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Archive for the ‘In memory’ Category

Aloha, Lanie

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , , on March 31, 2022| 1 Comment »

Lanie Kiel, queen of the CHS gym. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

She could have been mean, but she wasn’t.

She could have been angry, but, if she was, she didn’t show it.

She could have been sad, but the smile, even when fighting through great tiredness and pain, never wavered.

Lanie Kiel, the ultimate Wolf Nation volleyball and basketball fan — a loving mother to her own two brilliant daughters, Katie and Kacie, and also every other young woman who shared the court with them — was joy, and happiness, and grace, and kindness, wrapped up into one transcendent soul.

A long, brutal battle with cancer weakened her body, and Tuesday she passed away in her sleep.

But I will not say she lost her fight, because Lanie will always be a winner in my eyes.

In good times and bad, her heart, her smile, the love radiating from every pore in her body, never wavered, never changed.

I knew Lanie and her husband Steve from back before I launched this blog, crossing paths with them during my time at other jobs, and then I came around to write about their daughters, sharing hard wooden bleachers with the parents during big wins and agonizing losses.

Even after the girls graduated, the Kiel family, exuding Hawaii-style laidback charm and love, were frequent fliers at Coupeville athletic events.

This year Katie stepped up and became a middle school volleyball coach, helping close the circle, while I probably drove Kacie quietly crazy by constantly asking if she might join her sister on the bench, teaching lessons to a new generation of Wolf female athletic stars.

Kacie’s basketball Senior Night brought out ma, pa, and big sis Katie.

Through it all, Lanie, her pride in her family shining brightly, even when we had to hide our faces behind masks, was there to light up the gym, night after night.

Having witnessed up close an aunt endure a similar journey with cancer as a constant companion, there were times when you could tell it was harder for her.

Times where she couldn’t make it through the entire night and had to leave a game early.

But there were other times when the pain seemed to melt away, and those nights gave me hope she would continue to grace the CHS gym for years to come.

Whether she was chuckling over Steve’s antics with the flag as he called lines at volleyball matches or giving hugs to everyone who asked — and everyone who knew Lanie was a Lanie fan — Mrs. Kiel was a burst of love in her actions and words, a balm for hurt feelings in a troubled world.

Lanie and Sylvia Arnold, enjoying life.

We spoke many times over the years, and it was always remarkable how kind she was, how genuinely caring she was.

As we camped at the top of the bleachers, leaning against the gym wall in a futile effort to make our seats feel at least slightly comfortable, she was a most-pleasant companion.

She would want to know how I was doing, if I was still enjoying writing about sports, and they weren’t just casual conversation questions.

Lanie always made you feel she cared and was really listening to your answers.

I’ve been on this beat — writing about sports in Coupeville — for 32 years now.

Sometimes on a daily basis. Sometimes in a more infrequent fashion.

Thousands upon millions of words, in newspapers — some still in business, others not — magazines, and blogs.

Athletes come and go, and now their kids are showing up to play the same sports as their parents once did.

Fans, parents, bystanders, and participants. I’ve crossed paths with a lot of people while documenting the exploits of Wolf Nation, and Lanie will always be one of the ones who endure.

She was kind and caring and she made my day better every time our paths crossed.

When I look at Katie and Kacie, I see their dad — his competitiveness, his deep love and appreciation of sports, his McConaughey-style laidback charm — but I also, very much, see their mom.

I see Lanie’s love, her kindness, her embrace of life and everyone livin’ it, and I see it reflected every time her daughters smile, every time they laugh, and in the grace with which they carry themselves.

She was so proud of them, and for good reason.

With spring sports in full stride, we’re outside now.

But there will be a moment down the road when we return to the CHS and CMS gyms, and Lanie’s memory will be there waiting for us.

The first time will undoubtedly be sad.

But, as we remember her joy, her kindness, her love and toughness and resiliency, it will be easier. Because she will never fully leave us.

Lanie Kiel will always be the best of what Wolf Nation is, and I am thankful her path crossed mine.

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Our neighbor, our storyteller, our friend

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on February 9, 2022| 2 Comments »

Steve Smith, son of the prairie. (Photo courtesy Emma Smith)

Steve Smith was a rascal.

And I mean that in the best way possible.

Steve, who passed away at age 78 last week after a fight with multiple myeloma, was a larger-than-life athlete during his days at Coupeville High School.

Whether chasing people on the football field, or wielding a tennis racket, he was power and grace combined.

Or, as one former teammate remembered, “He tore people in half, and that was just in practice!”

Steve’s athletic skills stayed sharp throughout his college days, as he competed in track and field and once again blew up folks on the gridiron.

Drafted into the Army, he served in Vietnam as a medic between 1966-1968, earning the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

Stories passed down about his time in country paint a portrait of a man beloved by those he served with, though Steve himself was not one to blow his own horn.

Not that he didn’t love telling a story or too, which is where the rascal part comes in.

A twinkle in his eye, Steve spent many an afternoon regaling me with tales during the Videoville days.

That continued over the years, both when I would see him at athletic events featuring his offspring, and during his frequent afternoon visits to swap tall tales with my landlord, Jack Sell, a fellow Coupeville native.

“Did you see what Emma did in the volleyball match last night? That’s my granddaughter, you know!! Gets all her talent from me!!!”

And then Steve would laugh, the mirth rumbling up from deep inside him, and he would admit that maybe some of the talent had come down from Grandma Sandi’s side of the family, too.

He loved his wife, and his pride in the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren their union produced was undeniable.

Steve’s dad Knight is a mythic legend, his own extraordinary sports exploits now somewhat buried in long yellowed newspaper clippings.

But daughter Joli was a transcendent three-sport star during my days as a painfully young Sports Editor at the Whidbey News-Times, one of the best I’ve written about.

And by the time I came back around to the prairie athletic beat with Coupeville Sports, some of Steve’s grandkids, like the aforementioned Emma, were making their own marks.

Through it all, whether it was his daughter, or sons Jesse and Todd, or the next generation, Steve glowed with pride when he talked about them and their exploits, sports related or not.

He was a small-town boy who reached for the stars, a prairie native whose impact touches many of us, near and far.

Steve Smith was our neighbor, our storyteller, and, most of all, our friend.

That will never change.

 

A graveside service will be held at 1 PM Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Sunnyside Cemetery in Coupeville.

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Once a Wolf, always a Wolf

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on December 30, 2021| 10 Comments »

Barry Brown, the only man to lead three separate Coupeville High School varsity boys basketball teams in scoring. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Our lives are separate, yet interwoven.

High school sports bring together a wide range of individuals, from athletes and coaches, to fans and parents, to refs, writers, and support staff.

Together, we form a group in which we touch the lives of those who join us.

We are one, but together, we are a nation, a Wolf Nation.

As time fades, some of us depart, while new ones join.

But while death erases the body, it shouldn’t dull the bonds that person shared.

As we head towards 2022, I want to take a moment to look back at some of those we lost this year.

It’s not a complete list, and not meant to be, and no disrespect is meant to anyone not here.

It’s a farewell, a celebration of diverse lives — of men and women who were, and always will be, part of this “nation” brought together by shared experiences.

Once a Wolf, always a Wolf.

Kathleen Anderson – Longtime school board member who cared deeply about each student she represented.

Gail Barron — Proud Wolf mom whose children were among the most-talented to ever suit up for Coupeville.

Jim Blouin — Vital part of a family deeply tied to Coupeville, and a frequent renter at Videoville back in my video store days.

Dr. Suzanne Bond — Coupeville Schools Superintendent whose leadership skills were impeccable. Led the district to new heights during her tenure.

Barbara Chernikoff — Grandmother to former Wolf volleyball sensation/eternal ray of sunshine Kylie Chernikoff.

Charles Clark — Everyone’s friend, a football coach who spread love near and far. The ideal traveling companion, his voice rumbling, full of wisdom (and some good-natured smack talk), as the miles passed.

Murph Cross — American Bad-Ass.

Dolores Engle — One of the kindest women you’ll ever know, a true Wolf mom, not just to her own flock, but to every kid.

Kay Foss — Longtime Coupeville teacher, and a Videoville regular with husband Dave.

Joey Glendenning — Proud Wolf mom who loved to watch daughter Lacy McCraw-Shirron repping the red and black.

Brandon Graham — A favorite of CHS teachers and fellow students, a young man who grew up to be a kind, caring father to his own children.

Sylvia Grasser — Matriarch to one of Coupeville’s most-successful sports families, she worked as a school bus driver so she could follow her grandkids games up close and personal.

Kristin Hurlburt — A lovely human being. Her spirit, her gentle humor, her embrace of life, even in trying times, lives on through her children, and her much-adored granddaughter.

Dorothy Keefe — A bright, shining light in the gym, always there to follow her kids and grandkids, always proud, always full of love for all.

Muriel Pickard — A woman who fought to preserve the beauty of Whidbey, one of the truest defenders this Island has ever had.

Daniel Renninger — Ultimate Wolf grandpa who was always there to support his granddaughters Avalon (far right) and Sage.

Sally Rhubottom — Matriarch of a family with deep roots in Wolf sports. Her son Jeff was a Coupeville basketball legend in the ’70s, and her great-granddaughter Samantha is a captain for the current CHS cheer squad.

Anne Weaver — Worked 38 years for the Coupeville School District, greeting each day with a smile.

David Wells (bottom, far left) — Coupeville born and bred, a hard-working dude with a good sense of humor.  

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“She LOVED Coupeville”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on November 24, 2021| 1 Comment »

Dorothy Keefe, always with a smile for all. (Photos #1, #3, #4, #5 courtesy Renae Mulholland)

She was true to her school, her town, and her family.

Always.

Dorothy Keefe, who passed away this weekend, was as big a Coupeville supporter as any you would find, and our paths crossed often as I wrote about sports.

Regardless of the situation, through good times and tough times, the matriarch of one of our most-successful families always had a smile on her face.

Always.

Whether she was watching her children recapture past glory — son Randy wowing the crowd by doing the splits at the 101st CHS basketball anniversary event — or glowing as her grandchildren continued to add to the family legend, Dorothy was a delight.

Keeping a loving eye on both her own offspring, such as son Randy, and her sons from other mothers like Bill Jarrell. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Into her 80’s, she still enjoyed getting together for coffee with classmates such as Roger Sherman, Albert Bowers, and George Libbey, and planned nearly all of her CHS Class of ’53 reunions.

Her smiling face, always there in the stands, has been a pleasant constant in the years since I started Coupeville Sports, and her impact will not be forgotten.

Dorothy Keefe was a Wolf, one of the best of them.

Always.

A pandemic couldn’t stop Dorothy from being in the stands to cheer on granddaughter Abby Mulholland.

 

From the family:

Dorothy Clark Keefe passed away November 20, 2021, at the age of 87.

She was born in Coupeville, Washington on October 1, 1934, to her parents, Tommy and Blanche Clark.

She graduated from Coupeville High School in 1953.

After graduation, she worked for West Coast Telephone Company as a telephone operator in Oak Harbor, Mount Vernon, and Everett.

Dorothy married Tommy Keefe on June 12, 1955, at the Coupeville Rec Hall, and two years later they built their forever home in Coupeville.

In the 60’s she was a telephone operator and worked in the business office at South Whidbey Telephone.

It was in the mid 60’s when she decided to follow her calling and become a nurse. She attended Skagit Valley College and graduated with an LPN nursing license.

Dorothy began her career at United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley, then worked at Whidbey General Hospital from its beginning in 1970, until her retirement in 1992.

Most of those years were spent working in the delivery room and nursery with the newborns.

During retirement, she volunteered to work on the Coupeville Parks and Rec Commission, where she helped make improvements to the Rec Hall, obtained equipment for the Coupeville Town Park playground, and painted several town snowmen for Christmas.

Dorothy was the foundation of her family.

As a young adult, and throughout her life, she was the glue to bring her family and friends together for so many parties in her home, extending invites to the many relatives near and far.

She will be remembered for her love of babies, her help and love for family and friends, and her community.

She LOVED Coupeville.

Dorothy is survived by her four children: Rick O’Keefe of Skagit County, Randy O’Keefe of Freeland, Ryan O’Keefe of Coupeville, and Renae Mulholland (Robert “Moose” ) of Coupeville.

Reconnecting with the past with daughter Renae and son Ryan during renovations at Coupeville High School.

Also six grandchildren: Kramer (Morgan), Austin, Kendra (Nick), Courtney (Beni), Gavin (Lucy), and Abby.

Four great-grandchildren: Oliver, Annorah, Dallan, and Ryley; one brother, Pat Clark (Jan) of Langley; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Tom Keefe; her brother, Jim Clark; and her sister, Kathleen “Katy” Clark Faris.

Visitation will be held at Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home in Oak Harbor Monday, Nov. 29, from 5-7 PM.

A graveside service will be held at Sunnyside Cemetery Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 11 AM.

Immediately following the graveside, a reception will be held at the Coupeville Rec Hall.

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Goodnight, Uncle Chuck, and thank you

Posted in Football, In memory, tagged , , , , on October 25, 2021| 5 Comments »

Charles Clark, AKA Uncle Chuck, a legend in Wolf Nation and far beyond. (Jane Dent photo)

This is a love letter, not an obituary.

One of the best men to ever be a part of Wolf Nation left us today, but his spirit will never fade.

Charles Clark was a football lifer, a player, a coach, a fan, a man who could smack talk with the best of them, only to let loose with a warm laugh which made his target laugh even louder.

He was a genuinely nice man, a strong dude not afraid to show his love for others, and he always made you feel as if you mattered.

Uncle Chuck knew the gridiron game inside out, but he never lorded his knowledge over others.

He shared it freely, whether he was working with you on the field, whether he was camped in the stands casting an eagle eye at what was playing out down below, or sitting in a car bumping down the backroads on a rainy night.

If you’re like me — a sports writer bumbling your way through, telling the legend while always knowing you don’t really comprehend the game the way an insider does — there could be no better traveling companion than Uncle Chuck.

We hit the road multiple times, with Jonathan Martin, dad to Jacob and Andy, driving, and that velvety voice flowing from the back seat.

He’d tell tales, of his own gridiron days, and those of his family members — and he regarded every guy in a uniform to be his family.

Games won and lost, legends who never made it, underdogs who did, plays long past which still lived large in his mind.

With other football lifers, Uncle Chuck could break down X’s and O’s to the smallest detail.

With me, he was patient, leading me to a deeper knowledge of the game while keeping it simple, a gentle laugh punctuating his stories.

When we stopped for ice cream in a distant town, he had a smile and a nod and some friendly words for everyone we met.

Did he know these passing folks? Didn’t matter.

If we had left Uncle Chuck in a different town, be it Port Townsend or Forks, the man would have been that town’s favorite son in a matter of hours.

People warmed to him in .00002 of a second. Being an introvert myself, it always sort of amazed me how smoothly he rolled through life.

You can’t fake the warmth and love that man had for people. And that people had back for him.

His fellow coaches loved him.

His players loved him.

Every lady in the stands, whether on Whidbey or in some far-flung place he was visiting for the first time, loved him, and every guy was fine with that, cause, darn it, they loved him too.

His impact is immeasurable, in Coupeville and beyond.

We only had Uncle Chuck as a Wolf coach for a bit, but every day he spent here he made us better.

He taught football, but he also taught life.

Play hard, play your best, always, but show respect to those you encounter, on and off the field.

Through action, through word, through a smile and a heart which were world-class, Uncle Chuck was a mentor, a role model, and, most of all, a friend.

I can’t pretend to know his whole life, of what he faced as a young Black man growing up. Or as an adult, for that matter.

But the glimpse I had of Uncle Chuck in the years I knew him was of a man who chose happiness over hate, a man who deserved our respect, our admiration, and our love.

With Covid throwing the world asunder, and him dealing with his own health issues, it has been a bit since I last shared a car with him, bumping through the night after a dose of Friday Night Lights (and a hamburger or two).

I hope he knew how much he meant to all of us.

And I hope his family knows how grateful we are for them sharing Uncle Chuck with us.

I know, going forward, he will remain with me.

Every time a linebacker busts through the defense and chases down a quarterback, I’ll hear Uncle Chuck let loose with a holler.

Every time a running back slams into the line and gets crushed, yet somehow ekes out a yard or two, I’ll hear his chuckle.

When the players and coaches gather on the field afterwards, win or loss, I’ll see Uncle Chuck down there, offering a bear hug, a back slap, a quiet word or a big whoop, depending on the need of all involved.

He loved the game, but he loved everyone involved more.

And we will love him for that, forever.

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