In Memoriam—Winter 2019

This list includes deaths from Nov. 1, 2017, through Aug. 10, 2018.

Jeff Amsrud ’79, Nov. 23, 2017, age 61. Jeff spent years building pipe organs, then boats, and eventually started Beech Hill Woodworks, his furniture and cabinet shop on Deer Isle.

James A. Anderson ’01, Feb. 27, 2018, age 39. James’ career began with architecting the Women, Infants, and Children documentation system. He also held positions with Verisign and at Nintendo, where he loved the challenge of staying ahead of hackers as a network security engineer.

Gregory T. Asche ’86, July 1, 2018, age 58. Driven by a love of working with his hands, Greg built many custom homes, including his own. An avid bicyclist, Greg completed a solo bicycle trek across the United States.

Sam Boren, March 25, 2018, age 23. Sam was enrolled in the program The Meaning of Life through Science and Spirituality.

Josephine M. Carroll ’75, Dec. 26, 2017, age 64. Jo earned a master’s from Whitworth and had an enduring interest in early childhood development. Her lifelong friend remarked, “She was a woman of intellect and enormous compassion.”

LaRoi Carter Sr. ’77, April 19, 2018, age 84. LaRoi served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as an NCO. He served another 32 years and was one of the first African-Americans to integrate the Northwest Mountain Region of the FAA as an air traffic controller. He enjoyed combining his knowledge of freemasonry with his talent as a jazz trumpeter to raise money for Pierce County music students.

Cheryl A. Chambers ’15, Feb. 8, 2018, age 55. Cheryl worked as a real estate agent and title officer, and volunteered for SideWalk in Olympia. She enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and her two prized Pomeranians, Princess and Moe.

Susan A. Clark, staff, June 10, 2018, age 70. She worked for several state agencies, and in purchasing at Evergreen. An outgoing and loving woman, she enjoyed working in her garden, gatherings of family friends, decorative painting, and her cats.

Kyle J. Contris ’06, June 13, 2018, age 35. Kyle was owner/fabricator/designer/creator of ConCreations, recycled concrete countertops. He had a passion for creating functional art and building things with his hands. He was also a Fungi Perfecti employee.

Argentina Daley, April 28, 2018, age 68, faculty from 1988-2000. She is remembered as a kind, warm, and welcoming colleague, who drew out of her students their best work, and who helped shape Evergreen’s humanities curriculum in the very best way.

Jennifer K. Haley ’04, March 3, 2018, age 44. She was employed in the construction industry as an estimator and accounting specialist. Jennifer loved to hike, bike, swim, ski, and most of all fish.

Veronica Hamling ’88, Jan. 28, 2018, age 75. Veronica retired from DSHS after 34 years, and while working, traveling, and raising a family, she graduated from Evergreen at age 45. Her thirst for knowledge never ceased.

Rebecca Dianne Hersha ’99, June 26, 2018, age 43. Rebecca always felt a strong connection to nature and devoted much of her personal and professional life to its protection, most recently as an environmental planner.

Joseph W. Hughes, May 1, 2018, age 23. Joe was a 2014 graduate of Ferndale High School and at the time of his passing, was a senior at Evergreen. Joe loved all things in nature and especially hiking, rock climbing, and surfing.

Marcia A. Husseman, staff, April 17, 2018, age 76. Marcia spent more than 20 years employed in Evergreen’s president’s office where she loved working with staff and students, many of whom remained lifelong friends.

Scott Hutcheson ’91, Nov. 3, 2017, age 48. Scott enjoyed both the simple and refined things in life: a deep love for the arts, music, paintings, literature.

Christopher L. James ’85, April 23, 2018, age 47. He was a member of the Quinault Indian Nation. In his youth, he enjoyed playing sports and was well known as a strong lineman. He was named to Evergreen’s President’s list multiple times.

Jacquelyn W. Johnson, May 10, 2018, age 78. Jacque worked for DSHS until she retired in 1993. Her hobbies included genealogy, horses, fiddling, and gardening. She and her husband installed 66 bathtub gardens on their property.

Jerald D. Keselburg ’76, May 16, 2018, age 71. Retired from Lacey Police Department after serving in the U.S. Navy, and was a Vietnam veteran.

Kyra A. Kester ’79, April 21, 2018, age 68. Kyra earned a master’s and Ph.D. in history. She taught history at several universities and worked for OSPI and for WSU’s Social and Economic Sciences Research Center. Kyra loved history, travel, and culinary adventures.

LaMetta M. LaClair ’06, April 6, 2018, age 70. She worked at Keyport and Bangor Navel Shipyard until she moved home to Skokomish to become a teacher. LaMetta loved canoe journeys, pow-wows, stick games, and watching her children and grandchildren play sports.

Isabelle S. Lamb, a longtime donor and supporter, Nov. 4, 2017, age 94. She served on The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors from 1978-84. An accomplished businesswoman, Isabelle was former president of Lamb-Grays Harbor Company, and the first woman elected as a Port of Grays Harbor commissioner. She dedicated her life to her community through philanthropy and public service. Her family started the Isabelle Lamb Scholarship in her honor.

Victoria L. Lamp ’15, Nov. 25, 2017, age 32. Victoria was an avid conservationist. She volunteered for and supported numerous philanthropic organizations, including SpokAnimal, Lands Counsel, Scraps, and the Sierra Club.

John W. Marvin, faculty, Jan. 29, 2018. John taught math and music from 1988-98. He retired to Turlock, Calif., where he taught music part-time at California State University, Stanislaus.

Jason D. Matthiessen ’99, Nov. 24, 2017, age 41. Jason worked as a GIS programmer for Pierce County. He loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman.

Donna A. McPherson ’97, April 19, 2018, age 54. Donna earned her master’s in marriage and family therapy and was pursuing her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Capella University. Helping others was her passion.

Mary F. Moorehead ’75, Nov. 15, 2017, age 89. She was involved with the Wheelwright Museum, The Community Foundation, and the establishment of the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. Her life’s work was the research of her great-aunt, Clara Blinn, an early pioneer who had been captured by the Cheyenne and Arapaho.

Ryan B. Moriarty ’08, June 9, 2018, age 34. He was a music aficionado, visual artist, chef, and mathematical wizard. He played several stringed instruments, wrote and arranged compositions for jazz, folk, and symphonic pieces.

John T. Moss, April 26, 2018, age 74. John, as part of Evergreen’s founding administration, was appointed student accounts supervisor in 1970. He also served as president of the Everett and Edmonds Community College District. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to start several companies.

Robert E. Pacheo, staff, Mar. 14, 2018, age 65. Bob was a janitor at Saint Martin’s and Evergreen for many years. He was loved by many.

Karen L. Rawnsley, May 24, 2018, age 72. Karen served as assistant director of facilities at Evergreen. A lifelong public servant, primarily in higher education, her most recent position was as the deputy director of the Oregon Military Department Youth Challenge Program.

April K. Reid-Sandstrom, Dec. 17, 2017, age 43. April was a lifelong learner and a voracious reader. She went on to UW, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in anthropology.

Leah Michelle “Mish” Ridgeway, Jan. 2, 2018, age 54. She was a cutting-edge, passionate, focused explorer with her own submarine. Whether into fires or other situations, she ran toward, never away from, those needing help. She lived with integrity, grit, and devotion to scientific research and noble causes.

Owen Satterwhite Jr, March 5, 2018, age 70. Owen served in the military before coming to Evergreen, where he focused on journalism.

James M. Schermerhorn, June 19, 2018, age 68. He earned his AA in art from SVC. He loved to learn, was an excellent mechanic, and also worked as a painter and doing odd jobs.

James L. Shirk ’85, Jan. 22, 2018, age 78. Starting at age 17, James served for 22 years in both the Air Force and Army. He became a chemical dependency professional and in 1987 opened Tara Counseling Center.

Ollie V. Simmons ’95, Jan. 6, 2019, age 84. Ollie worked at the University of Illinois, and as a beautician and health nutritionist. She retired from the Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program of WSU.

Victoria S. Smith ’83, Feb. 24, 2018, age 60. Victoria earned a master’s in soil science from UC Berkeley. She went on to work for the National Resource Conservation Service mapping soils in southwestern New York.

Robert Smurr, faculty, Dec. 31, 2017, age 56. Rob credited his “endlessly enjoyable boyhood years” for giving him the confidence to develop the two skills—mountaineering and the Russian language—that allowed him to reach his goals of becoming a history professor and professional travel guide.

Michelle A. Sorensen ’13, Mar. 4, 2018, age 38. Michelle worked for Catholic Community Services and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Grays Harbor College. She loved camping, hiking, and the river bar.

Jenna Schmidt, March 31, 2018, age 37. A new student, Jenna was enrolled in Foundations for Success and Foundations of Well-Being in the fall and Critical Reasoning and Critical Issues in Human Resource Management in the winter.

Megan Schroder, April 8, 2018. Megan was enrolled in Moving Toward Health: Holistic Medicine Pathways.

Danielle “Danni” Steuermann MiT ’00, March 26, 2018, age 45. After earning her MiT at Evergreen, Danni worked as a counselor at Brentwood Girls’ Group Home and taught at Northwest School of Innovative Learning and at Interagency Academy in Seattle.

Frederick D. Stone, faculty, May 29, 2018, age 79. In addition to Evergreen, Stone taught at SUNY Oswego and University of Hawaii, and was director of the Forest TEAM program at Hawaii Community College, inspiring thousands of students during his teaching career.

Monica J. Villines, April 3, 2018, age 71. Monica worked for the state and the Tacoma Public School District. She was a church member of Holy Rosary, St. Leo’s, and St. Michael’s.

Christine Wagner, missing since October 2017. Friends and family held a Celebration of Life and Love on Sept. 16, 2018. Christine began work at Evergreen from 1984-2011 as a career development advisor. Her smile, good will, and care for Evergreen students and community will be remembered.

David C. Wallbom ’15, staff, June 25, 2018, age 85. A detective with the Seattle Police, he was also the physical plant administrator at Bellevue Community College and Evergreen. Perhaps his most cherished career was as the ski patrol director at Snoqualmie Pass.

Teri M. Webster, June 24, 2017, age 53. Teri completed her degree while working for the Attorney General’s Office. Her husband’s Costco career took them to Hawaii, Bellingham, and finally to Juneau in 1993 where she continued her legal career as a paralegal.

Richard “Wink” Winkleman, March 8, 2018, age 68. Wink was a wood craftsman and enjoyed pleasure boating in addition to ocean fishing.

Correction from our Winter 2018 issue:
Mel Moon ’80, July 16, 2017, was age 61.

Missed mention:
Mark K Grant ’01, July 24, 2017, age 57. Mark enjoyed reading and was especially fond of Hamilton’s Federalist Papers. He also earned a master’s in public policy.