molly was an active and spirited member of her island community throughout her life. In high school, she was a cheerleader, a Rainbow Girl, and class salutatorian. After graduation, she married Victor “Jim” Capron, and together they had three children: Victor Capron IV, Julie Capron, and Lisa Capron. In the mid-1960s, the Capron’s purchased The Oaks, a hunting-by-horseback, campground, and camping resort. Alongside running the resort, Molly launched and operated a number of businesses, including a taxi service, Girl Friday, Sight and Sound, Call Maurice, and Golden Pacific Airlines in Arizona.

Molly’s commitment to learning, service, and community life remained constant. She took courses at Skagit Valley College’s San Juan Center, served as President of the San Juan Historical Museum, and belonged to several social and volunteer organizations. She will be remembered for her energy, enterprise, community involvement, and enduring connection to the island history that shaped her family and her life.

Molly is survived by her children; her grandchildren, Albin Johnston, David Johnston, Melissa Capron-Guillermo, and Victor Capron V; and her great-grandchildren, Jazmyn Capron, Gemma Guillermo, twins Lily and Zoe Guillermo, and Victor Capron VI.

Join us in Celebrating the life of our beloved Molly on August 29, 2026, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the San Juan Historical Museum. We ask that you bring your favorite desert to share and a copy of the recipe by island family name. We welcome all new and old family desert recipes. Molly’s daughter Lisa plans to compile the recipes into a San Juan Islander’s desert cookbook, in honor of Molly Sandwith.