Pioneers

Gary Smith was born in 1940 in the Sequim Hospital now Discovery Memory Care on Washington Street to Arvie and Dottie Smith. Arvie was the first Smith from Alabama to immigrate to Sequim in 1935. Gary’s family moved often in his first six years while dad was working in the woods. His parents purchased his…

Jan was born in Port Angeles in 1941 to Fred and Katie Schmuck. Fred was born in Sequim, and Katie in Iowa. Jan graduated from Sequim High School and attended University of Puget Sound with husband Gary. She went one year and became a dental assistant and helped Gary financially to finish school. He graduated…

In May 1941, Shirley’s parents Clara and Israel Reandeau moved their family from South Dakota to Sequim. The family, consisted of siblings Helen, Irene, Charles, Mary, Elmer, Lorraine, JoVonne, and Shirley, along with her niece Carolyn. They first visited Port Angeles where their relatives had settled. However, Shirley’s parents were captivated by the beauty of…

Alfred “Al” Easterly says he’s honored to be an Honored Pioneer for the 2024 Irrigation Festival. He is the son of George and Evelyn Easterly.  George was a logger, so they moved around a lot, but Al and his family grew up mostly in Sequim. He has a sister, Rosalie Secord and a brother, Jimmy…

Honored Pioneers are a tribute to those who came early and stayed late. Honored Pioneers must be a descendent who has/had a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent that lived within the current boundaries of the Sequim School District prior to 1950.  These Honored Pioneers are selected by the Sequim Pioneer Association Committee. The Honored Pioneers are…

Janis (Schmuck) Thomsen was born and raised in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley area. She lived in Carlsborg with her parents Audra and Ernie Schmuck and three siblings. While attending Sequim High School she met and married her high school sweetheart, Bob Thomsen, whose school locker was next to hers. Together, for the next 60 years, they…

Myrna Margaret Mantle was raised and adopted by Vern and Norah Mantle upon her father Rex being drafted into World War II. They lived about a block away from the Mantle Farm so they were close enough to play with both her sister Rena and cousin Diane who lived about a block in the other…

Richard “Rick” George Godfrey was born and raised in Sequim. The son of George and Mildred Godfrey, his family has roots on the Olympic Peninsula dating back to 1888 when his great grandfather William Barber Ritchie arrived in Port Angeles from Scotland. Ritchie, a lawyer, was responsible for leading the City of Port Angeles to…

Roenah “Rena” Marie Mantle Blank was raised by her grandparents, Jess Mantle, a third generation pioneer, and his wife Bess. Rena’s parents Rex and Stella (Curry) Mantle divorced and Rex was drafted into World War II leading her to live with her grandparents. She enjoyed living on one of the more than 200 dairy farms…