Radio broadcast pioneer Charles Lewis “Chuck” Buck of Friday Harbor passed away on Jan. 14, 2010 in Oregon. He was 93. Born in Aberdeen, Wash., he moved to Alaska as a young boy to fish with his parents in the mid-1920s. He subsequently spent most of his life in Alaska until retiring to Friday Harbor in the early 1970s. Chuck graduated from Cordova High School in 1935. He joined the U.S. Army in 1940 and served for 13 years with the Alaska Communication Service in Alaska and Seattle.
Susan left this world peacefully and unafraid on the evening of Jan. 26, 2010. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day in her beloved San Juan Islands. She was in the presence of family and friends, and the wonderful caregivers at Islands Convalescent Center made her last hours as comfortable as can be desired.
Shirley S. Potter passed away peacefully at home Jan. 31. Shirley was born in Two Rivers, Wis., in 1920. She graduated from Oshkosh Teachers College in 1942. She married Robert M. Potter in 1952. She taught in Wisconsin and Alaska until her retirement in 1974.
Richard Lee Lawson was born Sept. 30, 1943 in Friday Harbor, Wash., to Gilbert and Geraldine Lawson. He lost his fight with cancer on Jan. 26, 2010 at The University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. Richard left behind his mother, Jeri Lawson; son, Richard Jr. (wife, Tricia), son, Tommy (wife, Leah); stepson, Chris (wife, Sherry), and their sons, Chaz, Parker and Gabe; four grandchildren, Jordan, Ashley, Brandy Lee, and Dylan; brother, Victor Lawson; sister, Ruthie Paull; nieces, Cathy VanZanten and Ashley Paull; nephews, Rob Lawson, Adam Paull; and countless other relatives and friends.
Marsha Lois Rachlin, “MaPooh,” mother, grandmother and friend, lost her short battle with cancer on Dec. 8, 2009 at age 72, leaving behind her daughters Karen Ruby and Maya Sanchez and granddaughters Rachel and Nicole Ruby.
The 2010 Friday Harbor Community Spelling Bee is today, 3:30 p.m. in the San Juan Community Theater. The annual contest is sponsored by the Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands and features fourth- through eighth-grade classroom champions from local schools, including Friday Harbor Elementary School, Friday Harbor Middle School, Paideia Classical School, Griffin Bay School and Spring Street International School.
Maggie Andersen scored 26 points to help Friday Harbor overwhelm Darrington 55-31 Jan. 29 at Turnbull Gym, solidifying the Wolverines’ hold on the Northwest 1A/2B league lead. Friday Harbor dominated from the start, leading Darrington in each period: 10-9 in the first, 21-16 in the second, 32-22 in the third, and 55-31 at the close.
Wolf Bauer, who launched his engineering career in 1936 with Roche Harbor Lime & Cement Co. and later became a noted conservationist and outdoorsman, will be honored by the state Legislature on his 98th birthday. Bauer, who lives in Anacortes but has a daughter-in-law and two granddaughters on San Juan Island, is the subject of a resolution approved by the state House of Representatives. Bauer’s birthday is Feb. 24. House Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Morris and Rep. Dave Quall will present the resolution to Bauer on Feb. 26.
Richard Lawson’s memorial service is scheduled for Feb. 6 at the Lestralaur Ranch on San Juan Valley Road, according to Evans Funeral Chapel in Anacortes. A full obituary with time of service will be posted Monday and published in the Feb. 3 Journal.
Washington state Department of Health officials have determined there is a need for a critical access hospital on San Juan Island. They have issued a certificate of need, a critical step in efforts to build a hospital here. Next: Proponents will complete their fund-raising, the purchase of the property will be completed and design of the new hospital, proposed near the airport, will begin.
Photographer Chad Lyons of Friday Harbor won a photo contest sponsored by Hawaii magazine. His photo is featured in the February issue of the magazine. Lyons won first place in the Kauai category; three other photos made it into the top 40. There were more than 2,500 entries. You can see his photos on www.hawaiimagazine.com.
San Juan County Clerk Joan P. White has announced she plans to seek re-election this year. The primary is Aug. 17; the general election is Nov. 2. “It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of San Juan County as clerk since 2007,” White said in an e-mailed announcement.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carrie A. McLeish (Joslin), a 1989 graduate of Friday Harbor High School, is studying computer security at Fort Gordon, Ga. The school is a nine-month program. She was one of only eight selected from 50 of the Army’s top warrant officers to participate in this course.
