Dick Harrington, Dec. 11, 2011

Classmate Dick Harrington passed away on December 11, 2011. His obituary is in the Everett Herald, and reads as follows:

Richard James Harrington

Richard James Harrington, "Dick" passed away at his home in Snohomish, WA on Sunday, December 11, 2011. He was 59 years old. He was born in Seattle, WA on May 2, 1952 to Calvin and Eileen Harrington. 
He spent most of his childhood at the family farm in Snohomish with his siblings Wayne, Carol, Steve and Dixie. Dick graduated from Snohomish High School in 1970 along with a classmate named Deborah Bachart. Dick and Debbie were married on October 18, 1975. They lived all around Washington, but settled back in Snohomish in 1989. 
During the past 36 years of marriage, Dick helped raise his children, Albert, Emily, Stacey and Steven and in all ways remained dedicated to his wife and family. For the past 32 years Dick has been employed by Stoneway Concrete where he was their Aggregates Operation Manager. He was also a member of the Local 302 Operating Engineers Union. 
Dick enjoyed football and coached many of his son's football teams. He was an avid music lover, and collected albums, CD's and memorabilia. Dick's favorite hobby however was the restoration and rebuilding of classic muscle cars; he had recently finished his 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner, a tribute to the car he had in his youth. 
Dick is survived by his wife, Debbie; his children, Albert, Emily, Stacey and Steven; children-in-laws, Beth, Mike and Becky; four month old granddaughter, Edalyn; his brother, Steve; and sisters, Carol and Dixie; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. 
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Calvin and Eileen; his brother, Wayne; and his nephew, Clint. 
There will be a memorial at his home on December 18, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The memorial was held on Saturday, December 18, but you can still sign the online Guest Book here.

Dick was a wonderful person, larger than life, and he will be missed. Here is one of my favorite pictures of him, taken just before our 40th Reunion, last summer.

Football Meet and Great and Booksigning December 4

Stop in December 4 at the Snohomish Beer & Wine Specialty Shop (511 Maple Street) , from 1-3PM for a Meet &Greet with Keith Olson, author of the SHS Football Record Book!

Congratulations, Keith!

The Snohomish High School Football Record Book, by Keith Olson

The Snohomish High School Football Record Book, researched and written by Keith Olson, is now available at Uppercase Books, in Snohomish!

Uppercase Books is located at the corner of 2nd and Cedar in Snohomish, Tuesdays through Sundays (closed on Mondays). Thinking ahead to Christmas, any Panther fan, and certainly anyone who ever played football at 
SHS, would want one of these.  Records are researched back to 1906, and every purchase includes a donation to the Keith and Eileen Gilbertson scholarship funds at SHS.


The purchase price is $10.


Way to go, Keith! Congratulations!

Everett Herald Obituary- Wendell Dale Carter

Mr. Carter, choir teacher at SHS, passed away on August 17, 2011. You can read his obituary and sign the guest book here.

Wendell Dale Carter


Wendell Dale Carter of Granite Falls, WA, died at home August 17, 2011.

A short service will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 S.E. 240th St., Kent, WA on August 31, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Following the service there will be a gathering at the home of Gary Carter, 3729 Menzel Lake Rd., Granite Falls, WA for friends and family, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

An article about Keith Gilbertson's contribution to the 1970 championship team

Keith Olson has written another wonderful article about Coach Keith Gilbertson. Jerry Ingalls adds his memories of the 1970 State Championship Game.

The article is here.

Keith Gilbertson's Football Legacy

Keith Olson wrote this wonderful article about Coach Keith Gilbertson. It's a lovely tribute.

The Dick Armstrong Memorial Golf Tournament 08-12-11

Keith Olson shared these wonderful photos of the action at the 2011 Dick Armstrong Memorial Golf Tournament.

L-R: Keith Olson, Bob Comer, Jim Gilbertson, Dann DeBellis

Keith Olson, Jim Gilbertson, Dann DeBellis

Keith Olson

Ed Peterson Tribute/SHS Band Reunion November 2011

A tribute to band leader Ed Peterson/SHS band reunion is being planned for November 2011.
Click here for info.

The Dick Armstrong Memorial Golf Tournament- August 12

Friday, August 12, the 6th Annual Dick Armstrong Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Snohomish Golf Course to raise scholarship money. Click here for details.

A Cordial Invitation

Keith Olson says: The SHS Class of 71 reunion committee asked me to spread the word that Class of 70 folks are cordially invited to their no-host, class reunion prefunction on Friday, Aug. 5, at the Pizza Palace on 1st Street in downtown Snohomish, next to Pegasus (or what used to be the old Brown's Theatre). Happy hour drink prices till 9 p.m. and buy your own food if you care to eat. Class of 72 folks are also invited to the prefunction, so you could run into just about anyone from our senior year way back when.  

Update on the Kieth Gilbertson Memorial Scholarship

Keith Olson passed on this news: Just wanted to send an update to classmates saying that the Keith Gilbertson Memorial Scholarship website is finally up and running here. Please take a look and send comments on stories, if you wish, or contribuite your own memorable story about Mr. Gilbertson (coach or teacher). Obviously, donations are also welcome. It would also be a big help spreading word about the site if anyone would care to link up by "liking" the site on Facebook or sharing any of the articles or photo galleries.

Donations in Memory of Keith Gilbertson, Sr.

This news from Keith Olson:

Just wish to inform everyone that, in memory of Coach Keith Gilbertson Sr., our class reunion committee cut a check for $100 to Snohomish High Athletics from our modest leftover reunion funds. This was done in response to a recent matching challenge put forth by the Class of 1953.

If anyone cares to sweeten the pot from the Class of 70 on their own, they are welcome to do so by sending a check to Snohomish High School Athletics, c/o Mark Albertine, 1316 5th Street, Snohomish, WA 98290. Albertine is the district athletics director, and he assures me that any money sent in this fashion will go directly to SHS athletics, and nothing else.

For those who may have missed it, Jimmy's dad passed away in February from complications in his recovery from heart surgery. He coached at Snohomish for 61 years, including the past 31 years as an unpaid volunteer assistant in football and girls basketball. Quite the legacy.

One more note, I am getting involved with a Snohomish Education Foundation fund-raising effort to endow a perpetual Keith Gilbertson Memorial Scholarship at the high school. That effort will be launched in June with a website dedicated to memories of Coach Gilb. So please stay tuned if you have memories of him to share.

Keith O.

Kathi Prater Taylor visit to Snohomish, March '11

I made a quick trip to Snohomish early in March, to teach a knitting class at Great Yarns in Everett, and to speak to the Snohomish Knitter's Guild (if you're a knitter in the area, look them up- it's a great group).

I didn't have much time for visiting while I was in Snohomish, but Kristy Downes Kelly did take my knitting class, along with her daughter Erica. It was great to see her!

And I had lunch with Peggy Hill Engeseth, and Kris Johnson Hansen at The Collectors' Choice Restaurant- the food was great, and I think we were the youngest people there.

Everett Herald Obituary- Alan O. Laxdal

From the Everett Herald:

Alan O. Laxdal, 79, a resident of Snohomish, WA passed away March 23, 2011 in Snohomish. Alan was born October 3, 1931 in The Pas, Manitoba, Canada to Ole and Olive Laxdal.


Alan was a longtime English Teacher at Snohomish High School, retiring in 1989. He has lived at Ermitus at Snohomish for the past five years.

A special thank you to the staff at Ermitus for the wonderful care they have provided to Alan during that time.
 
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You can read the online obituary and sign the guest book here.

Everett Herald Obituary- Keith Gilbertson, Sr.

I am sorry to report that SHS Coach and teacher, Keith Gilbertson, Sr. passed away on Feb. 16, 2011. He was 83 years old, and will be missed.

From The Herald:

Keith S. Gilbertson Sr.


Snohomish coaching legend Keith S. Gilbertson Sr. died February 16, 2011. He was 83. Funeral services for Coach Gilbertson will be held Monday, February 21, at 10 a.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Snohomish, followed by interment at the G.A.R. Cemetery and a public memorial service at 1 p.m. in the Snohomish High School gym. Condolences to family members may also be expressed at a viewing and visitation Sunday, February 20, from 1-3 p.m. at Bauer Funeral Chapel in Snohomish.

The online obituary and guest book is here.