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Posts Tagged ‘in memory’

“Judy was a force of nature”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on October 22, 2025| 1 Comment »

Judy Marti

Coupeville lost a wonderful woman earlier this month.

Judy Marti, the matriarch of one of our town’s largest, and most successful, sports families, left the prairie Oct. 5, after spending 50+ years here.

Her sons and daughters, and grandchildren, have formed the backbone of Wolf athletics since I started writing about sports on Whidbey in 1990, and well before that.

I also came into contact with Mrs. Marti many times at Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso during my golden years, and always found her a kind, gracious woman.

She will be remembered fondly.

 

From the Marti family:

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a legend, our loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Judith “Judy” Bernice Marti, who passed away peacefully in her home on October 5, 2025, at the age of 85.

Born in 1940 in Seattle to the late Lester and Opal Roberts, Judy was a force of nature. A lively child who climbed trees and wore mismatched socks and didn’t care what you thought about it.

In 1960 she met the love of her life, Roy John Marti II, and they married the following year.

Together they built a beautiful bustling family with ten children.

After raising the first five in the city, they moved to the countryside to sow the land and grow the rest of their brood and have called Coupeville home for the last 50 years.

Judy used life experiences to become one of the most valuable teachers’ aids ever to grace the school district.

Her ability to relate and connect impacted everyone she met, from the student struggling in math, to the stranger sitting next to her on the bus.

She was spiritual and an avid reader, from mysteries to the Bible; her favorite picture was Jesus laughing; she herself enjoyed humor and was often described as the funniest person in the room.

A talented wit who showed compassion for all.

It’s hard to measure the breadth of impact she had on us all, but it would look similar to the deepest view of the universe ever captured by the James Webb telescope.

She is survived by her sister Mary, as well as her children Chris, Rick, Rose, Mike, Frank, Bill, Jim, and Tony.

She is proceeded in death by her husband Roy, their son Roy John III, and daughter Judith Catherine, as well as her siblings Bette, James, and Daniel.

She leaves behind 15 adoring grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, all of whom will carry on her legacy of love, strength, and humor.

A memorial will be held at the Coupeville Recreation Hall on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3:00 PM.

Refreshments will be served. Parking is limited, overflow available behind the library. 

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“He had a deep appreciation for life’s simple joys”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on June 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Charlie Cook

You can’t talk about Coupeville athletics without paying tribute to the accomplishments of the Cooks.

Wolf Nation lost one of its best in May, with the passing of Charlie Cook, who excelled for the Wolves in whatever sport he played.

Cook was part of the 1974-1975 Wolf hoops squad which advanced to state. (Photo courtesy Bryn Langrock)

 

From the family:

Charles “Charlie” Cook, died peacefully on May 21st, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Charlie was born in Japan in 1957 to Ayako and Roger Cook.

He later moved to Coupeville, where he graduated from Coupeville High School, Class of 1976.

A proud Coupeville Wolf, Charlie was a standout three-sport athlete.

He became a business owner and custom home builder on Whidbey Island after graduation.

In 2008, he moved to Seattle and became a Quality Control Inspector, where he was known as the best inspector the company had ever employed.

Throughout his life, Charlie was known for his generosity and for being one of a kind.

He had a deep appreciation for life’s simple joys.

Whether that was going out fishing on an early morning, playing a round of golf, or sharing a table for a game of poker or cribbage.

He kept his competitive edge sharp in cribbage and poker – still playing up until his final days.

Charlie is survived by his brothers, Richard Cook (Linda) and Raymond Cook (Roni), and his beloved daughter, Lauren Cook.

He will also be deeply missed by extended family, lifelong friends, and the many lives he touched on Whidbey Island.

Though our hearts are heavy, we find comfort in knowing that his one-of-a-kind spirit will live on.

A celebration of life is to follow at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charlie’s memory to the Coupeville High School FutureGenerations Fund through the Whidbey Community Foundation website, supporting opportunities for future Coupeville students.

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“She remained loving and generous”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on June 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Norinne Ellsworth

Norine Ellsworth, who was a loyal Videoville customer back in the day, passed away in May.

She had great challenges in her life but always had a smile for me when she came to the counter.

Norine will be remembered fondly by many.

 

From the family:

Norine Carrie Ellsworth passed away on May 30, 2025, from cancer.

She was born on August 30, 1963, in Richmond, WA to Mary and Roger Ellsworth.

She attended Coupeville High School and graduated in 1981.

Norine worked with Service Alternatives for many years until getting her LMP license at Ashmead College of Massage.

Norine went through a lot of phases in her life dealing with Huntington’s Disease herself and raising a daughter with Cystic Fibrosis, but through all of it she remained loving, resourceful, tenacious, accepting, supportive and generous.

She was an amazing mother and her daughter, Tabitha Roemish, is so grateful for her constant love and support.

She was a cool big sister to her brother, Steve Ellsworth, and a loving Aunt to her niece, Rhiannon. She loved all her family, too many to list.

There will be an informal celebration for Norine Ellsworth on July 12, 2025, at 1272 South Byrd Drive Coupeville, WA 98239 at 5:00 PM.

Come share memories, eat/bring food and let’s celebrate a complex and amazing woman who left us too soon.

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“David will live on in the hearts of all who knew him”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on June 16, 2025| 1 Comment »

David Streubel gets festive with daughter Amanda.

David Streubel was the best of what Wolf Nation has to offer.

A devoted husband, dad, and grandpa, and a meatcutter like no other, he was a straight shooter and as dependable as his handshake was firm.

Mr. Streubel, who passed away earlier this month, bled black and red as a devoted Coupeville sports fan, and was highly supportive of not only his own children, but of their friends and classmates.

But even before I headed back into the world of sports writing with the launch of this blog in 2012, he and his family were a positive presence in my life from their frequent visits to Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso.

He will be missed, but he will be fondly remembered.

Livin’ the college football life with son Nick and wife Nanette.

 

David Matthew Streubel, a devoted family man and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 7, 2025, at the age of 64.

He was born March 8, 1961, in Bellingham, WA.

He was raised in a loving family and has a very large extended family in the Whatcom County area.

He moved to Oak Harbor in 1986 where he had begun his 40-year career in grocery/meat cutting.

He was a dedicated employee and mentored many young workers.

Personally, Dave was a loving man with a quick wit and loved to play pranks.

He loved supporting his children during their sport activities.

He learned more about swim than he ever wanted to know and enjoyed the travel and camaraderie with athletes and families.

Dave watched Amanda cheer and Nick play football and basketball in the kid’s older years.

He loved setting up for tailgate at football games at Tomlinson Field in Ellensburg and meeting players and our extended CWU families.

He was a proud Papa and loved his granddaughters with his whole heart.

He loved to travel and experience new places and people and spend time with family and friends.

Dave did not cook much but had a talent for smoking meats. He has a couple of recipes on the Trager site.

Dave had a lifelong love of music and saw countless acts over the years.

He had many lifelong friends who have shared stories of their adventures over the years. Many are legendary.

He was a gifted carpenter and spent countless hours remodeling two homes.

Those times were filled with pride and frustration (he was a perfectionist when it came to solving finishing issues).

David is survived by his loving wife, Nanette Streubel, his children Amanda Jones and Ryan Jones (Oak Harbor, WA); Nicholas Streubel and McKenna Garske (soon to be Streubel) (Cheney, WA); his granddaughters Natalie Jones and Evelyn Jones (Oak Harbor, WA); his sister Jean Westby (Quincy, WA); sister-in-law Sue Streubel (Bellingham, WA); his brother from another mother, Terry Lane and Chris McGinnis (Marysville, WA); many cousins, many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Streubel and Suzanne Streubel, his brothers Michael Streubel and Paul Streubel and his brother-in-law, Paul Westby.

He will be remembered by family and friends as a kind, loving man.

At David’s request, there will not be a formal service.

In the future, we will have a family celebration of life and also a local celebration of life for friends. Those dates will be posted at a later date.

Our family would like to send endless gratitude and thanks to Island Health, Skagit Health, Whidbey Health Hospice team, and the University of Washington Medical Center for expert, compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Gifts from the Heart (food bank in Coupeville, WA) or Small Miracles (provides assistance for families with medical expenses).

David will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

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“Joseph was larger than life”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on April 14, 2025| 2 Comments »

Joe Tessaro (50) stood tall for one of the best boys’ basketball teams in CHS history. (Photos courtesy Chuck Tessaro)

Joe Tessaro was a big man who left a big impact.

Before graduating with the Coupeville High School Class of 1988, the six-foot-five tower of power competed at the state championships in basketball and track, with the discus record he set standing untouched by any other Wolf for 23 seasons.

Tessaro, who passed away at age 54 in March, brought home a 6th place medal from the state track meet as a senior, with his mark of 143 feet, eight inches in the discus sitting atop the CHS record board from 1988-2011.

He was also a starter on the 1987-88 boys’ hoops squad which went to state, pouring in 260 points during his senior season.

The Coupeville native combined with older sibling Chuck to score 598 points across their prep hoops careers, making for one of the most successful brother combos in program history.

Middle school hoops dreams.

 

From the family:

Joseph Lucine Tessaro – September 29, 1970 – March 11, 2025

It is with deep sorrow and sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Joseph L. Tessaro on March 11, 2025.

He was 54 years old and will be remembered for his love of life, profound kindness, and generosity.

Joseph was born on September 29, 1970 (a gift to his mother Leah, who shared the same birthday) in Oak Harbor, Washington.

Growing up in Coupeville, on Whidbey Island, Joseph loved and appreciated all that island life offered, including spending time on the beach, fishing in the sound, and hanging out with close friends.

Enjoying time out on the water.

He graduated in 1988 from Coupeville High School, holding the school record in the discus (which stood for 23 years) and was instrumental as a starter on the varsity basketball squad that earned a berth to the state tournament in his senior year, 1988.

After high school, Joseph found his way to Denver, Colorado, where he met the love of his life, Amy, in 1998. They were married on September 2, 2000.

Joseph managed a bicycle shop, worked in the import/export business, and over the past 18 years served as a “Landman” in the oil, gas, and mineral industry – most recently a partner/owner of Pacer Energy in Wyoming.

Joseph also served as President of the Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen from 2017-2018.

Aside from his work, Joseph enjoyed all the mountain region afforded – mountain biking, snowboarding, fishing, and hunting.

Joseph was also an aficionado of classic cars, appreciating their uniqueness and history.

Joseph was larger than life, both in his physical presence at 6 feet, 5 inches, coupled with an infectious smile and uncanny ability to immediately connect with anyone.

With quick wit and humor, Joseph found the best in people, and those around him enjoyed his company immensely.

What Joseph cared most deeply about was his family – wife Amy and daughter Leah, who he dedicated his life and energy to.

Joseph loved spending time with them and supporting Leah’s interests like taekwondo and cheer.

Daughter Leah, makin’ her old man proud.

Joseph was known for his generosity and finding ways to give back to others, whether helping friends and associates in need, or simple and kind acts like buying meals for those that serve our country.

Joseph L. Tessaro is survived by his wife Amy and daughter Leah (Cheyenne, WY), Father Wayne Tessaro (Coupeville, WA), and brother Charles Tessaro (Seattle, WA).

He was preceded in death by his mother, Leah Tessaro (May 1991).

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