Coupeville Sports

They will be remembered for how they lived.

As we near the end of 2024 and look back on those who have passed in the last year, a number of them had a sizable impact on Wolf Nation or the town of Coupeville.

From former customers at Videoville to those who spent time in the bleachers at sports events, and beyond, they all added to the story that is being told on the prairie.

We offer our condolences to their families, but also a thank you for sharing them with us.

This isn’t necessarily a complete list, but it is an impressive roll call of men and women who made our community better for their presence.

 

Garth Batchelor:

A tireless supporter of Whidbey Island sports, and if he was a little more South Whidbey than Coupeville, tough, we claim him as one of ours as well.

Truly a rock-solid guy, and you can see his memory live on in the actions of his kids, all good athletes and better human beings.

 

Demy Dean:

She and her husband, Orlan, were fixtures in the Coupeville business community, running Dean Chevrolet and enjoying life with their daughters on Penn Cove.

Described by family as “abundantly creative and full to the brim with knowledge gained through all of her life experiences.

“She had a hack for everything, spent hours on Facebook, made lists upon lists, and loved to sort her ‘stuff’ while wearing red lipstick and clip-on earrings.”

 

Dave Engle:

One of the kindest human beings I have ever met, a pastor who genuinely cared for each and every one of us, regardless of whether we were part of his “flock.”

Every exchange I had with him, whether at Videoville, in the aisles at Prairie Center, or in the stands at a game, made me feel better.

Without fail.

 

Joe Lippo:

A Navy man to the core who loved the Red Wings, tried repeatedly to get me to understand the complexities of rowing, and bought me many a hot dog over the years.

We shared the bleachers at games both home and away, and I’m not sure I’ve ever met a parent more committed to being at every game (and dance recital) his kids were in.

Truly a good dude.

 

Cindy McDougall:

A tireless advocate for children (her own and others) who was a bright ray of sunshine during her frequent visits to Videoville back in the day.

One of her sons, Chris, worked with me behind the counter, and was one of our best employees.

Whether she liked the movies I recommended or rolled her eyes at me upon returning her rentals, Cindy was always kind, and I will remember her with great fondness.

 

Gabe McMurray:

In 30+ years of on-again, off-again sports writing here on Whidbey, he was one of the most impressive athletes I have covered.

Whether as a teenager — when he seemed like a man among boys as he carved up foes on the hardwood — or during his return to his alma mater for alumni games, Gabe had a unique presence.

I never saw him once look at a scorebook or ask about his stats. He simply went out, dominated, and then went on with the rest of his life, and left the nattering over stats to others.

The Man, pure and simple.

 

Frank Meyer, Sr.:

He helped changed my life.

The 12+ years I spent working at Videoville for Frank and his wife, Miriam, was the one stretch of time in my life where my job never felt like work.

In a different world, I’d still be there, getting paid to inhale Reese’s Pieces and babble on about movies while sitting on an ever-growing pile of screener movies.

It was a time.

 

Warren Ove:

Like Dave Engle, a devout man who showed great kindness to all regardless of whether they shared his faith.

Always warm and welcoming, and his visits to Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso were a master class in showing care and compassion, even when I no longer attended the religious meetings he shared with many of my relatives.

Mr. Ove had a special way about him, and I was always glad to have a moment or two talking with him.

 

Susan Roberts:

The quiet power behind the throne for a family which has produced generations of standout Coupeville athletes.

Whether supporting her husband, their sons, or her many grandchildren, when I saw her, I always thought of the same word – graceful.

 

John Rodriguey:

The Dude who put Toby’s Tavern on the map, a larger-than-life presence at his grandchildren’s games, and one of the most entertaining Videoville customers from the “olden days.”

Always had a gleam in his eye, always looked like he was up to shenanigans, always one of my favorites.

 

Al Sherman:

Prairie to his core, a smart, kind man who worked hard to preserve the land where he grew up, and where his family put down roots.

A “conscientious leader and friend, a thoughtful listener who loved a deep and sometimes controversial conversation – which he often lightened up with a farmer joke” who “loved his family above all.”

 

Darlene Sherman:

A farmer’s wife and the backbone of one of the prairie’s most enduring families.

If there was a cause worth supporting, she was there, from her church to the local hospital, to the county election board.

Through it all, she “always had time to talk and make you feel special; like she had been waiting all day to see you and now the day was complete.”

 

FloyDene Van Velkinburgh:

A Wolf Mom and Wolf Grandma to the core, and an ardent supporter of both her own children and grandchildren, and to any in need.

A tough, resilient woman who gave love unconditionally, and was beloved by many.

 

John Weber:

A huge supporter of local events, he was heavily involved with the Arts and Crafts Festival, Coupeville Water Festival, Island County Fair, and the Republicans of Whidbey Island.

Also, a proud member of the Coupeville School Board for 26 years.