Obituaries

Age 75, passed away suddenly March 27, 2007 in Tucson, Ariz. Born in Tacoma and raised in Wilkeson, Wash.

After serving in the Navy during the Korean War from 1951 to 1955, he eventually settled in West Seattle. After working 35 years in the material test lab for the Boeing Co., he retired. In retirement he enjoyed traveling to many countries and parts of the United States with his wife.

He enjoyed tending his dahlias, gardening in his P-Patch, hiking, biking, birding and photography. He belonged to BEMS, Boeing Travel Club, The Museum of Flight and the Snokies.

1946-2007

We are deeply saddened by the sudden death of Jack, a long-term resident of Normandy Park. Jack passed away suddenly April 2. We grieve his loss, and he will be missed greatly.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Myrtle Ringdahl, and sister Janet.

Longtime Des Moines resident Haakon "Hoke" Larson passed away September 4, 2006.

He was 89 years old.

Hoke, his wife and two children moved from Seattle to Des Moines in 1951. Hoke retired from New England Fish Co. in 1978. He loved stream fishing in the rivers of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains as well as camping with family and friends.

Born March 30, 1936, in Seattle; died April 5, 2007, in Hastings, Minn. Gene attended Highline and Cleveland high schools.

He is survived by son Corey (Becky) of Afton, Minn.; daughters Nicole (Adam) Warren of St. Paul, Minn., and Mary (Jim) Roberts of Federal Way; seven grandchildren; brother Gerald (Joan); sister Sally Miller and stepsister Charleen Ferguson (Mike D'Almeida), all of the Seattle area; and many other family members and friends.

Gene was a devoted father and good friend. During his leisure time, he enjoyed bowling, golfing and having a good laugh!

Eugene J. Hamburger, M.D., age 87, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on May 14, 1919, and died in Des Moines on March 28, 2007. He passed away peacefully after a long illness.

Eugene is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dr. Rena Hamburger, daughter Mary and grandson Bradley Hamburger.

He was best known as a man of passions. He will be remembered for his unwavering support of Evergreen High School's football teams in the '70s and '80s. Gene and Rena saw most of the world during many years of travel.

Irving Kile Benson Jr. was born Oct. 15, 1929, in Renton and passed away in Burien on April 28, 2007.

Irving grew up in Black Diamond. He met and married Dorothy Hills in 1952, and was a Burien resident for 47 years.

He is survived by his sister Gloria Tanzini of California, two sons, Rod Benson and Doug Benson and future daughter-in-law Rita Hanley, and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to Bonney-Watson Parker Chapel.

May 24, 1915 - April 7, 2007, age 91, son of Swedish immigrants Julius Arvid (Johansson) Alberg and Hilda Elida Dahlquist Alberg, Tom was born May 24, 1915 in Noon, Wash.

He grew up with his sister June and cousin Ralph Renstrom on the Olympic Peninsula where his father had a logging mill. Tom graduated from Port Angeles High School at 15 years old in 1931. He later attended Western Washington University in Bellingham where he met his beloved wife Miriam Ann Twitchell Alberg who preceded him in death in 1999.

Born in Lebeny, Hungary to Michael and Elizabeth Weisz, Oct. 11, 1938. Won his battle with Lewy Body Dementia when he walked into the arms of his Lord on Good Friday, April 5, 2007.

Immigrated to the United States through Camp Kilmer, NY, in 1956 and moved to West Seattle the same year at 18 years of age. Married Claudia Minden in 1964.

Born May 26, 1918 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, went to be with the Lord on Monday, April 2, 2007, just shy of his 89th birthday. A long time West Seattle resident, he graduated from West Seattle High School (1936/37), studied electrical engineering at the University of Washington, and later served in communications with the U.S. Army during World War II stationed in Nome, Aleutians and Pribilof Islands, Alaska.

John began his radio career at an early age as a DJ and built the first FM radio station in the State of Washington in Longview.

Born July 18, 1934 in Seattle, passed away at the age of 72 on April 4, 2007. Beloved mother of Wade, Randy, Lawrence, and Jesse Smith; grandmother of 5, daughter of Rachel Belbeck; sister of Gerald Belbeck and a plethora of relatives and friends who had the honor of calling her "Mom." Preceded in death by her husband Lennis, father Rupert Belbeck, and brother Robert Belbeck. Always up for a long night spent with family, Barb enjoyed telling stories, playing cards, making jokes but mostly she thrived with life, being with those she loved.