Obituaries

Flo Nyberg, loving mother, loyal cousin and friend, passed away peacefully at Swedish Hospital Cherry Hill on Tuesday, April 17, 2018. Flo was 80 years old, and had been a resident of Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle for the past five years. Flo loved her assisted living apartment at the Mount and leaves behind countless friends, both residents and staff, who loved her for her usually cheery disposition, her friendliness, and her warm heart.

Born August 16, 1923 in Ketchikan, AK. Died April 7, 2018 in Seattle WA.  The third of ten children born to Florence Grace (Johnson) Morgan, family was very important to Earl. He is survived by his children Diana Hansen (James), Nancy Morgan, Susan Heiner (Brian), and Michael Morgan (Joanna) all of Washington.

Loving husband, father and brother, Richard was born in Utica, New York February 6, 1947 to Leo and Mary Borek; he moved to Washington in the 1980’s.  He passed quietly at his home in Des Moines, WA on March 29, 2018.

Rich is survived by his wife Carole and step-daughter Deborah Fielder, his daughter, Carrie Mariotti and two grandsons, his son, Steven Borek and granddaughter and his siblings, Terry Borek, Craig Borek, and Sharon Kuzminsky.

He was a plumber/pipefitter by trade and retired from Boeing in March of 2009. 

Ruth Porter passed away on April 4, 2018. Ruth was born in Seattle on May 27, 1926 then moved with her mother, Crescent Adams, to Butte, Montana as a young child. She spent her childhood in Butte as well as White Sulphur Springs, MT. During the Great Depression years Ruth, her mother and stepfather, Dave Adams, worked any job to survive, including capturing rattle snakes to sell. Ruth even played the piano in a family run saloon at 12 years old. She babysat a young child who turned out to be Evel Knievel the daredevil motorcyclist. She graduated from Butte High School. 

Rhea Davis was born in Portland, Oregon on July 27, 1916. She was the youngest of three children in a humble, working class family. Her father made a living as a carpenter.

Rhea grew up in the Mount Scott area of Portland until her father built the family home in Milwaukie. During the two year construction of that home, the family all lived in a loft room above the garage. Rhea graduated from Milwaukie High School in 1934.

Eleven days short of her 89th birthday longtime Ballard resident Marion Hafterson died, leaving her husband of 53 years James Hafterson, daughter Gretchen, grandchildren Camilla and Alarik, sister Cynthia of NH and nieces and nephew. She was predeceased in January by her eldest daughter, Kathrine. 

Eleven days short of her 89th birthday longtime Ballard resident Marion Hafterson died, leaving her husband of 53 years James Hafterson, daughter Gretchen, grandchildren Camillla and Alarik, sister Cynthia of NH and nieces and nephew. She was predeceased in January by her eldest daughter, Kathrine. 

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 14, 1947 to Melvin Paul Espy and Eleanor Olive Gaines, she was named Jeanne Eleanor Espy at birth. Jeanne was the youngest of three children; sister Irene who passed away in early 2017 and surviving brother Wayne Espy. Jeanne died of natural causes in Normandy Park, WA on February 18, 2018. 

Jeanne is survived by her daughters, Ronni Whitacre and husband Paul, and Jessie Schultz, her husband Rob and their son Lakelin Dyson-Schultz.

Karin E. McElevey peacefully passed away on the night of February 25, 2018 in West Seattle, WA surrounded by her family shortly after being diagnosed with Acute Lung Cancer. She leaves us all behind with fond memories of her love and laughter.

The second of three children, Karin was born in Nürnberg, Germany on February 14, 1934 to Ilse and Rudolf Boehland. She graduated from the Wilhelm Loehe Gymnasium (German Academic High School) of Nürnberg and the University of Munich with Majors in English Language and Physical Education in 1958.

Kenneth Finke, 78, of Burien, WA passed away from Multiple Myeloma Thursday, March 15, 2018 at home surrounded by his family.

He was born March 11, 1940 in Minot, ND, the son of Gordon and Esma “Ez” Finke. He moved to Spokane, WA with his parents where he graduated from Field High School in 1958. After high school, the family moved back to Minot, ND where he began his life profession at Smitty’s Repair. This is where he learned the transmission trade. He was one of few people that learned how to work on all makes of cars.