For a complete listing of all classmates who have passed away, click on the first link below to open an alphabetized obituary list. Once the year of death is found, click on the appropriate link below and then on that person’s name to find his or her obituary. The three documents below will download as PDF files.
BHS DECEASED LIST (ALPHABETICAL)
RECENT OBITUARIES
Thomas Anthony Chartier
1947-2024
Thomas A. Chartier, age 76 of Bellingham, Washington passed away peacefully on December 27, 2023. Tom was born and raised in Bellingham, WA on August 4, 1947 to Rachalle and George A. Chartier. He attended schools in Bellingham and Skagit County. Tom went to work for Georgia Pacific September of 1966, a millwright by trade with the latter years as the vibration analyst until GP’s closure in 2007. After retirement, Tom spent his time woodworking, and was a proud member of two car clubs, Skagit Old Car Club and Whatcom County Cruiser. Tom also went on many adventures traveling with Judy. Some of his favorites were traveling to locations where he could scratch off his bucket list of places such as the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Jamaica, a family cruise to Alaska, and to the Maine coast, renting a car in Boston with friends, and visiting as many lighthouses as possible along the way.
Tom is survived by his wife Judy G. Chartier, son Marc Chartier (Sara) of Philadelphia, daughter Renee Chartier (Brian Wallace) of Oak Harbor, grandson George Chartier and granddaughter Raylin Lee Wallace. Tom was preceded in death by both his parents and with his first grandchild, Olivia Lousie in 2010.
A Celebration of Life for Tom will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Bellingham Ferry Terminal at 1:00.
Randy Simpson
1947-2023
Ferndale, Washington – Randy Logan Simpson, a beloved soul who graced this world with his presence for 75 years, was welcomed into the loving arms of Jesus on August 22, 2023. Born on Halloween day, October 31, 1947, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Randy brought a unique light to the lives of all who knew him with his loving, goofy, and funny nature. A clown at heart, Randy was always ready to bring smiles and laughter to those around him. His curiosity was insatiable, and he approached life with a remarkably positive attitude, finding joy in the simplest of things. Randy’s persistence was matched only by his sentimentality; he held onto memories and moments that touched his heart, creating a tapestry of cherished experiences for those he loved and who loved him.
Known for his enthusiastic spirit, Randy’s thoughtfulness extended to everyone he met. With the emergence of YouTube, he was thrilled to rediscover (and share with anyone who was near) old videos of Red Skelton, the Gaither Vocal Band, and lesser known historical facts. He was always eager to learn and explore new things. He was a well-known lover of Coca-Cola, having spent 15 years working for the company as a service manager and expanding his vast network of acquaintances in the process. He loved to putter in the yard, and he found solace and contentment in nurturing the beauty around him and sharing it with family and friends. He loved classic cars and had a sweet tooth that knew no bounds-his love for sponge candy, raisin pie and red licorice was a testament to his unabashed enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures.
On December 26, 1992, Randy embarked on a new adventure that changed the course of his life when he married his eternal love and soulmate, Janet Simpson in Lynden, WA. Their incredible union created a huge, extensive family, and their love was a beacon of warmth and companionship that lit up the lives of this family and those around them for over three decades.
Randy’s legacy lives on through his beloved wife Janet, sister Patricia (Lynn) Sires, his 7 children, David Simpson, Dean Simpson (Karrin), Lewis Seutz, Don Seutz/Sonia Seutz, Brian Seutz (Laura), Craig Seutz, and Kevin Seutz (Belinda). He was a proud grandfather to Brandon Vavra (Holly), Brad Vavra (Kay), Jordan Simpson (Jayme), Ty Haan (Hannah), Kylee Simpson, Keeley DeWeber (Jay), Taylor Simpson (Marissa), Marco Nunez, Brandon Seutz (Kasey), Austin Haan (Ashley), Mary Washkow (Andrew), Clara Seutz, Landon Seutz, and great-grandfather to 14. Randy’s impact reverberated throughout his extensive family network, touching the lives of numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends who cherished his presence.
Randy will be joyfully re-connected with those who preceded him in death: his father, David H. Simpson; mother, Mary Pressentin (Simpson); stepfather, Bob Pressentin; brother, David W. Simpson; mother-in-law, Alice Kamppila; brother-in-law, Paul Sires; uncle, Don Sires; and niece, Riann Simpson.
A celebration of Randy’s life will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at 2pm at New Song Church, 4600 Guide Meridian Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226. Graveside/Inurnment service will precede this on September 1, 2023, 2pm at Greenacres Memorial Park, 5700 Northwest Dr, Ferndale, WA 98248, with a public viewing on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at Moles Farewell Tributes- Bayview Chapel, 2465 Lakeway Dr, Bellingham, WA, from 4pm-7pm. All are welcome to join the family in saying goodbye. In lieu of flowers and donations and to honor Randy’s memory, please commit to what he most cherished- spending more time with your family and friends and to be kind to those God has placed around you
Dianne Kay Ross
June 10, 1947 – April 18, 2023
Bellingham, Washington – Our beloved mother, wife, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, niece, aunt and friend, Dianne Ross (McGinnis) passed away April 18, 2023 at the age of 75 after the most courageous battle with breast cancer. Surrounded by her loving family who will continue to honour her legacy by living their lives to the fullest and loving with all of their hearts. Dianne was born June 10, 1947 in Bellingham Washington; she graduated from Bellingham High School class of 1965. Soon after graduation she married Nick Lemperes and had two children, Rick and Wendy. Dianne lived briefly in Chico and Sacramento California until she married the love of her life Carman Ross and moved to British Columbia Canada. She and Carman loved being in Mesa Arizona, Mexico and their Sudden Valley home. Her love of family was always her priority and if you ask any of her grandkids about their fondest memories of childhood it would be intertwined with tales of boating, golf cart rides and cookies. The simplest things brought Dianne the greatest pleasure. Her kindness and compassion was contagious and spread to all that knew and loved her. Brave and courageous doesn’t begin to define her final year. She made the best of a bad deal and taught us all to always find the silver linings – no matter how small.
She is forever loved and missed by her husband Carman Ross, children; Rick (Shannon), Wendy (David): two stepdaughters Keri (Peter) and Lori. Dianne adored her 9 grandchildren and one great granddaughter they will always miss her encouragement and love. Remembered forever by her sisters Jodi (Mike) and Patti (Mike) her Auntie Barb, many special cousins, nieces and nephews and of course her “sister friends” Cherrie and Gunilla. She was blessed all her life with beautiful friendships and treasured them all. Predeceased by her parents Ted and Audrey McGinnis and older sister Nancy Petersen.
A celebration of her beautiful life will be held at a later date. ~Her wings were ready, our hearts were not.~
James Edwin Elvig, D.C.
1946-2023
Jim Elvig was born September 29, 1946, the elder of fraternal twin boys, to Ken and Margaret Elvig in Bellingham Washington. Jim and his twin John joined older brother Paul and they were followed six years later by brother Dan. The family was poor in worldly means but rich in love and integrity. He always considered himself blessed to be raised by earnest Christian parents. Even though he joked about making up outlandish excuses why he couldn’t go to church any particular Sunday, he was secretly proud of having a perfect Sunday school attendance record, evidenced by a long row of award bars pinned to his Sunday-go-to-meetin’ clothes.
He grew up as a typical mischievous boy, spending hundreds of hours in Whatcom Falls Park, just down the street from home. He, his brothers and his friends tormented the neighborhood with various antics. One day Jim and John chopped down a tree which fell on the power line and cut off electricity to the homes in the area. Another time he and a friend ignited gun powder in the street to scare an inebriated neighbor as he walked by – it worked. In spite of this youthful lapse of judgment, he was intelligent as well as creative, inquisitive and motivated, displaying an interest early on in all things mechanical. He took apart and rebuilt several car engines and taught himself how to repair just about anything. He became interested in firearms and hunting in his teens. He attended Bellingham High School graduating with the class of 1965.
Jim attended Skagit Valley College and enrolled in ROTC in an effort to avoid being drafted. He was drafted anyway and served in Vietnam and the DMZ in Korea. He became an excellent marksman. Jim said he wouldn’t repeat the military experience for $1M, but neither would he trade the experience for $1M. Upon discharge from the Army Jim’s older brother Paul secured employment for him with Moles Funeral Home in Bellingham and he worked for them for several years. He married Linda Haferkorn in 1969 and their son Jason was born in 1972. By this time he was working for ARCO refinery in Ferndale. But having injured his back while an employee of Moles and receiving relief for his pain under chiropractic care, Jim became interested in becoming a chiropractor himself. He took a leap of faith, quit his good job at the refinery and went to Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1977.
In 1978 Jim opened his own practice back in Bellingham and became a very successful chiropractor, ultimately treating over 10,000 individuals in a twenty-year period. He prayed every day that God would use him to help people. He believed in treating his patients not only with excellent care clinically, but also with respect and dignity. He truly cared about them all as individuals. Jim was proud of the professional relationships he formed with many medical doctors who had come to trust him. Jim readily made friends everywhere he went and he was very pleased to make a number of friends through his practice. Some remain to this day, particularly Gary and Terry Cox who are more family than friends.
In the early 80’s Jim was introduced to horse packing by Lindy Scrimsher, a patient who had become a friend. Jim dove into it with passion. He had a number of horses during his time as a backcountry packer and hunter and spent literally hundreds of hours on horseback, on foot and around the campfires in the wilderness enjoying the beautiful gift of God’s creation. Any trip’s success was defined by the amount of laughter and a safe return rather than if an animal had been bagged.
Jim also enjoyed fishing all his life. He spent many hours on the Nooksack River being mentored by and fishing with his father-in-law Bob Haferkorn. In the mid 1980’s he bought his first big fishing boat and began fishing more often on bigger waters including in Canada. The inevitable occurred with the successive purchases of larger boats. But the result was that the fun and the catches were larger as well and the freezer was filled nearly every season with a bounty of salmon, halibut and crab.
In December of 1983 he met Nancy Patten on a blind date at the home of Len and Karen LaHatt, patients who had become friends. Though he initially balked at the idea of meeting a woman in this manner, it turned out they were both smitten. They married in 1986 and enjoyed 36 years together. There were lots of visits with Nancy’s family and Jim forged a strong bond with her step-father Dick who was equally as inquisitive as Jim was. Aside from the daily running of the practice, there were the many activities – skiing, horseback trips into the wilderness, camping trips, hunting trips, fishing trips, most of them with Jason in tow. Never has a man loved, believed in and supported his son with more fervor than Jim did and Jason respected his Dad tremendously. The days and nights spent in the tent, around the campfire or on the deck of the boat were valuable times of training for Jason and bonding for the two of them.
In 1998 Jim decided it was time to retire from his chiropractic practice. He and Nancy moved to Twisp Washington where they have lived ever since. He created the workshop of his dreams there. Always seeking out new challenges, Jim dove into gold-prospecting, building log furniture, metalworking, creating Damascus steel knives and any and all projects needing attention on the property. Rebuild a bridge? No problem. Bust out the roof and build dormers? Got it done. Take up the Banjo? Sure, and not only that but build your own Gourd Banjo to boot. All of it was done with boundless enthusiasm and a sense of adventure. He loved learning and trying new things.
Jim’s deep love for God’s creation and animals eventually quashed his interest in hunting. He would accompany Jason on hunting expeditions but he hadn’t shot anything in years. He took joy in living amongst the wildlife in Twisp but he especially loved his dogs. “Ladd” the last Golden Retriever, or “Laddie” as he was called, had stolen Jim’s heart. Laddie was a rescue dog but it turned out Laddie rescued the Elvigs.
In January of 2015 Jim’s beloved son and only child Jason, died at home in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. Had God not made Jim into such a strong and determined individual, he would have died of a broken heart. Always turning to God through His Son Jesus Christ, Jim was able to rise above many difficult experiences in his life, including this one. He had absolute assurance that Jason was safe with God and that he would be with him again one day. Now they are together again. Soon and very soon, we are all going to see the King.
One of the greatest joys in Jim’s life was witnessing his son Jason watch his own son Jake being born. There had been a long period of separation for Jim and Nancy between them and Jake but that came to an end on December 1, 2022 when they were reunited. It was pure joy and love, a great gift to all involved.
During the inevitable aging process of the last few years, Jim chose to simplify his life. Fishing trips continued, but in general the pace of life slowed. The woodstove got swapped out for propane – no more wood-hauling or chimney-cleaning. The workshop projects became less grandiose. He willingly gave up the Winter trips to Arizona while Nancy’s mother aged into her late 90’s and they stayed close by to assist her. He never liked to use the word “comfortable” to describe his life, he equated that with “boring.” Life was quiet but full.
Jim treasured the upbringing he had in the home of parents who loved God and enthusiastically worshiped and served Him. He had a tender heart and was quick to forgive as well as quick to apologize. He will always be remembered for his compassion and kindness. As the years went by he loved the Lord all the more and clearly recognized the Sovereign, loving hand of God in his life. He had begun asking God for more boldness in sharing with others the message of God’s forgiveness and goodness and peace; it was a prayer God answered as Jim lived out his faith more and more openly all the time. He and Nancy never experienced their life with God as religion but as another grand adventure; one full of love and joy and peace.
The final trip to Wickenburg Arizona was to be another gold-prospecting and desert-exploring adventure. On February 3rd, while on a group ride on ATV’s, Jim lost control of the handlebars, was thrown from the vehicle and it landed on him. He was airlifted out of the desert about an hour later and made it to Banner Thunderbird Trauma Center in Phoenix but died in surgery. It’s difficult to believe a man as tough and determined as Jim could not survive his injuries. But surely, in that tiny instant between life here on earth which he loved and lived with such enthusiasm, and eternal life with God which he had always looked forward to, the willingness to step forward into the Light of God’s presence must have come easily once he saw the glory of Jesus’ face calling him home.
Jim was predeceased by both his parents Ken and Margaret Elvig, his older brother Paul, his twin brother John and his son Jason. He is survived by his wife Nancy, his grandson Jake, his younger brother Dan, sister-in-law LaDonna and numerous other relatives.
* If you wish to make a memorial contribution in Jim’s name the family requests you support the Paws4Vets program of the Paws4People organization in Wilmington, NC at paws4people.org and reference Paws4Vets and Jim’s name in the comment/note section.
Laurie Sue Hendrix McMurry
1947-2023
June 18, 1947 – January 18, 2023 Kirkland, Washington – Laurie McMurry passed away on January 18, 2023. She was born to Hugh and Ermine (Blodgett) Hendrix on June 18, 1947 in Bellingham, Washington and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1965. On May 16, 1969, she married Alan McMurry. Laurie lived in Bellingham until 2011 when she and Alan moved to Kirkland, Washington to be closer to their children and grandchildren. She worked at the Fountain Veterinary Hospital in a variety of roles for 20 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents. Laurie is survived by her husband, Alan, her children, Allison (Howard) Wright, Nicholas (Gretchen) McMurry, grandchildren, Everleigh and Maddox McMurry, Ewan and Arlo Wright and her sisters; Karen Hendrix, Melanie Blatman and Sandy Butters.
A celebration of life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to Seattle Children’s Hospital.
BHS Class of '65 | Bellingham, Washington 